The latest attempt in the Idaho Legislature to do away with this pesky, semiannual time shift failed, much to the chagrin of those tired of keeping track. Instead of doing away with with Daylight Saving Time in both spring and fall, the bill proposed to skip only the fall-back part, leaving Idaho forever in spring-forward mode. As naysayers pointed out, that’s in contravention of federal law.

For now.

So in the wee hours (officially 2 a.m.) of this second Sunday in March, Idahoans along with the vast majority of Americans are again expected to set clocks ahead one hour,

Why we still do Daylight Saving Time at all is a mystery to me. Maybe come spring, we crave a symbolic whack at those lingering winter blahs. We aren’t actually gaining anything — it’s pure illusion. The sun goes up and down when it will, regardless of what time we agree to call it.

Nor is Idaho alone in attempting this spring-forward and leave it idea — called “permanent Daylight Saving Time.” The Washington Legislature proposed it with a little twist, making it conditional upon Congress changing the prohibitive law.

Florida passed a similarly conditional permanent DST law last year. California’s Legislature is considering it. Texas tried to abolish it outright.

Call it a giant political hint.

And before you say, “Yeah, America isn’t a nation of farmers anymore anyway,” that’s a myth. Most of us heard it as kids, that DST was developed so farmers had more daylight hours in the fields. Even elected officials still perpetuate that story.

The truth is ironically the opposite: Farmers actively and vocally opposed the notion of time-shifting until losing the battle in 1966. According to author and historian Michael Downing, the lost hour meant they had to rush faster to get crops to market — they needed the sun to dry the dew off crops before harvesting. Milk cows didn’t cooperate either; animals don’t reset on demand. How history mislabeled farmers with the opposing position is anybody’s guess.

So how did Daylight Saving originate? In Germany and Great Britain around 1907, for the same reason we use — to get more light when we want it most. The U.S. first tried it during World War I, supposedly to save electrical energy. Another myth. Several states have done studies concluding that any energy saved with DST is minuscule — a tenth or two of 1 percent (Indiana even found an increase in average energy use, possibly from air conditioning).

It can get confusing for travelers and international commerce. Some countries in Europe follow DST, but a week earlier than ours. Asia and Africa generally don’t do DST. South America is split on the practice.

Other than force of habit, keeping it makes little sense.

By the way, FEMA urges us to use Daylight Saving dates as a reminder to change smoke alarm batteries, check fire extinguisher dates, replenish emergency kits and revisit disaster plans. Chance favors the prepared.

“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.” — Anthony Oettinger

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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network who obviously hates DST. Cast your vote at Sholeh@cdapress.com.