[pavlov]

I'm reminded of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army

"My friend, Zhang, doesn't believe I can collect one million soldiers by 209 BC. I'm gonna prove him wrong, but I need your help. (Or you'll be beheaded.) Thanks, Qin."

Our time is gentler -- the Age of the Giraffes.

[RiderOfGiraffes]

Exercise for the interested reader - why could he not have said:

  > ... I can collect one million soldiers by 209 BC.

??

[mmelin]

What, you mean a Chinese emperor did not know the exact future date of the birth of Christ?

[csytan]

Because he wasn't fluent in English?

[mbrubeck]

Don't you have a lot of giraffes you should be riding right now?

[scopendo]

Because 209 BC will in the past by the time he collects the soldiers... that is, the year after 209 BC is 208 BC.