Tonight is the night we all set our clocks ahead an hour in observance of the strange springtime ritual known as Daylight Saving Time. Until last year Daylight time began on the first Sunday in April. Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, DST now begins on the second Sunday in March and lasts until the first weekend in November.

The dates were changed "to save energy". Saving energy, in fact, was the reason for the institution of DST back in 1918, when standardized time zones were established. While energy savings may have been achieved when incandescent lighting was a major use of electricity, modern day energy use patterns indicate that DST actually increases energy use (warning: 34 pdf pages of energy use analysis).

Daylight Saving Time trivia: Contrary to popular belief, DST was not first proposed by Ben Franklin. While living in Paris Ben wrote a humorous essay suggesting it would be easier to set the clocks ahead than it would be to get Parisians to get an early start on the day. The real father of DST was William Willett, an Englishman, who proposed the idea to promote health and happiness.

The time change brings with it a handy reminder from the FDNY and the Office of Emergency Managment to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The Sherry Netherland Clock by Sidewalk Story