We could start a new, absolute, year count which should satisfy beleaguered Christians at least. Start the years from 4003BC - that's the first full year after Creation. We'll call this AC- After Creation. That makes this year (2011+4003-1) 6013AC. Events older than that (or at least before the previous October 23rd) couldn't have happened of course, but if they did we can refer to them as Pre- Creation, which should mollify the PC brigade.