It’s simple enough. In the summer, do we really need another hour of sunlight when the sun shines from 3 a.m. to midnight? In the winter, it’s dark all the time anyway.
Those who think we should just do away with the government-enduced time management say it’s a 24-7 world anyway what with the Internet and global communications.
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Only two states, Hawaii and Arizona — except for the Navajo Nation — and the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa are the only places in the U.S. that do not observe DST.
So Alaska would be in the distinct minority if it we decided to stay with standard time year-round.
The thing of it is, though, the difference in times is a national computation everywhere. Is it that hard to add or subtract an hour to plan a phone conference in New York? We’re already fours difference from the Big Apple and do business accordingly.
There was a time here when Alaska had four time zones and no Internet and no Blackberries and still Alaskans were able to conduct business Outside.
So why the need to mess with Mother Nature?
Some historians claim it was first brought up by no other than Benjamin Franklin who thought an extra hour of daylight would mean less use of candles. And that’s the reason now. If we’re outside doing something, then we’re not home burning electricity or natural gas. That in places where an extra hour of daylight actually means something. Other reasons cited are safety and health. People can drive home from work with more sun, avoiding some accidents. Children can play another hour — and so can their golfing parents.
All Alaskans will never agree on the change, but if there’s one place in the United States where an hour here or an hour there simply doesn’t matter, it’s here. No matter what time it is, soon it will be dark when you drive to work and when you drive home.
Comments
8 comment(s)No lets be different wrote on Nov 3, 2009 11:57 AM:
And our own time measurements , why have a 24 hour day, why not a 48 hour day or a 8 hour day , Heck why use clocks at all - put up a fence and make our own world! we dont need anything from "outside" "
Mr. Mackey wrote on Nov 2, 2009 7:48 PM:
"We’re already fours difference from the Big Apple and do business accordingly."
"And that’s the reason now."
"That in places where an extra hour of daylight actually means something."
You are in need of an editor, I've seen third graders write better than this. If you live in Alaska there is a ONE hour difference of time for Washington and California. It makes no sense to change the clocks here either, mmmkay. "
jp wrote on Nov 2, 2009 10:10 AM:
whats happening wrote on Nov 2, 2009 8:37 AM:
banker wrote on Nov 1, 2009 9:30 PM:
Only if your serious about business wrote on Nov 1, 2009 5:29 PM:
So we get up and get to work at 8am, in Seattle its 10. We have 2 hours of optimum selling time then we wait until 11 but now its leading up to our lunch, get back at 1 its 3 in LA - too late day is over. We need to stay in sinc with something someplace where the money comes from. "
aunt hattie wrote on Nov 1, 2009 5:26 PM:
Not only should we do away with daylight savings time.....we should go on pacific standard time. Business hours, flight schedules and who knows whatall would be better off. "
Rosemary Hanrath wrote on Nov 1, 2009 5:57 AM: