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Tech Talk: What is technology and how do we use it
The sky is falling. The sky is falling. Yes, Chicken Littles have been crying doom since ancient times. The website known as A Brief History Of The Apocalypse (or www.abhota.info) chronicles the doomsayers’ predictions from as far back as 2,800 BC… with an Asyrian clay tablet bearing the words "Our earth is degenerate in these latter days. There are signs that the world is speedily coming to an end. Bribery and corruption are common." That’s nearly 5000 years ago!
- Jump forward a bit to the year 1666 AD. The number of the Beast…666! The Great Fire of London that year only served to feed the fears of catastrophe.
- The printing press and the industrial revolution…revved up the frenzy of doom and gloom. Presbyterian minister Christopher Love warned of the Destruction of the World by Earthquake in 1805 followed by an age of everlasting peace.
- In 1910…Halley’s Comet took aim at our planet. Thankfully the protective “comet pills” sold at drugstores did their job.
- 9/9/99, was touted by many as the date of Wholesale Obliteration.
- And a few months later, digital doom on January 1, 2000! Modern civilization would be brought to its knees!
- We got through it. But Harold Camping, a Christian Radio personality said this is the year. Yes, twice this year Mr. Camping said we all need to say goodbye, as he spent millions on his doomsday predictions.
But this one is different, my friends. Yes, those wise and exotic Mayans knew that their god would be returning on December 21, 2012 and the world would end…or at least start a new period.
The Mayan civilization, which reached its height from 300 A.D. to 900 A.D., had a talent for astronomy and advanced mathematics. They created what many have called the most accurate calendar in the world. The Mayans predicted a final event that included a solar shift, a Venus transit and violent earthquakes.
So….the end is near. We must prepare.
- Take that amazing expensive vacation with your family!
- Eat that fabulous fattening dessert!
- Reconcile with old enemies. Or do that nasty think what you always wanted to do.
I mean, What Difference Does It Make? We’re all going to the same place. But how do we truly prepare for the end of the world?!
I always seem to get so much more accomplished around the end of the year. My productivity surges into hyperdrive with the New Year in sight. Office work. Household projects. Phone calls to friends. Exercising. Everything I’ve put off- or at least a lot of it- always seems to get done around this time of year. Are you like this too? Do you seem to “get going” when the end of the year is near?
We have December 31st as our deadline for “doing it”. And January 1st as our “new beginning.”
But why can’t we be like this all the time? Sieze the moment… Carpe diem! Living in the now is state of mind that all the great philosophers and spiritual leaders have said is the key to living life fully. Be here now.
By a show of hands- how many of you would like to know the day you were going to die? Would that change things for you?
I believe that knowing that we’re all going to die… is a terrific way to keep us living. People who have faced with life-threatening challenges often change the way they see things…often for the better.
So back to the end. Everyone always assumes that the word Apocalypse means catastrophe and destruction. And yet, according to Wikipedia, the first definition of Apocalypse is “a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception.” A new period. A new chapter.
As for the Mayan Calendar, all adds up to profits. Yeanet Zaldo is a tourism spokeswoman in Cancun. She explains that “The world will not end. It is an era. For us, it is a message of hope.”
So as we enter this new year, let us reflect on the triumphs and thrills of the past. And chart a course toward success and happiness in the future…but continuously strive to keep ourselves grounded and focused on the now moment, savoring each moment as if it were our last. And best.
Comments
I'm glad people see sense and some positivity in the situation