You now have less than a week to prepare you and your loved one for the changes that will take place when most of America and at least 70 countries around the world fall back from Daylight Saving Time (which to save time will from this point forward will be noted as DST) to Standard Time. In response to last week’s blog about DST, a reader wrote: 

        “A neighbor rode a train to Georgia on the night of time change; the train stopped on track for the hour. MY MY!!!”

The switch can be challenging. While doing research for last week’s blog, I discovered some interesting information about the process and decided to present it in quiz form so you can exercise your brain. After all, you will have an extra hour this weekend to do so. 

Caregivers should set aside some time each day to read, learn, do puzzles, paint, craft, play music or participate in any creative activity that you enjoy. As appropriate, encourage your loved one to do likewise. 

DST Quiz – answers at end

1. Proponents for retaining November as the month to end DST (instead of October) do so because of what holiday? 

a. Halloween                        b. Veteran’s Day                  c. Thanksgiving

2. One consideration that led Germany to start DST in 1916 was to alleviate hardships caused by __________  

 a. electrical outages       b. air raid blackouts     c. communication with allies

3. Before _______, the start and end dates for DST were in April and October.

 a. 2000                              b. 2015                             c. 2007

4. The first city to enact DST, on July 1, 1908, was in  _____________

a. France                        b. Russia                                    c. Canada

5. This leader is quoted as proclaiming that DST, “Enlarges the opportunities for the pursuit of health and happiness among the millions of people who live in this country!” 

a. Winston Churchill        b. Woodrow Wilson                c. Harry Truman

6. Officials suggest that the beginning and ending of DST be used as a reminder to __.

a. replace batteries in smoke detectors

b. review family fire escape plans

c. get seasonal vaccinations

d. reprogram thermostats

e. all of these

7. Which country switched permanently to DST in 2011, but because of the unpopularity of late sunrises in winter, switched back to standard time in 2014? 

a. Switzerland                   b. Norway                                          c. Russia

8. The most significant event that effected the use of DST in many countries was ____.

a. World War II         b. 1970’s energy crisis                    c. the Persian Gulf War

9. DST has __________ energy use. 

a. greatly reduced                 b. had little effect on            c. greatly increased 

10. The time change officially takes place at 2 a.m. because ________ 

a. most people will not notice it at that time

b. that time was randomly chosen by lottery

c. Cinderella already had midnight

Answers:

1. A – Halloween – to provide extra daylight for Trick or Treaters

2. B – Air raid blackouts (and wartime coal shortages)

3. C – 2007 – The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed the start and end dates from the first Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October to the second Sunday in March and first Sunday in November, beginning in 2007 

4. C. – Canada (Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada enacted DST on July 1, 1908)

5. A – Winston Churchill 

6. E – Yes, all of these; thought I would take the opportunity to remind you

7. C – Russia

8. B – 1970’s Energy Crisis

9. B – Although many who support DST argue that energy use has been reduced, the actual effect on overall consumption is still being debated.

10. A – At that time, most people are not awake to notice it; most workers with early shifts will still be in bed and businesses that stay open late will be closed. (I apologize for the answer involving Cinderella – sometimes toward the end of a blog, my brain begins to shut down. More brain exercise, please.)

Caring Moment in Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3xgcmIS3YU If this doesn’t work, check out Turn, Turn, Turn by the Byrds on You Tube Music Videos). I was in high school when this pop song hit the airwaves. I remember being thrilled because the lyrics were taken from the Bible (Ecclesiastes 3). Enjoy!

Happy Autumn from granddaughter “Mahri-Chubby-JoJo” age 6! (Mahri is her given name; Chubby and JoJo are nicknames; I like to use them all together because, like M-C-J, saying it makes me smile.)