Crazy ones

published April 21, 2011

in the Stockton Sentinel

Stockton, Kansas

            Everyone should know by now that you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet, but that doesn’t stop people from passing stuff along that appears interesting but is totally bogus. The one about the uniqueness of the 2011 calendar has come to me several times, and I finally stopped long enough to check it out. After all, I was supposed to pass the message to all my friends so that I would get rich in four days.  

            The information being passed along says that this year, 2011, the month of July has five Fridays, five Saturdays and five Sundays, and that this happens only once every 823 years. The first time I read that message, I thought: Wow! How cool is that! Five weekends in the summer month of July! And not for another 823 years? That was impressive enough that I checked it out, where else but on the Internet.

            It didn’t take but a few keystrokes to discover that it is, indeed, a false claim. Not the thing about five weekends, but the part about it not happening for another 823 years. In fact, there were five Friday-Saturday-Sunday July weekends as recently as 2005, and will be again in 2016. So much for having to wait another 823 years for the same amazing occurrence.

            There are, however, several other days that are unique to the year 2011, some of which we’ve already experienced. You can just look at these to know they are correct and won’t happen for another 100 years. We’ve already had two of these dates: 1/1/11 and 1/11/11. Coming in November to a calendar near you will be the dates 11/1/11 and 11/11/11.

            But here’s the real crazy thing for the year 2011. This has been passed around on the Internet as well, so many of you have already checked this out. When you take the last two digits of the year you were born plus the age you will be this year, your answer will equal 111. That is true for everyone who will be age 12 or over. Kids under 12 will come up with an answer of 11.

That will give you something to ponder the next time you’re counting sheep - one by one.