The Zips Were Robbed

By Melissa August, Harriet Barovick, Val Castronovo, Ellin Martens, Desa Philadelphia, Julie Rawe, Chris Taylor and Josh Tyrangiel

The new decade is upon us, and according to the readers of TIME, this decade will be called the Aughts...or the MMs, depending on your level of skepticism. Last year Notebook conducted an online poll to find out what name should be given the next decade. Of the Zips, Two Thousands, Zeros, Ohs, Double Ohs, 2Ks, MMs, Aughts or Singles, readers clearly put the Aughts ahead, until the last week of polling, when the MMs took the lead--so suddenly (and implausibly--the MMs?!) that it aroused suspicions of a Mars candy campaign. Despite hints of vote tampering, several advertising agencies agreed to create ads to sell the new names to the public. Enjoy yourself in the...whatevers!