What exactly is the deal with daylight savings time?

Yep, that happens this weekend. I can still remember my mom teaching me how to remember it: spring ahead, fall back. I got it, but I had no idea why, what the purpose was, what it could possibly accomplish, and I just hoped someone (i.e. the news) would remind me when I had to do it. So here goes nada. Off the bat, let's be clear: some hate it, some lik…