[This is one of many articles in the Halloween 2006 Season series. Go this way to read the rest of them.]
I think there is something more that congress is not telling the public about why they are changing the whole daylight savings time schedule. I read the other day about how the UK wants to change their daylight savings time zone to be ahead an hour instead of turning the clock back. If it was *really* about saving energy, why was this not done years ago? Why the obsession for daytime to be longer than night time? What are they so desperate to hide now?
Think about it for a moment and enjoy the old daylight savings time, as next year things will be different. Article below is from Reuters:
New time change to make Halloween brighter in 2007
Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:59 PM ET
By Tom Doggett
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - This Halloween will be the last time most U.S. kids yell "trick-or-treat" in the dark, as next year's extension of daylight saving time promises to shed more light on traditional candy-gathering activities.
This year clocks will be turned back one hour on Sunday, October 29, bringing a close to daylight saving time and an earlier nightfall just before Halloween, which comes October 31.
However, the U.S. Congress tucked a provision into last year's massive energy bill that will tack four extra weeks onto daylight saving time in a bid to save energy.
Under the new law, clocks will be moved forward an hour to begin daylight saving time next year on the second Sunday in March, instead of the first Sunday in April. It will end on the first Sunday in November, not the last Sunday in October.
That means that instead of the sun setting around 5:30 p.m. in most U.S. locations on Halloween, the sun will still be above the horizon next year when many kids start knocking on neighbors' doors asking for candy.
That will give some relief to parents worried their children may not been seen by people driving home from work, though kids might be mad they won't need their glow sticks right away.
The main reason behind changing daylight saving time is to reduce the amount of energy used, with the theory that an extra hour of sun in the afternoon would keep stores and workplaces warmer in the winter and reduce the need for electric lighting. But supporters say there are other benefits.
Democratic Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, who pushed to expand daylight saving time, said the change "translates into less electricity consumed, less crime, fewer traffic fatalities and more opportunities for outdoor recreation."
The Fraternal Order of Police pointed out that more crimes happen at night, but has not researched whether changing daylight saving time would reduce crime, a spokesman said.
Opponents to the change include the Air Transport Association, which has warned that it could throw U.S. airline schedules out of sync for international routes.
That could keep passengers connecting to international flights waiting in the airport an extra hour as well as possible missed connections, the group says.
A preliminary study by the Energy Department predicted no significant drop in electricity use from the change.
While there would be more sunlight at the end of day that would not require as many lights to be turned on in homes and businesses, people would start their day in darkness and turn on lights, the DOE said.
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