Every year, those of us in most parts of the U.S. go through the fun ritual of Daylight Savings Time. At these two times of year, we either set our clocks ahead an hour ("Spring Forward") or set our clocks back an hour ("Fall Back"). This is done at 3 a.m. on the particular night.

Well, since it IS 3 a.m., and you are going to be up anyway, you might hear a faint beeping sound. No, it's not the DST fairy coming to give you money. It's probably your smoke detector's battery going dead. This is generally considered to be a Bad Thing.

(Quick fact: last year there were approximately 750,000 house fires. Half of those were equipped with smoke detectors, and out of the houses that did have them, one in three did not work because of malfunction or dead batteries. Approximately 200 people died.)

I know, I know. You are thinking to yourself, "Well, dang. I mean, I can use those batteries in my Walkman. Besides, I'll wake up if there is a fire. I'm a light sleeper, and smoke would wake me right up." Riiiight. IF your house catches fire, and IF we are able to make it in time to pull you out before you die from smoke inhalation, we'll discuss it. But until then, recgonize that most people don't die from the fire. They die from the smoke that is generated. Carbon Monoxide has this fun property that puts you into a deeper sleep, mainly from the lack of oxygen that your body is receiving. And I've pulled a lot more people out of fires then had people waiting outside saying, "Dang, good thing I didn't waste that battery. I woke right up!" (And, bright one, Walkman's take AA's, not 9-volts)

And regardless if you are a newbie, an old-timer, and editor, a god, etc., I know I would miss you if something happened because your smoke detector didn't work (or for really any other reason). Hopefully some other people would to, but if not, damn them, because I love you. Man.

Ok, sorry, off-topic a bit there. So please, for the sake of E2, for the sake of your family, and most importantly, for the sake of you...

Change your clocks, change your batteries


And if you don't participate in Daylight Savings Time, mark it on your calendar and change your batteries anyway. Thanks!

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