So tired...

As many of you are aware by now, daylight savings has crept into our clocks once again. Although I was very much aware of the change (I changed my clocks on Saturday), my father felt it was necessary to call and remind me at 7 AM (6 AM pre-DST). He didn't want me to be late for church (o_O). Anyways...enough of the useless banter and time to explore the origins and history of daylight savings.

Throughout human civilization, the sun has been a vital component in governing daily affairs. Prior to the discovery of electricity, the sun was the sole source of light, and it limited the activities individuals were able to perform. Unlike previous ancient civilizations, however, there was no true standardization of time. As a result, they were free to regulate how the work day was conducted. Modern civilizations do not have such laxity when regulating hours. The acceptance of a twenty four hour day meant establishing periods of acceptable times by which the entire society would function. In the early 1900s, William Willett was disturbed by the number of Londoners that would sleep in during the summer months since mornings were brighter as compared to winter months. Consequently, he proposed adjusting the time forward so that individuals could enjoy more leisure time in the sun.

DST is not employed by the entire world. The map above shows areas that are currently using DST (blue), those that no longer DST (orange), and those that never used DST (red). Interestingly enough, DST is not used uniformly in all countries. Arizona no longer abides by DST.

The utilization of DST has its benefits. The increased sunlight allowed individuals to enjoy outdoor activities for longer periods of time. These activities include sports, health and fitness, and shopping. Lastly, traffic reports (circa 1995) reported decreases in vehicular accidents and fatalities due to the increased mid-day sunlight..

Besides the positive effects of DST, there is also a bit of controversy that surrounds it. A large concern is the abrupt shift in the individuals biological clock. Adjusting to an hour less sleep can affect the physical and mental performance of any individual. Also, DST is a complex system that is not accepted by all countries, and that can cause logistical problems. Lastly, a 2007 study by the US Department of energy concluded that Americans used .5% less electricity during the DST period, but the information is not exactly reliable. Many companies are reluctant to spare energy during hours of operation. Additionally, patterns of individual energy use at home can be sporadic.

Lastly, I forgot to blog about the food challenge. Rather than write a lengthy piece on it, I'd prefer to keep it short. Since we lost, we are left to savor the experience of cooking the food. From that merry night, I will make a few observations:
1) We were obviously unprepared in the kitchen. It took us three hours to make a one hour meal (marinating time not included).
2) Having 5 people fight for prep space was interesting to say the least.
3) Moments of desperation where food tastes "plain" calls for an improvization of ingredients.
4) Adding alcohol into the system helps with creativity.
5) Scaring the shit out of Kim is priceless...