[ale] [OT] Date change proposal

[Jeff Lightner]

I'm guessing whatever "milestone" event you come up with there will be
those who challenge its validity.  The flat-earthers would certainly
deny that the moon landing.  Also since that was an American event there
would be those who would argue against its use for political reasons.

Also if it were more than about 6,000 years ago there would be those who
would argue such a date never existed since they *know* the world is
only that old.

If we're going to go to a significant event why not the big bang?  (Of
course, we'd have to ignore the objections mentioned above.)  I think it
would be interesting to write a date like 15,123,457 every time I wrote
a check.  Also it would help to cure the recession because it would give
an impetus like Y2K to insure everything went to much larger date
fields.  :-)

I do agree that it has always struck me as silly to call the start of
winter the start of a "new" year.  Start of spring makes much more
sense.

-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of Jim
Kinney
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 11:34 AM
To: ale at ale.org
Subject: Re: [ale] [OT] Date change proposal

On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 10:49 AM, Robert Reese~ <ale at sixit.com> wrote:

>> I would like to propose a new calendaring scheme based around an
>> event that represents a human milestone achievement. Granted is
>> tied to the accomplishments of a single country but it is clearly a
>> global, human event.
>
> Easy.  2009.01.20

Hmm. There are many worldwide who would support that date as a great
new calendar point (as do I). Yet, I still see that as a recurring
event in human history that is not a fundamentally new human
achievement. We have had many politically corrective actions in
history. But I tend to see the milestone events as based on
intellectual progress that results in a dramatic change in viewpoint,
living conditions or other "advance the species" process. The
2009.01.20 date is a milestone in that it marks a return from hubris
and a globally enforced "our way or the highway" back to a more
pragmatic "we all live here in each others backyard" viewpoint.

Here's to the hope that this change in viewpoint will result in
another milestone in human development that is on par with humans
setting foot on a non-earth rock.
>
>
>> In 1969 of our current counting practice, humans first set foot on
>> a non-terrestrial object, the Moon.
>
> Hmmm.... that WOULD make me younger, so if 2009.01.20 is out, I'll
second for
> 1969.07.20
>

GONG!! It won't make you any younger (nor me!). It'll just make us
born before the dawn of time :-)


-- 
-- 
James P. Kinney III
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