DECEMBER 30

On this date in 2011, a country lost a whole day!   The Independent State of Samoa, once called Western Samoa, is made up of a group of islands in the South Pacific - it is part of a chain of islands - the Samoan archipelago.  The islands most eastward in this chain are American Samoa; a territory of the United States.

The International Date Line, of course, is the accepted demarcation running from the North to South Pole that changes time from one day to the next.  The line ran around the Samoan Islands so that they were always on the same day cycle as the United States.

Well, the Independent State of Samoa, wanting to facilitate business with the Pacific Rim nations of Asia, elected to move that line, with international approval, to a spot between itself and American Samoa.  Now, the islands of Samoa, Independent and American, are 24 or 25 hours apart depending on daylight savings time.  Are you confused?  Don't worry about it.

Anyway, to do this, the Independent State of Samoa, skipped December 30, 2011 -  they jumped right over it to the 31st.  Can you beat that?  Everyone there lost a day.  Everyone there is a day older than they should be.  I'm so glad I don't live there.  I'm old enough already.                                                                    
o.o