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Gone Camping
Thursday, October 20th, 2011 10:49 amI thought I’d take the opportunity to remind everyone to look out for the End of the WorldTM tomorrow. Make sure you put the cat out and turn the lights off, that sort of thing. And have a wee: you don’t want to face eternity with a full bladder; trust me on this1.
“What is the mad sod talking about?” you may ask. Well, think back to May, when the illustrious Harold Camping proclaimed the Rapture on 21 May to be followed by the end of the world on 21st October. Of course, he had to explain that he’d got his calculations wrong when there was no Rapture, but sportingly, he took the blame2 like a grown up and pointed out that he had erred and that what he should have said was that there would be a mass rapture just ahead of the end of the world on 21st October. It was unspoken, but generally accepted that people should continue to line his pockets in the meantime so he could continue to get the word out.
Either way, he is going for 3rd time lucky, here, having predicted the world to end in 1994 (though he did admit in advance that he could be wrong).
Luckily, if he’s wrong (as if that’s likely), there is a fall back position. Other luminaries have the world ending on 21 December 2012 (what is it with the 21st of any given month?), when the Mayan Calendar3 runs out, or switches to digital or something. So really, just to be safe, you should make sure you have 14 months more rent money. Personally, I reckon the chap who was writing the Mayan calendar just ran out of space and thought he’d have a couple of weeks off before nipping down to the stationers and doing the next bit – calendar writers are driven people, but they do like to take regular holidays. It’s not his fault the Spanish turned up and destroyed his culture while he had his feet up drinking a mojito.
1 On the off chance that the world doesn’t end, have a wee anyway. It will enhance your day and your bladder and kidneys will thank you for it.
2And kept the donations from bemused followers.
3Other calendars are available.
“What is the mad sod talking about?” you may ask. Well, think back to May, when the illustrious Harold Camping proclaimed the Rapture on 21 May to be followed by the end of the world on 21st October. Of course, he had to explain that he’d got his calculations wrong when there was no Rapture, but sportingly, he took the blame2 like a grown up and pointed out that he had erred and that what he should have said was that there would be a mass rapture just ahead of the end of the world on 21st October. It was unspoken, but generally accepted that people should continue to line his pockets in the meantime so he could continue to get the word out.
Either way, he is going for 3rd time lucky, here, having predicted the world to end in 1994 (though he did admit in advance that he could be wrong).
Luckily, if he’s wrong (as if that’s likely), there is a fall back position. Other luminaries have the world ending on 21 December 2012 (what is it with the 21st of any given month?), when the Mayan Calendar3 runs out, or switches to digital or something. So really, just to be safe, you should make sure you have 14 months more rent money. Personally, I reckon the chap who was writing the Mayan calendar just ran out of space and thought he’d have a couple of weeks off before nipping down to the stationers and doing the next bit – calendar writers are driven people, but they do like to take regular holidays. It’s not his fault the Spanish turned up and destroyed his culture while he had his feet up drinking a mojito.
1 On the off chance that the world doesn’t end, have a wee anyway. It will enhance your day and your bladder and kidneys will thank you for it.
2And kept the donations from bemused followers.
3Other calendars are available.