2002-08-16 I agree 100 %
John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian J White" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, 2002-08-16 10:50 Subject: [USMA:21748] Re: calendar reform > Guys...this is the USMA list. The let's try and find ways to encourage the > UNITED STATES to metricate. > This is NOT the list for fighting about some new calender.....especially > not for the length of time this discussion has been going on. > > Changing the calender is not going to help facilitate weather being > reported in Celcius, km/h and centimeters.....body weight in kilos, food in > grams, or tire pressure in kPa. > > These are the things we should focus on...not hypothetical pointless > activities like debating calender standards. > > Gesh.... > > At 07:42 2002-08-16 -0700, Ma Be wrote: > >? I guess you misinterpreted my post, Brij. While I found that proposal > >very interesting, please note that I highlighted what to me would > >eventually be enough reasons to "forget about it". On the other hand, if > >the advantages of such proposal are enough to sway the establishment to > >change it would be undeniable that one could at least benefit from a > >better structured result than our current one in many respects. But I > >find the chances of that proposal taking off next to nill anyhow... > > > >Cheers > > > >Marcus > > > >On Thu, 15 Aug 2002 17:39:56 > > Brij Bhushan Vij wrote: > > >Hi Marcus: > > > A laudable idea! Proposing to create more confusion to divide the 'sky' > > >into 13 zones of varying durations (Kepler's Laws) to locate and co-relate > > >whare we stand in the universe? > > >Brij Bhushan Vij > > > > > > > > >>From: "Ma Be" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >>To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >>Subject: [USMA:21729] Re: calendar reform > > >>Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 09:01:12 -0700 > > >> > > >>On Thu, 15 Aug 2002 10:05:30 > > >> Tom Wade VMS Systems wrote: > > >> > > > >> >>The only real issue would be how to tackle the leap year problem. > > >> >>I'd be happy to consider proposals for this. > > >> > > > >> >The most sensible idea I've heard for this was proposed by the late Dr > > >>Isaac > > >> >Asimov. > > >> > > > >> >A year consists of 13 months, each with 28 days. Each month has 4 weeks > > >>of > > >> >7 days each, using the familiar day names. This makes 364 days. The > > >>extra day > > >> >is designated 'year day', which does not belong to any month, nor does it > > >> >have a 'normal' day name (Mon, Tue etc). It follows the 28th day of the > > >>13th > > >> >month. > > >> > > > >> >The extra day for the leap year is 'leap day', and also does not belong > > >>to any > > >> >particular month or traditional day name. It follows year day in those > > >>years > > >> >designated as leap years. > > >> > > > >>This is really a remarkable proposal! If it were not for its non-decimal > > >>nature I'd support it enthusiastically myself as it is indeed a great idea. > > >> > > >> >The advantages of this system: > > >> > > > >> >1. All months are of equal length. > > >> > > >>Granted. But the fact that there would be a prime number of months would > > >>constitute a significant problem, especially for the financial world. > > >> > > >> >2. A particular date fall on the same day every year. > > >> > > >>True. I'm not sure though whether this is any such great advantage. > > >>People usually do not make this association. I.e. can you share what > > >>practical advantage one could derive from this (interesting) property? > > >> > > >> >3. Each month has exactly four weeks. > > >> > > >>Yes, this would greatly simplify payroll systems and all. > > >> > > >> >4. The seven day week is preserved. > > >> > > >>Excellent! > > >> > > >> >5. No change needed for units smaller than a day. > > >> > > > >>In other words, the proposal doesn't address the time construct, just the > > >>calendar. > > >> > > >> >Disadvantages: > > >> > > > >> >1. It is not decimal based (including hour, minute second). > > >> > > > >>This would be a major one. Applications that could use the full > > benefit of > > >>decimalization could not be realized anyhow. > > >> > > >> >Unfortunately, we simply can't achieve full decimalization... > > >> > > >>True, but this should not preclude us from going as far as one possibly > > >>can. We *can* fix the time construct. We *can* fix the number of > > months. > > >>But we *cannot* fix the weekly cycle (it's even a divine mandate... ;-) > > >>). I mean, we can, theoretically, but we can't (it would ruffle too many > > >>feathers in the religious world) in practice. The problem emerging from > > >>stipulating that there would be 10 days in a week is that it could > > >>potentially be associated with days of rest falling on different days of > > >>the 7-day weekly cycle which would certainly upset too many people. > > >>Keeping track of the Sabbath would be a nightmare. > > >> > > >>Marcus > > >> > > >> > > >>Is your boss reading your email? ....Probably > > >>Keep your messages private by using Lycos Mail. > > >>Sign up today at http://mail.lycos.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ > > >Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. > > >http://www.hotmail.com > > > > > > > > > > > >Is your boss reading your email? ....Probably > >Keep your messages private by using Lycos Mail. > >Sign up today at http://mail.lycos.com >
