A US legislator last week said that one answer to the January 1 problem next year was to call January 1st January 2nd. This, of course, ignores the soli-lunar calendars upon which much of our civilisation depends. However, the legislator did not try, at least, to go to the Gregorian calendar, which celebrates Christmas a full two weeks after the calendar instituted in the West in the 18th Century. At that time, people complained of a lack of 11 days pay, a bit like the old geezers who complained that there were only five pence, rather than 12 pence to a shilling, when the Brits went decimal. Nevertheless, it is a fact that the shilling, former silver, soon turned into a cupro-nickel coin and is now so small that people drop it without seeing it and never pick it up. ®