Community Corner

Do You Expect the World to End on Dec. 21, 2012?

With end of the Maya's "long count" calendar set for Dec. 21, there have been predictions about the world coming to an end. Will you be having an End of the World Party on Dec. 21 or do you still expect to be around the next day.

There are reportedly many parties planned for Dec. 20 or 21 this year, just in case. With the "long count" calendar of the Ancient Mayans coming to an end that day, some people are a little pessimistic about any calendar continuing past that date.

Experts on the matter, however, say we've got nothing to worry about. According to an article on nbcnews.com, "Experts estimate the system starts counting at 3114 B.C., and will have run through 13 baktuns, or 5,125 years, around Dec. 21. Experts say 13 was a significant number for the Maya, and the end of that cycle would be a milestone — but not an end."

Some people believe the Maya may have predicted "impending astronomical disasters that would coincide with 2012, ranging from explosive storms on the surface of the sun that could knock out power grids to a galactic alignment that could trigger a reversal in Earth's magnetic field."

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But according to the article, that is not the case. In fact Mayan predictions go way past our present-day, indicating that they expected a future to come even after their long count calendar came to an end.

There have been several predictions of the end of the world, including the May 21, 2011 biblical prediction by then 89-year-old old "minister" Howard Camping. At that time, Patch columnist Ben Cathey made his own prediction that it would not come to pass. Indeed he was right. On May 22, 2011, the sun rose just as surely as it had the day before.

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So what do you think about the predictions of the world ending on Dec. 21, 2012? Will it just be another normal day for you or are you planning an End of the World celebration, just in case?


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