is anyone else hoping Bush gets toasted for double daylight savings time?

[Lisa]

If Bush does support that proposal to start DST earlier, AND have it for 2 hours (at least, during the peak of the summer) -- what bets he's going to face a big backlash from his rural conservative base?

They reported it today on the CBC in Canada, and a whole bunch of people phoned in to complain ... because there'd be pressure on Canada to follow along, and there's already a feeling up here that Bush seems to put out policies that cause trouble later on. (Saskatchewan doesn't have DST at all, and even though the voters there can be fairly conservative, they will like Bush even less if this goes through.)

[Sannum]

1. I like it to be darker earlier

Yet another thing Bush is fucking me out of

[SpiralHawk]

2. I'd like it to be sooner later

Yet another thing Bush is fucking up.

[NawlinsNed]

3. Why would rural people be upset at all?

Or do you believe the myth that DST was instituted because of farmers?
It wasn't. Farmers don't care. They get up at dawn, whenever dawn is.

Only problem with changing DST is going to be in the software and/or hardware (depending if it's coded into the bios) of computer systems. It's ultimately a good thing that I don't think anyone would be against, and if anything, it'll give people more daylight hours to get stuff done during the afternoon after work. Only drawback might be if they keep school hours the same. Some kids would be waiting for the bus when it's still very dark outside.

[Lisa]

4. that's exactly what they pointed out on the CBC ...

What you said, about the farmers not being in favour of DST in the first place. And up here, Saskatchewan (where the farming lobby is particularly strong) decided not to join the rest of the country when it adopted DST. They still don't change their clocks.

As far as them not caring at all ... they interviewed farmers who gave a bunch of reasons why they didn't like the new plan (e.g. "the changing schedules will confuse the animals", or "I want to go to town and go shopping or see a movie after I finish work, and if everything's closed at sundown, I can't"). They seemed to be more against it than the citydwellers, in the sample shown. I don't know whether there is a definite reason, or whether it's just the idea of a government-imposed change.

I was noting that the rural areas (which Bush always claims to be representing) are the ones which are most likely to oppose this measure, here and in the States.

The big industrial and commercial centres (like Toronto) would be penalized if they didn't change their clocks too, because of the scheduling for "just in time" delivery of parts, plus the financial markets would be out of synch otherwise. And I don't think a lot of urban residents would care much about double DST anyway. It sounded like people there were more concerned that we wouldn't have much input, since we can't influence the US Congress (kind of a perennial complaint about transborder issues).

A lot of people were phoning in from small towns, saying that they didn't think Canada should go along with the US, if they brought this measure in. There was particular concern from northern areas, because they already have to cope with starting the work/school day in the dark for most of the year, due to the latitude. (I wonder what Alaskans will think about this, because they have a similar situation.)

[PretzelWarrior]

5. we should have to progressively set clocks ahead 15 minutes

every month in summer half and set back 15 minutes every month in winter half.

That would be just TOO much fun.

[alarimer]

6. I hope this doesn't happen

If DST were 2 hours, I would lose two hours of sleep when it goes into effect. WHAAAA.

Seriously though, it would mean I would not get home from work until midnight some nights in spring (we do experimental gill nets which we are to set at sunset- so if sunset is, say, 10 o'clock, then it means I don't get home for another 2 hours or so. That would suck. What is the rationale for this? To save energy maybe??