Patriot Realm

I read an interesting post recently and wanted to share it. The magical number 40. I could not help but think of Douglas Adams, author of “ The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy “  and his famous answer to the question of what is the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything? “

And of course, Peking Duck and Cricket. You will have to read more to get the connection. 

42, A number, selected at random and often debated through social media. Why 42? Was it something that Douglas Adams plucked from the air over a glass of red? Was it a number he came up with after midnight ponderings and hand wringing, mental anguish and soul searching? Or is it about Cricket and Peking Duck? 

 “ The official lockdown started March 23 and will likely end May 1st.

That is EXACTLY 40 days. The Latin root of the word "quarantine" is "forty".

So what does the Bible say about 40? The flood lasted 40 days. 40 years Moses fled Egypt. 40 days Moses stayed on Mount Sinai to  receive the Commandments. Exodus lasted 40 years. Jesus fasted for 40 days. 40 days for a woman to rest after giving birth.

The optimum number of weeks for human gestation is 40. A group of theologians thinks the number 40 represents "change”. It is the time of preparing a person, or people, to make a fundamental change. Something will happen after these 40 days. Just believe and pray.

Remember, whenever the number 40 appears in the Bible, there is a "change". 

Remember we are in the year 2020, and 20 + 20 = 40. Also, 2020 is the year of the United States Census. Jesus Christ was born during a census.

Lastly, 2020 is perfect vision. "

I find it rather interesting that the Bible is so full of 40. But 42? Maybe. Just maybe it is 40 plus 2.

Did Douglas Adams have one or two too many vinos one night and come up with 42?

If we look at the power of the words to, two and too, we can almost sum up our lives right now.

The Wuflu is too hard to cope with more than two people being together.

There you go.

40 plus 2 at work.

We appear to be living a book right now, poorly written and with an uncertain ending. I may defer to the words of the Great Master

“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer”
― Douglas Adams

But we will continue to search for the answer and defend our right to find it. Letters and numbers. Statistics and gooblygook, Social Distancing and arrests for sitting in a park . But ponder this:   there are 42 lines per page in the Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed with movable type. Buzz Lightyear’s spaceship in Toy Story is named 42. The element molybdenum, atomic number 42, is the 42nd most common element in the universe. The game of cricket features 42 laws.

Yeah, I knew it would come down to cricket. We are close to being out for a duck.

 Oh and Law 42 of Cricket is about unfair play. Now it makes sense. This is unfair and after all of this it is not about 40 but it is about 42. 

" The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky above their heads - so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals stand between the killer robots of Krikkit and their goals of annihilation. They are Arthur Dent, a mild mannered space and time traveller, who tries to learn how to fly by throwing himself at the ground and missing; Ford Prefect, his best friend who decides to go insane to see if he likes it; Slartibartfast, the indomitable vice president of the campaign for Real Time, who travels in a ship powered by irrational behaviour; Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed ex-head honcho of the universe; and Trillian, the sexy space cadet who is torn between a persistent Thunder God and a very depressed Beeblebrox." 

Sounds strangely familar..... 

I think I might have a glass of vino and ponder Life, The Universe and Everything. 

Because, right now, our countries are out for a duck, clean bowled and pretty much All Out and our economies will be Ashes thanks to the Peking Duck. 

“For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen.”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

“Nothing travels faster than the speed of light, with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws.”
― Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

“He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

“This must be Thursday,' said Arthur to himself, sinking low over his beer. 'I never could get the hang of Thursdays.”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

“Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

“Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy