2012

[Giggle Goose]

I think I've rarely, if ever, started a thread here. But I had a conversation today that really got me thinking.

I took a long drive with my Dad today and we talked about how I'm thinking of moving to southern California (I live on the east coast, so it would be a HUGE change). He's always been a bit on the offbeat side and thinks that there's going to be this huge crisis out there with the water supply (desert, etc.) and it's all going to come to a head in 2012; which is when the Mayan calendar ends.

That's what I know about the Mayan calendar from class and stuff; feel free to Wiki it or use something more scholarly to shove the info in my face. I also heard it means that there's going to be some kind of world-changing event, or the planets are going to align, or some such stuff. So what, if anything, have you all heard about this 2012 thing? And what's your take (besides, of course, that Mr. Goose is a total whackjob. That would be stating the obvious). :p

PS: I had NOOOOOOOO idea where the hell to put this topic; so sorry if it seems odd.

[Amethyst Hunter]

There's already something of a water problem in the country, in some areas...look at what Atlanta has had to go through in recent months with their reservoir shortage.

As far as 2012 goes, reports vary. Naturally all the fundie nutjobs are salivating over the date (just like they did with 1999, and Y2K, and so on) because they think it means a) the world will end, or b) they'll get to make the world end (and yes, there are some VERY scary types out there who are dying - no pun intended - to do just that).

There are also reports that a major asteroid is due to pass by Earth about that time; studies thus far indicate that it may be a close call, and the closest one yet with an asteroid.

I think most of the postulations are bullshit myself. The Mayans had their system set up as such that that was the only known date as far as they could go, at the time. If there is something major due to happen about then, well, there's really nothing we can do about it so there's no point in freaking out over it. (Except for the fundies - keep them the hell away from any powerful positions so they can't "accidentally" bomb somebody or something...)

In short: we won't know till we get there, am I rite?

[crazylegs]

I believe that the Myan calender merely cycles, not that it stops but that once you reach the end of one cycle you start at the beginnning...

[Norton]

Do I believe some world-changing event will happen in 2012? I'm skeptical at best. A lot of things will happen in 2012 (just like every year), and many people will try to correlate any big events with the Mayan prophecy.

Do I hope some world-changing event will happen in 2012? Yes yes yes! If life is going to change drastically, I'll welcome it! Not that I'm unhappy with my life, but I'd love to see a major change take place in the world right before my eyes.

At the very least, I'd like to throw a big crazy hedonistic party on December 20th, 2012. Even if nothing happens afterwards, it's still a great excuse for a party. :D

[Giggle Goose]

:eek: Oh yeah; I forgot about the possibility that an asteroid could totally f*** us up at any moment. I'm very spiritual, however, and I do think that we all go somewhere when we die. (I know, I know....) So it wouldn't be all bad for me at least.

[Depot Denizen]

The Bad Astronomy / Universe Today forum has a few threads on 2012. I'm not sure if linking is allowed here (please let me know if it's not!), but www.bautforum.com is the best resource for it, particularly the Against the Mainstream and Conspiracy Theories forums).

TL;DR: It's bunk.

BTW, I'm a transplant from Customers Suck. Been lurking for a while and decided to make an account here. :-)

~Josh

[ArenaBoy]

*sigh*

People have been predicting the end of the world since the dawn of time. We're still here last I checked.

Also, it's a calendar cycle. There are still Mayans that are living and they have stated that it's a calendar cycle.

Oh and for the record, I always though of Nostradamus as the dude with a vicious paranoia streak that made Tony Montana blush and a drinking problem.

And to add, "I don't worry about nothing because worrying is a waste of my time." Axl Rose. Also, look up Penn and Teller's Bullshit regarding the end of the world.

[Greenday]

Oh and for the record, I always though of Nostradamus as the dude with a vicious paranoia streak that made Tony Montana blush and a drinking problem.

If I can recall correctly, he was on drugs.

Not going to lie, if the world ended in 2012, I'd be pissed. But it's not going to happen.

[protege]

A lot of things will happen in 2012 (just like every year), and many people will try to correlate any big events with the Mayan prophecy.

That's how I see it too. The way people were portraying the year 2000, you'd think the world would have ended. Guess what, we're still here :p With that said, I think that 2012, 2013, et al, are going to be pretty much the same. Reminds me of the nutjobs downtown, warning people "repent, the end is near." Gee, some of them have been holding those signs nearly 20 years ago. Guess the end isn't as close as he thought :rolleyes:

[Dreamstalker]

"I predict that the world will end on February 14th in the year 2016."
"Valentine's day. Bummer."

Call me jaded, but I've heard too much about end-of-the-world/rapture dates (1990, 1999, 200, etc) that end up passing uneventfully to believe that anything "bad" is going to happen.

2012 is as far as the Mayan calendar cycle would go at the time of its creation. That's all. Weird that we don't hear as much about other religious calendars that are due to come to a cycle end soon.

[IDrinkaRum]

I say we have a huge party on December 31, 2012. We all get together in like ... I don't know .... North Dakota, Idaho, West Virginia, somewhere and party likes it's 2012 or something. :o Okay, back to the regularly scheduled topic. :p

[BlaqueKatt]

I believe that the Myan calender merely cycles, not that it stops but that once you reach the end of one cycle you start at the beginnning...


True to an extent-Per the Mayan calender the world does not "end" as we think of it-it begins a new age-the world has "ended" by their calender 5 times already-2012 will be the 6th "end".

[DesignFox]

I'm with Rum. Let's have an "end of the world" party. :D

Seriously, I think that stuff's crazy. No offense. How many times over has the world ended in the past century??? Last time I checked, I'm still alive...

[Slytovhand]

I think you're all in denial... You actually died a few millenia ago, but can't let it all go, so you're creating all these 'lives', and believing that you're still here typing on forums and all.....



:D



Yeah - how many times has the world come to an end? Enough to say it's not likely to this time... besides, the way things are going on this planet, it'll happen well before 2012. Maybe someone in Israel will do a pre-emptive on Iran, and that'll start the ball rolling (or nukes flying, as the case may be....)

And Nostradamus... I'm getting right over hearing that name attached to anything (not that I don't think he didn't have some talent, but his interpretations were all cut up and rearranged so he didn't get in trouble by the reigning royals at the time... makes it a bit hard to interpret now....)


Slyt

[rahmota]

Sad as the world is right now it might not be a bad thing if human society collapses.

But yeah the mayan calender cycles through various "ages" and this will be the 6th age of the world.

[Slytovhand]

Sad as the world is right now it might not be a bad thing if human society collapses.

But yeah the mayan calender cycles through various "ages" and this will be the 6th age of the world.


As long as it doesn't take the rest of the planet with it, that sounds cool :p

I've never been one for the 'human supremacy' thing - for the most part, humans are just another animal.

And perhaps, just perhaps, there's been a form of humanity around on this planet numerous times before, and good ole Mother Nature has managed to wipe it out and start all over again. Just cos they haven't found the evidence doesn't necessarily mean that there weren't some sort of people running around with the dinosaurs... (just sayin'... that's all...)

[Bloodsoul]

I'm thinking of standing on a busy street corner with a sign saying "You have no chance to survive make your time."

..think it'll go over well?

[rahmota]

Whats really funnny is three people I know who are wiccans, 2 people who claim to be psychic and 1 christian have all told me that there is something big building up and/or we are on the cusp of a major psychic/spiritual shift in the world. Sooooo maybe that party might be a good idea. That way if they are right either we wont have to worry about the hangover the next day or it'll be one helluva doozy.

[Slytovhand]

Probably - everyone will go out, get pissed, do completely ridiculous things in anticipation of it all - and then have to come back to reality the day after... that'll totally destroy the world (oooh - repercussions from last nights shenanigans...oops :p)

[miyon]

There are a number of events that are supposed to happen on Dec 21th 2012.
The Mayan calender ending.
A reversal in the gravitational field!
Winter Solstice Sun with the crossing point of the Galactic Equator (Equator of the Milky Way) and the Ecliptic (path of the Sun),
Etc Etc, I dont care.

Thing is, Dec 21st, 2012 is my birthday so I am hoping I get a super wish granted and the whole universe blows itself up.

[Slytovhand]

I'm presuming Miyon is being a bit satirical, but just in case you're not.... what???

What the hell is a "reversal in the gravitational field!"??

And the Winter Solstice happens every year, but on that particular year isn't apparently much better than we're likely to get other than any other particular year in this little cycle (given a few hundred thousand years of rotations...)

Eitherway... I'll put in an early Happy Birthday :D


Slyt

[miyon]

Thanks on the Bday.

Actually all the stuff I listed can be found online on 2012 doomsday websites.

The Mayan calender will "end" on that date, but like many mention, it is more then likely it will just reset itself back to 1 or the beginning rotation.

The Gravity thing is, to me, very confusing because most sites differ on what it means or what it will do.
The only bits I can gather is that the Earth has a wobble in its rotation and every millions, thousand, hundred (again each site says different things) the wobble slowly gets stronger until it does something like, flip/flops and the earth rotates at a different axis.
(again please note, I barely understand it and there are very few websites that agree on what it means)

As for the winter solstice it is some kind of alignment with the center of the milky-way and I can honestly say, I got no clue what that means to the Earth.

What i posted before was copied from one of those webpages, I forget which one.
Oh, also note that the things I did list in that other post are like 3 possible things that will happen on that day out of about 100 other possible things that will happen.
So the long and short of it, a bunch of stuff that no one can agree on will happen on my birthday so I think its kind of fun.

Example:
http://www.greatdreams.com/2012.htm
"The date December 21st, 2012 A.D. (13.0.0.0.0 in the Long Count), represents an extremely close conjunction of the Winter Solstice Sun with the crossing point of the Galactic Equator (Equator of the Milky Way) and the Ecliptic (path of the Sun), what that ancient Maya recognized as the Sacred Tree. This is an event that has been coming to
resonance very slowly over thousands and thousands of years. It will come to resolution at exactly 11:11 am GMT. "

http://www.godrealized.com/2012.html - I cant put into words how crazy the stuff on this site says about the 2012 theory

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=686 - this one disputes a lot, but also gives more information about the astronomical stuff I listed above.

[IDrinkaRum]

According to Sun, which is a trash magazine that is a wannabe Weekly World News magazine, there is an article in their July 14, 2008 issue about a new Dead Sea scroll prophecy. It says (supposedly) that Judgment Day is 9/11/08. There will be no warning. Nothing. God will not come down to judge us one at a time, but our fates will already be determined before hand.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming. :D




Yes, I do read trash magazines, but it's only for the entertainment value. I do not believe a word they write between their pages. Thank you. :p

[crazylegs]

The Gravity thing is, to me, very confusing because most sites differ on what it means or what it will do.

It's probably the Magnetic field that will switch, however I'm not aware of there being any reliable method of working out when that will be.

The only difference you'll note is that your compass needle will face south instead of north.

[Slytovhand]

If it's the magenetic field, yes.. I've heard of that one changing. I've also heard that can be a major problem of the catastrophic kind (apparently there are fossil records to indicate this...??? I'm about to finish work and couldn't be bothered to do any searching...). But then, it's supposed to happen sometime in the next 1000 years or so....

IDAR... is that November or September? (being used to a dd/mm/yy format here...)

[IDrinkaRum]

Slyt - sorry, about that! September 11, 2008 will be the day that the world ends. At least according to the Dead Sea Scrolls & the Sun.

[lordlundar]

And let me guess, they started declaring this after 9/11/2007, right?:D

[blas87]

The only good thing that could come of the world ending in 2012 would be that I wouldn't have to live to be the only one of my friends who grows up to be a single old spinster...and I could get a 5 year loan right NOW and never have to finish paying it ;)

In all reality, I don't believe the hype. Some of my coworkers saw a program about 2012 on the History channel and are dead convinced that science and history are right, Nostradomus predicted this, etc etc, and that this WILL happen. I think they are paranoid. Mind you, these people refuse to believe in the paranormal, but think the world is going to end in 4 short years.

So many times, the world has been predicted to end on such and such a day and year. I doubt it.