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2023: What Is Daylight Saving Time Saving, Really? Hint: It May Not Actually Be Time Or Money
Daylight saving time was created to help people save money by allowing them to consume less candle wax, coal, or lamp oil.
But, in 2023 America, does daylight saving time provide meaningful benefits to the common consumer?
Decades of investigation have given no conclusive solution. However, some leading time-shift experts now fear daylight-saving time will cost us in the long run.
“I am not aware of any credible study that has documented any energy savings from implementing daylight saving time,” said William Shughart, an economist at Utah State University. “As far as I can tell, all of the effects of daylight saving time are costs.”
That discovery may come as a surprise, at least to history buffs.
Can the changing of the clocks affect your mood? How to Handle the Effects of a Time Change
Ben Franklin planted the germ of daylight saving time in 1784 with an essay suggesting that Parisians could save money on candles if they adjusted their schedules to rise with the sun.
Germany instituted daylight time as a wartime measure in 1916, intending to save energy by shifting sunset later in the day. Less artificial light meant more sun. In 1918, America briefly implemented daylight saving time. During World War II, the time shift resumed.
In 1966, America introduced its contemporary switching schedule between daylight and standard time.
During the 1974 energy crisis, the country experimented with permanent daylight time. After a winter of bleak mornings, public support faded, and the experiment stopped.
Congress and the Nixon administration hoped permanent daylight time would lower the nation’s energy consumption until the crisis subsided.
“But it was just a wild idea with no empirical support,” Shughart said. “It sounds plausible, but there’s nothing there.”
Daylight saving time was created to help people save money by allowing them to consume less candle wax, coal, or lamp oil.
The last large time-shift change was in 2007. The nation shifted the start of daylight saving from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March and delayed its end from the final Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November.
This fall, the great resetting arrives on Nov. 5.
In 2008, the Energy Department sought to measure the actual savings of daylight time. In a report to Congress, experts claimed that the nation had cut its energy use by an annual rate of 0.03%. The limited savings came in lower electricity consumption in the evenings during the extra days of daylight hours.
Other research, however, has found the reverse: The semiannual time shift exacts a cost, and daylight time earns little or no benefits.
A major research, initially published in 2008, concluded that the changeover to daylight time cost the citizens of Indiana $9 million a year, or $3.29 per family, in higher electricity expenditures. The study used a natural experiment: Much of Indiana implemented daylight time in 2006.
Matthew Kotchen, a Yale economist, co-authored the research while employed by the University of California, Santa Barbara.
He theorizes that daylight time may have given savings to energy customers decades ago when a bigger share of energy usage went toward lighting homes.
Daylight saving time was created to help people save money by allowing them to consume less candle wax, coal, or lamp oil.
Lighting expenditures appear insignificant when compared to the monthly cost of heating and air conditioning. And this is where daylight savings time can be costly.
“Shifting to daylight saving makes you wake up at the coldest, darkest part of the day,” he remarked.
Consider your daily routine in the final days of daylight time against the first days of standard time. You get out of bed one hour earlier. At 7 a.m., your residence is cooler and darker than at 8 a.m. You may heat your home by increasing the temperature on your thermostat when you get up.
An hour after the time change, you awaken and turn on the heat. The sun rises higher in the sky, warming your dwelling.
Daylight savings time is the most expensive in the autumn, according to Kotchen.
The Indiana research concentrated on a cool, northern state. Americans in the South, on the other hand, may spend more on energy at the end of the day during daylight hours, coming from work or school to a slightly warmer home.
Daylight saving time was created to help people save money by allowing them to consume less candle wax, coal, or lamp oil.
“It’s sunny and hot outside.” “You turn up the air conditioning,” Shughart replied.
Much more research has been conducted to determine whether daylight saving time saves energy and, consequently, money. A 2017 meta-analysis examined dozens of publications and discovered that daylight time costs 0.34% less electricity consumption.
Other research has discovered that the twice-yearly routine of resetting clocks has its consequence.
Researchers have observed an increase in heart attacks and industrial accidents, as well as a decrease in productivity, following the spring change, which deprives the country of an hour of sleep.
One widely referenced 2016 study conducted by the Virginia business Chmura Economics & Analytics estimated that the time shift cost the US economy $434 million.
“I think the major downside of daylight saving time is physiological,” Shughart said in an interview. “It shocks your body twice a year, and it almost doesn’t matter which way the time is shifting.”
Shughart received praise for calculating that resetting clocks costs the country $1.7 billion annually.
That sum indicates lost production when we all take a 10-minute break in the spring and another 10-minute break in the autumn to change our watches.
Shughart admits that the societal cost of clock-setting is lower today than in 2008, when he released his numbers because so many of our devices now adjust the time automatically.
SOURCE – (usatoday)
News
The IRS Will Give a Million People Up To $1,400. Their Identity—And Why Now?
(VOR News) – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be able to give almost one million people who have already filed their tax returns additional incentives of up to $1,400 during the next several weeks.
Those qualified to get the cash will either be placed straight into their bank accounts or get a physical cheque delivered by mail.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would refund individual taxpayers who omitted a Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax returns for 2021 around $2.4 billion.
Those qualified for the credit were those who had either not gotten a COVID stimulus payment or one that was less than the whole amount. Conversely, the Internal Revenue Service declared on Friday that it had discovered a considerable percentage of eligible candidates had not.
“After reviewing our internal data, we came to the conclusion that one million taxpayers failed to claim this complicated credit when they were actually eligible,” said Danny Werfel, Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in his statement.
This taxpayer group may shortly be getting unexpected payments; the accompanying data provides specifics:
Could you kindly inform me about my chances of receiving a check from the IRS?
I’m sorry, but it most likely isn’t precisely that high. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reports that most qualified taxpayers—originally referred to as Economic Impact Payments—have already gotten their government stimulus money.
Those taxpayers who filed a tax return for the year 2021 but either left the Recovery Rebate Credit data box blank or entered $0 when they were actually eligible for the credit are qualified to get the special reimbursements announced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The way this is going to be carried out?
Those eligible taxpayers are not required to perform any chores to be qualified. The funds are expected to be received either by cheque or direct deposit account by the end of January 2025. Automatic distribution of them is set for this month. The Internal Revenue Service will deliver them to either the bank account shown on the taxpayer’s 2023 return or the address the taxpayer keeps on file.
Though there will be several possible payments, the highest amount any one person can pay will be $1,400. The Internal Revenue Service has made available on the internet information on eligibility and the process used to ascertain the payment amount.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will send separate letters to taxpayers qualified for the special payment notifying of the payment.
Conversely, what would happen should I not yet have my 2021 tax return turned in?
You still might be able to turn around the money. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claims, however, that individuals must file a tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit before April 15, 2025.
This is still the case whether or not a job, business, or any other source of income earned had any bearing on it.
How many financing rounds did the COVID stimulus program have?
Households impacted by the epidemic alone received compensation totaling $814 billion overall; this was divided across three rounds of payments. These figures were calculated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considering the taxpayer’s income, tax filing status, and the count of dependents or children entitled for the tax deduction.
The CARES Act, which became operative in March of 2020, makes qualified persons eligible for a maximum of $1,200 per income tax filer and $500 each child.
Those qualified could get up to $600 for each child and $600 for each individual who submitted their income tax return according to the Consolidated Appropriations Act in December of 2020.
Those qualified under the American Rescue Plan Act received a maximum of $1,400 per child and $1,400 per person who paid their income taxes during the month of March in 2021. very
SOURCE: YF
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Cases Of The US Flu Season Are Rising, While Vaccinations Are Behind Schedule.
Social Security Change Approved By Senate Despite Fiscal Concerns
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Cases Of The US Flu Season Are Rising, While Vaccinations Are Behind Schedule.
(VOR News) – The U.S. flu season has begun, according to health experts, who also noted a sharp rise in cases countrywide on Friday.
Significant increases were noted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in a number of indicators, such as laboratory tests and ED visits. “For the past few weeks, it has been increasing steadily.” “Yes, we are in flu season right now,” CDC’s Alicia Budd said.
Last week, flu-like sickness was reported at elevated or very elevated levels in 13 states, roughly twice as many as the week before. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, says Tennessee is seeing a spike in sickness in the Nashville area.
Schaffner said, “Influenza cases have been increasing, but they have increased significantly in the last week.” He noted that up to 25% of patients in a nearby clinic, which is a gauge of illness trends, have flu-like symptoms.
An early focal point was Louisiana.
Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Centre, the largest private hospital in the state, in Baton Rouge, has infectious diseases specialist Dr. Catherine O’Neal, who said, “This week is a significant turning point as individuals are affected by the flu.” “Parents frequently say, ‘I have the flu and can’t go to work,’ and ‘Where can I get a flu test?'”
Fever, cough, sore throat, and other influenza-like symptoms are caused by a variety of viruses. COVID-19 is one of them. Another flu season common disease that causes cold-like symptoms but poses serious hazards to infants and the elderly is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Recent CDC numbers indicate a decline in COVID-19 hospitalisations since the summer. According to CDC wastewater data, COVID-19 activity is modest nationwide but elevated in the Midwest.
Although RSV hospitalisations are still marginally more common than flu admissions, they started to rise before flu season cases and currently show signs of perhaps stabilising. RSV activity is low nationwide, but wastewater data shows that it is high in the South.
Based on a number of indicators, such as laboratory results from hospitalised patients and outpatient clinics, as well as the percentage of ED visits that resulted in an influenza diagnosis at discharge, the CDC declared the start of the flu season.
According to Budd, it is too early in the season to determine the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine, and no type of virus seems to be more common.
The flu season last winter was classified as “moderate” overall, but it continued for 21 weeks, and the CDC estimates that 28,000 people died from the virus. With 205 paediatric deaths reported, the situation was particularly dangerous for kids. It was the largest number ever recorded for a conventional influenza season.
The prolonged flu season was probably one of the reasons, Budd added.
The lack of influenza vaccinations was one of the contributing factors. The CDC reports that 80% of children who passed away and had verified vaccination status and were of the right age for flu shots were not completely immunised.
Children’s immunisation rates are drastically lower this year. About 41% of people had a flu shot as of December 7, which is similar to the percentage at the same time last year. For youngsters, the figure is steady, although it is lower than in the previous year, when 44% received an influenza vaccination, according to CDC data.
About 21% of adults and 11% of children are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which is still a poor vaccination rate.
Influenza experts advise everyone to get vaccinated, especially as people get ready for holiday gatherings where respiratory diseases could spread widely.
“This virus also has the potential to spread from person to person at all those happy, pleasant, and heartwarming events,” Schaffner said. “flu season Vaccination remains a viable option.”
However, Louisiana’s health department announced on Friday that it was rescinding its COVID-19 and flu vaccination recommendations. According to an official, the department’s current position is that people should speak with their doctors about whether the immunisations are suitable for their situation.
The department’s spokesperson, Emma Herrock, did not respond to follow-up questions regarding the policy. Dr. Ralph Abraham, the state’s surgeon general, has expressed concerns in the past regarding the COVID-19 vaccine’s effectiveness and safety.
SOURCE: AP
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Social Security Change Approved By Senate Despite Fiscal Concerns
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Social Security Change Approved By Senate Despite Fiscal Concerns
(VOR News) – On Saturday, the U.S. Congress passed a plan to increase Social Security retirement payouts for some retirees who receive public pensions, a move that critics say will further erode the program’s financial stability. Among these pensioners are former firefighters and police officers.
The Social Security Fairness Act was passed by the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 76-20 just after midnight. The act may lower payments for those receiving pensions and aims to repeal provisions that have existed for 20 years.
The House of Representatives passed the bill last month by a vote of 327-75, meaning that if the Senate also approves it, it would be delivered to Democratic President Joe Biden to become law.
The White House dodged enquiries regarding Social Security’s objectives.
In order to limit government benefits for certain higher-paid employees who are also getting pensions, the measure will reverse a long-standing change to the program. It has become increasingly common in recent years for municipal employees, such as postal workers and firefighters, to face pay limitations.
The vast majority of Americans do not take part in pension plans that provide a fixed return on investment, instead relying on their own savings and Social Security. According to data from the Department of Labour, only 10% of private sector employees in the US are covered by pension plans.
The new rules apply to about 3 percent of Social Security users, or more than 2.5 million people in the United States. Legislators are heavily influenced by the workers and retirees impacted by these rules, and the powerful advocacy organisations that speak for them have been using the legislative process to push for a legislative cure.
According to retirement experts, some retirees may be able to earn hundreds of dollars more in government benefits each month as a result of the move.
According to a Congressional Budget Office analysis, the bill is expected to cost approximately $196 billion over the next 10 years. As a result, federal budget experts are worried that the change could negatively affect the program’s already fragile financial status.
In an interview with the Bipartisan Policy Centre, Emerson Sprick, associate director of economic policy, said he was frustrated by “the overwhelming support in Congress for the contrary of what policy researchers concur on is quite frustrating.”
Instead of eliminating current formulas, we could improve them.
Among these changes is the Social Security Administration’s increased disclosure of the anticipated monetary benefits for these public sector workers.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal think tank, has voiced concerns that the additional cost will impact the program’s ability to continue.
Maya MacGuineas, the organization’s leader, made the declaration, saying, “We are hastening towards our own fiscal ruin.”
“It is noteworthy that lawmakers are in a position to shorten the timeframe by six months, as there are just nine years left before the trust fund for the biggest program in the country runs out.”
Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, said on the Senate floor on Wednesday that the bill in its current form would “throw granny over the cliff.”
According to what he stated, “every senator who votes to impose a burden of $200 billion on the Social Security Trust Fund is opting to put the interests of senior citizens who have contributed to Social Security and earned those benefits in jeopardy.”
Those who favoured the legislation said that the question of what would happen to Social Security could be settled later.
“Those are significantly longer-term concerns that we must collaboratively address,” a supporter of the idea Senator Michael Bennett told Reuters when asked if the move would affect the government’s capacity to be viable.
SOURCE: BR
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