Is there any real justification for DST?

[nightcat]

Twice a year I wonder why we move clocks forward and back. I have yet to come up with a reason that justifies it. Just like Art, I ask DST fans to defend it. Just give me one GOOD reason why DST is such a wonderful thing. Point out one indisputable benefit that it has for humanity. As yet, nobody has. And why do we have "standard time" for only FIVE months, yet DST for SEVEN?? Shouldn't "STANDARD" be the... um, standard?

Every year at least one person I speak to just has to blurt out that DST is beneficial to children and farmers. WTF???? Children have to walk to school IN THE DARK when we move the clocks up an hour in early April; that sunrise that WAS coming at 7:30 AM with standard time is now pushed up to 8:30 AM! Or they'll tell me it's so that kids can enjoy evening ballgames. As if the sun didn't stay up late enough on its own with the lengthening spring days anyhow! Farmers who work through the daylight hours have THE SAME AMOUNT OF DAYLIGHT HOURS no matter where the clocks are! Personally, I think they'd be happier knocking off an hour earlier... especially if they're farmers who need to be up in the wee hours to milk cows! And the people who say it saves electricity are plumb loco; there are still just as many dark hours to be illuminated by electric light and just as many hot, sunny hours to be chilled by air conditioners NO MATTER WHERE THE CLOCKS HANDS ARE.

Attention DST fans: If you have an irrefutable argument in favor of DST - something better than the "children, farmers and saving electricity" nonsense, please list it here. I'd love to hear it.

[Skookum]

... especially if they're farmers who need to be up in the wee hours to milk cows!

I think that Wisconsin, a big dairy state, rejected DST from the outset because the 'shift' would screw up their milking routine.

[Random]

So constuction workers can have an Extra hour of DAYLIGHT??

[BadBoy]

They moved up the start of daylight savings time to the beginning of April several years ago. The reason was to get more daylight hours more of the year to save energy costs - so thats the reason pushed most recently as the justification for daylight savings time.

[Maverick]

The real reason is that you can spend spend spend, no one goes shopping at 8:30 in the morning, not me anyway. However, when the clock moves ahead 1 hour in April I get to go and shop while its still daylight out. When I get home I don't have to fumble around for all my packages I can still see them . Its good for the economy! ;-)

[True Wireless]

The real reason is that you can spend spend spend, no one goes shopping at 8:30 in the morning, not me anyway. However, when the clock moves ahead 1 hour in April I get to go and shop while its still daylight out. When I get home I don't have to fumble around for all my packages I can still see them . Its good for the economy! ;-)

LOL I agree, as well as good for those farmers who are compensated not to grow particular crops or use a particular plot of land or not raise hogs. Imagine being paid to not get up and milk cows at 4 am. Maybe all those idle milking machines could then be used to play a unique rendition of Pump and Circumstance (PC...snicker) in Washington DC...on the politician's themselves LOL.

[Aquarius]

I hated DST when my children were young, they went to bed at 8:00PM and being still light out was a pain. I still don't like it much.

[Project]

The auto time update is the only thing that works on a Windows machine?

[SETIsLady]

The auto time update is the only thing that works on a Windows machine?

[nightcat]

I guess this l'il news item got buried under all the larger stories of late, but last month Pres. Bush signed off on a resolution to make DST go from the last weekend of February through the second weekend in November.

I'm trying to think of something more ludicrous but am presently drawing a blank.

Anyone?

[Thirsty]

The most depressing time of the year is when it starts getting dark at 4pm......YUCK.

I want the big light left on a little longer at night. Farmers can milk in the dark, some have their cows trained to milk at ten at night.

Most farms around here leave the barn lights on all night anyway, the cows give off more milk for some reason.

Amish might have a little trouble because they dont like electricity, They carry around candles, they only milk 40 cows max anyway and they use the milk for cheese curds.....yummy