Are we still doing the "science-based" thing on this blog?

I ask because the DOT paragraph contradicts itself.

Did we get an extra serving of condescending this morning and feel impelled to share?

"Contradicts itself" how?

Here, from the link, is the whole paragraph:

8. Evidence does not conclusively point to energy conservation as a result of daylight saving. Dating back to Willett, daylight saving advocates have touted energy conservation as an economic benefit. A U.S. Department of Transportation study in the 1970s concluded that total electricity savings associated with daylight saving time amounted to about 1 percent in the spring and fall months. As air conditioning has become more widespread, however, more recent studies have found that cost savings on lighting are more than offset by greater cooling expenses. University of California Santa Barbara economists calculated that Indiana’s move to statewide daylight saving time in 2006 led to a 1-percent rise in residential electricity use through additional demand for air conditioning on summer evenings and heating in early spring and late fall mornings. Some also argue that increased recreational activity during daylight saving results in greater gasoline consumption.

The point: Daylight Savings Time does not save energy because people end up paying more for electricity.

I totally have a strong and impatient opinion about this!

Just kidding!

But, Amy, how else are people going to remember the check the batteries on their smoke detectors? If you were a responsible advice columnist like that smart Dear Abby, you'd remind your readers to check the batteries on their smoke detectors every time we change the clocks.

(The preceding commentary was sarcasm, by the way. I know that might be hard to believe, for those of you that know me, since I'm never sarcastic.)

Crid: I totally have a strong and impatient opinion about this!

You left out "rambling" and "tedious."

"I love daylight savings time, because I enjoy the sky being pitch black by 4:30 PM," said no one, ever.

No, it already sucks that we get rid of it in the winter. Patrick you have it backwards, daylight savings is when it gets darker later, not earlier. Let's make DST year-round. Screw winter time.

I can't stand Daylight Saving Time — but then again, summer is my least favorite season. Having the sky get dark when I get off work at 5:30 or 6 p.m. is an elegant way of separating day from night, but I'm aware most people disagree, some strenuously.

It's all genetic temperament; most people need a good deal of sunshine to feel "right," while I'm just the opposite; flat hot sunshine with no breaks starts to drive me crazy after a couple of days, while I find the gray, misty weather in the Pacific Northwest a feature, not a drawback.

Bottom line is that any bastard who takes away an hour of sleep is a thief, and I don't care if he gives it back in the fall.

(When did DST become about eight months long, anyway? Seems like when I was a pup it was only six.)

Pretty sure we still have it so men can go play golf in the evenings after work. I hate it. I'm NOT a desert girl, but I've seriously considered moving to Arizona just because they don't have this nonsense. My kids JUST finally started getting to school with some light in the ams, now we'll be back to pitch black school arrivals. Plus, what kid wants to go to bed when it's light outside, so it makes for super-fun bedtimes! (sarcasm).

Seriously, we have lights on in the dark mornings, so it saves energy not having them on in the evenings how???

NicoleK: Patrick you have it backwards, daylight savings is when it gets darker later, not earlier.

Oh, okay. Thanks, Nicole. That makes sense. Daylight Savings...we're saving daylight.

It's still dumb, though, even if I do have it backwards.

That is one thing I love about contracting. I wake up with the sun. It doesn't matter what hour that is. So daylight savings doesn't effect me much anymore.

Funny, my parents told me it was so farmers could go to the bank... :>)

I LOVE DST!

I don't mind going to work in the dark, but I hate coming home in it. I'd crank that clock ahead two hours, and leave it there forever. Everyone would adjust, we'd never go back, and the issue would be over.

I'm with Nicole and Steve here. If we were going to have one type of time the entire year, I'd choose DST. I'd gladly trade long dark mornings in the winter for summer evenings when the sun sets around 9 pm (in Seattle.)

Bora Zivkovic wrote a fantastic essay in which he argues DST is basically destroying our brains:

I think he means BSE, although I can understand his confusion since they rhyme. No wait, he's right; it is DST. Only twelve hours into DST and my brain has already deteriorated. Oh well, I'd gladly trade long dark mornings in the winter and brain destruction for summer evenings when the sun sets around 9 pm.

If I had my way the entire earth would always be the same time.

1:00 in Malaysia would be 1:00 in Prague would be 1:00 in London would be 1:00 in Chicago would be 1:00 in LA.

No one would ever have to do conversions again, and local state level governments could decide municipal service hours

I can get behind that Lujlp!

Okay, for the slow:

The DOT paragraph says that savings amounted to about 1% and it was offset by A/C use.

These are exclusionary terms. EITHER savings were about 1%, OR these savings were wiped out by A/C use (no savings).

I (we) should also suspect the A/C claim, because office thermostats are on timers as well as having temp limits; this means people getting home an hour early return to a hotter house, by that much?

How about 20 reasons why we should just keep Daylight Saving Time year round? I could get used to that!

If I had my way the entire earth would always be the same time.

1:00 in Malaysia would be 1:00 in Prague would be 1:00 in London would be 1:00 in Chicago would be 1:00 in LA.

No one would ever have to do conversions again, and local state level governments could decide municipal service hours

~ Posted by: lujlp at March 8, 2015 4:34 PM

There would still be conversions.

"Let's see, the 1:00pm conference call is daylight in London, well past sundown in New York, and almost wake-up time in Shanghai."

At least with those annoying conversions, you get some idea of what the daylight conditions are where you're calling (i.e., 1:00 here is 10:00 there is 2:00 yonder).

I say one time cycle year-round. No more DST.

But if we go with DST, no one gets to opt out. Got that, Arizona?

How will you force foreign nations to comply Conan? And why do you care what the daylight is like elsewhere? They just say we work from x to y. Put the call in that time frame.

This is a state issue so far. I hope it remains so.
What numbers you put on the clock are irrelevant.

Mid day has always been when the sun was at it's high point in the sky which varies with your longitude,

There are some very interesting quirks in the time zone lines, and a number of states where the line runs right through the middle.

With telecommuting, flex time, and on line shopping, what time it is, gets less important every day.

Since I am up well before dawn most days, it doesn't really matter that I have lights on early morning - I do no matter if it standard or daylight time.

But, this evening it was nice to get home before dark! Even if it was for just a short bit. I could see where the icy patches were walking into my house.

On Saturday I was thinking if stores didn't go on DLS it would help me alot though I think I have it backwards... I have the difficulty that stores don't stay open late enough...Lots of them around here close at 6pm or even 5pm...I don't get off work til 6. So I am always going to these places on Saturday or Sunday if they happen to be open. Places like Target during the week.

DLS can definitely affect tele-commuting and online shopping. Years ago I had job where I tele-commuted and since I was obligated to be available when others where "in-the-office" I had to shift my hours when I went on DLS and they did not.

Similar - well not just DLS but timezones in general - affect shopping. I shave even sales that are good thru Sunday - but it really meant Sunday for NYC.

How will you force foreign nations to comply Conan? And why do you care what the daylight is like elsewhere? They just say we work from x to y. Put the call in that time frame. ~ Posted by: Ben at March 9, 2015 4:47 PM

Ben, I was responding tongue-in-cheek to lujip's suggestion that we just make it one time around the globe. 1:00am in London, New York, Shanghai, et al at exactly the same time.

Which means, if you're conducting a multinational conference call, you would no longer have the luxury of seeing what time it is in each city in order to schedule the call. You would instead have to figure out if 10:30am is the middle of the night in the city you're calling.

My difficulty recognizing humor strikes again.

When I've had calls that require converting time I need to know more than just the time change. I need to know when they work as well. So going on a standard time actually removes a step for me.