Unfortunately, a Damocletian sword hung over the entire proceedings: Every informed fan knew that a lockout was probably going to come as soon as calendars flipped to July.

When the calendar flips to the postseason this weekend, the Nets hope they will magically transform themselves and play like the defending Eastern Conference champions again.

So the question of just where home will be grows more urgent as the calendar flips closer to the 2004 season.

Even though we still have another one left before the calendar flips over to 2012, we've already shared more "Science Wednesdays" this year than there are actual Wednesdays.

Now the calendar had flipped over into year 1999, providing the dash of Tabasco that really spiced up the recipe.

If those programmers ever thought about the 21st century, they probably assumed, reasonably, that future programmers would refine and replace the two-digit year code long before the calendar flipped from 1999 to 2000.

Lest you should worry that the baby train will stop running at year's end, have no fear: When the calendar flips to 2012, an all-new set .

The Red Sox are in a delicate position, seemingly peeking ahead to October before the calendar has flipped to September.

Matt Kenseth is the last champion who won't be in Hendrick equipment when the calendar flips.

As Thomas Mann observed, "it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols" when the calendar flips from years numbered 80-something to years numbered 90.