Was the year 2000 a leap year (i.e. did February have an extra day?) How about 1900? If you answered yes and no, respectively, you understand our calender better than most.
The reason I bring it up is that according to the findings of Archbishop Ussher, this is the Earth's Birthday. I had been intending to post on this today, but Callan at NOVA Geoblog did such an outstanding post that I'm just going to link his. Among other tidbits of information, Ussher's formal title was "Primate." Heh. (listens for fundy Christian heads to go all 'splodey)
Still, I wonder if Ussher took Pope Gregory's calendar changes into account? The reason he had to change it was that the "paper calender" had drifted more than half a month off the "seasonal calendar."
I'm sure geology types the world round are hoisting a toast to our wonderful planet tonight. Sure, it's ironic and a little sarcastic, but in the end, October 23rd is as good a birthday as any.
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