Sunday, January 3, 2010

More Palindrome Days

Thinking about this last night after posting, I realized how fortunate I am to think about yesterday being a palindrome, because they are quite rare.  We are actually in a time of almost unprecedented palindrome dates!  What a great time to be alive!

I imagine that you are saying to yourself, who gives a rats *ss.  Well, my friends, you would be foolish to say something like that - especially in the presence of children!  Let me tell you why.

In this century, there are only 11 palindrome days:

October 2, 2001  (20011002)
January 2, 2010  (20100102)
November 2, 2011 (etc)
February 2, 2020
December 2, 2021
March 2, 2030
April 2, 2040
May 2, 2050
...
September 2, 2090

This same series of days happens in 21xx, except the date is the 12th day of the month, and in 22xx, with the 22nd day of the month.  After these three groups, we have to wait until 30011003 (October 3rd, 3001) for another date!  That is 700+ years!

If we go backwards, we don't find a palindrome day until August 31, 1380!  That means it was 621 years since the last palindrome day before the one in 2001.  We live in a pretty unique time!

The best palindrome day was obviously November 11th, 1111.  Did anyone notice this date at the time?  How about the one in 111?  There won't be another single digit one until November 11th, 11111.  The next coolest will be November 12, 2111.  If medicine improves dramatically, some of us could actually be there for it.  Well, probably not - 141 years is a pretty long life, by any stretch of the imagination.  So, in my life, I will be luck to see seven palindrome days.  Most people see zero.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

You missed September 30 1390