The majority of Americans dread this weekend, as it marks the beginning of the government-mandated Daylight Savings Time. Supposedly, at 2 a.m. on Sunday, May 8, everyone living in the Eastern, Central and Mountain time zones, will adjust their clocks forward by one hour. It was decided that this would give the majority of the populace "an hour more of daylight" to achieve things at the end of the day, before it became dark. It's a stupid concept. The sun rises when it rises, and sets when it sets. I awake with the sun, and am ready to stay at home once it's dark. But the government decided that we have artificial hours, so in March of each year, we "Spring Forward" and in the fall, we "Fall Back." Back in history, before electric lights and industrialization, people worked with the natural rhythms of the world - one arose with the sun and worked until dark. If one was lucky enough to not
have to work, one could stay up late into the night, burning candles or oil, and then sleep late in the morning. However, generally, the sunrise and sunset decided your hours of work - and if it was raining, well, too bad; you still had the chores of living to perform.
Studies have shown that in the first two to four weeks after we Americans "Spring Forward" more people die from heart attacks, have more accidents in every walk of life, and are at greater risk, in general, due to the time change. I believe that the artificial settings of "time" are silly.and, yes, the world
needs a set time in which to measure things and mark occurrences. But I question the hours that we, the people, have set for business hours, etcetera. I generally wake up at 5:30 every morning, no matter what time of year it is - my internal clock says it is time for me to arise and get moving, and I usually do. I'm usually in bed by 10:15 each night, and I awake totally refreshed in the morning, unless I'm ill. I'm lucky that my local grocery store and bakery opens at 6 a.m., and I can shop there for breakfast each morning. Most businesses will not open until 9, or 10 a.m., by which time, in the summer, I've already finished my first round of work - walking dogs and feeding and watering them. I actually find it rather sad that I'm excited that our local Public Library will be opening at 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday for the rest of this year. It opens at 10 on Friday and Saturday, and at noon on Sunday. I feel that a public library should be open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - but that is just me. Anyway, this Sunday morning will not be welcomed by the majority of American citizens.
And I'm still awaiting further announcements regarding the extent of injuries that actor Harrison Ford suffered yesterday afternoon. He had just taken off from the airport, flying his historic model single-engine plane, when the plane had a complete engine failure. He radioed the tower that he was returning to the airport, but the plane came down in a heavily populated area. Ford was able to guide the plane onto a golf course, and the only reported injuries were to himself. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, and has undergone minor surgery to repair "several broken bones." He also had multiple cuts from the broken glass of his windscreen. I met him a few years ago at a "Heart of the Rockies" plane party, and was a fan of his since he appeared in the original
Star Wars movie. Heal quickly and without problems, Harrison!
