Early Daylight Savings Time...

[The Coop]

Yes, it's that time of year again. Except this time, it's coming early. How early? Well, in about ten hours... all so we can save energy. Although, I don't believe anyone's explained just how this will save us energy. Seems to me, that the sun will still in the sky for same number of hours, and it'll still be down the same number of hours. As such, you'll still have to run everything that's "time of day" dependent for the same length of time. And if it's hot or cold where you are, you'll still be running the heaters and air conditioners for the same length of time.

Brilliant way to save energy, yes? Anyway, here's a handy little tip for those who either weren't aware of DST's early arrival, or aren't aware that not everything will be done for you...

-Clocks-

Watches, clocks in your home/car/microwave/VCR/etc.- Reset them manually.

-Computers-

Windows- For Vista, it will update itself. For 2000/XP, make sure you have automatic updates turned on. If it doesn't update, go to here and follow the instructions. For 98, 95 and ME, you'll have to change it manually.

Mac- For Tiger/Panther, it'll update itself. For older OSes, you'll have to change it manually.

For stuff like time dependent software (MS Outlook calenders, stock market software, etc.), they should update with your computer. But make sure of this, as things like appointments might be an hour off. So double check them. For things like PDAs, fax machines, and iPods, you'll have to fix it manually. For stuff like mobile phones, TiVo, etc., companies have been saying that they'll be updated automatically for you.

Just thought I'd give a heads up for those not completely aware of what needed to be done, and maybe get someone to explain how GWB's seemingly idiotic idea is going to save anyone energy.

[Ray Falling]

So is this a US only prank or world wide? Also, I think i heard hospitals and such getting in real trouble with this early time change. Don't know the details on that though.

*sigh* Energy saving...Let's also start breathing less so the oxygen doesn't run out too fast...

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

So is this a US only prank or world wide? Also, I think i heard hospitals and such getting in real trouble with this early time change. Don't know the details on that though.

*sigh* Energy saving...Let's also start breathing less so the oxygen doesn't run out too fast...

What do you mean by 'prank'? It occurs worldwide, but not all countries observe it. Just Wiki it.

Thankfully AZ doesn't go into this bullshit. Though I'll miss that aspect whenever I move out of state.

[Xelebes]

Oh how I wish I was in Saskatchewan.

Wait...

[Avatar of Justice]

I personally couldn't care about the energy savings. Daylight Savings Time equals more daylight during the hours I am awake, which is cool.

[atmuh]

Thanks a ton Coop I wasn't sure what to do with my PC to make it all happy happy.

[Kutrayn]

Yay! Now I won't have to burn so many candles to keep my little home lit!

Still, this sucks. I've been waking up at 7:00 every day to work (why? Because it's spring break and I have to cover for my ex-girlfriend who is in colorado visiting the boyfriend she dumped me in, thus I am the only one capable of opening the store...). Sunday, however, we open an hour later, so I get to wake up... an hour... lat - ter........ aw damnit.

7:00 equivilent, here I come. G'night all.

[supremespleen]

I love fall back, but damn if I don't want to shoot spring forward in the face.

[Sporknight]

I forgot about fall's DST, so I got screwed out of an hour of sleep. Now I get screwed out of an hour of sleep...again? Or what?

Ah well, too much to think on. Gotta get to church in the morning anyways...Lent isn't the best time to be skipping mass for sure.

[Salty]

Lent is the best time to skip mass.

And repent to a cooler religion.

[Zombie]

Gah!!! This daylight savings time stuff sucks. >.< Damn you for making me lose an hour.

[SLyGeN]

The way DST saves energy is by rolling forward the clocks, so that you are awake during more of the daylight, reducing as much need for lights to be on. At 8:00 at night, the light outside is as if it were 7:00. Although you're up for the same amount of hours, those hours are shifted to align with the daytime.

Unless you're a non-conformist and don't believe in the circadian rhythm, like me.

[vindkast]

Thankfully AZ doesn't go into this bullshit. Though I'll miss that aspect whenever I move out of state.

Move to Hawaii (or parts of Indiana) and you'll be safe-- they don't celebrate it either. Err, recognize it? Enslaved... by... it...

[Steben]

FRICKIN A

It's now past 3am.

Where did my hour go??

I would pick this weekend to start actually having a social life and going out on a Saturday evening.

[Fionn]

Here's a statistical oddity:

I took two of my friends home, who live less than 10 miles from me. They got home at 1:45 and 1:55, and I got home at 3:05.

DST sucks.

(Sadly, I wasn't going 88 mph, for fear of the cops. I could've blamed it on my flux capacitor.)

[entropicdecay]

Your iPod will update if you connect it to your (updated) computer. Just a tip for us lazy bastards. one less thing to reset.

[Evilhead]

We do not practice this barbaric time destroying art in this land.

[Airwalker]

We do not practice this barbaric time destroying art in this land.

My only wish is that the United States legislative branch would see it that way as well.

[The Damned]

We do not practice this barbaric time destroying art in this land.

That's because Japan isn't big enough to span multiple time-zones. When a country does span multiple zones, then you have to use it. Also, geography plays a part. Mountains will affect the time for sunrise and sunset. That's why Saskatchewan in Canada doesn't bother with daylights saving; the entire province is so flat, there's nothing in the way. No mountains, no blocked sunlight.

Then you get the weird little half-hour zones, like Newfoundland. Watching TV shows there is odd, because hour-long shows start on the half-hour mark.

I think that's because no one else wants to share a time-zone with them, though.

[Gollgagh]

The way DST saves energy is by rolling forward the clocks, so that you are awake during more of the daylight, reducing as much need for lights to be on. At 8:00 at night, the light outside is as if it were 7:00. Although you're up for the same amount of hours, those hours are shifted to align with the daytime.

Unless you're a non-conformist and don't believe in the circadian rhythm, like me.

The real question, though, is how in the hell does this EARLIER DST save energy?

[entropicdecay]

The real question, though, is how in the hell does this EARLIER DST save energy?

I think the logic here is that since we switched over early, we will have saved 3 weeks' worth of power we would have used otherwise.

Or something like that.

[Red Shadow]

basically its a waste of everyones time

[JackR]

I demand my hour of sleep back.

The easiest way to solve this problem? When I become president (ha!), we shall have DST as follows: fall back and fall REALLY FAR back.

In fall, we set the clocks back an hour, and in spring we set them back 23 hours, and we can all have a Saturday Part Deux to sleep in. All businesses shall be closed; no one will work and everyone will have the day off to be lazy, like a good, freedom-loving American should. In order to preserve the calendar structure, we'll simply make March have 30 days. And if your birthday is on Deux Day, it's like a Leap Day birthday or something, so you can feel all special about it. Everybody wins!

[Citris]

I demand my hour of sleep back.

The easiest way to solve this problem? When I become president (ha!), we shall have DST as follows: fall back and fall REALLY FAR back.

In fall, we set the clocks back an hour, and in spring we set them back 23 hours, and we can all have a Saturday Part Deux to sleep in. All businesses shall be closed; no one will work and everyone will have the day off to be lazy, like a good, freedom-loving American should. In order to preserve the calendar structure, we'll simply make March have 30 days. And if your birthday is on Deux Day, it's like a Leap Day birthday or something, so you can feel all special about it. Everybody wins!

Genius! We could get rid of the leap year too!

Two birds with one stone.

[kamoh]

Then you get the weird little half-hour zones, like Newfoundland. Watching TV shows there is odd, because hour-long shows start on the half-hour mark.

I think that's because no one else wants to share a time-zone with them, though.

Brazil might...

I demand my hour of sleep back.

The easiest way to solve this problem? When I become president (ha!), we shall have DST as follows: fall back and fall REALLY FAR back.

In fall, we set the clocks back an hour, and in spring we set them back 23 hours, and we can all have a Saturday Part Deux to sleep in. All businesses shall be closed; no one will work and everyone will have the day off to be lazy, like a good, freedom-loving American should. In order to preserve the calendar structure, we'll simply make March have 30 days. And if your birthday is on Deux Day, it's like a Leap Day birthday or something, so you can feel all special about it. Everybody wins!

To add to Calpis' idea of getting rid of leap year, we could totally do that, and also establish 13 four-week months if we wanted. Of course we'd have to convince about 7 billion people to go along with the idea, but I think we have enough guns and bullets to do that...