Arguing along those lines has some interesting results. How can -2 be a number? If you have two apples, and I have none, you can give me two apples. <b>You can'

Arguing along those lines has some interesting results. How can -2 be a number? If you have two apples, and I have none, you can give me two apples. <b>You can't give me -2 apples.</b> You want zero diamonds? I can SHOW you zero diamonds. You can take zero diamonds from me anytime you want. I'll just make more! There's something special about 0. And it's right next to 1, which is the mother of all other integers. And zero looks way more pregnant than 1. Zero is more like the absence of a number (which is why it was invented to be a placeholder). In physics there are electron holes, etc., they're called quasi-particles. There are no magnetic monopoles (yet) but there are quasi magnetic monopoles ... that carry current. So maybe the day will come when zero becomes a quasi-number. Or better still, a DWARF number. And some people's mathematical kids will write threatening letters to the New York Times.