05 January 2009

Monday Musings...
If there is one thing you can take away from ANY Monday morning, it's that someone SURE got it right by sticking MONDAY at the BEGINNING of the week, rather that right before or during a WEEKEND.
Best to get it over and done with ASAP, right?
Wouldn't you just hate to go Friday, Saturday, MONDAY, Sunday?
Man, that scenario would dry up a wet dream pronto!
So it's GOOD that Monday is where it's at, and the weekend is where IT'S at.
Moving along...
Okay, I admit it...I caved.
I just HAD to watch that History Channel show "Nostradamus 2012".
After watching shows regarding the 7 Deadly Sins, I was so hooked about our impending apocalyptic fate, I couldn't tear myself away...not even for Revenge of the Sith (got that on DVD anyway).
Now, I am already aware that most of Nostradamus's writings are subjective and can be interpreted in a myriad of ways.
But there have been a lot more civilizations that have seen our "end of days".
And it seems we don't have to wait for some iceball or meteoroid to whack us upside our planetary head...
The "Galactic Alignment" might take of that for us very nicely.
The sun will align with the "center" of the Milky Way galaxy...first time in 26,000 years (give or take). And it will occur during the winter solstice (21 DEC) in the year 2012
Sure, it sounds foreboding, and kinda cool too, but think about our current state of affairs right here on Planet Earth.
There are scientists that already postulate we're at the beginning of another possible ICE AGE (keep the thermal undies and hot cocoa handy), or that we're due for a shift in the gravity fields of the planet (gonna play hell with your iPods and Blackberrys, people), or even that our magnetic field will falter and weaken (anyone for an SPS 400 SUNBLOCK?), leaving Earth vulnerable to the cosmic "winds of fate".
Earth is a FRAGILE planet, and it's located in a PRECARIOUS position in the universe.
Think about it...
If the temperature across the planet went up ONLY ten degrees Fahrenheit...we'd be in pretty deep $hit!
If the Earth tilted less than FIVE DEGREES off it's current axis, we'd see climate shifts that would devastate the planet, and eradicate much of life as we know it...again, some pretty deep $hit
If the Earth were to change it's orbit of the sun by ONLY a few THOUSAND MILES (nearer or farther)...we'd either bake to death or freeze to death...yep, you guessed it...some pretty deep $hit.
Now I'm not going out and start hugging some trees....that's just NOT going to happen, but I do realize the potential for disaster, as should the rest of us. We don't have to get on Gore's bandwagon, but we CAN be practical in the manner in which respect this planet.
Let's face it, until something else comes along, we're all pretty much STUCK with THIS planet, so we'd best do what we can to keep it for a spell. Nothing wrong with wanting to take care of something that provides you with LIFE now, is there?
I've spoken here about external causes of Earth's possible demise, such as GRBs (Gamma Ray Bursts) and those nasty EMPs (Electro-Magnetic Pulses) that emanate from stars SO far away, it takes LIGHT over 600 YEARS to get here. Either of these can get us REAL gone, REAL fast.
But much of the world is too busy fighting for LAND (pssst...the planet only has SO MUCH of it..get used to it), WEALTH (and there's always someone that comes along to relieve you of it, no matter how much YOU take from others), POWER (which is as transient as a fart in a stiff breeze), or whatever other whim someone might be disposed of.
I've always been a person that respects the land, much like native Americans do. And I can thank that to all the time I spent in wooded areas hiking, biking, walking, whatever. There is something about the relative calm of such an area.
Yet all of this can be gone if we keep pissing off our planet.
All it takes is ONE 1/2 mile diameter rock to smack us in the kisser to plunge us into another "cold spell"...like the one that offed the dinosaurs.
My dad used to say that "Something that's worth HAVING...is worth KEEPING". Kind of fits the venue regarding this planet, don't you think?
We just have to be a bit more mindful of the "stewardship" we, as the human race have been given.
Sure we're going to screw up now and then...that's how we LEARN.
We can correct those mistakes.
But our ignorance will be our own undoing, if we permit it.
Planet earth has given us a nice ride, so far.
Be a real shame to not show some appreciation along the way.
December 21, 2012...sounds a bit OMINOUS, doesn't it?
It could be the end...or it could merely be a wake-up call.
Either way, we "might" want to keep this date open...
Just in case.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bob,
I've been watching some of the discussion on this topic in other forms of media, and while I'm not ready to accept it as fact, I have already started planning for the possibility that something bad could happen. If my family and I can survive the initial event (not likely in a G.R.B. though), I want a fighting chance, and that requires survival skills as well as the right equipment. (I think you know what I mean) In any event, I'm not likely to resign myself to a fate that I may be able to avoid. My training doesn't allow me to give up, and I suspect your approach would be similar.

Bob G. said...

Jim:
You are correct, sir.

This planet is DUE for "something", and not knowing what that "something" is, makes this whole situation downright scary.
And I'm NOT easily frightened.

But given something like Katrina (only a lot larger), or that tsunami in Indonesia should at least give us reason for pause.

And, as you mention, a fighting chance (with the right training and equipment) makes damn fine sense...
At worst, people like us WILL be ready, even if nothing happens, and that's not a bad deal.

(Next stop: some MREs, water purification tabs...AND more ammo)

Thanks for the great comments and Happy New Year.
Stay safe out there!