INDIANAPOLIS -- As most of you probably know, most of Indiana stayed put on Sunday while most of the nation ''sprang'' forward by an hour to observe daylight-saving time.
Some say it's a joke that 77 of Indiana's 92 counties stick with standard time year-round, with only Arizona and Hawaii clinging to such a stubborn stand. Just get with the program, they say.
Some say the status quo is nothing to be ashamed of. Call them backwards, call them behind the times, but they think the whole daylight debate is silly.
''These people that are telling you that this will affect the economy and make Indiana a better place -- these are the same people that sold us on class basketball and did away with Cokes in six-and-a-half ounce bottles,'' said former Indiana House Speaker John Gregg of Sandborn.
''There are real issues in Indiana, and dealing with the time -- to me -- is not one of them.''
But alas, the debate over daylight time and time zones will linger on.
Longtime state Rep. Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville, thinks the 77 counties in question should be moved into the Central time zone and observe daylight time. That's what five counties in the southwest corner and five in the northwest near Chicago -- including Dobis' stomping grounds of Lake County -- do now.
Dobis thought about introducing a resolution this past session asking the U.S. Department of Transportation, which regulates time zones, to make such a move.
He never offered the resolution, saying there was not enough time and too much partisan wrangling over other issues. There was another apparent obstacle, too: Democratic House Speaker Patrick Bauer.
Bauer said lawmakers already had enough on their plate, and he was surprised the divisive issue had arisen.
''I don't see advantages or disadvantages, and I think that's the problem,'' Bauer said then. ''Some people are so convinced that a time change is going to bring in jobs and things like that, and other people believe time change will ruin their life.''
Dobis said he intends to pursue the proposal next session, however. The election will be over, the session will be longer, and there are a lot of Democrats and Republicans who like his idea, he said.
''There will be some new players next year and we will have to get a scope of the lay of the land and proceed,'' Dobis said.
Of course, there have been at least 24 legislative tries over the past three decades to impose daylight-saving time in the rest of Indiana. None has succeeded.
''There are a lot of folks in Indiana who would just love to leave well enough alone,'' Dobis acknowledged. ''There are a lot of legislators who would just as soon not vote on this question.''
Many legislators say their constituents are nearly evenly divided over the issue. Economist Morton Marcus believes that has a lot to do with what time people like their favorite television shows to start.
The candidates for governor have at least talked about the issue this year.
Republican Mitch Daniels favors statewide observance of daylight-saving time, with ''as much of the state as possible'' in the Central time zone. Democratic Gov. Joe Kernan backs daylight-saving time, but he has not specified a time zone.
Republican Eric Miller wants to put the question to a vote of the people, even though the state constitution does not include a mechanism for such ballot initiatives.
Marcus sees no need for change, but says if Kernan or Daniels wins and pushes daylight-saving time in the next legislative session, they could tip it to passage.
''That doesn't mean it will happen, because once you get into office and it's January, it's a very different story,'' Marcus said. ''But it's possible.''
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