Inside Opinion

If you have questions about how the Daily News makes editorial decisions, this blog has the answers. Editorial page editor Matt Zencey and writers Frank Gerjevic and Rosemary Shinohara will discuss what they're working on, answer questions and ask your perspective on issues facing Alaska.


Contributors

Matt Zencey

Matt Zencey joined the Daily News as an editorial writer in 1985 and was named editorial page editor in May 2007. He has won several. "Best editorial writing" awards from the Alaska Press Club and was a Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University. He lives on the west side of Anchorage, where he enjoys the best weather in town and easy access to the Coastal Trail. E-mail Matt at mzencey@adn.com

Frank Gerjevic

Frank Gerjevic has worked at the Daily News since 1978, where he's been sports editor, copy editor, reporter and columnist. He's been an editorial writer since 1998. He began his newspaper career with the Anchorage Times in 1975. E-mail Frank at fgerjevic@adn.com

Rosemary Shinohara

Rosemary Shinohara is an editorial writer who has lived most of her life in Alaska. She has spent most of her career as a reporter or editor at the Daily News. She covered construction of the Alaska oil pipeline, the Legislature, schools and urban affairs. She has also been an editor for NPR's All Things Considered, and has written for the Associated Press. E-mail Rosemary at rshinohara.com

Archive

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What can an individual do about prejudice? - 4/30/2008 4:39 pm

Prejudice here - getting better or worse? - 4/30/2008 4:37 pm

Prejudice and discrimination: How are we doing in Anchorage? - 4/30/2008 4:36 pm

Not-so elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 4:20 pm

Elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 10:44 am

Yin and Yang - 4/25/2008 6:00 pm

UAA vs UAF - 4/24/2008 3:59 pm

Arctic Power demands retraction re Liddy - 4/23/2008 6:04 pm

Airport expansion vs. Kincaid trails - 4/23/2008 10:20 am

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Irwin rips Exxon, partners on Point Thomson - 4/22/2008 5:25 pm

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Good words from Leonard Pitts - 4/22/2008 3:25 pm

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Denali: Not just a mountain anymore - 4/11/2008 1:39 pm

Where's Exxon? - 4/9/2008 9:14 am

Racism measured by stopwatch - 4/7/2008 3:54 pm

full archive »

A time change warrior

Posted by editorial_views

Posted: March 12, 2008 - 9:55 am

From Rosemary Shinohara:
After I wrote a notebook complaining about daylight saving time, and the loss of an hour of light in the morning, I got an e-mail from retired Army man Lynn Willis.

Willis has been diligently working to get Alaska back on standard time year-round for nine years. He sponsored an initiative petition to put the issue on the ballot, but didn't get enough signatures -- it takes money to put on an initiative drive.

Find Willis' Web site on daylight time here.

Various bills to get rid of daylight time have been introduced in the Alaska Legislature, but blocked by various legislators so they don't get to a vote, he says.

Now he recommends waiting until there's a new Legislature next year, because this year we're in the 2nd year of a two-year session. He wants the bill to have maximum time to pass.


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  3     April 9, 2008 - 8:46pm | este

Put it to a vote of the people

The only reason we have it is to remain in sync with Seattle. But Alaska is not an appendage of Seattle or anywhere else. The bottom line is that we won't know what people want to do unless we ask them. Put it to a vote. They might well vote to do away with a twice-yearly hassle that doesn't seem to help with anything.

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  2     March 14, 2008 - 12:14pm | TheSdog

Shinohara

If you are serious start an initiative. It would likely win in a landslide.

It would also mark a rare occurence where you do something useful.

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  1     March 13, 2008 - 9:46pm | akwillis

Thanks for facilitating the discussion of DST.....

I created and maintin the web site as a pamphleteer in an effort to present an opposing view to those in the legislature who refuse to allow a discussion of this issue.
After the forth bill for repeal of DST since 1999 was defeated by Legislative shenanigans and still without a full debate of this issue being allowed, I became involved in an initiative petition effort. I now have first hand experience of how difficult it is for a group of Alaskans with very limited funds to effectively petition this state goverment. But, I can say we tried.
Hopefully with enough realization by the people of Alaska of how meaningless the use of this antiquated practice has become, we can remove the stone of DST from the public shoe/mukluk. L. Willis
http://www.endalaskadaylightsaving.com/

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  April 3, 2008 - 2:08pm | darrelljohnson3962

DST

why not do away with time altogether, it's so difficult to keep track of.
An initiative on a national level would do some good. Locally, it would just be confusing when you have to do business in other time zones and have to figure out what time it is during different times of year.
Hawaii doesn't observe DST, because daylight is 12 hrs year round. It gets really confusing trying to remember the changing time difference.
This is not an issue worth devoting one's life to. Get a worthwhile cause or even a harmless hobby that won't cause others a lot of trouble.

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  April 6, 2008 - 12:43pm | akwillis

Are Alaskans really so easily confused... I don't think so.

If having to think about what time it is in Seattle or New York causes "a lot of trouble" for folks perhaps they could purchase additional time keeping devices to relieve them of that mental burden . I didn't know anyone would be in awe of the some of us who do business with Japan or Hawaii where they don't observe DST? I guess if they just would just fiddle with their clocks a couple of times each year, life would be perfect.
Frankly, I don't really notice or care what time it is locally when I contact others outside the Alaskan Time Zone. International business uses GMT which has no regard for local time. I have a device (computer) that shows me when a person overseas should be at work. If I have to call outside alaska business hours, big deal. That is my problem not every other Alaskan's nor do I expect them to support me by making them change every time keeping device they own twice a year.
Do you really suspect that Alaskan's are truly so stupid that they need the state government to relieve them of the task of having to think at all. Maybe we could have a clothing law; state employees acting like our mothers, could dress us appropriately for each day of the year. That would be so easy, with no thought required.

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