The Daily Dose/February 29, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
30 DAYS HATH SEPTEMBER…: It’s Leap Day today, the every fourth year appearance (generally) of February 29.
Dry, Technical Matter: Leap years are necessary because the 365 days mandated by civil calendars do not accurately reflect the exact time it takes the earth to revolve around the sun. Our calendars have 365 days. However, it actually takes Earth 365 days, 6 hours, and 9 minutes to orbit the Earth. This has been evident to smarty-pants who probably didn’t get a lot of dates since time immemorial, and the first Leap Day was instituted by Julius Caesar in 46 BC/BCE.
Really Dry, Technical Matter: Leap years are observed in every year evenly divisible by four. Unless the year is evenly divisible by 100. Then it isn’t a leap year. Unless the year is evenly divisible by 400, then it is a leap year. For example, 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was.
Oh, Jesus H: Actually, before Leap Days, there were Leap Months. Ancient Roman calendars had years of 355 days and an extra month was occasionally inserted to get the calendar back in synch with lunar and solar cycles.
This Whole Column Is Dry, Technical Matter, Isn’t It?: Without leap years, the calendar would eventually get so out of whack that summer would begin in December. In fact, this was a major reason for the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century. The Julian calendar was slightly off in its reckoning of the length of a year, and the March equinox was occurring earlier and earlier.
The Bottom Line: Usually, this segment is used to take a side on whatever issue we happen to have been talking about…However, Leap Year isn’t really a classic pro/con issue, its existence generally approved by even the most stalwart of pagans. If it’s your birthday, enjoy being able to celebrate it on the actual date you were born. If you’re a salaried employee, enjoy working for free today. If you enjoy dry, technical, matter as much we do, revel in today because it will be four years before you can again.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow’s time as VSO is winding down. Today’s Diary.
It wasn’t clear if he was actually diagnosed with anything or if it was merely a list of things to be on the lookout for, but the sheet will sort that all out, and we made an appointment – our last one of the VSO Era – for Friday morning…
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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 1712 – February 29 will be followed by February 30 in Sweden. It came about because Sweden had decided to ease into switching from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar over several years by omitting leap days between 1700 and 1740. War disrupted this, Sweden restored the Julian calendar in 1712, with an extra leap day added after February 29, and this remains the only time February 30 has been used in a calendar. Sweden adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1753.
In 1948 – Lawson Little of the US wins the St Petersburg Open by three strokes over Bobby Locke of South Africa. It was the eighth and final PGA Tour victory for Little in a career that saw him win three majors: the 1940 US Open and the 1934 and 1935 British and US Amateur tournaments and Little remains the only player to win both titles in the same year more than once. This remains the last PGA Tour victory on February 29.
In 2000 – Roddy Ricch is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the seventh of eleven consecutive weeks with The Box. It was the 18th of 44 chart singles for Ricch, his fourth of eight Top 40 hits, and remains his only #1 song. The song also went to #1 in seven other countries, including Latvia and Greece, peaked at #2 in Great Britain, and was in its eighth of twelve consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart. It remains the last song to be at #1 on Saturday, February 29, the day when Billboard begins its chart week.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
If you are acquainted with the principle, what do you care for a myriad of instances and applications?
Henry David Thoreau
Walden
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers hold the NHL record for most goals in a season with 446. They broke the record 424 they had established the season before.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What was the first song to ascend to the #1 spot on a Billboard pop chart on February 29? – Answer next time!
