Good morning to you, Cynthia. An embolismic month sounds to me like it would mean a long stay in ICU. All I know about embolisms is that they are vascular blockages caused by things like gas bubbles (the bends) or stray little fatty globs.

How that would relate to a month on the calendar, I don't have a clue yet. Must think. Could the leap-frogging be a clue? Hmmmmm.

TM

Good Morning all, perhaps something to do with this month :).

Annette

Yes, that thought does occur...I think Canada voted against changing the system???? Now to remember exactly what that means, if I am even close!

Nancy.

Hey, Nancy, are you off today? I was afraid I was too late for you! Looks like all of you are up and thinking. TM, that was my thought when I first saw the term. Annette, doesn't look like I need to add clues today. :)

Cynthia

I'm out. I was reading about embolism trying to find the origin of the word, and accidentally spotted the answer to today's question. I wish they hadn't stuck in that meaning when all I wanted was the origin. Oh, well.

Good question, Cynthia.

TM

I am all too familiar with embolism as many years ago had a pulmonary embolism after surgery. I think the my doctor's explanation included that blood clots from surgery were introduced into the blood stream and traveled to the lungs.

I have an appointment with another surgeon at the end of this month. I am a bit wary about the date but hoping that it isn't symbolic.

Nope - not off. Just went in late, as I was lazy. Course, it means I have to stay an hour later. Drat. Cross your fingers for me - I have an interview for a very interesting job late Monday afternoon. It is only part-time, but I could stay where I am part-time hopefully, till the new job became full-time. Imagine, something I could use my whole brain on!!
Now, as to today's question: not sure I have it. There was an article in the paper a week or two ago about changing the way time is calculated, and/or adjusted. It was about a time-zone disappearing, and the way very small units of time would be manipulated. I'm thinking you're talking about something that happens Quadrennially, yes??

Nancy.

Pretty much right! Probably should have waited until the end of the month for this one, but, as I said, had no ideas this week. :(

Bobbie, that must have been very scary. Hope the upcoming appointment is not so serious. I know we will all be sending good energy and thoughts your way!

Hey, I'll send lots of good energy to you too on Monday, Nancy!

Cynthia

Embolism month would indicate manuvering a month as opposed to the day in our calendar.

I always look forward to my native Chinese niece (now a proud American citizen) sending photos of her family celebrating the Chinese New Year and other Chinese festivals. We saw photos of dragons dancing during this Chinese New Year festival. She lives in CO and sometimes includes photos of her family in China celebrating as well as the celebrations that occur in her CO home/area.

Good luck on your job interview, Nancy.

**** for Bobbie, Annette, and Nancy.
Yes, an embolismic month is one that is added to keep the calendar in line with the seasons like our leap day.

Intercalation is the insertion of a leap day, week or month into some calendar years to make the calendar follow the seasons or moon phases. A lunisolar calendar is a calendar whose date indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year and may require intercalations of both days and months.

The Hebrew, Buddhist, Hindu lunisolar, Burmese, and Tibetan calendars, as well as the traditional Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, and Korean calendars are all lunisolar and add months to their calendars, although not necessarily every four years.

Thanks for playing. TM, thanks to you, too, and sorry the answer was included where you could see it!

Cynthia

Fun question. Thanks, Cynthia.

TM

Hey cyn, this is what I had read a week of so ago, or a slightly egg-head version thereof!! Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)is what they are talking about. Hope that it make sense:
On July 5, 2005, the Head of the Earth Orientation Center of the IERS sent a notice to IERS Bulletins C and D subscribers, soliciting comments on a U.S. proposal before the ITU-R Study Group 7's WP7-A to eliminate leap seconds from the UTC broadcast standard before 2008. (The ITU-R is responsible for the definition of UTC.) The Wall Street Journal noted that the proposal was considered by a U.S. official to be a "private matter internal to the ITU", as of July 2005. It was expected to be considered in November 2005, but the discussion has since been postponed. Under the proposal, leap seconds would be technically replaced by leap hours as an attempt to satisfy the legal requirements of several ITU-R member nations that civil time be astronomically tied to the Sun.
January 2012: The ITU decided to postpone a decision on leap seconds to the World Radio Conference in 2015. Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico and the US were reported to be in favor while Germany and the UK were reportedly against. Others including Nigeria, Russia and Turkey called for more study. The BBC states the ITU decided further study of broader social implications was needed.

The ITU has agreed to meet again in 2015. Interesting on a microscopic level.

Thanks for the fun, Cyn. Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Official Time, USA

Beep, beep,warning, warning...head about to explode! Wow. Greater minds than mine!

Cynthia

How unsurprising that officials choose to postpone a decision until someone else must take the responsibility.

lol. My thoughts exactly!! Leave it for our kids!!

Nancy.