I just sent this e-mail to Rush because many news outlets including FOX are touting shows where the past decade willpass to the nex decade on Jan 1, 2010!
Many stations are going to schedule shows chroniciling the past decade and that Jan 1, 2010 is the beginning of the next decade. They got it wrong with when they said that Dec 31, 1999 was the end of the 2nd millenium and haven't got it right yet!.
The year 2000 was the last year of the 2nd millenium. I proved this to my fellow space geeks by pointing out the Roman numeral system. I, V, X, L, C and M are the digital designators of our calendar. Since 1999 is MCMXCIX we need one more year to achieve MM two millennia. Each decade begins with the addition of an I. ergo XI or 11 the beginning of the second decade! 2011 not 2010 is the new decade.
Please spread this around. This will give us an additional year to measure the Obama administration as the WORST administration since...forever!
There's an easier explanation. The first year isn't over till the year 2 starts. You can't have a year zero so the first year is still 1 till the first day of the second year.