Never noticed this before.

You mean it's a common misunderstanding of the term.  Your call, but it's still wrong. 

I prefer to think of it as an "accepted social convention", rather than "wrong". Like agreeing that the first century only had 99 years so that we can consider years ending in "00" as being the start of a new century.

I just take every chance I can to needle ya, Mike.  I may actually incorporate "lateral" into some posts just for shiggles.

Is that a medical joke?

I kill me.