Dec 21, 2012

[Sean]

The winter solstice in 2012 was predicted to be some kind of catastrophy or the end of the world by the Mayans, who persisted for several millenia in southern Mexico until the Spanish invaders of the 16th century. There are some interesting videos on YouTube, their astronomical knowledge being extraordinary: it's on this day that the procession of the Earth's axis tilts across the galactic centre...

[beclemund]

I have already started building the bunker and filling it with canned goods. Thank you for the warning.

[Tancata]

The winter solstice in 2012 was predicted to be some kind of catastrophy or the end of the world by the Mayans, who persisted for several millenia in southern Mexico until the Spanish invaders of the 16th century. There are some interesting videos on YouTube, their astronomical knowledge being extraordinary: it's on this day that the procession of the Earth's axis tilts across the galactic centre...

Sean, you need a little less of the cool-aid  .

According to some Mayan mythology, the world ends and begins again (or a new world starts) every 13 baktuns.

That day (in 2012) marks 13 baktuns since the last "reset" of the Long Count calendar in about 3114 BC.

...

Did the world end in 3114 BC (wouldn't the Newgrange-building guys in Ireland, or the early Egyptians have noticed this?  )?

Also, dates beyond 2012 are mentioned in Mayan writings, and there exist higher-level units than baktuns in the Long Count calendar. AFAIR, dates into the 4,000AD range or later have been referenced in various texts...

The Mayans are really, really interesting but not so much from the whole New Age angle, IMO...

[MishaK]

The winter solstice in 2012 was predicted to be some kind of catastrophy or the end of the world

Thank god it won't be a catastrophe. You had me worried there for a moment.

by the Mayans, who persisted for several millenia in southern Mexico until the Spanish invaders of the 16th century.

Actually, the Mayans quite effectively self-destructed well before the Spaniards showed up in internal warfare following a few bad crops and resulting corn shortage. What the Spaniards found and destroyed was a mere shadow of the original civilization.

[PSmith08]

The winter solstice in 2012 was predicted to be some kind of catastrophe or the end of the world by the Mayans, who persisted for several millenia in southern Mexico until the Spanish invaders of the 16th century. There are some interesting videos on YouTube, their astronomical knowledge being extraordinary: it's on this day that the procession of the Earth's axis tilts across the galactic center...

On the plus side, if the Mayans were right, I won't have to pay back my student loans.

In any event: wheels within wheels, my friend. Wheels within wheels.

[beclemund]

On the plus side, if the Mayans were right, I won't have to pay back my student loans.

Just last month I made the last payment on my student loans and just this month I repaid the remaining balance of my wife's loan. It certainly is a fantastic feeling.... One I am sure you would miss deeply should the world implode in 2012. 

[MishaK]

Just last month I made the last payment on my student loans and just this month I repaid the remaining balance of my wife's loan. It certainly is a fantastic feeling.... One I am sure you would miss deeply should the world implode in 2012. 

I'm aiming at experiencing that feeling mid-2008, inshallah. 

[Tancata]

I'm aiming at experiencing that feeling mid-2008, inshallah. 

There's no way you can somehow postpone payment until Dec 22, 2012?

[BachQ]

The winter solstice in 2012 was predicted to be some kind of catastrophy

......... What's your definition of catastrophe? ..........

[MishaK]

There's no way you can somehow postpone payment until Dec 22, 2012?

I'm not following. Why would I want that?

[Tancata]

I'm not following. Why would I want that?

Open your eyes, brother...

[MishaK]

Open your eyes, brother...

Great, but what's the point of being indebted when the apocalypse comes?

[Tancata]

Great, but what's the point of being indebted when the apocalypse comes?

Well...you could use the money for something else in the meantime.

Anyway...when it comes to getting into heaven, being poor is the way to go...

[mahlertitan]

Does this mean i should listen to Pat Robertson too?

[PSmith08]

Great, but what's the point of being indebted when the apocalypse comes?

Think of it as God's student-indebtedness forgiveness program. No pesky government service or other "altruistic" common-good effort: just a plain, old cataclysm. You think the residents of Pompeii weren't thanking the Genius of Rome for making sure that all debts were forgiven? After the 63 CE earthquake (a solid warning about the 79 CE eruption), debts would likely have been pretty high, too.

Just last month I made the last payment on my student loans and just this month I repaid the remaining balance of my wife's loan. It certainly is a fantastic feeling.... One I am sure you would miss deeply should the world implode in 2012. 

I don't know about that. I might even say that I'm dubious, at best. 

[Sean]

Okay Tancata, Mensch, thanks for the spelling lesson & your inevitable scepticism. We'll just have to see.

[Tancata]

Heh...no worries...but there was a reason it was inevitable...  0:)

[Joan]

There are quite a few real Mayan Indians living in the community where I work; humble, hard-working immigrants trying to build a better future for their kids. They don't seem at all concerned about this sort of thing...probably because they're, well, you know, in touch with reality...    Meanwhile plenty of non-Mayans are going to make money by exploiting Mayan culture. It's going to be the Y2K fear-mongering all over again.   

[PSmith08]

Okay Tancata, Mensch, thanks for the spelling lesson & your inevitable scepticism. We'll just have to see.

Hey, listen, I'm already stocking up on stewed peaches, distilled water, and gold bullion. But, before we go on, we must not allow a mineshaft gap.

Now, I'm having my usual drink of grain alcohol and rainwater. Feel free to help yourself to whatever you'd like.

[mahlertitan]

Hey, listen, I'm already stocking up on stewed peaches, distilled water, and gold bullion. But, before we go on, we must not allow a mineshaft gap.

don't forget to bring the women, we must maintain a 10:1 female to male ratio, we have some prodigious breeding to do....