Life Changing Information

This is from The New Book Of Knowledge
and should concern all involved in roots' searches

"Calendar"

The 7-day week of the present Western calendar is taken from the ancient Hebrew calendar. This division of time is mentioned in the Bible.

*The Roman Calendar

   The calendar used today by most people in North America and Europe had its beginnings in the anceient Roman calendar. In fact, the word "calendar" comes from the Latin word "Kalendae"which was what the Romans called the first day of every month. How the Roman calendar developed and changed tells us a great deal about how the Western calendar system works today.

   Each Roman month had 3 fixed points -- the Kalends, the Nones, and the Ides. The Ides generally fell at the full moon of the lunar month. In March, May, July, and October, the Nones were the 7th day, and the Ides the 15th. In the other months the Nones werethe 5th day and the Ides the 13th. All other days were counted as so many days before the Kalends, Nones or Ides.

   At one time the anient Roman calendar had only 10 months. The year began in March, when farmers began their work for the coming growing season. At some point, perhaps as early as 153 B.C., the Romans changed to a 12-monthsystem and moved the beginning of the year to January. The 12-month Roman year originally consisted of 355 days. March, May, July, and October had 31 days. February had 28, and the other months had 29.
Because this year did not fit with the actual solar year, extra days were added each year to make the calendar more correct. The extra period, called the Intercalaris, was usually 22 or 23 days long.

Over the years this calendar became wildly out of sequence with the natural cycle. In 46 B.C. the Roman leader Julius Caesar decided that it had to be revised. He introduced a calendar that had 365 days, and he established the leap year system by adding an extra day every 4 years. This new calendar became known as the Julian calendar, named for its inventor.

All in all, the calendar used today in North America and Europe owes much to the old Roman system. Starting the new year on January 1 and adding leap years are just two examples of Roman influence. From the Romans, too, come the names of the months and the system of starting the day at midnight.

*Modern Calendar Systems

   The Julian calendar was an important breakthrough, but it was not perfect. By the Middle Ages it was out of step with the seasons and needed reform. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII proposed certain changes. For one year he dropped 10 days from the calendar to make it correspond more closely with the seasons. He also dropped leap years in "century" years, unless those years could be divided by 400.

   Pope Gregory's calendar became known as the Gregorian or New Style calendar. It was more precise than the Julian or Old Style calendar, but it was not accepter immediately.The Gregorian calendar was adopted in England and North America in 1752, in Rumania and Greece in 1824, in Russia in 1918 and in Turkey in 1927. Today the Gregorian calendar is used throughout most of the Western world, especially for public affairs and business.

   Because Pope Gregory dropped several days from the calendar, the changeover from the Julian (Old Style) to the Gregorian (New Style) meant that the dates for certain events would be altered. The birthdate of George Washington is a good example. Washington was actually born on February 11, 1731, when Old Style dating was still being used. But when colonial Virginia adopted the New Style in 1752, the date of Washington's birth became February 22. Also, because the first day of the year was switched from March 25 to January 1, Washington was now said to have been born in 1732! Such changes can be a source of confusion in history books if Old Style or New Style dating is not taken into account.

Words of Learned Wisdom (?)

1. I started out with nothing...I still have most of it.
2. When did my wild oats turn to prunes and all bran?
3. I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart.
4. Funny, I don't remember being absent minded.
5. All reports are in. Life is now officially unfair.
6. If all is not lost, where is it?
7. It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
8. If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished.
9. The first rule of holes: If you are in one, stop digging.
l0. I tried to get a life once, but they were out of stock.
ll. I went to school to become a wit, only got halfway through.
l2. It was all so different before everything changed.
l3. Some days you're the dog, some days the hydrant.
l4. Nostalgia isn't what is used to be.
l5. Old programmers never die. They just terminate and stay resident.
l6. A day without sunshine is like a day in Seattle.
l7. I wish the buck stopped here. I could use a few.
l8. Kids in the back seat cause accidents; accidents in the back seat cause kids.
l9. It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop at the end.
20. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.
2l. Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip round the sun.
22. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in the bathroom.
23. If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees.
24. Never knock on Death's door; ring the bell and run.
25. Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself).
26. When you're finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else decide to play chess.
27. If you're living on the edge, make sure you're wearing your seat belt.
28. There are two kinds of pedestrians...the quick and the dead.
29. An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys.
30. A closed mouth gathers no feet.
3l. Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
32. It's not hard to meet expenses...they're everywhere.
33. Jury: Twelve people who determine which client has the better attorney.
34. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
35. I subscribed to this group to learn of the mother country and learn possible of my families origin only to hear the children of kindergarten in a state of disruption.
And finally…
Old people shouldn't eat health foods.
They need all the preservatives they can get.

If We Were Only Taught By Dogs,
we would learn stuff like...

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

When it's in your best interest-practice obedience...

Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

Take naps and stretch before rising.Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout... run right back and make friends.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Author Unknown

"How Many Direct Ancestors Do You Have?
(Century added based on 3 generations per century or
aged 33.3 at birth of next generation.)

Only...
1 YOU (20th century)
2 parents (20th century)
4 grandparents (20th century)
8 ggrandparents (19th century)
16 gg grandparents (19th century)
32 ggg grandparents (19th century)
64 gggg grandparents (18th century)
128 ggggg grandparents (18th century)
256 gggggg grandparents (18th century)
512 ggggggg grandparents (17th century)
1,024 gggggggg grandparents (17th century)
2,048 ggggggggg grandparents (17th century)
4,096 gggggggggg grandparents (16th century)
8,192 ggggggggggg grandparents (16th century)
16,184 gggggggggggg grandparents (16th century)
32,768 ggggggggggggg grandparents (15th century)
65,536 gggggggggggggg grandparents (15th century)
131,072 ggggggggggggggg grandparents (15th century)
262,144 gggggggggggggggg grandparents (14th century)
524,288 ggggggggggggggggg grandparents (14th century)
1,048,576 gggggggggggggggggg grandparents (14th century)
2,097,152 ggggggggggggggggggg grandparents (13th century)
4,194,304 gggggggggggggggggggg grandparents (13th century)
8,388,608 ggggggggggggggggggggg grandparents (13th century)
16,777,217 gggggggggggggggggggggg grandparents (12th century)
33,554,432 ggggggggggggggggggggggg grandparents (12th century)
67,108,864 gggggggggggggggggggggggg grandparents (12th century)

And that only takes you back to the year 1100 !! Is it any wonder that
we spend so much time on genealogy? This also must mean that nearly
everyone in the world is our cousin!"

Hi cousins!!

Thanks for caring and sharing.
Bill

July 07, 2012