>i think really the larger question ought be the 21st century beginning date
>naught an ought or two.  if i had an opening in the 21st century i've been
told the date has to be on or after january 1, 2001 naught january 1, 2000.
>personally i feel january 1, 2000 would be the first day of the 21st
>century.  any mathematicians out there care to explain?
>
>rick denhart

I'm not a mathematician, but it's my understanding that the count started
from one, not zero (the concept of zero came along later in the West).  This
would be comparable to our being 1 year old at birth and being 2 years old
on our first birthday anniversary.  Thus 2,000 years will not be completed
until midnight, 31 Dec 2000, and the new millenium will then start as the
year rolls over to 1 Jan 2001.
Arthur H. Harris
Laboratory for Environmental Biology
Centennial Museum
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX  79968-0519
USA
Fax (915) 747-5808
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