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>In a few days, the first decade of the 21st century and of the third millennium will come to an end.

Sigh. Given that our calendar started with year one and not year zero, the first decade of the 21st century started in 2001 and will end at the close of 2010.

/datenerd

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I believe counting out decades is a secular concept oriented towards the decimal numbers involved, rather than a religious concept founded in a old mistaken date for the birth of an historical Jesus.

In other words, the precise starting point of the calendar doesn't mean much to normal people who use the term "decade".

So you define millennium as "years passed since year 1", and think that those who count "years passed since year -1" are wrong? Interesting.

Yes, in just the same way that I think people who start counting from -1 on a measuring tape or from 37 on a speedometer are doing it wrong. Just because a convention is entirely arbitrary doesn't prevent people from being wrong about it.

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