Thread: This is year 2514, not 2007

Originally Posted by three and four

From Tokyo to Seattle, via Moscow and Pretoria, it’s mostly agreed that this is year 2007. Talk about cultural imperialism.

Well, I like Jesus, he was a nice guy (turning the other cheek, not judging and all that) – but I really don’t agree with any of the fairytales about him being the son of the magical being who created this here earth we live on. Get real, please.

So, why should the supposed date of his birth (which we’ve gotten wrong, anyway) be the basis for the whole planet’s calendar? Ridiculous.

So I propose the following: why not take the birth of democracy as our starting point?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleisthenes

In 507 or 508 (BC, sorry), the Ancient Greeks put a pretty good idea into practice, and suddenly, democracy was born. I think this would be a much, much better starting point for our calendars than some myth that not only a lot of people don’t believe, but that has nothing to do with most people on the planet.

Any other suggestions for good starting points for our current calendar?

Oh no. My favorite decade is the 1970's, and I don't want to have to suddenly start calling it something else.

But if we must... How about that day the god of pine trees shot that bolt of lightning at a village for being gay but stood in front of the lightning so he would get zapped to a crisp instead of them because he loved them so much?

Wow. Where can I sign up for such a religion?

Right here! Become a Gold Member for only four low montly payments of $55.95!

What's the Silver deal like? I'm tight on religious expenditure this year. My salvation comes after paying for the groceries.

I agree that basing it on Jesus is a little silly, but after all, that's when we started counting. I prefer just to think of it as "2007 years since we started counting." Sure, there were other counting systems, but this one is pretty ingrained. There are billions of written records with this dating system on it. If we change the system, we'll have to also keep track of which system something was dated in... end result: we don't get to drop A.D. after all.

The Silver Membership is the value package. It's only $40.55 a month with a guaranteed 70% chance of redemption. However, the Gold Membership is only $15.40 more, with a whopping 85% chance of redemption guaranteed or your money back! However, if you're the kind of guy that puts his family and friends before his money, the Deluxe Premium Gold Member Family Bundle is right for you! Only $255.95 for 12 months guarantees you, your blood children and spouse a 100% chance of redemption with no frills and no gimmicks! Order now and we'll extend the offer to two friends of your choosing absolutely free! Call today because this is a limited time offer!

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

Oh no. My favorite decade is the 1970's, and I don't want to have to suddenly start calling it something else.

But if we must... How about that day the god of pine trees shot that bolt of lightning at a village for being gay but stood in front of the lightning so he would get zapped to a crisp instead of them because he loved them so much?

Well, if we just added 500 years to the calendar, you could still call them the 70s (it's just that they really be the 2470s). How's that?

Also, we could all claim to be 500 years older (and if that doesn't appeal to a bunch of spotty teenagers, what will?).

Originally Posted by three and four

(and if that doesn't appeal to a bunch of spotty teenagers, what will?)

You just lost this target audience.

Originally Posted by three and four

Well, if we just added 500 years to the calendar, you could still call them the 70s (it's just that they really be the 2470s). How's that?

But you were asking for 507 years, and that's completely different. I don't want to start calling the 70's "the 80's". That would be a huge insult to the decade of my birth and the great classic rock renaissance because what we have called "the 80's" up until now was a cheesy decade of parachute pants and silly Kajagoogoo type bands.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

But you were asking for 507 years, and that's completely different. I don't want to start calling the 70's "the 80's". That would be a huge insult to the decade of my birth and the great classic rock renaissance because what we have called "the 80's" up until now was a cheesy decade of parachute pants and silly Kajagoogoo type bands.

I know, but I've decided that I agree with you about how cool the 70s were, so I'm knocking 7 years off my demands just so that the decade of Starsky and Hutch can remain (pretty much) where it should be.

Don't forget that the 80s produced such musical masterpieces as "The Eye of the Tiger", which is not at all Kajagoogoo-ish. (And I don't think the 70s has anything over the 80s in terms of pants (or haircuts (or shirts))).

Sorry, but I'd say that the Rock Renaissance of which you speak can actually be traced back to the late 60s. (Led Zep formed in 1968, as did Sabbath and Deep Purple!).

So in fact... 1968 + 507 would be... 2475. And hey presto, all those bands DID form in the 70s. You with me now?

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

My favorite decade is the 1970's (snip)

That explains a whole lot.

Originally Posted by pj

That explains a whole lot.

What you talkin' about, Willis?

Rather than democracy, let's use the invention of the printing press in 1436. That would make it 571. The other logical starting point would be the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 which would make this 425.