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  ‘the dog ate my homework’ is passé

Watch council ‘workers’ wriggle to avoid making public their spending and renumeration records.

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/fun122011.php#florid_excuses_060212

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why the months have the number of days they do, a short summary

The Roman calendar, drawn up by Romulus according to legend, had 10 months. Mmonth lengths alternated between 31 and 30 days. The calendar started in March (Mars), which was the start of nice battle weather and ended in December. The Romans didn’t bother to count the days in winter while waiting for spring to arrive.

1. March, 31 days
2. April, 30 days
3. May, 31 days
4. June, 30 days
5. Quintilis, 31 days
6. Sextilis, 30 days
7. September, 31 days
8. October, 30 days
9. November, 31 days
10. December, 30 days.

Note that the first four months are supposedly named after gods - Mars, Aprilis (possibly a form of Aphrodite), Maius (from Maia, goddess of fertility), Iunius (from Juno, wife of Juppiter).

Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, prefixed the calendar with two more months, January (31 days) and February ( 28 days - which was whatever days were left over). Of course, this meant that the numbered month names no longer matched their position in the calendar.

1. January, 31 days
2. February, 28 days
3. March, 31 days
4. April, 30 days
5. May, 31 days
6. June, 30 days
7. Quintilis, 31 days
8. Sextilis, 30 days
9. September, 31 days
10. October, 30 days
11. November, 31 days
12. December, 30 days.

Near the end of his time in power, in 44 B.C., Julius Cesear renamed the fifth month, Quintilis, after himself to become July. Julius also tidied up the previous calendar, the result being known as the Julian Calendar. This was used until Pope Gregory XIII introduced our current, Gregorian Calendar in 1582.

After this, Augustus came to power and renamed the sixth month in 8 B.C. Not wanting his month to be shorter, Augustus changed its length to 31 days and changed the following months to alternate between 30 and 31 adys.

1. January, 31 days
2. February, 28 days
3. March, 31 days
4. April, 30 days
5. May, 31 days
6. June, 30 days
7. July, 31 days
8. August, 31 days
9. September, 30 days
10. October, 31 days
11. November, 30 days
12. December, 31 days.

So that is why the months have the number of days they have.

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/fun122011.php#month_names_010112

socialists never stop lying

Kim Jong-il lying in state, North Korea

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/fun122011.php#kim_jong_il_201211

i see hotpoint are now using hydrothermal technology

Poor old granny only had hot water.

Another brilliant British technological breakthrough.

No wonder we export so much to the EUSSR.

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/fun122011.php#hotpoint_131211

usa designed the eussr flag over 200 years ago

Betsey Ross Stars and Stripes flag. Image: mapsofworld.com

“The 13 star flag, adopted on June 14, 1777, was the first official flag of the United States, and remained the official flag for 18 years, until 1795 ... ”

Flag of the European Union. Image: redicecreations.com

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/fun122011.php#stars_and_stripes_031211

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