Ancient timelines

When I was a lad, stuff that happened a long time ago was BC - Before
Christ. Later stuff was AD, Anno Domini - and I can understand that,
sort of, having grown up with it and having got accustomed to counting
backwards for the BC stuff.

The first anomaly I saw was in a Wikipedia entry, giving the date
reference as "BCE", or "Before Current Era" which, fortunately,
corresponded with the BC/AD junction quite nicely. BCE gives fewer
offences to those of a non-Christian background, apparently.

Having looked at a Wiki article today, the time was quoted as 13,000
years BP. BP - before the US oil leakage, or what? No, Before Present.

I fucking ask you - Before Present. Surely it would be easier to use
the universal word "ago", eh? Complication for its own sake - and a
T(wo)L:A at that, not even a proper T(hree)LA as would be expected and
therefore far more acceptable.

We'll be having dates quoted as BA, soon: Before Auvache.

 

Best to refuse to use this nomenclature in your own stuff. If enough of us
resist we'll hold back the tide for some time yet. I managed to keep away
from saying years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 for years in school - until I found
parents unable to understand terms like fifth former.

John

 

This year 7, 8, 9 stuff confuses me too. I find it difficult to work out
what year my kids are in compared with what I was doing at their age.

On the other hand BP I can understand as it fits in with radiocarbon dating.

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

<happy dance>

Not just me then !
</hd>

 

You protest so hard, Steve, it makes one wonder what colour your barnet
was before it assumed its current distinguished shade.

Anyway, Cleggy's a gingerboy hisself. No worries there.

 

Baracas they will ...

Paul.

 

I still don't use the 1 - 12 (or whatever) umbers for school years. Form 1
to 4 for junior school and form 1 to 6 worked well enough for me in
secondary school and it still does.

 

I didn't even know I didn't understand. Now I'm confused.
So a first year is what?

And a sixth former?

 

Dunno.

I'm so old that it used to be infant, junior then grammar (or basket
weaving for the failures) and then it changed to lower, middle and
upper so the dunces didn't feel victimised but now I don't really
know.

Someone who couldn't get a job so stayed on and hoped for the best or
someone who knew that apprenticeships were for idiots?

 

Well thats cleared that up then. But these apprenticeship things that's
like a yacht but smaller right?

 

Me too.

In my day it was fourth form, fifth form, Remove, sixth form, gone.

 

First year at secondary school/comprehensive etc

Someone doing A levels

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

I take your point <wince>

I'd go with the newest apparent method - the Before Present ... if only
they'd call it "ago". The BP thing is merely labouring the point, as I
see it. I'd rather stick with AD/BC, but I'm a stick in the mud.

 

Which would still offend the non christian sky fairy followers. Well,
the semitic[1] non christian sky fairy followers to be precise. I
doubt the Hindus and Bhuddists would be that fussed.

[1] no they're not (TM Des)

 

Are trainees similar to those things Sweller used to drive but
smaller?

 

I believe that is the correct terminology for things of a Hornby nature.