The Time Regulation Institute

We face the clock-turn ritual every fall, relishing an extra hour of sleep and preparing for the 4:55 pm sunset. But have you wondered why we’re still doing this? The answer isn’t as simple as an extra hour of morning light.

The clock shift is more than just a groggy Monday tradition; it's a legislative battleground. The "Sunshine Protection Act," which would make daylight saving time (DST) permanent, has been debated since 2022. The Senate passed it unanimously, but the House failed to approve it. Now reintroduced, it’s stalled again. California, which voted to eliminate DST in 2018, faces similar red tape. Meanwhile, experts say that standard time aligns better with human body clocks, which makes scheduling more efficient.

Does changing the clocks even matter? It could. When darker winter mornings caused tragic accidents during the 1973 oil crisis, year-round DST quickly lost popularity. Yet here we are, with the debate still ticking.

Turning the Tables 

You may have missed CIR's excellent (and disturbing) Netflix documentary Victim/Suspect. Taylor Cadle's story illustrates how difficult it can be for victims to seek justice when systems fail. She’s a teenager from Florida who reported the wrongdoing to the authorities, as we’re all told to do.

Instead of being supported, Taylor was treated like she was fabricating her story. In the face of disbelief, she gathered evidence to substantiate her claims. Her successful prosecution and conviction highlighted the need for better protections for young people.

Protect victims, conduct trauma-informed investigations, and consider the consequences carefully before labeling someone a criminal. Taylor Cadle's justice case offers hope and reminds us of the need for systemic change.

Cheesy Underworld

Remember Grate Cheese Robbery? In a real-life plot twist fit for a heist movie, a man was recently arrested for stealing 24 tons of cheddar from Neal's Yard Dairy. Here’s how it unfolded: Despite the loss, Westcombe, Hafod, and Pitchfork were fully paid by the dairy, proving their loyalty to the craft community. Even Jamie Oliver urged his followers to watch for cheap "posh cheese."

There are hints that the cheese was shipped to places like Russia or the Middle East, so we'll see if the investigation reveals any new information about its whereabouts. The mystery remains: where is all that cheddar now?

Beat by Beat

We've all had that moment—a song plays, and it lifts our spirits or brings instant calm. Recent books and studies suggest music's impact goes beyond mood. Could it be medicine?

Claire Oppert shares in The Schubert Treatment how playing for hospital patients is more than just music. Many doctors have dubbed music as a kind of "sound therapy," capable of soothing pain or anxiety.

Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin's book I Heard There Was a Secret Chord explores how music influences the brain. Besides reducing pain, it has also been shown to improve heart health and help Parkinson's patients move.

Music is a powerful tool for well-being in all styles, from classical to heavy metal.

💡 Core Wisdom

📸 Lens to Life

This astrophotographer captures the universe like never before.

🧮 Core Count: 50

Number of names in the first telephone directory in 1878.

🗓️ Flashback:

1917 - The Balfour Declaration declares support for a Jewish state in Palestine.

1949 - Indonesia became a sovereign state after the Netherlands recognized it as a former colony.

1983 - The "Thriller" single was released worldwide by Michael Jackson.

I'm glad we could get together here. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Fatih Taskiran