If it was not for our leap seconds—and, every four years, leap days—our clocks and calendars would slide and slip all over the place compared to what they are measuring; if not for leap days, eventually New Englanders would be confronted with a frigid July and the dog days of December, and vice versa for the Southern Hemisphere.
 
What our clocks and calendars are measuring is perfect: a year is X number of seconds, days, months, but not the same every year. The earth’s orbit is regular and perfect, but not 365 days every year. It is almost 365 days, and a day is almost exactly 24 hours in length, and we live with the compromise we call clocks and calendars. The ancients came as close to exactly right simply from observation as they could—to within seconds.—”Time’s Mulligan,” TGAT

Today is Leap Day. Every four years, Leap Day William (pictured above) travels from his home in the Mariana Trench to trade candy for children’s tears. It is a beloved national holiday honoring the taking of chances.

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Davy Jones died four years ago today.

 
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Jimmy Dorsey was born on this date in 1904. Balthus was born on this date in 1908. The late Alex Rocco was born 80 years ago today. Dennis Farina was born in 1944 on this date.

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Tony Robbins is 56 today. Ja Rule is 40.

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