>Mark Thorny wrote:
> This year, the start of the new Millennium

>Nope.  Next year is the start of the third millennium.

         | He that is slow to believe anything and
         | everything is of great understanding,

         | for belief in one false principle is the
         | beginning of all unwisdom.


I can't believe this yet - I'll have to think about it a while longer :-)
(Maybe 1000 years or so)
I'm surprised this is still coming up - I would have thought it had been
thoroughly done to death at the end of the last millennium :-)

Actually, neither of the two common lines of argument are correct.
The calendar is clearly NOT a linear numbering system but a system of
symbolic representation (which just happens to closely resemble a numbering
system in superficial appearance). Any attempts to argue on the basis of it
being a numbering system are bound to fail (but will still leave people
feeling happy that their answer is correct).

Exercises for the student:

    Say how long it is from 1.1.10BC to 1.1.10AD without feeling

    uncomfortable about not qualifying or explaining your answer :-)

    Explain why the year 2000 should exist, using as your foundational

    example the year 0.


:-)

                RM




++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++




>"Years of the Gregorian calendar, which is currently in use today, are
>counted from AD 1. Thus, the 1st century comprised the years AD 1 through
AD
>100. The second century began with AD 101 and continued through AD 200. By
>extrapolation we find that the 20th century comprises the years AD
>1901-2000. Therefore, the 21st century will begin with 1 January 2001 and
>continue through 31 December 2100.

>Similarly, the 1st millennium comprised the years AD 1-1000. The 2nd
>millennium comprises the years AD 1001-2000. The 3rd millennium will begin
>with AD 2001 and continue through AD 3000."

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