In Broad Daylight

So it looks like Congress will finally pass the daylight savings time extension. Naturally, though, somebody is upset. No matter what you do, no matter how popular the idea, somebody is going to whine. I'm pretty sure it's a natural law. In this case, it's the PTA and a bunch of fire chiefs.

The PTA:

The Chicago-based National PTA has opposed daylight-saving time for more than 30 years due to safety concerns about kids walking to school in darkness.

Jethro Tull recorded a great song, Living In The Past. Apparently, it's the PTA's anthem. Not only do kids not walk to school anymore, but the busses are actually required to stop at every single house if the little darlings decide they don't want to walk to the corner. God help you if you get behind a school bus in a suburban neighborhood--you may as well just park and wait for an hour.

Besides, if they're not bright enough to stay out of the path of automobiles... Heeeeerrreee's Darwin!

Moving on, the International Association of Fire Chiefs also has a gripe. And if you thought the PTA was being silly... well, you ain't seen nothin' yet:

For years, the International Association of Fire Chiefs has framed a widespread public information campaign around daylight-saving time, reminding people to change the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when they change their clocks. The last weekend in November is too late for the reminder, fire officials say.

"This has been our campaign for years, and across the country...fires are down dramatically, and the use of smoke detectors is one reason for it," said Demarre McGill, deputy fire commissioner for fire prevention.

Okay, this one I'm professionally qualified to comment upon: last time I looked, smoke detectors detect smoke. And where's there's smoke....

If smoke detectors are preventing fires, there's a whole new set of physical laws in operation--and somebody forgot to send me the memo. Again.

Listen up, Mr. McGill: You want to prevent residential fires and associated deaths? Then encourage people to install fire sprinkler systems in their homes. They are 100% effective, and they don't need batteries. You can make a good start by getting together a few burly firemen and beating the snot out of a bunch of insurance lobbyists who have been obstructing residential fire sprinklers for decades. Let me know if you need any help with the beating part.

Most of us don't work one-on-three-off like firemen, and we could care less if kids have to stand on their front porch in the dark while they wait for a school bus to transport their fat asses a quarter mile to their schoolhouse. We slave away in corporate offices ten hours a day, and we need an extra hour of evening light a lot more than a new set of double-A's in our smoke detectors.

So get over it. Congress is doing something useful; that in itself is rare enough to merit applause. Don't screw it up by being whiny little twits.