Daylight Savings Time may be extended

US House of Representatives considers extending daylight saving

An energy bill passed by the House would extend daylight-saving time into early March and late November to save electricity during evening hours. The savings would be small relative to the nation's overall energy consumption. But it could demonstrate the beginning of a national conservation effort as Americans grapple with record energy costs. "Every bit of conservation helps," said Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., who co-sponsored the amendment with Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass. The bill still requires approval in the Senate, where comprehensive energy legislation has stalled in recent years.

I hope they will pass this just for the longer days.

Aubrey

Sure makes sense to me. I love the longer days, too. Isn't Indiana talking about going on it?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE it as it is!!!! Get up earlier! Quit messing with the time!!!!!!

I'm with Kathleen....and I hope Arizona stays like it is...no change! Jo

I'm of the very firm opinion that they should pick one time plan and stay with it 12 months a year. This bi-annual sleep disturbance foolishness is ridiculous.
Did I mention I hate time changes??

Well, I'll admit to loving the few mornings the kids sleep in "later".

:)

This message was edited May 31, 2005 11:00 AM

Go for it! More time to pull durn weeds. Corky

I'd love to stay on this time year around.

I love having more time in the evenings when I get home from work when we're on summer time, and I dislike it being dark before I get off work when we're on winter time. I have to drive 25 miles each way to work, and when it's dark and the weather's bad, it's no fun at all. At least if it was still light out, I'd be able to see a bit better.

I agree with Joan and the others who don't like Daylight Savings time. I think it's a concept that has past its usefulness. I wish we would stay with what we have right now.

Yes, I agree!

ditto!

Ummm, well...we're on Daylight Saving Time right now ;o)

I dislike the change in the fall because I'd prefer we have more afternoon/evening daylight hours year-round. But as far as adjusting to the time change itself, it's really just the springing forward that is hard on me. Getting an "extra hour" of sleep in the fall isn't so bad.

No, I LIKE daylight savings time is what I was trying to say. That is what we are on now, right? Or is it the other way around? Anyhoo, I like that extra hour of daylight in the evening. Gives me a little more time to work in the gardens after work, and in the winter I don't have to drive home from work in the dark.

I think more people would take advantage of the extra hour of daylight in the evening than in the morning. Do people really get up at 4 AM? I'm usually just starting to sleep good at that time.

Me too Joan. I love the extra hour of light that we have in the evenings. I do not like it when it is cold and dark outside. I prefer more sunlight.

JesseK

I like having the extra light in the evening. Sure would be nice for those already-short, nasty winter days.

Yeah, I vote to keep it all year round. I don't need daylight at 5am even if I'm up, my eyes aren't open enough to notice. I want the extra daylight in the evenings.

I loved the lack of a clock change during the 12 or so years I lived in Arizona. The only problem was in remembering that nearly everyone else switched their clocks, so I was embarrassed on more than one occasion when an obviously sleepy loved one answered the telephone. :)

The clock changes also come into play with international calls, since each country has its own dates for switching over and back.

I prefer no silly clock changes anywhere at any time!

Well, except for folks who want to set their clocks 10 minutes fast so they get an extra snooze alarm and the joy of shutting it off and still making it to work on time... but that's not important right now. lol

I guess I'm going to act like a crank and say that THERE ISN'T ANY EXTRA DAYLIGHT!!!! If you just get up an hour earlier without a change from the more natural standard time, you get the same effect! For me, when the sun is straight up, it is mid-day. My internal clock likes it that way, and I think that if you really think about it, it is the same for you. Don't change the clock - change the schedule!!!!

editted to say, that, yes there is naturally more daylight, but changing the time doesn't make for daylight - it's already there, it is just in the way in which you use it that it seems to be longer. O, lord, more commas.

Just for those of you who don't know me, this is only partly dead serious. I enjoy a good give and take, but really, think about it and you'll see that we can have time work for us if we just all become moring people and get things going sooner, thus getting out sooner, unless, of course, you're a farmer and then there is no getting done (lol!) and that goes for mothers of small children and anyone who runs their own business, et cetra, and I think I have enough commas in this sentence for a couple of days.

This message was edited Jun 1, 2005 7:48 AM

I agree with the philosophical argument that there are the same number of hours in the day for everyone (and therefore the same number of daylight hours.)

But.......for those whose schedules must conform to someone else's (e.g., a job that ends at 5:00 pm each night), they lose an hour of precious daylight time after their workday ends.

Getting up an hour earlier may give the mathematical equivalent of an extra hour of time, but for practical purposes, it just ain't the same ;o)

Exactly Terry!

I could get up an hour earlier and work outside, before showering and coming to work, (yes, I'm at work now :), but that's most likely not going to happen if I only have an hour to get dirty. I would work outside until I can't see anymore in the evening though.

Kathleen, I agree that we aren't gaining or losing an hour of daylight. Just moving it. Maybe it should be called Daylight Switching Time, rather than Daylight Savings Time.

The last time they tried this in CA, the biggest backlash was from parents whose children were standing on street corners in the dark waiting for school busses. Not desireable. An hour of daylight is not worth the safety of our kids.

Lol I am the early riser who would rather do the chore at 5 am than at night.

Ahhhh, but it's much easier to force onself outside before dawn (especially in the colder months) in zone 10a than zone 4a ;o)

I do understand the concerns of parents who worry for their children's safety (although there's a lot to be said for figuring out a schedule that permits you to wait with your children, rather than having them wait alone, whether it's dark or sunny.)

Terry
(who commiserates with those on both sides of the dilemma)

In 4a I would NEVER go outside in the winter LOL!! That is why we pay the suntax.

I love daylight Savings Time, I would want it year round if I could have it. JMHO

Howie works 4pm-12:30am, heading to bed around 2 or 3:00am, and I keep his schedule; we don't see the early morning hours unless we're still up, I'm afraid! LOL

Frogsrus, suntax? I hope I'm not the only one who doesn't know what that is. LOL

We have some of the highest gas and housing prices in the country. Median house prices are over $500,000 here. (And the worst city government but that is another story.) The price you pay for living where the sun always shines.

This message was edited Jun 6, 2005 5:50 AM

Yeah, we get the "cool mountains weekend and summer vacation time" tax around here. It used to be just around the lake but has spread to the whole area on both sides of the state line in the last 3-4 years.

edited for typo

This message was edited Jun 6, 2005 12:18 PM

Thanks for explaining that, Frogsrus......I think I understand now. ;)

I for one would love to keep DST! Think about it: not only would energy be saved but all those people (me included) who need sun light to stay sane, might be able to cut back on their Prozac and save some money. It's a win-win!

Seriously, I thoroughly enjoy staying out till the sun goes down when it's warn. It would be so nice to not have to drive home from work in the dark in the winter!

I would love it as well. To keep the summer hours that is. It feels as if I am able to get more done. You lose hours irregardless though. Remember that in winter the days get shorter due to the earths rotation. But having an extra hour of daylight in the winter would be a blessing in the evening. =)

Well, I'm of the same opinion. There are so many chores that have to be done even in the winter months. It would be marvelous to have more day light during those dreary months to get things accomplished. I think it would probably cut down on depression for some folks, because it would give people more time to stay busy.