Part of the problem with calendar reform is the number we have to work with -- 365 and some-odd hundredths -- doesn't really divide nicely. Even taking 365 by itself, we are looking at factors of five and 73.

73 might be an ugly factor, but 72 works nicely. With five days per week and six weeks (30 days) per month, we will have twelve months with exactly one week left over which we can celebrate as "year's end." This cycle works without the need for a yearly "world day."

For a complete calendar, we need a leap day every four years except in years divisible by 128 -- which makes it more accurate than either the Gregorian or Mayan calendars. Call this leap day "election day," and make it a national holiday set aside for voting.

Benefits of this calendar include more weekends per year (72 vs. 52, plus "year's end"), a shorter work week (two days off per five day week is nearly equivalent to the four day work week proposed elsewhere), and closer matching to seasons, especially if we start the year at the autumnal equinox. In addition, you could use the same calendar every year, it's easier to count by 5's than by 7's, businesses can easily divide the year into halves, thirds, quarters, etc. (hard to do with 13 months) -- even the months can be split into halves and thirds for payment purposes.

Plus, you would get a cool rhyme to remember things by:

Thirty days hath September,

And every month that you remember.

On Year's End, across the nation

Add a week for celebration.

Every four years, you might note,

Add another day to vote.
-- mrouse, Mar 30 2002

Croissant for the terribly clever rhyme inclusion. One trifle: half of the senators and congressmen wouldn't benefit from election day.
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 30 2002


This would play excellently in the sweepstakes community since every country in the world would be electing their leader, just imagine how may bets you could make when the entire world goes out to vote. Well, about 47% of the world. Damn non-voters.
-- [ sctld ], Mar 30 2002


Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Rinse and Repeat
Monday included as some holidays are moved to Monday in order to have 3-day weekends starting Saturday. Thursday included for the occasional 4-day weekend ending Sunday. Now, if we could only get a 3-day weekend to follow a 4-day weekend to Rinse and Repeat...
-- thumbwax, Mar 30 2002


How about Manditory menstral month. All women must adjust their 'Menses'to occur in march only. This Frees men to watch sports and drink brewskis without interuption or snide remarks for 51 weeks a year, while providing a one week 'target' time line to get together with other guys for fishing/hunting/racing/poker/drinking and uninterrupted joke telling. This week to be called MENSES DAY or, MARCH MADNESS.
-- bluto, May 14 2003


reminds me of an idea a friend of mine had years ago, called "the metric calendar".. i forget exactly how it worked, but something like 10 months with 35 days each and having some 15 day festival at the end of each year. a croissant for the memories.
-- insertnamehere, Jan 17 2004


I found another pattern (almost):

One and forty in September
Another six are for November

Take one and over two bears May
Then February, ten allay

March is found by adding four
To August, increment by score

July takes half a dozen under
Twice increment and thrice asunder

Gives January, then by four
Decrements to October sure

Another ten December yields
Add five and halve is June revealed

The prime calendar is thus concluded
By Arpil, which has ten denuded

A single day is unaccounted
So at the end it shall be mounted

And lastly note that each four years
A day before July appears.
-- Detly, May 29 2004


you're all mad (or you were)
-- neilp, Dec 16 2004



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