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March 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 29/03/2010 11:52 AM Page 16 16 Why 2012 is a hoax! Why 2012 is a hoax! means every creed, class and race on this planet –was a nice touch. By Himmat Singh Yet, leave it up to the U.S. government to treat most of the Earth's population like unicorns, or those who scoffed at Noah for YOU must have heard rumours that on building his ark. Dec 21, 2012, the world will end. Some call it Yet, 2012 flies in the face of the Bible the apocalypse, while others call it doomsday. itself when God told Noah that He would never But how is it possible for somebody, or again destroy the world with a flood. even a community, to pinpoint the exact date, Apparently, those Hollywood types month and year, of the world’s expiration date? either don't read their hotel Bibles as they travel Theorists fuel their claims from two separate from city to city, or they are, in fact, a bunch of sources. heathens. [] The first theory is based on the ancient Mayan calendar, which comes to an abrupt end Will Earth pass through on the above stated date. 2012 disaster flick flooded The next claim is based on the the galactic plane in 2012? controversial prophecy of Nostradamus, a 16th with flaws Century philosopher. This theory has been Jerold LeBlanc According to the computational wizard gaining so much steam that it has become a part Staff writer Jean Meeus (page 301-303 of Mathematical of pop culture. Wetaskiwin Times Astronomy Morsels), the solstice points were in A plethora of books - fiction and non- alignment with the galactic equator as recently fiction have been written on this topic. Jumbo shrimp. as the year 1998. A film has even been created in its Military intelligence. In other words, the 2012 alignment isn’t “honour”. Best disaster movie ever. unique. Consider the view from our local star, Here are reasons why the 2012 end-of- Nothing like an oxymoron to catch your the sun. As seen from the sun, Earth crosses the the-world theory is just a hoax. attention, especially when it's on the front of the Milky Way’s galactic plane (also called the DVD case for the overhyped 2012, now out on galactic equator) twice a year, every year. Mesoamerican Calendar DVD. Or consider the view from Earth. As For those few of the uninformed, 2012 is seen from Earth, the sun crosses the galactic This calendar stipulates that its present about the end of the Mayan long count calendar, plane – also called the galactic equator on our cycle will conclude in December 2012. which actually exists, which some say foretells sky – twice a year, every year. All of this is just But that doesn’t mean that the world will the end of the world. part of Earth’s normal motion, as projected on come to an end as the cycle will restart. Leave it up to Hollywood to come up our sky’s dome, as we travel around the sun. Although many scholars believed in the with a disaster movie loaded with more special Quite by coincidence, the ecliptic – the theory initially, in-depth studies suggested that effects that would make high-tech guru James projection of the Earth’s orbital plane onto the there is no reason to believe in it. Cameron (he of Avatar fame) a tad jealous. stellar sphere – intersects the galactic plane near Don't get me wrong, the jaw-dropping the solstice points. That’s why these points are Nostradamus’ predictions special effects are the real star of the movie. so near each other on our sky’s dome. While John Cusack has the leading role However, it’s true that the sun on the Nostradamus was a 16th Century philosopher of Jackson Curtis, I firmly believe that you December solstice doesn’t return to the same who wrote a collection of prophecies. could have put Madonna – yes, Madonna – in exact spot in front of the backdrop stars every Written in rhyming quatrains, his the starring role, and still provide enough kick year. The solstice point slowly but surely moves prophecies are very vague. at the box office to make even the most grizzled westward through the stars at about one degree People say that he predicted the 9/11 board member laugh all the way to the bank. per every 72 years. (For reference, the sun’s attacks, but there isn’t proof to suggest that any The other major flaw was casting '70s diameter equals about 1/2 degree.) of his prophecies have come true. Hollywood star George Segal (Fun With Dick Therefore, the solstice point moves and Jane), who is 76 years old. about 30 degrees westward every 2,160 years. Planetary collision I kept expecting to see Steve McQueen By the year 2269, the December solstice point as a firefighter, a la 1974s Towering Inferno, or will cross into the constellation Ophiuchus. It is not possible that the world would end in any other cheesy disaster flick from that era. Then the solstices won’t happen so near the such a way, not on Dec 21, 2012 at least. There are, however, some outstanding location of the galactic plane in our sky. If there were to be an inter-planetary or roles by the supporting cast, specifically Woody Take a look at our sky chart. If you could asteroid collision, scientists would have alerted Harrelson as Charlie Frost, a Doomsday radio see the stars during the daytime, you’d see the us as they track objects in outer space. host prophet, who gets the last laugh for all sun in front of the constellation Sagittarius on By using their deep-space probing those years people have called him crazy. each December 21 solstice. We show Sagittarius devices, they can calculate the trajectories of Oh wait, I'm talking about Harrelson's as a Teapot on this sky chart, because many planets and asteroids. God God works in ways career as Woody the bartender on that '80s people are able to see that pattern. On or near we humans know not of. sitcom Cheers. each December solstice, the sun crosses the While a big budget movie demands big plane of the Milky Way galaxy above the spout When will we die? When will our budget stars, people like Danny Glover are of the Teapot, a bit north of the galactic center. dreams be realised? These are but a few wasted in there supporting cast roles. Can you see that intersection? Also look for the questions that we have no answers to. Likewise, Glover, a black U.S. president, does various M-objects along the galactic equator, as only God knows the answer to the question: what every politician should do in time of crisis shown on our chart. Those are star clusters in When will the world end? In short, I would say – step aside and adhere to the mantra every the star-crowded plane of the galaxy. [] that it is foolish for someone to be a believer of woman and child first. the 2012 doomsday theory based on a couple of At least that' what should have The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show ideologies. happened. Weekdays on Yes, the world will someday come to an Special effects aside, 2012 gives end, but that is the prerogative of the Almighty viewers a chance to play a Hollywood version The TalkStar Radio Network himself. [] of Where's Waldo as some of the brightest 2 am - 6 am Eastern minds of our time are gathered up – sort of like 6 pm - 10 pm Eastern Listen to The ‘X’ Zone 27/7/365 at preserving the human race. 10 pm - 2 am Eastern www.xzonetv.com And including the entire world –which www.talkstarradio.com