We will soon know whether the self-styled prophets who have predicted the end of the world on December 21, 2011 are right or wrong.
That date is the end of the Mayan calendar. For several years, doomsday prophets have contended that the Mayans knew something that we don't about the end of the world. These end times wackjobs are just the latest in a long line or "end of the world" proclaimers. I confidently predict that the world will continue as usual. It remains to be seen whether the loonies will admit their error or come up with some "explanation" to the effect that they just missed it a few days or weeks or months and now have a better prediction based on a more informed calculation. Can anyone say, "Harold Camping"?
This nonsense has been good for certain sectors of the publishing industry, once more illustrating the old and true proverb--"A fool and his money are soon parted.":
"Since November, at least three new books on 2012 have arrived in mainstream bookstores. A fourth is due this fall. Each arrives in the wake of the 2006 success of2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, which has been selling thousands of copies a month since its release in May and counts more than 40,000 in print."