Daylight Savings Time: A Bi-Partisan Issue!
Don't worry, we're not talking politics.
At the risk of breaking the one thing I promised here - to try and not talk about politics at all - it’s stunning when Congress can pass a single thing, let alone do so unanimously. And yet, that happened yesterday when the Senate passed a bill to make Daylight Savings Time permanent.
That’s right, no changing of clocks. Just letting nature do it’s damn thing. As a kid, I remember complaining about changing the clocks - not because of the effect of it, but because it seemed so STUPID. You’ve probably heard that DST was implemented so farmers didn’t have to work in the dark, but if you believe that you probably don’t know ANYONE who has ever worked on a farm (I haven’t, but I know folks who have) - cause they DEFINITELY work in the dark. They work when they have to work. It was actually invented to have longer afternoons and evenings where less energy would be required for electric lighting … which also turned out to not work out.
So, it’s dumb and it makes the “spring forward” fairly awful.
Here’s a fairly impressive “infographic” - a term I’m inclined to hate, but you get it - showing how this will work:
So, mornings are gonna be dark, especially the farther south you are — but evenings? Evenings are going to be LIT, y’all. Literally.
There’s a stronger argument that we should revert to only standard time, as it more represents “natural” light but that would mean more sunny mornings and more darker afternoons. Where’s the fun in that?
If you play golf - guys, you KNEW I was going to bring this back to golf - and are a self-professed sicko like myself, you’ll know that there are two times in a day that really make golf special - getting out at first light (often called “dew sweeping” - because maintenance workers often have to do just that to get the moisture off the grass), or squeezing in an “emergency nine” at the end of a work day.
Those dew sweeping mornings might be a little tougher, or at least will start later - but those late afternoon emergency nines, and even 18 holes, are a yearlong thing now.
It’s not often that I want to thank Congress for (checks notes) anything, but this one is something I honestly can’t argue with.
Edited: Apparently this won’t take effect for 18 months. Because airlines, etc., have already incorporated this into their plans or … something. I mean, I’ll take it, but that’s both lame and predictable. I’m also not really a fan of THIS picture, which supports the idea - maybe I’m dead inside but “sunshine and smiles” isn’t really what I think adults should be basing their votes on. Just me?
