#156 Spring Forward & Fall Back
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Spring forward & fall back…or stay put?
YOU CAN SIGN A PETITION FOR YEAR-ROUND DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
From change.org:
On March 8th, the clock springs forward in most states. But not everywhere. That’s right, the majority of U.S. states are debating whether to opt-out of Daylight Saving Time in their state. Dr. Daliah Wachs thinks it’s time for the entire country to do away with the hassle of changing the clocks. Daylight Saving Time is right around the corner, so now is the best time to make your voice heard.
If you wish to sign the petition, or read more about it, click this link.
My problem with this petition is its ambiguity. The conclusion reads:
So why put the country through time changes twice a year? Whether you’re #SickOfSpringForward or #FinishedWithFallBack, It’s time Congress puts an end to Daylight Saving Time changes and keep one time throughout the year!
I am not sure if they’re proposing to keep daylight saving year-round once we move our clocks forward for the last time, or switch to standard time forever. Or does it suggest neither — just don’t keep changing the time twice a year? What do you think?
Personally, I like changing the clocks twice a year. It’s kinda fun, shakes things up. Most of all, suddenly adding one hour of sunlight to each day is like a glorious celebration of sunshine, longer days, and the unofficial beginning of summer (read next section, “It’s Summer!,” below). On the other hand, when standard time arrives it is a depressing shock to experience darkness so early. If we were to stop this back-&-forth business I prefer year-round daylight saving.
However, to be considerate to others, there are health issues involved not only each time the clocks change (actually leading to a higher immediate risk of heart attacks & strokes), but also concerning a detrimental time shift with DST which is an hour off from our natural internal clocks. That is explained in this informative article atThe Wall Street Journal.
I remember California experimented with year-round DST back in the 1970s or 80s. It lasted only one year, because parents complained that kids were walking to school in the dark. (My solution would have been to start school an hour later.) Reminds me of when Venice Beach was nude for only a year, before the prudes complained. Why do people who have no business even going to the beach (because it’s a place to relax where you shouldn’t tell others how to enjoy their sunshine) ruin it for others? As my all-time favorite bumper sticker reads:
IF WE WERE MEANT TO GO NAKED WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BORN THAT WAY
But that’s another topic for another time.
It’s summer!
Well, it’s actually still winter — spring doesn’t even start until March 19, and summer officially doesn’t start till June. But for die-hard sun worshipers (like me), the unofficial beginning of summer is the first day of Daylight saving Time. Starting Sunday March 8 we’ll have long sunny days to soak up the rays.
I have been looking forward to this weekend for months (ever since we stumbled back to standard time last November). I like to celebrate the first day of DST on the beach or at Glen Eden Sun Club (a family-friendly nudist resort) in Corona, California. But I promised myself & a client I would finish his website before I have fun in the sun. The website is still in development, so I’m working through the weekend. But that’s okay — this is a wonderful client who deserves all the creative bells & whistles I can inject into his website. (Literally bells & whistles, and drums & all sorts of other sounds. Chuck Jonkey is a multi-talented musician who travels the world recording indigenous music & laying down his own tracks with unique custom-made instruments. I’ll issue an AmperArt post featuring his talent, complete with music samples, once the website is launched.)
Besides, the weather outlook for this weekend is in the low 60s. Too cold for this California kid. I want to soak up rays, not be stabbed with icicles.
So I’m looking forward to the next unofficial beginning of summer, Memorial Day weekend. The website will be finished & I will be basking in hot sunshine.
How do you tell the cows you’re going to be an hour late?
Excerpt from That’s Farming:
The concept of daylight saving time (DST) has its roots in the nineteenth century, when it was suggested by a New Zealander, George Hudson, but it was first adopted in 1916 by Germany & Austria-Hungary. Since then most European & American countries have at one time or another adopted DST but in recent years it has been discarded by most of South America & a few US states.
The idea of DST was to maximise daylight hours for those working during the day. It has its roots in industry, not agriculture, as some have suggested. It was brought in so that workers could engage in activities after work during the summer months. Going to work an hour earlier left an extra hour in the evenings. This suits retailers & those interested in sports & to be fair it serves its purpose when the long summer evenings seem to stretch to oblivion.
Some people probably enjoyed the extra morning’s hour in bed, but how do you tell cows you’re going to be an hour late?
Read the full article about Daylight saving Time at thatsfarming.com. It’s very interesting.
Saving or savings?
The correct term is daylight “saving” time, according to the Associated Press stylebook. The incorrect term “daylight savings time” is commonly used, however, especially in Australia, Canada and the United States. It’s also supposed to be lowercase, not uppercase, according to the Associated Press.
I’ve used the correct spelling in this post, but capitalized it here & there because I think Daylight Saving Time is that special!
Concept & design
My first idea for the time shift was a split background of summer & winter scenes, one season visually shifted ahead of the other. Then I came across the stock image of two stacked clocks. Clean, simple, modern. I modified a few details & of course added the ampersand tails. (Note the gap in that circular element is equivalent to the wedge between hours 2 & 3.) I also changed the numerals from a quirky font to stylish Helvetica.
Maybe next year I’ll adapt my original concept of seasonal photograph shifts — unless we have done away with time change altogether.
Power volt forward?
Not only does the double entendre “spring” help us remember which direction to rotate the hour hand every March, but it coincidentally refers to a main component of mechanical clocks & watches. Should we not then, in modern times, say “power volt forward” and “digitize forward”?
Or for that matter, we could just as cleverly say “March forward.” But then “November back” is kinda awkward.
However you say it, enjoy the extra hour of sunshine.
Please comment here.
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Rants & raves mostly about design, sometimes about the universe.
An occasional bit of useful advice.
desimonedesign.com/chaz-sez
Production notes for #156 Spring Forward & Fall Back:
Original size: 20x30 inches
Program: Adobe Illustrator
Font: Helvetica
Ampersand: Illustration
Credits:
Artwork images: depositphotos.com
Victory poster: United Cigar Stores Company (artist unknown); Library of Congress (public domain)
Note: “&” replaces “and” in most or all text, including quotations, headlines & titles.
You may repost the image & article. Please credit AmperArt.com.
To download a full-size high-resolution 11x17-inch poster, click on the image.
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