Pesquisar este blog

sexta-feira, 11 de novembro de 2011

Diana Krall , the moon, the night and us....


Yosemite National Park

Photo: Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park in California boasts deep valleys, a grove of ancient sequoia trees, waterfalls splashing into Yosemite Valley, and hundreds of wildlife species.
Photograph by Mary Lundin, submitted to My Shot

Location: California
Established: October 1, 1890

Size: 761,267 acres (308,074 hectares)
In a high-country meadow two hikers crouch near the edge of a mirroring lake and watch a pika as it harvests blades of grass for a nest deep within a huge rock pile. When they resume walking, there is no other person in sight for as far as they can see. And on this sparkling summer's day, the view seems endless.
In the valley's crowded mall, families stroll by, eating ice cream, dodging bicycles. People pile in and out of buses. Shoppers hunt for souvenirs. Kids hang around a pizza place. Rock climbers, coils of rope slung over their shoulders, swap stories over beer on a patio. On a summer's day about 14,000 people are in Yosemite Village.
Both the solitude of the alpine ridge and the throngs of the valley are part of the experience when you visit Yosemite National Park. "No temple made with human hands can compare with Yosemite," wrote John Muir, whose crusading led to the creation of the park. To this temple come 3.3 million visitors annually. And about 90 percent of them go to the valley, a mile-wide (1.6 kilometer-wide), 7-mile-long (11-kilometer-long) canyon cut by a river, then widened and deepened by glacial action. Walled by massive domes and soaring pinnacles, it covers about one percent of the park. In summer, the concentration of autos brings traffic jams and air pollution.
Beyond the valley, some 800 miles (1,290 kilometers) of marked trails offer hikers easy jaunts or grueling tests of endurance in the High Sierra wilderness. Even the casual visitor can explore this solitude without getting outfitted for a backpack expedition.
This park, roughly the size of Rhode Island, is a United Nations World Heritage site. Here, in five of the seven continental life zones, live the mule deer and chipmunks of the valley and the marmots and pikas of the heights; the brush rabbit and chaparral of the near desert; the dogwood and warblers of mid-elevation forests; the red fir and Jeffrey pine of mile-high forests; the dwarf willow and matted flowers of Yosemite's majestic mountains.

Did You Know?

Towering more than 350 stories above Yosemite Valley, El Capitan is the largest exposed granite monolith in the world.
The park’s giant sequoia trees can live to be more than 3,000 years old.
Yosemite Falls usually stops flowing in late August. The cascade is fed solely by snowmelt, so the peak flow is in late May, when high snows in the Sierra Nevada melt. Over the warm summer months the flow dries up—but returns around October, when snow again begins to fall.
Copy for this series includes excerpts from the National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States, Sixth Edition, 2009, and the National Parks series featured in National Geographic Traveler.

E o mundo não se acabou (Assis Valente)





Vampiro - Caetano Veloso


Caetano Veloso - Vampiro

Eu uso óculos escuros pras minhas lágrimas esconder
E quando você vem para o meu lado, ai, as lágrimas
começam a correr
E eu sinto aquela coisa no meu peito
Eu sinto aquela grande confusão
Eu sei que eu sou um vampiro que nunca vai ter paz no
coração
Às vezes eu fico pensando porque é que eu faço as
coisas assim
E a noite de verão ela vai passando, com aquele seu
cheiro louco de jasmim
E eu fico embriagado de você
Eu fico embriagado de paixão
No meu corpo o sangue não corre, não, corre fogo e
lava de vulcão
Eu fiz uma canação cantando todo o amor que eu sinto
por você
Você ficava escutando impassível e eu cantando do teu
lado a morrer
E ainda teve a cara de pau
De dizer naquele tom tão educado
"Oh! pero que letra más hermosa, que habla de un
corazón apasionado"
Por isso é que eu sou um vampiro e com meu cavalo
negro eu apronto
E vou sugando o sangue dos meninos e das meninas que
eu encontro
Por isso é bom não se aproximar
Muito perto dos meus olhos
Senão eu te dou uma mordida que deixa na sua carne
aquela ferida
Na minha boca eu sinto a saliva que já secou
De tanto esperar aquele beijo, ai, aquele beijo que
nunca chegou
Você é uma loucura em minha vida
Você é uma navalha para os meus olhos
Você é o estandarte da agonia que tem a lua e o sol do
meio-dia

Das 7 novas maravilhas do mundo, duas são nossas...

Tropical rainforest canopy in morning fog, Amazon River Basin, Ecuador (© Theo Allofs/Corbis)

The world has voted: Here are the provisional new seven wonders of nature, as determined by results of the multiyear global campaign sponsored by Swiss-based New Open World Corp. (Final ballots are still being counted.) These were winnowed from a field of 28 contenders: Read more about how the contest was conducted on the Travel Blog. Do you agree with the final list? Disagree? Weigh in here.

Text by Bing Travel editors; photo editing by Connie Ricca.

The Amazon rainforest spans the borders of nine South American countries, with the largest portion in Brazil. The Amazon River, the main artery of the rainforest, has more than 1,000 known tributaries, and 17 of those are at least 1,000 miles long. The rainforest has the highest biodiversity on Earth, sustaining life for thousands of plants, bird, fish, mammal and insect species.


Iguazu Falls, Brazil (© Theo Allofs/Corbis)

Iguazu Falls, on the border of Argentina and Brazil: This semicircular splendor consists of 275 waterfalls on the Iguazu River, surrounded by subtropical rain forest and sporting trails, catwalks and boat rides for visitors. Most of the falls are about 210 feet high, though some are up to 269 feet high, and they extend nearly two miles wide.

http://www.bing.com/travel/content/search?q=New+7+Wonders+of+Nature%3a+Amazon+Rainforest%2c+South+America&FORM=TRSSPG

Futuros amantes - Gal Costa

"just in case"

Sei não, heim? "just in case", dei um banho de cheiro na minha casa e em mim e voltei pra cama! Até amanhã, beijos!!! regina
 

The 11-11-11 Event . United



O que vai acontecer no dia 11/11/11 às 11h11?

SE VIENE EL FIN DEL MUNDO

 

Por Marco Antonio L.

Da AFP

Esotéricos estão ansiosos para chegada do 11/11/11 às 11H11

Os numerólogos esperam com ansiedade a próxima sexta-feira, dia 11 de novembro de 2011. Quando faltar 49 minutos para o meio dia, o relógio marcará 11H11 do 11/11/11, um raro número que, para os adeptos das ciências ocultas, pode indicar a ocorrência de eventos incomuns.
Para a maioria das pessoas é apenas uma coincidência de relógio e calendário que acontece uma vez a cada 100 anos, mas numerólogos e esotéricos procuram sinais do que isto pode significar.
p>Alguns acreditam no início de um humanismo renovado, de uma nova harmonia no mundo, a abertura de um portal para outra dimensão ou até, uma revolução da consciência.
Centenas de aficionados pelas ciências ocultas planejam se reunir neste dia para cerimônias e danças. Várias páginas dedicadas a esta data apareceram no facebook.
A Organização Nacional dos Cegos Espanhóis (ONCE) organizará uma loteria especial com um prêmio de 11 milhões de euros.

Os médiuns e sacerdotes paranormais mais renomados comentaram sobre a importância da sincronia das 11h11 do dia 11/11/11 como o israelense Uri Geller e o americano Solara.
Fanáticos do Spinal Tap, um filme de 1984 baseado em fatos reais e imaginários que descreve uma banda de hard rock e onde o número 11 tem um significado especial, também ressaltaram essa importância.
"Ter um triplo número em uma data é, sem dúvida, de grande importância", disse Solara à AFP. "Vejo uma grande mudança na consciência do planeta e isto coincide com a data", acrescentou o médium.
Solara vive no Peru e mantém em segredo seus planos para o dia 11/11/11. Ele revelou que grupos em mais de 50 países vão aproveitar a ocasião para sentar em silêncio e meditar.
Alguns numerólogos atribuem ao número 11 poderes paranormais que criarão um canal de comunicação com o subconsciente. Outros sustentam que o número representa a dualidade do bem e do mal na Humanidade.
Na internet, blogueiros insistem no caráter místico do 11, que segundo eles pode estar associado aos desastres como os ataques do 11 de setembro de 2001 nos Estados Unidos.
A profecia de São Malaquias, que no século XI previu que existiriam 112 papas antes do apocalipse bíblico, também foi citado. O atual papa, Bento XVI, é o de número 111.
A data 11 é historicamente carregada de significados. Além dos atentados de 2001, o armistício da Primeira Guerra Mundial foi firmado às 11H00 da manhã do dia 11 de novembro de 1918.
"Existe uma sincronia interessante no fato de que muitos eventos estão associados com o número 11", observou Ellie Crystal, uma blogueira que se apresenta como exploradora da metafísica do mundo.
Para John Hoopes, professor de pensamento crítico na Universidade do Kansas, todas estas teorias pseudocientíficas são exemplos perfeitos do "viés de confirmação de hipóteses". É a tendência de privilegiar a informação que confirma as ideias pré-concebidas, sem levar em conta as outras que contradizem, afirmou.

http://www.advivo.com.br/blog/luisnassif/o-que-vai-acontecer-no-dia-111111-as-11h11

Data cabalística

Para asiáticos, 11 de novembro de 2011 é o dia de mais sorte no amor do século
Na Malásia, casais aproveitam a data simbólica para casar/AFP
SHANGHAI - Milhares de casais por toda a Ásia, e também na Europa, trocam os votos de casamento ou marcam encontros para tentar achar a cara metade no dia que, para os asiáticos, é a mais importante data do amor no século: o 11/11/11.

O dia 11 de novembro é marcado na China como o Dia dos Solteiros desde os anos 90, devido à repetição do número 1 em quatro vezes. Inspirados na data, chineses aproveitam o dia para tentar acabar com a solidão e encontrar um companheiro. Este ano, reza a lenda que a data vai atrair ainda mais sorte para os apaixonados por causa do 11 a mais do ano de 2011.
FOTOGALERIA: Veja imagens das comemorações
Em Shangai, milhares de apaixonados marcaram o casamento para esta sexta-feira e muitos esperam até as 11h11m para dizer o "sim". Na Malásia, cerca de mil casais trocaram votos de matrimônio. As celebrações devem durar até sábado, quando mais 10 mil noivos e noivas formarão "a passeata do amor", nas ruas da China.
Em algumas regiões da Alemanha e na Itália, o dia 11 de novembro marca o início das festas de Carnaval. Muitos foliões aproveitaram a tradição asiática para se fantasiar ou para celebrar namoros e casamentos em meio à festa.
Já no Egito, nada de casamentos. O governo fechou a visitação das maiores pirâmides de Giza, Khufu e Cheops, temendo que religiosos invadissem o local para promover "rituais judeus" ou "de Maçonaria". Mustafa Amin, chefe da gerência do local, informou que as pirâmides estariam fechadas por "razões de manutenção" de quinta-feira à noite até sábado de manhã, mas não admitiu os boatos sobre os rituais.


Leia mais sobre esse assunto em http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/mat/2011/11/11/para-asiaticos-11-de-novembro-de-2011-o-dia-de-mais-sorte-no-amor-do-seculo-925781519.asp#ixzz1dPfprD71
© 1996 - 2011. Todos os direitos reservados a Infoglobo Comunicação e Participações S.A.

11/11/11 aka 11-11-11

How to Interpret 11/11/11 aka 11-11-11; Friday, November 11, 2011. + Eclipse Schedule. + Metaphysics Experiment. 11:11

The sunspot cycle is approximately eleven years.

 
Welcome random search engine visitor. Many philosophies believe that you somehow ended up on this page for a reason. It is not known if it is the result of predestination, random chance, fate, a higher power, or something else.
This article provides a synopsis of the possible implications of the 11/11/11 date singularity and of the number eleven; followed by a quick metaphysics experiment.
Reference List: Date 11/11/11, Date 111111, Date 11/11/2011, Date 11-11-11, Date 11 11 11. Time 11:11
Reference List: Astronomy, Mathematics, Gambling, Veterans Day, Historical.
Reference List: (Not) Numerology, Astrology, Tarot Cards; i.e. -Numerology, -Astrology, -Tarot Cards.
Reference List: Metaphysics, Paranormal, Fate, Destiny, Random Chance, a Higher Power.
Reference List: Prediction, Predictions.


11/11/11 (a.k.a. 11-11-11); Friday, November 11, 2011: Mathematics

The number eleven is the fifth prime number (contrary to popular belief, the number one ( 1 ) is not a prime number).
The base numeric number system lends itself to some interesting peculiarities as relates to the number eleven.
Base 10 for example:
(2 digits) 11 x 11 = 121
(6 digits) 111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
(9 digits) 111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
Base 16 (hexadecimal) for example:
(2 digits) 11 x 11 = 121
(6 digits) 111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
(9 digits) 111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

11/11/11; Friday, November 11, 2011: Gambling

Blackjack players love the number eleven. It usually means time to double down, but not always.
Dice players love the number eleven. On the come-out roll, it’s as good as the number seven. Do not ask the crap dealers how to bet 11 the hardway…
The number eleven is a popular lottery number. This results in the per-person payouts being a little below average when eleven is one of the winning numbers.
The number eleven is a popular keno number. One wonders if the casinos and slot machine manufacturers make use of that fact…
President Eisenhower signing HR7786, changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
 

11/11/11; Friday, November 11, 2011: Veterans Day (formerly known as Armistice Day)

(Source: United States Department of Veterans Affairs):
<start>
World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France.
However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”
<end>
It is very likely that Veterans Day will be remembered/observed/celebrated much more than usual on November 11th, 2011.

11/11/11 (a.k.a. 11-11-11); Friday, November 11, 2011: Historical

The Great Blue Norther of 11/11/11:
"One-hundred years ago, November 11th, 1911: The Great Blue Norther descended upon America. The day started fine; there were even record highs for that time of year. Then it all changed; temperatures began to drop. Within the space of ten minute: the temperature dropped 40 to 50 degrees; by midnight a 66 degree temperature drop was recorded. There were dust storms, thunderstorms, tornados, and blizzards. Over 300 deaths were reported."
In the interests of full disclosure: NOAA.gov reports that sudden 50 degree temperature drops, though unusual, are not that rare. See chart below.
The Great Blue Norther acquired its name not from the extreme temperature changes, but from the accompanying weather phenomena.

11/11/11 (a.k.a. 11-11-11); Friday, November 11, 2011: Historical

Even when taking into account the differences between the Gregorian and Julian calendars:
Nothing significant appears to have happened nine-hundred years ago during the year 1111.
Nothing significant appears to have happened a thousand years ago during the year 1011.
Nothing significant appears to have happened two thousand years ago during the year 11.
The Dark Ages spanned the 5th to 15th centuries (approximately 450 -1450).

Schedule of Solar and Lunar Eclipses for Year 2011

Partial Solar Eclipse: Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Partial Solar Eclipse: Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Total Lunar Eclipse: Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Partial Solar Eclipse: Friday, July 1, 2011
Partial Solar Eclipse: Friday, November 25, 2011
Depending on your location, your results may vary.

11/11/11 (a.k.a. 11-11-11); Friday, November 11, 2011: Singularity Summary

Most predictions and opinions concerning 11/11/11 are based on or rooted in its mathematical uniqueness as a number.
11*11*11: There are three possible scenarios:
1. Something good happens— There is absolutely no scientific basis for this belief. There are no known logical premises for this belief. The belief that something good will happen is based solely on spiritualism, faith, and/or innate optimism. This belief is not necessarily a bad thing; we don’t know everything; the probability is not zero.
2. Nothing happens— This is the most likely scenario. Just because an unusual date number sequence occurs doesn’t mean that something extraordinary will happen. Usually it’s a non-event.
3. Something bad happens— There is absolutely no scientific basis for this belief. There are no known logical premises for this belief. The belief that something bad will happen is based solely on pessimism of reality. This belief is not necessarily false; after all, things are generally/usually a mess. The probability is not zero.

 http://paradigmsearch.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Interpret-111111-Friday-November-11-2011-And-a-Metaphysics-Experiment-111111

11:11 Digital Time Code



11:11 Digital Time Code






The number 11 represents twin spiraling DNA and our Reality as a Consciousness Hologram with 11 being a Master or Masonic Number. People see 11 more and more as consciousness evolves.

The first time I heard about 11:11 was in 1991, when I was hosting the talk show "The Metaphysical Experience", and Solara was my guest. Her topic was Activation of the 11:11 Doorway. It was all about ascension and the beginning of awareness of the 11:11 code. In 1995, a Crystalinks' reader named Joe emailed about his experiences with the numbers 111:111, hence the file you are reading was first created and in so doing I took a long hard look at this phenomena experienced by those around me. Each time Joe was about to go through another major spiritual awakening, an epiphany of some kind, those numbers would appear in his physical experience to signal the upcoming change. The numbers say, "Pay attention!"






Reality is Binary Code


Reality is a consciousness program (hologram, simulation, illusion) created by digital codes. Numbers, numeric codes, define our existence. Human DNA, our genetic memory, is encoded to be triggered by digital codes at specific times and frequencies. Those codes awaken the mind to the change and evolution of consciousness. 11:11 is one of those codes, meaning activation of human DNA.
The brain is an electrochemical machine that processes through binary code - zeroes and ones that create patterns of experience and realities. 11 is part of that code. in this timeline associated with awakening the the nature of reality - who we are, why we are here and where it is all rapidly going. We exist in a consciousness computer simulation.




http://www.crystalinks.com/11.11.html

Looking for luck on 11/11/11

You're out of luck if you were hoping to get hitched at The Elvis Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, where a $1,111.11 "Pink Caddy Wedding Package" - which includes a "once in a lifetime" entrance in a 1964 convertible - is booked solid for the auspicious day.
By Gabriel Bouys, AFP/Getty Images


But there are plenty of other incentives to celebrate good fortune on Friday, and not just in Vegas (where come-ons range from $11 appetizer and drink specials at restaurants in Aria at CityCenter to a two-night, $11,111 package at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, including penthouse digs and concert tickets to Santana).

Starting at 11:00 a.m. EDT on 11/11/11, travelers can book Sunday night-stays for $111.11 at Affinia Hotels in New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. The deal is valid for travel Jan. 2, 2012 – March 31, 2012, and the booking window closes at 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday. To book, use promo code ELEVEN.

The Jefferson Hotel in Washington, DC is offering an 11-course tasting menu for $111.11 per person, with such options as a butternut squash tartlet, crispy-skin Arctic char, seared foie gras, and a dark chocolate palet with hazelnut ice cream and lemon cotton candy. A paired tasting of 11 wines costs an extra $111.11.

Orlando's Reunion Resort has an $11 menu at its Eleven restaurant, along with $111 room rates (per person, based on double occupancy) from 11/09 through 11/13.

And tourism promoters in central New York's Finger Lakes (yes, there are 11 lakes) are offering themed specials at local wineries, hotels, restaurants and other businesses, from $11 bottles of Riesling at Inspire Moore Winery to free bed and breakfast stays for veterans the night of Nov. 10 as part of a nationwide B&B for Vets program.

11/11/11 tied to Mayan apocalypse prophesy

Friday's numerical date is written out as 11/11/11. And for some people, that number sequence is more than a coincidence or inevitability -- it's a spiritual signal linked to 2012 Mayan prophecies of both doom and spiritual renewal.

Nov. 11, 2011 mythologies are pervasive on New Age corners of the Internet, with believers suggesting that 11/11 numerical sequences are signals from angels or numbers with hidden meanings. Even people who think little of numerology are finding meaning in the day: The Orlando Sentinel reports that Walt Disney World will host 11 weddings on 11/11/11.
But perhaps the most intriguing 11/11/11 mythology to pop up is the number's link with the supposed 2012 Mayan Apocalypse. The ancient Mayan long-count calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012, and some people believe that this date will usher in a new spiritual era, or even doomsday. Nov. 11, 2011 most likely became linked with Dec. 21, 2012 when believers noticed that the U.S. Naval Observatory had set the exact time of the 2012 winter solstice for 11:11 Universal Time on Dec. 21, according to John Hoopes, a scholar of Maya history at the University of Kansas.
"It's essentially based on the notion of synchronicities," Hoopes told LiveScience. Synchronicities are meaningful coincidences, he said. And while everyone has a psychological tendency to find minding in random patterns the subcultures that believe in 2012 mythology tend to be those that dabble in psychedelics and cannabis, drugs that increase feelings of synchronicity.
"If it seems like the 2012 mythology was thought up by people on drugs, it's because it was," Hoopes said.
The meaning of 11

Indeed, the U.S. Naval Observatory now lists the official time of the 2012 winter solstice, when Earth's tilt is angled as far away as possible from the sun, at 11:12 Universal Time on Dec. 21. This has not stopped 2012 believers from focusing on the 11:11 time.

In part, this is because 11:11 mythology has been floating around online for some time. The website 1111spiritguardians.com holds that noticing a clock when the time is 11:11 is a signal from "1,111 fun-loving Spirit Guardians, or Angels." Other times, such as 12:12, 10:10 or 12:34 are messages, too, according to the site.

These numbers may seem special to people because they stick in our minds, Hoopes said. No one remembers looking at the clock when the numbers don't make a pattern.

"People are more likely to remember 11:11 than they are, say, 4:29 or 6:53 or 3:17 or something like that," Hoopes said.

Psychologists call the temptation to find patterns in random data pareidolia. This phenomenon is also responsible for visions of the Virgin Mary in toast or other objects.

Once you accept 11 as a meaningful number -- whether because it looks so symmetrical or because you keep seeing it on your digital watch -- it's easy to find the number everywhere. One article on the website 2012rising.com ties together the Mayan calendar, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the average length of polarity reversals of the sun's magnetic field, and the author making post number 1111 on a 2012 message board.

"The sun having an 11.11 year cycle, the winter solstice of 2012 falling at 11:11 and people all over the world finding themselves bombarded with 11's [sic] just as science is predicting some kind of majestic solar event at the peak of this current cycle seems more than coincidence," the author writes.

(Solar activity does indeed peak about every 11 years, potentially disrupting satellite communications, but according to NASA, there is no special risk associated with 2012 and the peaks are not expected to be different than previous historical peaks.)

11/11/11 Predictions

With all these 11s to pluck from, 11/11/11 predictions are flowing fast. New Age adherents have predicted everything from end-of-world scenarios to the ushering in of a new spiritual era.

"The buzz on the net and on Twitter and elsewhere is that 11/11/11 is the unofficial start of the 2012 metaphysical year," Hoopes said.

Even moviemakers are cashing in on the action, with a horror/thriller movie titled "11-11-11" set for release on the date. The plot of the movie centers on a scary, mysterious force that will enter the Earthly realm at 11:11 on 11/11/11.

Non-commercial predictions tend to be more positive than doom-centered, however. The number 11 is seen as a signal that all people are one, for example, and the date is more likely to be seen as an end to greed and disconnection than as an end to humanity. That puts 11/11/11 prophets in a different class than those such as Harold Camping, who predicted a Biblical doomsday in late October.

Whatever modern people may think of the Mayan calendar, it's not clear what, if any, significance the Maya would have placed on the end of their long count of days, Hoopes said.

"The reality is that the Mayas did keep track of large cycles of time, and there is a large cycle of time that began in 3013 B.C. on our calendar, and there are reasons to think that the cycle reaches a significant number on Dec. 21, 2012," Hoopes said.

But what that might have meant to the Mayas is an open question, Hoopes said. The Mayan people tended to see time as cyclical, he said, with important events echoing themselves on corresponding dates in a cycle. In that case, he said, the end of the calendar might have been seen as a new beginning.

"But it's fair to say there's disagreement about that, and some of the leading Maya scholars are skeptical," Hoopes said.

Notably, Hoopes said, Mayan end-of-the-world prophecies don't appear in the historical record until after the group made contact with Christian missionaries -- a bunch of people with their own strong beliefs about the end of days.

In fact, astrological end-time predictions were popular in the 1500s, when Franciscan missionaries began voyaging to the New World. In 1524, Hoopes said, an astrological conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter spurred fears of a second Great Flood, touching off panic.

"They were actually preparing for this catastrophe by buying real estate on high places and by stocking up on whatever the 16th-century equivalent of duct tape and bottled water was," Hoopes said.

Biblical doomsday predictions would have certainly made it to Mayan ears, Hoopes said. In other words, Mayan prophecies simply appropriated Christian theology.

"The world for the Mayas really did end in the Spanish conquest," Hoopes said. "So they incorporated that into their explanation of what was happening to them."

The Mayan calendar may resonate today simply because the ancient Maya are seen as an exotic culture with an advanced spirituality, Hoopes said. A century ago, he added, people believed the same thing about Indian and Chinese culture.

What keeps the mythology alive, today, however, is the Internet and social networking, Hoopes said. In that way, he added, believers in a 2012 transformation of consciousness might be right.

"The world is changing because of this transformation of consciousness through the digital network," he said. "I would not be surprised if in the future people looked back and said, 'Oh yes, it was 2012 when all that happened.'"


End of the World? Top Doomsday Fears
Top Ten Unexplained Phenomena
Oops! 11 Failed Doomsday Predictions

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57322774/11-11-11-tied-to-mayan-apocalypse-prophesy/