τ is better than π (tau is better than pi)

A short tau story...

A Parableby Oliver Sayeed
(At the time of composition, Oliver Sayeed was an 18-year-old (!) student from Oxfordshire, England.)

103rd bithinial meeting of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures
Sèvres, France
4028

"Can I have your attention, please?", called the chair, tapping her microphone. The babble of voices around the room died down, and everyone turned to the front of the hall. "Thank you; I think we're ready to begin. This is the second open morning of the 4028 conference, where our panel of experts"—she gestured to a table of tweed-clad academics on the stage—"have kindly agreed to answer questions from the public."

She glanced at her notes. "Before we start, I'd like to congratulate the Dean here for reaching the spectacular age of 170!" The crowd applauded, as an elderly, bearded man on the panel gave a modest wave. The chair smiled. "The Dean has been a great presence over the last 80 thines, so we thank him very much; there will be a reception this afternoon with drinks and refreshments. Now, onto any questions you might have."

There was a flurry of murmuring again, and immediately hands went up across the room.

"Are we ready to choose?" The academics nodded. The chair squinted and bounced her finger along the rows of hands. "Let's begin with... you, at the back there. Yes, the gentleman in the brown shirt."

The man took the microphone and stood up from his chair, clearing his throat. The room fell silent again.

"What's your name, sir?", the chair asked, peering over the top of her spectacles.

"Vichael Partl", replied Vichael Partl. "I'm a junior lecturer in physics at the university."

"Aha, an expert! And what question would you like to put to the panel to start us off? Not everyone here is a mathematician, so make sure it's not too baffling."

"Oh, I don't think there's any chance of that... My point is easy to understand. I'd like to question our current units of time."

There was a pause, before the Dean interjected, his brows furrowed. "Which units of time?"

"Our units of time based on the Sun, specifically. I think the current units are confusing and unnatural."

The other academics chuckled. "A big claim indeed!", the Dean remarked. "So, you propose to get rid of the thine?"

"Yes, sir", said Vichael. "I think it's a very oddly-defined unit."

"My dear man", smiled the Dean, "the thine is one of the most elegant units we have. The time between perihelion and aphelion. The period between the equinoxes, and between the solstices. It's the most natural thing there is. What else do you propose?"

"I propose a new unit, called the year."

There was a muttering around the room. The Dean looked bemused. "And how long is this 'year', in your system?"

"A year is two thines. Or rather, to put it properly, a thine is half a year."

"You'd make two thines the basic unit?"

"I would. For reasons of elegance, and of naturalness."

The Dean frowned again and fiddled with his beard. "Go on then; make your case."

Vichael turned to look at the expectant crowd. "So... I've always found units of time confusing. Everyone does, since we learn about them as children."

"What's confusing about them?"

"You have to remember which thine you're in. Winter and summer only happens once every other thine, for example."