Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova have a podcast I listen to called Risky Business. But I don’t know if I will listen after they suggested moving November 30 to September 31:
Below is my response that I sent via email:
Hi,
Thank you for providing an email address at the end of the episode I that stirred up in me a desire to respond. I am, of course, referring to the outrageous idea that November is a bad month that should be shortened by a day. The twelve months are distinguished by their various holidays and the climate.
For holidays, November has two of distinction:
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving
These are squeezed by Halloween, Black Friday and Christmas, which is tragic. Both offer moments of reflection that are particularly welcome in the modern world. November is a pause as the last days of Autumn slip away and the harshness of winter arrives.
Which brings us to this chart:
For listeners, it’s the mean daily average temperature for November in the United States. Most notable are the cold bands that represent the Rocky Mountains, the Northern Great Plains and the Northwoods. That swath of land is bitter cold even in November. But the rest of the nation enjoys temperatures ranging from the 40s to the 70s. Crucially, most Americans live in these more temperate zones.
Why does this matter? It matters because November is the optimum month for sweaters. Much colder and we’d reach for a coat. Any warmer and we could venture outside without an extra layer. Sweaters (barring the deliberately ugly sweaters of Christmastide) are the most flattering and comfortable item of clothing ever devised. And November offers the rare opportunity for our nation to unite in wearing them.
Ultimately, however, I’m most offended for the 1 in 365.25 people who, like myself, celebrate their birthday on November 30, the victim of your heinous plan.
Thanks,
Jon