h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Because Spain, and all the Catholic countries, were already on the new calendar, but England didn't change to the new calendar until the late 18th century. So they died about two weeks apart, but it was the same calendar day.

Gregorian calender yes?

Yes. The only people who still use the old calendar are die-hard members of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russia didn't change until 1918.

(Sigh&gt Cervantes and his friend went off to face the Inquisition, with everybody singing 'The Impossible Dream'. It doesn't get better than that.

The conversion to the Gregorian calender led to April Fool's day. Under the old calender, April first was the new years' day and diehards who still celebrated it then were called april fools or in france "Poisson d' Avril" (April Fish).

That's true - how did you know? And French, no less! I'm impressed.

I researched April Fool's day for my newspaper in high school Ever hear of the Left-handed whopper? Or when the BBC announced it was converting Big Ben to a digital clock?

No, I hadn't heard those. A long time ago, the BBC did a documentary on the spaghetti farmers of Italy. Another time, they showed the Channel Tunnel under construction - bulldozers on the French side, two British workmen sleeping on shovels on the Dover side.

I need to go now - sleep calls. I can't wait to see what other posts I get on Peer Review about the rabbits.

Good night. And never make flippant remarks about bedbens. They're ligigious little b*st*rds.

I won't.

12:36 WhatevertimezoneI'min - Dragonhouse #1 on busiest convo list

10:45 CEST #3 busiest...

....Blk, ...?

Too much back log

Anole is back. All hail the conquering king.

Hi, Anole!

I greeted him first! That means he has to grant me one wish (it used to be three before inflation).

Could you guys make a new coversation for all this stuff and greet people here?