13 Months

By Philip Ramsey

Professor Henry Hawkins, an American scientist and his friend, Zeus, an ET scientist, discuss various conditions on Earth in general and the USA in particular. Chapter 1 explains the book title. The title is unrelated to the gestation period of a camel which is also 13 months. Chapter 2 discusses the 2nd Amendment and explains how experienced gun owners can help reduce the incidents of mass shooting without giving up any of their own guns. Chapters 3 to 6 consider how voting can be improved so that both Democrats and Republicans can improve their success rates with the help of third party candidates.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667860343

Philip Ramsey

Dr. Phil Ramsey is a Senior Lecturer at Massey University in New Zealand, where he teaches Organizational Learning, Leadership and Teamwork. He also works as a Director of Incite Learning, a consulting company that mainly works with schools, helping school leaders apply Organizational Learning concepts to solve tough problems.

Book preview

Chapter 1 Irrational Earthlings

Professor Henry Hawkins was talking with his friend, Zeus, if you could callout it talking because it was during Henry’s sleep that they always conversed while Henry was dreaming. Zeus had commented that despite the progress of Earth scientists, Earthlings, including the best of scientists, remained strikingly prejudiced.

Henry replied in a calm voice so as not to sound defensive, I think many or us Earthlings, especially scientists, take great pride in avoiding prejudices of any kind.

Zeus replied, Yes, you are even prejudice about your prejudices.

Henry and Zeus had been acquainted for many months while Zeus intruded on Henry’s dreams. Zeus considered direct, physical meetings to be ill-advised due to very different appearances as well as various possible contaminations on each side. Zeus presented himself as a scientist from a distant planet or an extra terrestrial (ET). While originally skeptical, Henry had come to believe what Zeus claimed and their communications had been found beneficial to both.

Henry said, If you do not mind, Zeus, I would prefer you to describe us as Humans rather than Earthlings. Human is a term most of us prefer.

I will try to remember that, replied Zeus.

What human prejudices are disturbing you now? asked Henry.

I think it is your prejudice against numbers. Said Zeus. What have numbers ever done to you or anyone else for that matter?

Nothing at all replied, Henry. It is not that numbers have done anything. It is just that some numbers seem lucky and others unlucky. Also numbers like 12 are useful because they are multiples of other numbers like 2, 3, 4 and 6."

That’s a great example, exclaimed Zeus. The number 13 is a prime number and is not a multiple of anything. However, look what a mess you have with your 12-month calendar. Months range from 28 to 31 days and young children must learn nursery rhymes to keep them straight. Suppose you had a 13-month calendar. Each month could be exactly 28 days except for the 13th month which would have 29 days and 30 days on leap year. No rhyme would be necessary and if Jan. 1 was on a Friday, then every month that year would start on a Friday. The following year every month would start on a Saturday. However, you humans seem to want to make things difficult for yourselves. No less a scientist than Albert Einstein said,’Explanations should be made as simple as possible, but