DST D-Day

Hello dearies -- Auntie Opinion here. Just popping in to remind you that you should've set your clocks an hour ahead Sunday for daylight-saving time. \nIsn't it exciting seeing history being made? We're getting to observe a bold new experiment: Indiana moving into the 21st century by finally accepting an idea Benjamin Franklin suggested back in the 18th century. Why here at editorial board HQ -- nestled deep within the bowels of IU's steam tunnels, like a tapeworm -- we've been going around adjusting clocks we never knew we had!\nJust think of all the small wonders Bloomington will behold: television shows that actually come on when the cable networks say they're going to come on, not having to reset your watch when traveling over the Ohio border (albeit at the cost of always having to reset it on traveling over the Illinois border -- but, at least the change will be constant), Hoosier kids learning to "spring forward" and "fall back" along with the rest of the country (except Hawaii and most of Arizona), ritual chit-chat about getting (or losing) an extra hour's sleep...\nSeriously though, we're looking forward to the possibility that DST will do just what got it permanently adopted nationwide back in 1967 -- that is, by pushing us to function during daylight, it'll bring us some savings on energy consumption. This could be especially beneficial to Indiana, given our abundance of antiquated coal-fired power plants -- the reason, by the way, that some parts of the state have air you can chew (and the nation's fourth highest level of mercury emissions, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group). Admittedly, this adjustment toward working during daylight won't have that much effect on us in the editorial board -- we don't usually get up before 2 p.m. -- but "respectable" members of society might see a lower electric bill.\nNow, we know the transition hasn't been perfectly easy -- information technology workers have been scrambling to get Indiana PCs adjusted to the time change, seeing as it has the potential to seriously mess with Microsoft's Outlook scheduling software. But have they once complained? Well yes -- but information technology complaints are a foundational backbone of the Internet, along with Japanese tentacle porn and \ndisturbingly comprehensive "Star Wars" fansites. And as usual, UITS has done a fine job looking out for IU. When all is said and done, we think the trouble will prove worth it. Besides, as a Microsoft user, shouldn't you be used to things going wrong on a regular basis?\nOne final note on DST before we go: We don't want to see anyone turning up to class an hour late claiming DST as an excuse. Don't make the profs laugh at you for being a loser. \nHowever -- not showing up for class because of pre-NCAA Championship celebrations? Well, that's another story.