Maybe I'm not using the right chips, John. Send me 10 of yours and I'll try again.

Here's what I've got: In the beginning, there were 0 chips on the table and 10 in my pocket. I took one out, and with an indelible Sharpie, I wrote the number "1" on it, because it was the first chip. (Zero chips on the table, one in my hand half way to the table, nine left in my pocket.) I place my chip #1 on the table. I now have one chip on the table. I have measure from 0 to 1 with one object. A second chip comes out, I write "2" on it and place it on the table. The third chip, mark it "3" and put it on the table. Repeat 7 more times. There is now a "decade" of chips on the table, numbered 1 through 10. It was not a full decade until chip number 10 was fully placed and released.

Of course, by your example, I am now out of chips. Are we to be "out of years" when the clock strikes midnight on 12/31/2000? Now that I've marked up my prized Harrah's brass cores, send me a decade of your best ivories. The first chip of the second decade to be placed on the table will be chip number ELEVEN!

A moment after the clock struck midnight on 1/1/1, man had begun to mark time using the new calendar. (Did clocks "strike" back then?) 24 hours later he had measured one day, and 364 more days later he had measured one year. The luddites I take exception to are those who, through a complete absence of reason and mathematical skills, could imagine anyone would have labeled that first day 1/1/0. I would never number my first chip 0. I numbered it 1. The creators of the calendar numbered the first day 1. Reason and sanity dictates they numbered the first year 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Not 0. 1.