Archive for the 'Numerology' Category

But beyond that, I felt nothing. Others, and others in St. Louis felt a little more. The epicenter wasn’t that close.

The magnitude was 5.4 (which apparently ties the ‘historical record’ set in 1968 for the region)

Today is April 18th
5.4 is a multiple of 1.8

Update: they seem to have downgraded it to 5.2

I want to thank DL for pointing this out in a previous comment thread. It had never occurred to me.

4**2 + (4/2) = 18

I think that formula might define me.

ReadWritePoem is prompting poems that incorporate mathematics.  The Velveteen Rabbi wrote a poem about Gematria.

Here’s a poem I wrote awhile back, but I haven’t had much luck submitting it places.  I think because it is a little bit strange.
11.27 does not equal 12

Geerally, I suport
The metic system.
My favoite calendar
somehat misleadingly

has been alled
a metri calendar.
Howeer,
eleven pint two seven

is signifiantly smaller
thantwelve.
At firt I thought
I woud hardly miss

point seven three ouncs,
bu I do.
Ad while mathematically
it’s nce to know

metic six packs
are exctly equivalent
to two lier bottles,
to gt the extra

four pint three eight
I wod still prefer
my cola caned
Ameican.

Note:
11.27/12 = approx .94
433 = characters in ‘American’ poem
406 = characters in ‘Metric’ poem
406/433 = approx .94
So your lack of comprehension of the above poem is roughly equivalent to the loss of soda in the can.

More mathematical poems submitted for the ReadWritePoem prompt can be read here.

There’s a major thematic correlation between Hanukkah and Thanksgiving

167 years before the common era, Mattathias and several sons, including Judah Maccabee, revolted against the Seleucid ruler, Antiochus. This revolt, which lasted until 160 BCE, is commemorated every year in the holiday of Hanukkah. The success of the revolt, and the re-dedication of the Temple which had been desecrated by the Seleucids is celebrated. Like Thanksgiving, where Americans celebrate the hope and promise of the First Thanksgiving, and we save remembering what we did to the Native American population in the centuries that followed for other days — there is little discussion during Hanukkah about what happened later.

When Judah died, leadership passed to his brother Jonathan, and then it passed to their brother Simon. Judah, Jonathan and Simon were good leaders, but then the leadership of the Hasmonean Dynasty passed to the next generation. John Hyrcanus, the son of Simon, is known for forcefully converting the Idumeans to Judaism. Judaism is proud that there are very few times in our religion’s history that we forcefully converted anyone. This is one of those few sad times. When he died, leadership passed to his wife. However, their son, Aristobulus, wasn’t satisfied with High Priest, so he threw his mother into jail, and took leadership. At least he didn’t commit matricide, right? His reign lasted only a year, though, and he died a painful illness. (G-d works in not so mysterious ways sometimes.) He was succeeded, unfortunately, by a brother, Alexander Jannaeus. Alexander Jannaeus slew 6,000, starting a civil war that resulted in another 50,000 deaths, and this was a lot back then. He is considered so wicked a tyrant, that his death on the 2nd day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, in the Hebrew year 3685 (76 BCE), is recorded as a day of celebration.

2045 years later, to the day on the Hebrew Calendar, I was born. 2*(4+5)=18 (You were wondering what this was leading up to, weren’t you?) I can guarantee you that my parents had no idea who Alexander Jannaeus was, and I was not named after him, even though it is assumed that his Hebrew name was Jonathan. Last year my birthday on the Roman calendar coincided again with my birthday on the Hebrew calendar. I began writing this, but it fell by the wayside, and I didn’t complete it prior to my birthday. This year I am posting it prior to Hanukkah. My Hebrew birthday this year is January 9th.

more about November 9th

Now that every loyal reader of my blog knows how to predict the winner of a Super Bowl or a World Series I expect everyone to go out and become rich. But if it doesn’t work for you, don’t blame me.

My prediction twelve days ago on the winners of both the NL and AL pennant has come true. The Red Sox are facing the Rockies.

My prediction on the winner of the World Series remains the same. Not that I want the Red Sox to win, mind you. It’s just a matter of numerology.

Back in February I told you I could have predicted the results of the Superbowl if I had tried to do so beforehand.

Well…I’m going out on a limb here and testing my numerological prowress using the theorem I mentioned back in February.

The World Series will be between the Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox.
The Red Sox will win.
This is somewhat dependent upon who the manager actually plays.
If certain people sit on the bench, that could influence the results.

For exaomple, someone may point out that using my theorem, the Cubs should have beat Arizona. Arizona has no players in their active 40 man roster with any of my magic numbers. The Cubs have one. However, they went with the wrong catcher two out of the three games. Cubs fans will tell me that they lost all three games, and Soto played better in his two games than Kendall did in his one game. That doesn’t matter. If Kendall had played all three games, I guarantee that they wouldn’t have lost more than three games, and can anyone prove they wouldn’t have won the series?

18 bulls die in or after a traffic accident, a year to the day after 42 horses are involved in a traffic accident?

Probably.

$18,000 for a 10 year old book.

Earlier this week I read the monthly Ansible. Ansible is a UK SF fanzine, which you can read via RSS or get it in your email. One common section Ansible is “How Others See Us” with quotes about SF and Fantasy from people outside the field. It’s often not flattering, but in a humorous way. From this month:

As Others See Us III. A Neurologist Explains: `What is schizotypal? It’s a more subtle version of schizophrenia. This is not somebody who’s completely socially crippled; they’re just solitary, detached: these are the lighthouse keepers, the projectionists in the movie theaters. These are not people who are thought-disordered to the point of being completely nonfunctional; these are people who just believe in kinda strange stuff. They are into their Star Trek conventions. They’re into their astrology, they’re into their telepathy and their paranormal beliefs …’ (Robert Sapolsky [speech], Freethought Today, 2003).

I hesitate to bring up the usual comparison of those who dress up and go to conventions to those who paint their faces and go to football games….as the latter may not be entirely sane either. But sanity may be overrated. (And the number of riots at SF conventions are relatively small. So we may be eccentric, but we’re ‘mostly harmless’.)

Wiki defines Schizotypal with the mnemonic M.E. P.E.C.U.L.I.A.R. I am somewhat relieved that a few of the criteria I can eliminate personally, even if I accept that attending conventions is eccentric behavior. For example, I may be intrigued by the concept of paranormality, but I don’t believe I have paranormal powers. (I’d be making use of them if I did.)

But one criteria I took particular notice of was Ideas of Reference. I almost thought they were writing the wiki entry with me in mind. (a joke, as you will see):

Delusions of reference involve a person having a belief or perception that irrelevant, unrelated or innocuous things in the world are referring to them directly or have special personal significance…People suffering from ideas of reference experience intrusive thoughts of this nature, but crucially, they realize that these ideas are not real.

Whenever the number 18, or one of its multiples, shows up in my life I will notice it. Often suggesting it is ’strange’ that it occurs so often. Or I may intentionally manipulate numbers in front of me to equate to 18 or one of its multiples. (Read the comment thread) Or I may notice that a number of ’significant’ events are grouping up on specific dates of our calendar. I find this fun; which might be called eccentric. However, I completely understand the law of averages. I’m not writing a blog entry every time the number 114 enters my life.

However, other definitions suggest wikipedia is a little unclear, and that with Ideas of Reference, the individual believes as well, it just hasn’t reached a stage where it has impaired functioning. So someone like me who just sees it as fun merely has an eccentric concept of fun.

On a poetic note (or could that just be spondaically): Christy has a post devoted to National Poetry Month. (Clearly inspired by me. haha.) Her ‘most famous poem’ is more obscene than mine, but possibly funnier. (Those under 18 really shouldn’t follow any of the links in this paragraph. Just go on to the next.)

I’d forgotten that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was connected to Mozart.

A good post from The Huffington Post on the Jesus ossuaries.

I could add a few more points, but this about covers it. I admit I didn’t see the special, and have been following this as I do most news stories, through online commentary. (newsblogs and online newspapers). But when the only DNA evidence was from residue on the Mariamne and Jesus tombs, and it only shows they’re not matrilineally related, that’s pretty flimsy.

OK…A few additional points: Assuming Mariamne e Mara is Mary Magdalene as the ‘documentary’ does seems to be a ‘leap of faith’. Here are some (equally if not more likely in my opinion) Mariamnes

Clarifying an earlier point. The original statistician said 1 in 600 families should have that pattern by chance. That’s all he said. IF there are 1200 families in that time period, I **think** the odds are 1-to-1, or 100% odds, that there will be two families. I am not an expert in statistics, and I could be wrong. Anyway, he never gave odds on how likely it was that the tombs were Jesus’ family. Only how common that pattern of names would be. The odds that it’s Jesus has a few more factors he didn’t include in his figuring. (Such as the population of Jerusalem in that era, and the number of possible generations we are dealing wtih.)

Note: According to this at the ‘Seige of Jerusalem’ (70 CE) - Josephus says the population was 3,000,000; but Tacitus says it was 600,000. So let’s use the lower figure and estimate 50,000 families as a low mark. (That’s assuming 12-member families.) Using the statistician’s figures of 1 family in 600 with this pattern, we should expect 42 families with this pattern at the time of the Siege. 42!

(OK. 41.666667)

I was at a Superbowl party tonight. I don’t watch football as a general rule, however throw in beer, hamburgers, friends, and good commercials, and I can suffer through a few innings quarters.

It was hosted at The Texan’s house. Myself, Pagan Boy, Toy Lady, Kochlefl, Mad Photographer, 007, Anime boy, Anime girl, and someone who temporarily shall be referred to as New Guy showed up. So it was a full house. (I believe Anime boy and girl are new to the blog. They aren’t related, or an item, but they both are obsessed with Anime, so it fits. New Guy is new too, and is a friend of Anime boy)

A week ago, the Texan sent out an email link for non-fans to choose who to root for. The five-question quiz told me to root for the Colts. So I did.

But as I was watching the game, I realized I didn’t need to do the quiz. I could have made teh choice myself. All I would have had to do is take a peek at the Colt’s active roster:

Peyton Manning: #18
Dexter Reid: #36
Freddy Keiaho: #54 (triple chai)

And if you aren’t a believer yet…

Jason David: #42

I suspect there are a few doubters asking the obvious question. If the Bears had won, could you have made a similar claim. Here’s their active roster

They do have a #18 (Kyle Orton)
and a #54 (Brian Urlacher)

But no #36 or #42.
And while both teams had a QB wearing the #18, only the Colts started that QB.
Orton sat on the bench.
That was Chicago’s mistake.
I could have told you this yesterday, but it just didn’t occur to me to look at the numbers.

Last year I listed major events in history that occurred on the day of fate.

There was one I left off the list because the only place at the time I could find the exact date listed was Wikipedia, or other sites which appeared to have gotten the information from Wikipedia. But between then and now Google added their Google Books section, and I was able to confirm the date. Thematically it relates well to others in the list, so it is appropriate to consider on this date.

November 9, 694 - The Seventeenth Council of Toledo

King Ergica claimed to learn from informers that the Jewish population in Hispania had attempted a revolt, conspiring with Jews and Muslims in North Africa. Responsively, Ergica declared all Jewish-held land forfeit, all Jews to be slaves, and all Jewish children over the age of seven to be taken from their homes and raised as Christians.

The Seventeenth Council of Toledo wasn’t the last council of Toledo. There was one more, though records of what exactly was discussed have been lost.

I’ll also point out, since the synchronicity is rare, that if the Rosetta Calendar is correct, November 9th, 694 (Julian) and November 9th, 1938 (Gregorian) were both Heshvan 15 on the Hebrew calendar 4455 and 5699 respectively.

Morning of November 9th, 2006:

Berlin Wall - 1910 articles
Kristallnacht - 98 articles
Holocaust - 6300 articles
Holocaust 1938 - 90 articles
Brumaire - 1 article
Kaiser Wilhelm - 82 articles
Beer Hall Putsch - 80 articles
Pogromnacht - 1 article
Novemberpogrome - 1 article
“Night of the Broken Glass” - 2 articles

Note: “Kaiser Wilhelm” and “Beer Hall Putsch” appear predominantly in syndicated “Today in History” articles. And the vast majority of those that mention the Holocaust have nothing to do with the anniversary of Kristallnacht, as the related search indicates. I threw in a couple other terms used to describe the day with few results.

The article on the 18th of Brumaire is dated Oct 27th and has nothing to do with the anniversary.

Articles of note:
Berlin Paper (in English)
A synagogue opens in Munich

This is of course a very old topic for me, but it’s not the Election. It’s about tomorrow - November 9th. As some may know, Europeans tend to switch their months and dates from the perspective of Americans. So while we consider 9/11 to be September 11th, Europeans consider 9/11 to be November 9th.

I have written so much on this date I will just direct you to my archives:
November 2003
November 2004
November 2005

Some thoughts I had today on this whole planet stuff:

There are some…

who insist that a planet is 3000 miles in diameter or more.

Let’s take a look at the approximate diameters of all 12 objects being considered under the 12-planet proposal:

Ceres: 580 miles
Charon: 730 miles
Pluto: 1,470 miles
“Xena”: 1490 miles
Mercury: 3030 miles
Mars: 4190 miles
Venus: 7,500 miles
Earth: 7,900 miles
Neptune: 30,760 miles
Uranus: 31,760 miles
Saturn: 74,900 miles
Jupiter: 89,000 miles
Guess what the discovered planets were when the 3000 mile definition was created?

I actually don’t know what year this was, but without even looking it up, I am going to guess this was back in the days of the 8 planets, and we knew about all the planets above from Mercury on up in size. And we decided on 3000 because Mercury was just over 3000 miles in diameter. Scientific? No. But I suspect extremely likely. The size of Mercury and the line drawn in the definition could be a coincidence. Coincidences do happen. But in this case, I’d bet on it not being a coincidence.
So now that we know about objects smaller…3000 is written in stone? Why?

“Planet” is just a word. It can mean anything. It can mean the scab on my foot, if I had a scab on my foot. Which I don’t, and it doesn’t. But it could.

If we’re going to base this on size, I think the below proposal would do wonders for our worldly self-esteem:

Diameters up to 7,800 miles are: Dwarf Planets

Diameters from 7,801 miles to 8,000 miles: Planets

Diameters from 8,001 miles and up: Monster planets.

Hey! We’re the only planet! Everything else is either a dwarf or a monster!

What’s less scientific about this?

Or in other words….Size shouldn’t matter.

Isaac Asimov: “The Solar System consists of Jupiter plus debris.”

I just checked, and my gmail account turned 2 yesterday.

Clocking it from my first email, from the “Gmail Team” explaining how everything worked at 11:19:18 am June 15, 2004, to the last email received prior to 11:19:18 am on June 15, 2006, I saved 36,090 emails.

The only thing I delete is spam, so I am averaging about 18,000 non-spam emails a year.

Now…I could go through my backlogs and delete 90 emails.  I’m sure I could find 90 emails I don’t really need.  I could probably find 36,000 I don’t need.  But why delete?  Currently, I’m only using 20% of my space.

And more importantly

36,090/18 = 2005.  Exactly.  

Now, isn’t that weird? 

I traveled with my parents to Kansas City for a cousin’s wedding.
We left for Kansas City from gate 18 in the East Terminal (Southwest Airlines).
On arrival at the KC airport, our rental car was in parking space #42.
My room number at the hotel is #1008. For the mathematically disinclined:

42*18=756
56*18=1008
When I mentioned to a colleague I was going to a family wedding this weekend, they asked if I would be looking at the women, or if that would be too redneck. I responded it wouldn’t be if I focused on the bride’s side. I’m not related to them.

I have also learned that a shot of kahlua looks identical to a shot of jaegermeister; a fact that can be used for humorous results.
Some walk signals in KC have timers on them so you know how many more seconds you have left to cross the intersection.

I dropped some alcohol off in the hospitality room a few hours ago, helped set up the art-show panels, and then headed home, as I still wasn’t packed for the weekend. I have been to many conventions, and have helped staff four or five, but I suspect this will be one of my more memorable. Hopefully I’m not jinxing it with this post.

I went to my first convention back in 1991. It was a pure Star Trek convention, and Michael Dorn (Worf) was the guest. For several years I was the traditional Trekkie, and I would stand in line for autographs, listen to the guest speeches, buy blooper tapes in the dealer’s room, etc. But I got bored with the autographs. They’re nice to have, but I have no intention of making money on Ebay or anything, so what’s the point, really? Proof that I saw the actors? I know I did. I have some cool autographed wall hangings, but I have enough. Really.

This weekend Peter David is the guest of honor. I have counted 92 comic books, 13 paperbacks, and 3 hardbacks I could have him sign. 108 autographs might be a few too many to ask him to sign. But it is 18*6, and picking is going to be so difficult. And as I said, I don’t really care about the autographs that much. I just want to keep him busy for a couple minutes so I have a chance to talk to him, and you know, I don’t need my books to do that.

Because at some point this weekend I am one of only a few staff members who will be accompanying PAD (he refers to himself by his initials a lot) on a trip around St. Louis. Where and when exactly I’m not going to say. But the trip should take about four hours. If I don’t get the chance to say everything I want to say in those four hours, there’s something wrong with me. Of course, I have to try not to come off as a total geek. And that could be difficult. Especially if I began with, “when we get back to the hotel, would you mind signing 108 books of yours for me?”

update I’ve narrowed it down to 20: 15 cbs, 2 ppbs, 3 hcs.

The facts as I know them:

1) Madonna’s upcoming album contains a song called, Isaac.
2) This song contains a spoken word segment from a member of the London Kaballah Center
3) It is thought that the song references Jewish mystic, Isaac Luria
4) Orthodox Israeli Rabbis have complained, saying there is a Jewish law that forbids one to make a profit off of Luria’s name.
5) Madonna has never claimed to be Jewish. She only claims to be a devotee of Kaballah mysticism.
6) The member of the London Kaballah Center whose spoken word appears in the song, likely considers himself Jewish.
7) The press has not reported, as far as I have seen, any complaints about this individual’s participation.
Jewish law comes from the Torah (aka The Five Books of Moses), recorded several years prior to the Common Era.
9) Talmud, the commentary on the Torah, is composed of two parts: Mishnah and Gemara.
10) Mishnah was recorded in its final form by Judah the Prince in 200 CE.
11) Gemarah – Rabbinical debate on the Mishnah continued until approximately 500 CE.
12) Isaac Luria was a 16th Century CE mystic.
13) I have not read all of the Mishnah and Gemara, though I am willing to bet Luria’s name doesn’t appear anywhere in the commentary.
14) I am also willing to bet his name doesn’t appear in the Torah.
15) There are 613 laws in the Torah.
16) One of those laws is that there shall be no new laws added.
17) The member of the London Kaballah Center who speaks in the song – his first name is Isaac.
18) I would find it funny if all the assumptions were incorrect, and the song is actually about him, but it still wouldn’t explain what law Madonna would have broken if it were about Luria, and she were Jewish.

Yes, I organized this into 18 facts intentionally.
If I find out any more facts, I will share.

I have written many times about my fascination with numerology. How words and numbers inter-relate mystically.

In my writer’s group, which meets weekly, and I’ve been attending consistently for eight years…once a member gave everyone a challenge to write a poem containing the words: Shooting Blanks. This is what I wrote:

Scrabble

Shooting blanks
Onto the board
He formed words
Simultaneously
Meaning everything
And nothing

With this in mind, you may understand why I love this short video. Unlike most videos at VidLit, this doesn’t appear to be a ‘trailer’ for a book. This is a complete-in-itself video short story. It will only use up 8 minutes and six seconds of your day. (Though the concept of book trailers is an ingenious one….and I’d love it if VidLit had the money to put their trailers before actual movies. Just think about this concept…go to a movie and see trailers for books. The mind reels.)

(And just look at everything this post gives you besides the link to the video. Yesterday there would have been a 90% chance or higher all you would have gotten was the link, with perhaps a short msg about how it speaks to my numerological obsession.)

Poetic News from May 29, 2002 (the very first month of my blog):

I t happened nearby
eyeballs scattered in garden
children ran screaming
father says “they looked like meat.”
eighteen of them, from nine cows.

Transylvanian boy,
worried dead mum a vampire
thrusts dagger in heart.

The number 18 before I started blogging a lot about numerology, and Transylvania long before I named the blog what it is named today. I find this highly significant.

Long time readers of this site know of my fascination with numerology.
Of course, numerology is what you make of it.

However.

I was born on the 176th anniversary of the exact day King Louis XVI was beheaded.

I entered the hospital at age 16 on the 134th anniversary of the day Victor Hugo was officially expelled from France. (I was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome…a disease named after 2 French scientists)

176-134 = 42 (The answer to life, the universe, everything)

And to top everything off, I was fired from a job I had had for ten years on the 200th anniversary, exactly, of Victor Hugo’s birth.

You will note that none of the three dates mentioned above were of my choosing. I had no control over when I was born, got sick, or was fired.

I’ve been obsessed with Victor Hugo in particular, and a Francophile in general, since 1988 — When I saw Les Miserables on Broadway. In May. 103 years after Victor Hugo died. (It may not have been timed to the exact date.)

I’m trying to decide on what level of paranoia I should be existing, and whether or not I need to start stockpiling food.

A friend recently called my attention to the fact that Bush and Kerry will be in town on October 8th, and debating at my Alma Mater. Potentially making our fair city a “prime target”.

Of course, October 8th is 10/8 and 10+8 = 18 and 1+8=9.

I commented on my friend’s blog that 9+11 was also 18…which of course it isn’t. 9+11=20. (At least in base 10). But 7+11=18. This is more than just irrelavance. September is the 7th month on the Roman calendar. (Which is why it bears the Latin word for seven (septem) in its name).

I wrote about the numerological aspects of 9/11, 11/9, 7/11 and 11/7 last November
here.

Naturally, October 8th is 8/8 in the Roman calendar, and I have absolutely no idea what 16 means numerologically. But 8 is the ascii code for glasses, and I wear glasses, so that might be significant.

Purim begins Saturday at sunset

Traditionally it is said, Jews are commanded to get so drunk on Purim they are unable to tell the difference between “Cursed Haman” and “Blessed Mordecai”. (Some translate this as Wrong and Right). Obviously this is a very dangerous commandment if so interpreted.

Here’s an intriguing look at the origins of this tradition, and what may really have been intended.

For those who know I like numerology, I was surprised to learn that in Hebrew, the words “Cursed Haman” and “Blessed Mordecai” are numerologically equal. And therefore the commandment may just mean drunk enough not to be able to do the math required to realize this. (Which isn’t very drunk at all. As the column indicates, many people can’t do that sober.)

Last night at my weekly writers group an individual read an essay on a life-crisis that happened at age 33. She said that some people have life crises in their forties and call them mid-life, others have them in their 20s and call them quarter-life, but hers didn’t fit nicely in either one.

Another individual pointed out that 33 is a very mystical number. Supposedly the age when someone named Jesus died. (A religious figure important to some people). And three is a mystical number for many religions. (With roots probably in the concept of the family - mother/father/child)

About to turn 35, I did some quick mental math. I was severed from my workplace of 10 years in February of 2002. 1 month after I turned 33. And I didn’t start my current job until March of 2003. You could say I had a little life-crisis of my own that year.

Doing a little research I come up with these interesting facts:

The “Tree of the Sephiroth” of the Kabbalah has 33 elements, including the whole of it and its constituent parts.

The number 33 in Hebrew is Gimmel-Lamed (In Hebrew letters are used for numbers, Gimmel (or G) is the third letter, and means ‘3′. However, instead of using Gimmel-Gimmel for 33, there are numbers that mean 10 20 30 etc. 30 is Lamed (L). The word “Gal” was used in the Psalms in the manner of “asking God to reveal the secrets of the Torah,” and thus the number 33 signifies “entry into the mystery” or “the secret levels of creation.” and “the end of suffering.”

Lag B’Omer occurs thirty-three days after the start of Passover. Its name also comes from the Hebrew letters lamed and gimmel, just reversed. The Omer period signifies a stage of the year in Biblical times, during which the harvest of grain was ritually counted and offerings made. Lag B’Omer is the thirty-third day of the omer count. It is this day that most Jewish people recognize as the end of the mourning period of the Omer. [Two events took place in Jewish history which led to the celebration of Lag B’Omer. On the 33rd day of the Omer, Rabbi Akiva’s students stopped dying, and Rabbi Akiva started to reveal the light of the Torah to new students, including Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Also on the 33rd day of the Omer, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the author of the central work of Kabbalah called the Zohar, died. His death is a celebration because on the day of his death he revealed the light of the Torah to his students.]

King David reigned in Jerusalem for 33 years.

Some say that the Biblical Eden existed on Earth at the location “between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle-East.” The place referred to is likely the place where they come closest together, which is at 33.30�N latitude.

Of course, I don’t believe in any of this numerology nonsense. (But I do consider it significant that I was severed from that job on Victor Hugo’s 200th birthday.)

Numerology can be fun. Let’s look at a few dates:

November 9th, 1938
September 11th, 2001

What do these dates have in common? Well, Americans and Europeans write their dates differently. Americans use Month/Date/Year, while the Europeans use Date/Month/Year. So September 11th is 9/11 in America. And November 9th is 9/11 in Europe.

So what happened on November 9th, 1938? That is the date of Germany’s pogrom where they broke the glass on many Jewish businesses. They called it Night of the Broken Glass (or Kristallnacht). (Some have argued we shouldn’t actually call it Kristallnacht, since that is the euphemism the Germans chose, and instead we should refer to it as what it was — a pogrom. Others argue over the decades the word has developed a connotation that cancels out any original euphemistic intent. Anyway, it is considered by historians as the beginning of the Holocaust.)

Now we approach this from a numerology perspective. November, literally means Ninth Month in Latin. This is because for the Romans, November was the 9th month. The year ended in February, which is why February is the shortest month, and has a day added to it every four years.

So November 9th, from the Roman perspective, would be 9/9. And September 11th would be 7/11 (or 11/7). Both total 18. Nine is considered by some to be an unlucky number. (18, however, is considered by Jewish mystics to refer to Life, since in ancient Hebrew numbers and letters were interchangeable - it would have been as if we used A to mean 1, and B to mean 2, etc. The tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Yod, and the eighth letter is a Chet. The number 18 is written Chet-Yod, which is pronounced ‘Chai’, and means ‘life.’)

If one does a little subtraction, one discovers 63 years passed between 1938 and 2001. And 63 is also a multiple of 9 (but not a multiple of 18).

On November 22, 1963 JFK was shot. (9+2+2 = 13, another traditionally unlucky number)

Some people might wonder, if September 11 is to be considered 7/11, is January 7th significant in any way? There are a couple possibilities. 1) It is the day Truman announced the development of the hydrogen bomb. That somehow seems appropriate. 2) In 1608 a fire destroyed Jamestown (historical, but it doesn’t feel as if it has the same resonance). 3) Some branches of Orthodox Christianity like to schedule their holidays according to the ancient Julian calendar. There are 13 days difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Some people observe on January 7th what others observe on December 25.

This is all just something you may or may not want to think about as we approach the 65th anniversary of what I like to refer to as “The European 9/11″.

Update: On November 9th, 1799 Napoleon declared himself Dictator of France. France at the time was in the 8th year of their Revolutionary calendar — the date on that calendar was 18 Brumaire.