Sad to say that the counter argument is as follows: at the time the gregorian
calandar was greated, the concept of a year zero or of the value zero as a
number did not exist. Therefore even though there was no year zero in the first
millenium, the second millenium still began with the year 1000, and the first
millenium had only 999 years. A truely convoluted argument, but not entirely
without merrit.
Personally I do not see what difference it makes, one year in 1000 is one tenth
of one percent of the whole. We expect greater variations in value from nearly
every device created by man. For example a resistor for a circuit board is
normally plus or minus ten percent of the rated resistance as indicated on the
package. The specifications for the average automobile engine around 1968 was
plus or minus three tenths of one percent (or +/- .003).
My only point here is if we can tolerate such variances in our every day lives,
why not with whether or not this is the third millenium.
On Sat, 01 Jan 2000, Daniel wrote:
| There is no argument the new millenium does not start until 2001. A
| millennia is 1000 years, there was no year "0", so 1 AD through 1000 AD was
| the first millennia, 1001 AD through 2000 the second (see a pattern
| forming?) and the third millennia starts 2001. Just some food for
| thought...
|
| Dan
|
|
| ----- Original Message -----
| From: "Ernest N. Wilcox Jr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
| To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
| Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2000 07:25
| Subject: Re: [newbie] New Millenium
|
|
| > On Fri, 31 Dec 1999, Warren Doney wrote:
| > | 00.32 01/01/00 NZDT
| > | Happy new Millenium all...
| > |
| > | --
| > | Full plate & packing steel! - Minsk
| >
| > I've heard all the arguments about the new millenium not starting until
| > 1/1/2001, but I think we should all compromise, and make the entire year
| of
| > 2000 a celebration of our miraculous survival for two millemia. This way,
| by
| > the end of the year, no one will care when the third millemium starts.
| >
| > The finest the new millenium has to offer to all,
| >
| > Ernie ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
| >
