messin' with the clock

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Initially (not sure when) this was set up for farmers to give them an extra hour of daylight in the winter months to see what they are doing. Does anybody on ilx (who's not a farmer) benefit from this annoying twice-yearly shenanigan. For me it’s just a pain in the arse changing all the clocks in the house.

I think the whole planet should vote on this, as I’m sure there are billions of non-farmers who’d appreciate not having to piss about with the majority of appliances they own twice a year.

not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:37 (eighteen years ago) link

Hmm, I don't care one way or the other. I do prefer summer time. I don't mind changing the clocks.

nathalie, a bum like you (stevie nixed), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:41 (eighteen years ago) link

I don't really mind either.

What about the schoolkiddlies going to school in the dark? Did that not figure?

Rumpie, Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:44 (eighteen years ago) link

Summer time means it's still light when I drive home, even in October. But then, if summer time lasted all year (which is what no-summer-time advocates usually, um, advocate), then it would *still* be dark driving home for a few months in winter; and at the same time it would also be dark when I leave for work in the mornings (which it isn't when we're on standard time).

Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:45 (eighteen years ago) link

I've always said we should stick with GMT.

Stone Monkey (Stone Monkey), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:46 (eighteen years ago) link

Yes, WORLDWIDE.

nathalie, a bum like you (stevie nixed), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:48 (eighteen years ago) link

See also: school year. The only reason for long summer holidays is so kids of olde could go and work on the family farm. On the other hand, kids quite like long summer holidays. Especially now they don't have to work on the farm any more (mostly).

I don't mind changing the clocks but I do feel weird for about a week after each change.

Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:48 (eighteen years ago) link

When I was a kid I always thought that shorter but more frequent holidays would be better... but I appreciate I was probably in the minority here.

tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 11:53 (eighteen years ago) link

the clocks i have now in my life - cell phone, computer - change automatically, so aside from the one night of drinking where you lose an hour of sleep, saving time is no big deal.

i'm impressed a parody thread of this one hasn't appeared yet.

carly (carly), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:23 (eighteen years ago) link

my computer crashes sometimes when it tries to automatically amend the hour, I've even had to re-install the whole OS a couple of times in the past.

Yes get rid.

Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:28 (eighteen years ago) link

School runs in the mornings is still a big issue in Scotland - yes it's dark when they come home from school, but they're totally awake by then, unlike when they're going in to school.

Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:30 (eighteen years ago) link

what a silly thread

RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:31 (eighteen years ago) link

changing the clocks won't change the plain hard fact that we live in a silly country where it's often dark, wet, and cold for 8/10 of the year.

N_RQ, Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:37 (eighteen years ago) link

Initially (not sure when) this was set up for farmers to give them an extra hour of daylight in the winter months to see what they are doing.

This be a joke, right? Farmers work by sun, not clocks.

Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:50 (eighteen years ago) link

N_RQ is right (although for those of us north of the border, it's about 9.5/10)

grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:51 (eighteen years ago) link

Trayce, tis true.

not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:56 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_052.html

Dear Cecil:

I left the farm 35 years ago, but I still remember the farmers' quarrel with DST, at least in Wisconsin. It had nothing to do with cows and clocks, but rather with farmers and clocks. As soon as farmers began working according to the clock instead of according to the sun, along came DST and robbed farmers of two hours each day. This is how. Field crops become damp with dew every evening, and are dried by the sun every morning. Crops ready by 8 o'clock "sun time" now were not ready until 9 o'clock DST. Thus one hour was lost in the morning. Then at the end of the day, farmers working by DST knocked off at 7 o'clock, which was only 6 o'clock "sun time." Thus they lost another hour in the evening. The unanswerable question, of course, is why farmers ever work according to clocks. --Frederick A. Kreuziger, Dallas

Cecil replies:

I'll say. I was kidding when I said farmers were idiots, but now I'm starting to wonder.

--CECIL ADAMS

Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 13:15 (eighteen years ago) link

I like changing the clocks. It's a chance to touch bass with our loyal time keepers.

jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 15:38 (eighteen years ago) link

Indiana and Arizona to thread.

Jeff Wright (JeffW1858), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 15:40 (eighteen years ago) link

And Hawaii. Hawaii's the only state that 100% refuses.

Farmers hate DST. Don't blame it on them.

I'll take one or the other. And then I'd like to never have to arbitrarily change a clock again.

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 15:46 (eighteen years ago) link

And then there's Newfoundland - always 30 minutes off from the rest of Eastern Canada. Go Newfies!

Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 15:50 (eighteen years ago) link

There is another excellent ILX thread about this.

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:03 (eighteen years ago) link

Ha ha.
Have fun, suckers! DST is like the MONORAIL of sPace-TimE.

Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:06 (eighteen years ago) link

30 minutes? That is untrue correct?

Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:07 (eighteen years ago) link

No Eastern or middle eastern countries (except Israel and Syria?) have DST. It's a bummer being in a country with no DST in the summer--there's an hour of daylight between 5AM and 6AM that's no good to anybody, and the poor working stiff gets robbed of that hour in the evening.

Bnad, Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:08 (eighteen years ago) link

It's true Allyzay. Newfoundland has its half-time zone!

Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:10 (eighteen years ago) link

There is another excellent ILX thread about this.

You know how hard it is to do a search for "DST"?

We're just going to have to start new threads twice a year for no reason at all whether we want to or not. A LOT LIKE LIFE.

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:11 (eighteen years ago) link

I just made that argument about the inability to search for 3 letter acronyms on the mod board!!! No one backed me up!!! So no pity for you!

Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:16 (eighteen years ago) link

Didnt the new energy bill signed by Bush The Wise push back the start date for daylight savings time into November?

Stuh-du-du-du-du-du-du-denka (jingleberries), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:16 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah. THe argument being so that kids can trick-or-treat before sundown. WTF. Also, so that more people will vote on Election Day.

http://www.white-eagle-inc.com/australia/image/map-time.gif

And you should know that I http://xbase.10gb.ru/smiles/heart.jpg Australia and all, but those time zones are whack.

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:21 (eighteen years ago) link

Australia: GET HELP.

Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:21 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah. THe argument being so that kids can trick-or-treat before sundown.

That's dumb, Halloween is supposed to be dark and scary. Sunshine sucks, why are we go to these ridiculous lengths to get more of it?

walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:25 (eighteen years ago) link

that's right: WHY ARE WE GO?

walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:26 (eighteen years ago) link

is that the title of the new Fall album?

Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:26 (eighteen years ago) link

Why are we goa?

walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:30 (eighteen years ago) link

what the fucking hell is that map of Australia about?!!!!!!!!!!???????

HOW DO I SHOT TIME?

Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:31 (eighteen years ago) link

I thought DST had to do with saving electricity at night or something. So people would go to bed sooner and not have to have the lights on as long .. I don't rememebr exactly, but we're Ameri-fucking-cans and we don't need to save electricity. We're here, we're rich and wasteful, get used to it.

when something smacks of something (dave225.3), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:36 (eighteen years ago) link

That's just silly, who goes to bed sooner because it's dark out? Old people?

Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:36 (eighteen years ago) link

No, they go to bed because ow at 8:00 it's still light where it used to only be light until 7:00... Whaateveer .. I think DST is stupid anyway.

when something smacks of something (dave225.3), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:37 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm going to declare my house 73 minutes behind my neighbors.

Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:38 (eighteen years ago) link

Energy-saving was part of it but we actually haven't saved any energy since DST was started.

walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:38 (eighteen years ago) link

Cue Chicago song ...

when something smacks of something (dave225.3), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:39 (eighteen years ago) link

"Wake Up Shineshine"?

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 17:57 (eighteen years ago) link

Who here sets their clocks a few minutes ahead to confuse yourself into believing you're late so you'll be early?
I've been doing this since fifth grade and have now reached the point where one clock in my bedroom is thirty minutes fast, the other is ten minutes, the living room clock is about eight minutes fast (i think), the bathroom is twelve fast and the computer and oven clocks are accurate. My girlfriend has somehow adjusted.
I don't know why I do this to us.

Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Thursday, 13 October 2005 03:20 (eighteen years ago) link

My wife hates this. At the top of each hour, my mini-grandfather clock would dong the hours. Then, the cuckoo clock would chirp. A few minutes later, some digital watch in a drawer somewhere would go beep-beep.

The grandfather clock has been silenced, but all the rest of the clocks in the house are off. She's been trying to synchronize everything, and now, the only clock I have control of is a "Millennium 2000 Countdown" clock that I keep by my bed. That, and the clock in the truck is ahead.

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 13 October 2005 03:30 (eighteen years ago) link

Anyone been to sweden in summer? What a weird place during the summer and so beautiful! In the middle of June and July "sunset" is about 2am in the morning and then "sunrise" is at 4am, two WHOLE hours later. What a odd thing this does to your body if you're only visiting for a short time. It takes a week or more to acclimate to the pervasive daylight. I've never been in winter, I don't think it would agree with me. I love the sunshine.

Wiggy (Wiggy), Thursday, 13 October 2005 03:40 (eighteen years ago) link

Who here sets their clocks a few minutes ahead to confuse yourself into believing you're late so you'll be early?

I do this with my alarm clock. My logic, to the extent there is one, is that it sort of gives me early warning -- it's not 9 a.m. yet, but it will be soon!

What I like about the time changes is the reminder twice a year of how arbitrary the whole time-keeping system is. If we all agree it's 5 instead of 6, hey presto, it's 5.

gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 04:10 (eighteen years ago) link

DST in Aus is really no big deal. Dont forget there's HUGE spaces bwteeen major cities and such, and most eastern states are on the same DST time - QLD doesnt bother cos its too far north already (I think?) and WA is 3 hours behind anyway.

The one I dont get is China - isnt it true the WHOLE COUNTRY is on ONE timezone!?

Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 13 October 2005 04:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Chinese Standard Time. I guess it makes things easier. Really, there's no reason for the whole globe not to be on the same clock. Why would it matter?

gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 04:27 (eighteen years ago) link

Everyone would be on the same day. Hmmm.

If we were on GMT, "midnight" for me would happen an hour before my usual workday was over. There's gotta be a reason why this wouldn't work, though I can't think of one right now, being that it's past midnight for me as it is.

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 13 October 2005 04:36 (eighteen years ago) link

You'd still have midnight, it just wouldn't necessarily be at 12 a.m. You could just number the hours 1 to 24 (or whatever, but 24 works OK), and the sun would come up at a different time everywhere. There's probably no great advantage either way, really.

gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 04:47 (eighteen years ago) link

>Who here sets their clocks a few minutes ahead to confuse yourself into believing you're late so you'll be early?<

I've never understood how one cons oneself this way. Compartmentalization or senility?

Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 13 October 2005 13:37 (eighteen years ago) link

All the clocks in my house seem to be fast - computer, alarm clock, wall clock. (Though not my mobile phone or my watch.) I reset them and a few weeks later they're ten minutes fast again. I have no explanation for this. UNLESS! my house is in some kind of fast-time envelope.

Archel (Archel), Thursday, 13 October 2005 13:41 (eighteen years ago) link

When you talk to the neighbors, do they swat their hands like there's a bug buzzing around?

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:01 (eighteen years ago) link

indiana just got on the dst bandwagon!

teeny (teeny), Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Next up? DECIDING WHAT TIME ZONE THEY WANT TO BE IN.

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:50 (eighteen years ago) link

nine years pass...

It doesn't make sense, but I always feel like life has returned to normal.

I mean, it was fun being able to mow the yard until 8 pm, but it was also unnatural.

pplains, Sunday, 2 November 2014 17:35 (nine years ago) link

ban lawns

Pict in a blanket (WilliamC), Sunday, 2 November 2014 17:38 (nine years ago) link

Well, yeah.

pplains, Sunday, 2 November 2014 18:34 (nine years ago) link

no daylight savings = the BEST of AZ's fuckoff maverick poilicies

Walter MIDI (Crabbits), Sunday, 2 November 2014 18:35 (nine years ago) link

Falling back >>>>>>>>>>>>> springing forward

That extra hour is like a mini vacation

Free Me's Electric Trumpet (Moodles), Sunday, 2 November 2014 19:11 (nine years ago) link

Thing about the timeslip for me is that it messes with my meal times. I've already had breakfast and two lunches today and it's barely 3 oclock.

Pict in a blanket (WilliamC), Sunday, 2 November 2014 21:10 (nine years ago) link

three years pass...

though the revive would be about this: EU backs ending daylight saving time

but of course trump will try and fuck w/ time if he gets the chance.

lbi's life of limitless european glamour (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 3 September 2018 13:59 (five years ago) link

Said it before and I'll say it again. I dont understand why people hate daylight savings. Whats not to love about sunshine for hours after work?

Stoop Crone (Trayce), Tuesday, 4 September 2018 00:46 (five years ago) link


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