Last week, the internet in the US, in between the usual frenetic discussion about world events and memes, took a moment to gasp in shock that the US S

Hidden treasure in the timezone database

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2024-12-12 16:30:05

Last week, the internet in the US, in between the usual frenetic discussion about world events and memes, took a moment to gasp in shock that the US Senate had unanimously passed a bill that would make states who followed Daylight Savings time adopt it permanently thereby shifting most of the US into permanent DST (the few areas that only observe Standard time would be exempt). The bill was named a ridiculous “Sunshine Protection Act” S. 623.

Everyone was abuzz about how we could finally stop with changing clocks twice a year. Another group of people were angry that we should have made Standard time permanent because in the winter kids would be effectively forced to go to wake up and go to school multiple hours before dawn. Some people pointed out that we literally tried this under Nixon and people hated it so much it was reverted. Sleep experts seem to agree that standard time is more in tune with circadian rhythms.

Personally, I’d be overjoyed at not having to change clocks twice a year. But I’m a bit weirded out that we would permanently have the sun directly overhead at 1 P.M. instead of noon just on the principle of it all. Time’s a social construct and all, but it still feels weird.

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