Before I begin, I must confirm what a Do-Decade is. It is twelve years. Similar to a dodecagon or dodecahedron, d0deca- means twelve.
Now that that's out of the way, I'll begin. Take a step back in time to 1998. The world was different then. No terrorist threats (at least to my knowledge), no Xbox vs PS3. Not even the PS2. Computers were rather basic in comparison to how they are now. And, of course, the threat of the Y2K bug. Being very young at this time, I got numourous rumours about how and why the Y2K bug was so scary. The most prominent was that all the computers would shut down, simultaneously launching all nuclear weapons, destroying all life on the planet! Strangely, I wasn't scared. I don't think I was old enough to understand the gravity of the situation. Still, with multiple levels of panic, I didn't know what was what.
Then came the inevitable money making schemes. Vast amounts of Y2K merchandise came out. I still own a few Millenium bugs, the little toy game which came out alongside a plethora of other items, made to get rich off of the hype. The funny thing was, those toys came with little bits of information about Y2K. The most important of which lowered my tension 3 months before everyone else.
I'll bet that even now, few people realise the problem wasn't New Year's Day 2000. It was the nineth of September, Nineteen Ninety Nine, or 9/9/99. On some of the older computers this would translate to 9999, the year in which they were set to shut down. At risk computers were either disabled or repaired, and when September 10 came around, I was relieved, though I seemed to be the only one. And even though I told people we were safe, no-one believed me. Who would've guessed.
And now come back to the present. What do have now? No Twin Towers. No national security. No trust in strangers. Online wars between consoles. And: 2012. "Oh, look honey, another end of the world. Get the camera, it may be the last one we'll see for a couple years."
We're getting in fast now aren't we. Already there's a blockbuster movie about it, and several documentries. I suspect within the next 12 months, there'll be toys, games, books and even scams relating to the newest end of the world. One thing I can't wait for is getting a "I survived 2012" T-shirt. I'm not going to quote apparent evidences for the destruction that is 2012, because it does not make sense. I will quote a couple I heard: Nostradamus' prediction (not the first by the way), and the end to the incan calendar. I wouldn't care to trust ancient civilisations predictions. What do they know that we don't? But I ramble.
I will start the scams. I am so certain that 2012 will not end the world I am willing to bet on it. If you are willing to bet against me, e-mail me to make your wager. I'll bet anything, because I won't lose. Give me your best shot.
(Psst. I don't expect anyone to take me up on this, no-one is that silly, right?)
Until next time,
Fui fides tantum in testimonium.
Terrorist Threats Pre-2000: 1983 - United States Embassy bombing takes place. A suicide car bomber stole a van carrying 2,000 pounds of explosives and slammed into the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon killing 63 people including 18 Americans.
ReplyDelete1993 - Mir Aimal Kansi, a Pakistani, fires an AK-47 assault rifle into cars waiting at a stoplight in front of the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters, killing two and injuring three others.
- World Trade Center bombing kills six and injures over 1000 people, by coalition of five groups: Jamaat Al-Fuqra'/Gamaat Islamiya/Hamas/Islamic Jihad/National Islamic Front.
- Failed New York City landmark bomb plot.
1997 - Ali Abu Kamal opens fire on tourists at an observation deck atop the Empire State Building in New York City, killing a Danish national and wounding visitors from the United States, Argentina, Switzerland and France before turning the gun on himself. A handwritten note carried by the gunman claims this was a punishment attack against the "enemies of Palestine".
I assumed you meant American Terrorist acts. There have been many before that as well going back as far as the late 1800's by other extremist groups in many other nations.
I won't take your wager because I know that it's not the end of the world. On the other hand though the points you make are invalid reasons to assume that it wouldn't happen. You create an argument to suggest that it's folly to believe ancient predictions yet do not back it up with sufficient evidence to prove your theory.
I suggest you actually do your research next time.
Just a tip.
(Not trying to be mean or anything)
I will admit that I did no research other then the heresay I've noticed, and my memories of the time.
ReplyDeleteYou caught me out. I'll leave this here as a shame post, with which I'll remind myself of folly. And in reparation, I will do research and re-post an appropriate debunk of 2012.
(I'm aware this doesn't create discussion, but hopefully my next post will.)