We can't have a 336-day year, which would give us 12 28-day months. We can't even have a 365-day year. Oh no, our year has to be 365.241290 days long, with a day added every four years.

Except for years which are both divisible by 100 and not divisible by 400. Got that? The year 1900 was not a leap year, and neither was 1800, which goes to show it's possible to have a presidential election not in a Leap Year.

Does the phrase "coordinated universal time" bring excitement into your life? Then you don't even want to know about Leap Seconds. Trust the Betster on this.

So klutzy or not, the extra day this month has a purpose. Children born on Feb. 29 can claim all sorts of special benefits, like one-fourth fewer birthdays. If you're in Akron or Miami Sunday, you can get a free ride on the Goodyear blimp. There's even a Web page for leapies, www.leapzine.com, where you can find out about famous people born on Leap Day, such as John "Pepper" Martin, the National League stolen-base leader for 1933, 1934 and 1936.

This week's Best Bet? On Sunday, contemplate the quadquennial adjustment to time. Or, try out these other Best Bets:

BEST YOU SAY CAPULET, I SAY JETS BET: With everyone running around singing, "When you're a Jet, you're a Jet for life," you'd think it was a scene out of "Analyze That." Nope, it's just the usual cast of thousands putting on the annual big spring Broadway musical at Homer High School. If you saw "Les Miserables" last year, you know "West Side Story" ought to be a must-see production. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Mariner Theatre.

BEST THE NEXT GENERATION BET: If you wonder where Homer High finds experienced singers and musicians, check out Homer Middle School. They're putting on a talent show at 7 p.m. tonight at the school. Tickets are $4 adults, $2 students.

BEST SMALL TOWN WINTER CARNIVAL BET: Homer had its winter carnival, and now it's time for Anchor Point to show the lower peninsula how to really have fun. The Anchor Point Snow Rondi starts with a Mexican dinner from 6-8:30 p.m. Friday at the Chapman School gym. Dinner is $7 adult, $5 children. Saturday starting at 11 a.m. is the Pinewood Derby (with a weigh-in at 10 a.m.) at the Chapman School gym. On Sunday is a dog show at 10 a.m. at the Chapman School gym, with a $1 entry fee. Proceeds benefit the Homer Animal Shelter. The Snomads races are at noon Sunday at Griner's Gravel Pit.

BEST HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR BET: Fisherman and photographer Alan Parks has done a lot for Homer. Around Christmas, he had a bad break a really bad break, like about a gazillion foot bones when he fell off a ladder. There's a benefit from 3-7 p.m. Saturday at Alice's Champagne Palace to help pay for his medical expenses.