Cool blog, cool discussion. I've followed this topic specific to 12/21/2012 for quite some time. I'm not as optimistic as some of you, and I tend to be a bit apocalyptic about it all. I'm specifically concerned about the magnet 'north' shift. It seems to have happened before, and will likely happen again. Especially now, from what I've read, the strength of our magnetic pole is at a historical low, possibly waiting for an unusual occurrence such as an alignment of planets, to tip it around. No one knows what effect that shift will have on the natural earth. Of course we can assume an impact on navigation and technology, and anything else that assumes the magnetic north to be where it has customarily been. It’s a crap shoot, as to what will happen. It may all pass as quietly into history as Y2K did.

Interesting to note the similarities of the "end of days" in world-wide cultures. Looking at it from the Christian/LDS standpoint, at the second-coming of Christ, the wicked shall be burned as stubble which has many interpretations pointing cataclysmic events. Whether it be from an asteroid/comet, Volcanic Activity, Nuclear War, whatever, there are signs of the times that are consistent just about in every prophecy. I think we can agree that those things are happening....tsunami's, earthquakes, powerful hurricanes... yet modern Mormon Doctrine has indicated there are many more things yet to happen before Armageddon. Fours years is a long time and lots can happen in that period, so I wouldn't rule out 2012 as being a viable date. As to what happens afterwards seems to be where many cultures/religions diverge. Still it will be interesting to see how it all goes down, not that I am excited to see death and destruction. Boy, that sounded morbid, didn't it?

I can remember when I was a kid worrying about the end of the world
every time some crackpot tent preacher predicted it..then I got smarter
and figured out they were full of shit!

Just incase you wanted to know how much longer you have to live:

http://www.disastercountdown.com/event/mayan/


Start preparing and go out and have fun and don't worry about the bills

For a summary of the scientific views in addition to the oracular predictions, read Lawrence Joseph's book "Apocalypse 2012", Broadway Books, NY. ISBN 978-0-7679-2448-1

I'm still more intrigued than worried.