Miata Mailing List: January 2000, Message #243

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I object to the characterization of those who celebrated the Millennium last
night as being ignorant, uniformed in history or mathematics, fooled by the
media, or not interested in facts.  None of these descriptions can be
successfully applied to me.  I am an engineer, mathematician, and scientist.

Yes, we have all listened to the rantings of the Millennium Purists for at
least a year.  Will you please stop assuming if you explain it longer or
louder, we will somehow become "smarter" and be receptive to your ideas.
Most of the world is aware of your argument AND understands it.  It appears
you choose to believe that when we disregard your explanation we are
committing the equivalent of believing the sun revolves around the earth
despite scientific evidence to the contrary.   However, I invite you to
consider that the entire planet is not full of idiots and that there might
be some other factor at work here.

We measure decades starting with a zero (the 60's, the 90's).  We note with
interest when the odometer reaches 100,000 but not 100,001.  We notice when
the significant digit rolls over, whether it is years or miles.  It matters
not where we started.  The interesting year change is the one from 1999 to
2000 because the 1 we used to write is now a 2.  Having a party at the start
of year 2000 is the right thing to do.  Calling this party a Millennium
celebration so close to right, its not worth the effort to think up a new
name.

Come January 1, 2001, the Purists will use the Millennial label for their
New Year party.  Too bad for them, the rest of the world will have already
used up that name a year earlier.

Lance Schall
MCA #159
Peak To Peak Miata Club
Boulder, Colorado