Was in my car at lunch listening to NPR, subject was PBS children’s shows. They were talking about the “Schoolhouse Rock” multiplication songs. They didn’t mention my favorite, “Little Twelve Toes”:
Now, if man had been born with six fingers on each hand, he’d also have twelve toes, or so the theory goes… He probably would’ve invented two more digits. Then, if he’d saved the zero for the end, he could count and multiply by 12’s, just as easily as you and I do by 10’s. And his 12 would’ve been written: one-zero. Get it? That’d be swell, to multiply by 12.
They were teaching base-12 numbering to elementary schoolkids! We don’t normally use base 12, although it would be somewhat practical — more easily divisible (2, 3, 4, 6) than ten. Of course it’s used in the major numbers of clocks and calendars; but not the minor numbers, or it would now be 14:2L on the 26th of December.
I also learned that Mr. Rogers’ mom knitted all of his sweaters, one per year for Christmas. And was reminded that “King Friday the 13th” celebrated his birthday every Friday the 13th. Which I think is a good idea — maybe I’ll switch to that, as well as base 12. I know I’ve already decided to go personally off daylight savings time. So I’ll be an hour ahead (or is it behind, I can never be sure) of all you daylight-savings-time-observing luddites. Perhaps I truly am ahead of my time.