An astronomy professor is hoping to convince the world to switch to a new calendar that would take the guesswork out of when Christmas and other holidays fall each year. Replacing the extra day added to the calendar every Leap Year with a week every five or six years that professor Richard Henry calls "Newton Week," in honor of Sir Isaac Newton, would make every day of the year fall on the same day of the week.
And New Year's Day 2006 would be the perfect time to start the new calendar, he says, because in both the current calendar system and on his new calendar, that day falls on a Sunday.
Henry acknowledges he is a "bit of Grinch" because he designed his calendar so that Christmas and New Year's Day would fall on Sundays.
"You know what happens toward the end of the year. A lot of people like the mess at the end of the year because it gives them time off," he said.
Henry said he knows he doesn't have much hope of succeeding. But, he argues, the new calendar would save countless hours of work worldwide.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2004-12-27-static-calendar_x.htm
And New Year's Day 2006 would be the perfect time to start the new calendar, he says, because in both the current calendar system and on his new calendar, that day falls on a Sunday.
Henry acknowledges he is a "bit of Grinch" because he designed his calendar so that Christmas and New Year's Day would fall on Sundays.
"You know what happens toward the end of the year. A lot of people like the mess at the end of the year because it gives them time off," he said.
Henry said he knows he doesn't have much hope of succeeding. But, he argues, the new calendar would save countless hours of work worldwide.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2004-12-27-static-calendar_x.htm
5 days off is just about right!