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va·sciSIC Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367
Watching - 9ut for a math mistake: Why 2K tOOO sOOOn leaves·some ticked off '
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by Allison Slotnick Does it really matter what date date is the actual starting point. Billions of people around it starts on? It's just another Some people, including the world are anticipating the year," said Linda To, sopho- many mathematicians and merdawn of the chandisers, believe the third millenmillennium starts immenium on Janudiately after the comple'"l ary 1, 2000, but tion of the previous are they a year thousand years. The reaearly in their son is that the first year ~ celebrations, or of the first millennium -~ perhaps a few £o was completed on Deyears late? The ] cember 3I, year zero. actual starting P.. Therefore, the second date of the upmillennium began on coming millenJanuary 1, 1000, and this nium is debated millennium should bebetween mathgin on January 1, 2000. ematicians, reThis reasoning is based ligious figures, upon the assumption governmental that the calendar started agencies, and on year zero. Marisa even Harrisites. Cohen, sophomore, subTheone area scribes to this view. of agreement is "The millennium starts that a millenRuff! Ruff! 2000 or Ruff! Ruff! 2001? This dog eertaintly in the year 2000; it's just has strong feelings towards 2000, but several nium consists logical, every 1000 mathematicians are giving reasons to believe otherwise. of one thousand years starts a new [milcompleted years. It is which more. Many, however, don't lennium]," she said. Merchancalendar is used, and what con- have this laid back attitude, and disers are using this theory to cept one believes, that deter- have been researching the his- their advantage by selling evmines each person's view of the tory of the calendar and at- erything from the "bottle of beginning. tempting to figure out which Y2K bug spray" to the "Year
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2000 voodoo bag." Two hundred seventy two companies in the U.S. have been granted patents for products that have the term 'millennium' in their title. The calendar which is most commonly used today, however, did not start from year zero. This is the Gregorian calendar, and it is credited to Dionysius, a sixth century monk who was appointed by Pope St. John I to generate a new calendar. Dionysius approximated that Christ was born in 753 AU.C. (after the founding of Rome-anno urbis condita). He restarted the calendar with Christ's birth as I AD. ("anno domini" meaning "the year of our Lord"). At this time, no one knew about the concept of zero; hence, they could not have started with year zero. Using this date as a basis, the second millennium will end on December 3 I, 2000, and begin in 200I. "If you really think about when time began, and do the math, then you see that there is no possible way that 2000 can be the millen-
nium," said Roni Siegel, sophomore. Various government agencies, such as the Library of Congress, National Bureau of Stands and Technology, and the U.S. Naval Observatory, agree. Even the Royal Greenwich Observatory has declared that January I, 2001 is the true beginning of the third millenmum. Despite all the on-going preparations for the millennium celebration, some modern scholars suggest that the millennium has already passed. They base this conclusion on the fact that Dionysius' estimate of Jesus' birth was incorrect. Instead, they think that the time frame of his birth was somewhere between 7 to 4 B.C. Therefore, two thousand years from these dates would mean that the third millennium began somewhere between January 1, I993 and January I, 1998. "I don't feel many people will accept that reasoning because the year 2000 is such a milestone, and the media has been so percontinued on page 3
Spirited millennium 'ball' proceeds ball drop by Emmy Favilla Though for some, fear of Y2K and other problems con- . tinues to build as the year approaches an end, students and their guests seemed full of energy a.nd prepared to party at the Millennium Dance on Friday, December I7 in the gym. Metallic balloons and icicle lights set the atmosphere for the last dance of 1999, which some wished to consider the last of the second millennium as well. Equipped with both colored and strobe lights, which added a unique millennium touch to the Student Union-sponsored event, the D.J. played a variety of sounds, from techno to reggae to Latin beats. "Most
of the stuff they played was pretty good, but even though I didn't like every song, I had a lot of fun just being silly with all my friends," said Matt D' Auria, junior. Many precautions were taken to ensure the safety of students and their guests. Metal detectors were used at the ffont door, and those who brought guests had to make sure that they came with photo ID's or signed physical descriptions. "My friend forgot to bring her ID with her, so we had to go all the way home, get it, and come back. But we still managed to make the most of the dance," said junior J ennifero Mungiguerra.
Senior advisor Ellen middle showed off their "rav- cheered on. Stars of the night Schwartz and broadcast jour- ing" and break dancing talents, included junior Andrew Fung nalism teacher Laura Benin dis- while students and friends and sophomore Ryan Dennie. tributed traditional New Year's noisemakers and ~ other party favors for use -~ at the dance or to take ::E ~ home. Thanks to senior ~· Maria Cando, however, >. .&> glow sticks were the most 0 0 popular accessory of the if dance. Sold by her throughout the week for $3 a pair, glow sticks were still being purchased well into the :::· night. The highlight of the night occurred when the entire crowd formed a large circle. Those bold Christopher Gonzalez and Despina Vovvoudakis join in the fun of the Millenium enough to jump into the Dance last Friday, December 17, in the gym.