Hmm, according to Wikipedia there is an alternative date of 23rd December:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012

So, I think there are two important points here:

1) No-one knows what time of day this event is supposed to happen (if you know, don't forget to offset for the time difference between South America and Holland) (Oh, and if you're sure, please update Wikipedia. Thx).
2) If nothing happens on the 21st then hold tight for the 23rd, just in case.

I'll be in New Zealand. Probably the first country to see the dawn of that date. Will try to send a message to this forum before the link to the internet melts down.

Of course, on the positive side, it means we won't have to fix the Unix 2038 problem:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem

A

I can understand economic fears and global warming concerns, realistically the US may be even heading towards a soviet union 1990's style burn out soon. Whatever gets a person to prepare for an emergency...but holy cow did you read some of those comments? Wacko. Belief in the Mayan calendar is one thing...vistors from the "10th planet" is quite another.

Whew!
~L

End of world myths (in the sense of detailed but unproven beliefs) are common to most if not all civilizations.

I tend to question the ability of the Mayan empire to accurately predict an apocalyptic event. It was an astounding civilization for its time, with great buildings, an accurate if complicated calendar, etc. However, it also was an empire that was tottering by the time the Spaniards invaded, which allowed the latter to turn neighboring kingdoms against it (an occurrence which its calendar apparently missed). It was a civilization that we believe practiced human sacrifice on a large scale and was mired in superstition to the point that it practically paralyzed itself. I have a little difficuly accepting that these people were nonetheless so in tune with the forces and influences of the universe that they could say with certainty the day it all ends.

If I'm around then, I won't be surprised either way it turns out.

I did not heard the story of the dutch preparing for this. I guess if some are preparing thats good, because most of the dutch people still believe that when something goes wrong the goverment will make the neccesary arrangements.

And I must admit that in most situations they are doing a good job, but once in a while you see that "restoring life to normal" takes somewhat more time, as in a broken powerline wich broke due to snowfall a couple of years ago or more recent, an apache who broke a powerline during a flight.

Everything was restored in a couple of days and no life was in danger, but still it was a nuisance.

But what if some things go wrong at the same time, and with bigger magnitude ?

Some people have speculated that there will be a magnetic reversal of the poles, or some such thing.

There is also the theory that the Earth's crust will shift or some such thing either independently or in conjunction with the magnetic reversal.

These two world ending calamities, according to "experts", have occurred in the past and it is only a matter of time before it occurs again.

The only problem with this type of event, according to "experts", is that the only people who will survive the world ending floods, massive earthquakes, volcanoes, cohabitating cats and dogs , and other natural disasters, will be those afloat on the water, ie Noah and the Ark.

Oh my, we're doomed!

Some of the finest people I know are prostitutes and/or pot smokers. For all their weaknesses pot smokers aren't fanatics who manipulate economies, invade other countries or start wars. Most are perfectly willing to live and let live as long as they are allowed to partake of their drug of choice. IMO I have seen far more problems coming from beer drinkers than tokers.

And if your interested in learning how to live on the streets in the US you could do worse than talk to the hookers. In the US they walk the streets in the worse parts of town alone and negotiate their way around gangs and drug dealers and thugs.

At least in the Netherlands, the civilized nation that it is, they are protected and allowed to ply their trade in a well regulated but open manner.

As for any great events happening on 20012 because the Mayan calender ends ... that is, in the words of one specialist in Mayan culture, stupid. It is like someone a digging up a present -day calender and assuming that because the calender year ends on December 31 that it is prediction of doom.

Even the Mayans knew that when one cycle completed it started again. Sun goes down, sun comes up. Cycle ends, new cycle starts. Along the way something bad, and something good, will happen. Life will go on. And we will muddle through as best we can.

Of course telling people this doesn't sell books quite so well as telling people about imaginary dire predictions of an impending apocalypse. You could make a living out of catering to people's fears.

very interesting. may explain why as of april this year, legislation came in that all new builds in holland have to be 4 or 5 mtrs high before ground level. there has been frenetic building work going on in hellevoetsluis and rotterdam but only to get the ground floor slab down. then the building work has started before april and its being left to 'cure' the concrete

You know, some archeologist is going to dig up another calendar that picks up where the old one left off & we're all going to breathe a sigh of relief. Until someone brings up Nostradamus again.

Tim

Not to worry. The dutch have been in a near constant struggle with the sea for the ownership of the land for hundreds of years. While sea level rise poses an issue it isn't any greater an issue than they started with. Way back then dikes were made of earth, natural stone laid by hand, driven wood piles and the water shifted by wind and equine sweat. Modern hydrology, computer modeling, advanced materials, and engineering have largely leveled the playing field. The challenge is real and it will take resources and determination. But this isn't anything new or unusual for the dutch. They have largely led the way for disaster planning, civil control, massive engineered solutions and damage mitigation.

A 'clear eyed' willingness to face chronic social problems and undertake engineer harm reduction procedures, while avoiding useless moral posturing, is why they are tolerant of both prostitution and pot. Prostitution and drug use are common to all cultures throughout time. Bans, brutality and incarceration have never worked and multiply the damage. Even Iran, which had until recently had tried the punitive approach, has been wise enough to realize that beatings and prisons haven't worked. They recently announced they are shifting to treatment programs.



I would think that the chances of discovering the next Mayan calender would be very slim. In part because the known Mayan calender outlived the classical Mayan culture by hundreds of years. Which also suggests that the Mayans weren't all that good at predicting the future. For their culture the apocalypse arrived a long time ago.

DISCLAIMER: In the event of a magnetic polar shift, Doug Ritter of the non profit ETS foundation is not liable for replacing the PSK button compass. However, Mr Chris Kavanaugh has kindly assembled a compass upgrade kit for the mere cost of $5