... for surely he couldn't be that dumb.

>> Think of a baby: When we celebrate her first birthday, she is already 1 year old. <<

This statement is absolutely true. If he had followed the logic upon which it is based, he would have arrived at the correct answer, instead of the incredibly WRONG answer that he did reach.

The baby is 1 AFTER one year has passed, not at the beginning of the year. She will be 2 AFTER the second year has passed, 3 AFTER the 3rd ... 999 AFTER the 999th ... 1999 AFTER THE 1999TH YEAR HAS PASSED ... and

2000 AFTER THE 2000TH YEAR HAS PASSED. Which won't happen until the stroke of midnight, December 31, 2000. Therefore, this ancient baby's third millennium won't start until the first instant AFTER her 2000th year has ENDED.

Which is to say, January 1, 2001. Q.E.D., professor. ----- jim o\-S