storyboard the light.
I keep telling people about The British Calendar Act of 1751. This event has such an impact on me and I'm not entirely sure why. But I'll clue you in on the three main contributing factors.
First of all, while I'm no history buff, and am certainly not as worldly as I'd like to be, I've never heard of The British Calendar Act of 1751. In addition, I found no reference to this somewhat monumental period in history on my go-to source, Wikipedia.
Secondly, I let my thoughts go admittedly deeper than they should when I try to fully grasp what The British Calendar Act of 1751, in effect, did. It's this factor that requires I actually explain (if you aren't aware) what The British Calendar Act of 1751 was. I keep saying the full name so you remember and tell your peers. In 1751, King George II and British Parliament finally faced the problems with the Julian calendar, in order to switch to the Gregorian calendar. The delay in facing the 200 year old problem was actually Catholic in nature. Martin Luther's "Ninety-five Theses" was construed to believe that following the Gregorian calendar would be "bowing to a Papal decree." If you're still with me, this is where it comes together and gets good. The problem with the Julian calendar is that it lacked Leap Years, which had added up to set the world precisely eleven days behind where it theoretically should be. To correct this problem in switching to the Gregorian calendar, two major steps were taken. The first was changing the beginning of the calendar year from March 15th to January 1st, presumably to make all the "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" songs more appropriate and timely. The second step that The British Calendar Act of 1751 did, was to correct the eleven day surplus by eliminating eleven days in 1752. On September 2nd, 1752, when the clocks struck midnight it became September 14th, 1752.
This just baffles me. Even my old standby explanation of anything ("It's only language") doesn't get me through it. Everything we explain and believe in the world is expressed through language that we created. I can get lost in thought about that. But still, all the language-based possibilities are what impress me. For instance, we are living eleven days in the past. It should be eleven days from now, and Fall wouldn't have even begun yet. Equally impressive, in a language-problem manner of speaking, is that the dates of September 3-13, each year, are days that have been lived less than any other day of the year.
In any case, The British Calendar Act of 1751 thoroughly intrigues me, which brings me to the third factor as to why. If I didn't listen to the music that I listen to, I may have died having never known about September 3-13, 1752. Granted, not knowing wouldn't have changed my life very much, it still impresses me that it is due, in full, to Make Believe's sophomore album, Of Course, that I am able to say that I know about the eleven missing days in World History.
So to Tim Kinsella, as well as Nate Kinsella, Bobby Burg, and Sam Zurick: Thank you.
I hate to say, however that I think you miscounted days. Am I wrong?
Of Course is available now on CD from Flameshovel and on LP from Polyvinyl. It's quite good, and "Pat Tillman, Emmitt Till" remains my favorite and album standout.
Make Believe's "Political Mysticism"
from Of Course
BONUS: Joan of Arc's "The Cash In & Price"
from Joan of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain...
76 LINKS IN THE PAPER CHAIN
Domotic's "Christmas for Berry"
First of all, while I'm no history buff, and am certainly not as worldly as I'd like to be, I've never heard of The British Calendar Act of 1751. In addition, I found no reference to this somewhat monumental period in history on my go-to source, Wikipedia.
Secondly, I let my thoughts go admittedly deeper than they should when I try to fully grasp what The British Calendar Act of 1751, in effect, did. It's this factor that requires I actually explain (if you aren't aware) what The British Calendar Act of 1751 was. I keep saying the full name so you remember and tell your peers. In 1751, King George II and British Parliament finally faced the problems with the Julian calendar, in order to switch to the Gregorian calendar. The delay in facing the 200 year old problem was actually Catholic in nature. Martin Luther's "Ninety-five Theses" was construed to believe that following the Gregorian calendar would be "bowing to a Papal decree." If you're still with me, this is where it comes together and gets good. The problem with the Julian calendar is that it lacked Leap Years, which had added up to set the world precisely eleven days behind where it theoretically should be. To correct this problem in switching to the Gregorian calendar, two major steps were taken. The first was changing the beginning of the calendar year from March 15th to January 1st, presumably to make all the "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" songs more appropriate and timely. The second step that The British Calendar Act of 1751 did, was to correct the eleven day surplus by eliminating eleven days in 1752. On September 2nd, 1752, when the clocks struck midnight it became September 14th, 1752.
This just baffles me. Even my old standby explanation of anything ("It's only language") doesn't get me through it. Everything we explain and believe in the world is expressed through language that we created. I can get lost in thought about that. But still, all the language-based possibilities are what impress me. For instance, we are living eleven days in the past. It should be eleven days from now, and Fall wouldn't have even begun yet. Equally impressive, in a language-problem manner of speaking, is that the dates of September 3-13, each year, are days that have been lived less than any other day of the year.
In any case, The British Calendar Act of 1751 thoroughly intrigues me, which brings me to the third factor as to why. If I didn't listen to the music that I listen to, I may have died having never known about September 3-13, 1752. Granted, not knowing wouldn't have changed my life very much, it still impresses me that it is due, in full, to Make Believe's sophomore album, Of Course, that I am able to say that I know about the eleven missing days in World History.
So to Tim Kinsella, as well as Nate Kinsella, Bobby Burg, and Sam Zurick: Thank you.
I hate to say, however that I think you miscounted days. Am I wrong?
Of Course is available now on CD from Flameshovel and on LP from Polyvinyl. It's quite good, and "Pat Tillman, Emmitt Till" remains my favorite and album standout.
Make Believe's "Political Mysticism"
from Of Course
BONUS: Joan of Arc's "The Cash In & Price"
from Joan of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain...
76 LINKS IN THE PAPER CHAIN
Domotic's "Christmas for Berry"
Listen Well posted this around 5:52 PM
5 Comments:
While I definitely enjoy Make Believe and the new disc, I think the calender act of 1751/2 is not as significant as one would make it. Besides the inaccurate statement of Martin Luthers 95 Theses - he never honestly was looking to split. He was looking for honest debate and to initiate honest debate one would put the points of debate on the churches door.
Other then that though, there have been several calender changes throughout time. I think all of them are actually kind of interesting to think about, because we could be living many years in the future, or in the past. I kind of wonder what the exact number would be and if the ancient Summerian, Babylonian, and Israelite calenders would be included?
I think the specific calender act of 1751/2 is most interesting in the King of England finally giving into his own ego and admitting that perhaps the Catholic calender scientists got it right. The English were the last of the modern world to catch on.
I'm sorry if I sound like a know it all, because I hate that guy. I just learned about some calender issues in class yesterday. If I would have read this post 24 hours ago I have only commented on the Luther thing, but maybe not.
Hey, so what if you do sound like that guy? I thoroughly appreciate your input and it says a lot that the only history lessons I've retained in the past few years were taught to me by indie rock music. I'm indeed quite excited to go back to school in January such that I can be unimpressed with whatseems to be common knowledge. Thank you very much for opening my eyes at least a little bit to how much has happened in our history that is genuinely interesting.
And I figured I was understanding the Martin Luther part incorrectly.
Again, I really appreciate the input and please drop by and school me any day of the week. I mean it.
I usually stop by your blog on the by and by which puts it at my 3rd most visited blog. And today I wasn't going for the music, but more to see how you hosted songs. I'm trying to start a music blog as well - with (hopefully) a slightly different perspective on somethings. Who knows. I'd appreciate it if you gave it a glance.
i went to wikipedia to look for the british calendar act of 1751 & when i couldn't find it, i google searched and you came up. it makes me think about how relative time is. the only album i've listened to this month is of course. i want to talk conspiracy theories with tim some time. he should speak at colleges. haha! he was an english major like me!
sweet blog!
oh yeah, you better post cap'n jazz's christmas song (if you haven't already)!!! (:
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