wildcat
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- Jun 8, 2007
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Isaac Asimov, A.D. 1987:
"The Christian era has a flaw.
The year 1 is late in history.
Julius Caesar and everything before him is before the year 1.
It is necessary to start counting backward.
Since Caesar was assassinated forty-four years before A.D.1, he was assassinated in 44 B.C., where the initials stand for Before Christ.
The foundation of Rome took place 753 years before A.D.1 and, therefore, in 753 B.C.
An irritating flaw in this system is that no provision was made for a year 0 dividing the A.D. from the B.C.
If there had been a year 0, the first decade would have been 0 to A.D.9 inclusive, and A.D.10 would have started a new decade.
Every decade would start on Januari 1 of a year ending with a 0; every century on Januari 1 of a year ending in 00, and every millenium on a year ending in 000.
Because there is no year 0, however, the first decade is A.D.1 to A.D.10 inclusive, and it is A.D.11 that starts the second decade.
The decades, centuries, and millenia all start on Januari 1 of years that end in 1, 01, and 001 respectively.
A.D.2000 will be the last year of the second millenium, and the third millenium will begin on Januari 1, 2001."
"The Christian era has a flaw.
The year 1 is late in history.
Julius Caesar and everything before him is before the year 1.
It is necessary to start counting backward.
Since Caesar was assassinated forty-four years before A.D.1, he was assassinated in 44 B.C., where the initials stand for Before Christ.
The foundation of Rome took place 753 years before A.D.1 and, therefore, in 753 B.C.
An irritating flaw in this system is that no provision was made for a year 0 dividing the A.D. from the B.C.
If there had been a year 0, the first decade would have been 0 to A.D.9 inclusive, and A.D.10 would have started a new decade.
Every decade would start on Januari 1 of a year ending with a 0; every century on Januari 1 of a year ending in 00, and every millenium on a year ending in 000.
Because there is no year 0, however, the first decade is A.D.1 to A.D.10 inclusive, and it is A.D.11 that starts the second decade.
The decades, centuries, and millenia all start on Januari 1 of years that end in 1, 01, and 001 respectively.
A.D.2000 will be the last year of the second millenium, and the third millenium will begin on Januari 1, 2001."