Extract from The Daily Telegraph (Letters to the Editor): Back and Forth
SIR - It might be worth pointing out that the year 2002 consists of a palindrome, being the same backward as forwards. Palindromic years occur normally only once in 110 years (as in 1661,1771,1881, etc). However, at the end of each millennium, the gap is only 11 years, instead of 110, so we had a palindromic year in 1991 and again in 2002; but there will not be another one until 2112. We are thus the only generation between the Norman Conquest and the year 3000 to experience two palindromic years within a normal lifetime. Canon Richard Tydeman Felixtowe, Suffolk Up and over Sir - Canon Tydeman observes that ours is the only generation to experience two palindromic years, 1991 and 2002, in a normal lifetime (letter, Dec. 29). It is also worth recording that many of us also experienced the year 1961, which reads the same when viewed normally or upside down; an inverted palindrome, perhaps? There have only been three other such years since the Norman Conquest and there will not be another until 6009. Richard Woodside. London W8 Mike Shaw http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jmikeshaw/ N 53º 21' 24" W 03º 01' 47" Wirral, UK. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.307 / Virus Database: 168 - Release Date: 11/12/2001
