Our friend, Ed Markey

Yes, currently Indiana does not do DST, but unfortunately the moronic politicians in the State capital have changed it for next year. Now they are scrambling to figure out which counties want to follow what time for the rest of the year, eastern or central. It bugs me because the state is situated in a geographic location that would put it in the "gray" area, not "black" or "white." So they were right not to go DST. The counties closest to metropolitan areas in other states adopted their respectively time changes so it fixed the perceived "problem." For some reason politicians think that it will help commerce but I disagree. All the airports and computers already had a time zone specifically for Indiana. Now airlines are going to have to go in and spend millions of dollars to change their software to alter their flight destination times.

I disagree with the whole concept to begin with, but especially when it comes to robbing the amusement parks of the hours they are open when it is night outside. Indiana Beach was a big voice against changing to DST. I wonder if they will push their hours back one hour to compensate for the change.

Frontrider said it far better than I ever could have, thank you.

*** Edited 7/23/2005 9:59:40 PM UTC by CPgenius***

I spend so little time in amusement parks compared with the rest of life that "night rides" or lack thereof would not even begin to enter my conciousness during this debate. I absolutely *lothe* leaving for and returning from work without seeing the sun. I'm a night owl yes, but days when it's not raining and yet I still dont see sunshine just make me dread work. I would much rather come home during twilight.

And yes DST is needed. Could you imagine staying out late on a Friday night til about 3-4AM and the sun is already on its way out? 5AM out here is just as bright as 9 o'clock! I like the sun, but I dont need God's flashlight out that early.

And my time living in Indiana was the most screwed up. It was SO BRIGHT during the summer mornings, all the television shows came on at funny times and I just never really got adjusted to it. I dont get why you people tolerate, let alone enjoy the upheaval that happens every six months. To me, that's just weird for no good reason!

lata, jeremy

Today our sunrise was at 5:28 am Indiana time, what's your point? Why does the sun coming up at that time versus the sun coming up at 6:28 just a few miles east of me in Ohio make a difference. Like Frontrider explained before, the determining factor should be the longitude of the earth, not some dumb politicians wanting conformity between states.

What I can't imagine is the sun just going down at 10:00 pm next year because our state adopts this new time zone.

Why can't these congressmen grasp the fact that from around September 21 to March 21 just about every location in this country has less than 12 hours of sunlight, down to around 9 through most of December (even less in Alaska for sure)? It doesn't matter if you move the clocks 1, 2, or 17 hours, backwards or forwards, you still have the same amount of daylight!

The only way to change that is to change the declination of the earth's axis, which I'm sure many in Congress think they should have the power to do simply by passing a law.

I keep hearing about how extended DST is supposed to save energy-- but nobody's ever given any specifics of how and where. What particular energy consuming activities are going to be changed?

Here's an example-- here in PA in early to mid March, sunrise is around 6:40, and sunset is 6:10 or 6:15 (all times EST). So when I leave for work around 7, the sun has just risen but when I get home around 6:30, it has already set. So if we extend DST into March, sunset won't be until around 7:15, almost an hour after I get home. BUT, sunrise won't be until 7:40 when I'm nearly at work. So, how much energy is saved by my turning the lights on to eat breakfast as opposed to turning them on to eat supper? Other than feeling "sunnier" along with Rep. Markey, what has changed?

These shmucks are totally out of touch with reality if they thing that this nation's energy consumption is based mainly on the amount of hours one must turn on a few light bulbs in one's house. But then again, anyone who thinks kids will rejoice at the possibility of more daytime trick-or-treating. Hell, just send them out at noon, and I'll leave a bowl of Hershey miniatures on the porch when I leave for work that morning.

Sorry, Jeremy, but 3-4 AM is not Friday night, it's already Saturday morning. :)