History of 080808

HISTORY OF  080808

August 8, 2008 or 8 August, 2008 or 2008, August 8

No matter how you spell it, we haven’t had an occurrence like this… in over a year, when we had 070707 . And we won’t have another like it until next year on September 9. Nevertheless, this once-in-a-century date does have some significance.

• The most noticeable is that the 2008 Summer Olympics begin on this date in Beijing. The number 8 — which sounds like ‘fa’ in Chinese or meaning prosper — is considered an “auspicious number.”

• This is also an auspicious date to marry, and the Malaysian website 080808.com.my features a mosaic of announcements.

• Taking a Web 2.0 perspective, users of Twitter can use the hashtag #080808 to discuss the Beijing Olympics, or search for #080808 to see tweets (noun of Twitter) showing up about every half second.

• Finally, it’s today’s date. There’s no time like the present.

Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
www.billpetro.com