Economy takes a jump in leap year
Ricklyn Hukriede
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: News
The U.S. presidential elections, Summer Olympics and Leap Year all have the distinct honoring of bringing people together every four years to debate, celebrate and one extra day to procrastinate.
This February is considered an intercalary year, which adds one extra day to the shortest month every four years.
According to the Gregorian calendar, the standard calendar used in Western countries, most Leap Years are divisible by four, but not visible by 100 unless they are also divisible by 400.
The math behind Leap Year does not invoke much emotion from LBCC students.
Alan Wilkes, a comparative literature student, said, "Leap Year does not make much of a difference to me."
Laura Ashcroft, an English major, agreed: "I heard of Leap Year once in elementary school, but I really don't pay much attention to it."
While it is true that Leap Year makes little to no impact directly on individuals, the extra day brings an estimated $38 billion into the U.S. economy.
LBCC economics professor Fred Bebe said, "Leap Year helps boost the economy by allowing consumers to have a extra day to purchase goods and an extra day for manufacturers to produce goods."
When talking about what he did on his extra day this leap year, Rafael Gonzalez, a business administration major, said, "Leap Year gave me one more day to do my homework."
This February is considered an intercalary year, which adds one extra day to the shortest month every four years.
According to the Gregorian calendar, the standard calendar used in Western countries, most Leap Years are divisible by four, but not visible by 100 unless they are also divisible by 400.
The math behind Leap Year does not invoke much emotion from LBCC students.
Alan Wilkes, a comparative literature student, said, "Leap Year does not make much of a difference to me."
Laura Ashcroft, an English major, agreed: "I heard of Leap Year once in elementary school, but I really don't pay much attention to it."
While it is true that Leap Year makes little to no impact directly on individuals, the extra day brings an estimated $38 billion into the U.S. economy.
LBCC economics professor Fred Bebe said, "Leap Year helps boost the economy by allowing consumers to have a extra day to purchase goods and an extra day for manufacturers to produce goods."
When talking about what he did on his extra day this leap year, Rafael Gonzalez, a business administration major, said, "Leap Year gave me one more day to do my homework."
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