To contact us Click HERE
Other than catching up with telly I spent a vast majority of my time playing Borderlands 2 on the PS3, so is it really any good or just a useful time-sink?
The "2" at the end of the title should give the subtle hint that this is a sequel to the 2009 game Borderlands; for those unfamiliar with that title it's a first person shooter with role-playing elements set on the planet of Pandora and features a choice of four playable characters called Vault Hunters as they roam the planet in search of the fabled Vault which is rumoured to contain a fabulous treasure.
This sequel follows on from the opening of the vault, the rumours of another, and the arrival of yet another set of four Vault Hunters.
The first reaction from some may well be "Oh no yet another Shooter than tries to have 'customisable' role-playing elements" that's not Borderlands. This game really is a nigh-perfect marriage between FPS and RPG; in fact I'd say some of these elements are better than in some full-on RPG games.
I'll start with the shooting element. It's a standard first-person look-through-the-eyes which means that when shooting at enemies where you're aiming at makes a big difference; it's not just hit the attack button and let the calculations work in the background; but it comes with a difference - all the weapons have their own accuracy rating. Sounds contradictory, and could be annoying if you know you're aiming directly at someone and miss, but it works well. Aim down the sights of a weapon with low accuracy and it'll bob up and down, and side to side and this happens shooting from the hip even though it's not as obvious; so yeah you'd expect to miss occasionally. There's the first RPG element - all the weapons have different ratings and this marries in with the FPS aesthetic. So that means turning to the RPG side of things.
And boy do the weapons differ. At their basic level all weapons have a damage, accuracy, reload speed, and magazine size. Add in potential elemental damage of electricity, fire, acid, explosive, or slag along with their own chances of inflicting damage and how much; then just for fun mix in weapons that are thrown and explode when reloaded (don't worry you get a copy each time) or come equipped with blades for melee combat; fire more than one bullet at a time, or just have bonuses for critical damage and it's an RPG gamers delight. Sure this pistol might do more base damage than this other one, but that one has a chance of setting my enemies on fire and causing more damage over time. For 'pure' shooter-gamers this may be too much and the inclination to hoard may overcome the strongest of wills, but easy arrow up/arrow down comparison indicators and a limited inventory and store makes this much easier.
Okay but so what? A plethora of choice of weapons doesn't a RPG make. How about choices of skills? Each playable character has their own skill sets divided into three trees that compliment that character. The Assassin can get better at sniper rifles and melee combat; the Commando assault rifles and health and shield upgrades. Put points from levelling up into each tree to unlock more advanced skills; and if you don't like it pay to reset them and build it all up again. But still weapons and skill sets feature in every RPG and a creeping into so many FPS why should this be any different to either? Because of the quests.
Boring - everyone does quests now. Locate farmer and kill 10 wolves for a reward; they're just grind to build up your character to be able to take on the real story missions. Except despite being the same, Borderlands just does it differently. For starters it makes sense that you'd take on these quests in-game; how many times are you supposedly the saviour of the world yet some random passer-by expects you to stop and locate their lost handbag? You're not the saviour here (well okay you might be) you're just another treasure seeker who's rolled into town who needs a job to earn some scratch.
Every side-quest fits into that storyline; every quest sends you to areas of the world you might not even have visited if you stick rigidly to the story mission. Every quest is also crafted with its own little story that will likely make you chuckle (or groan at the puns). These aren't grinds you'll want to do the quests because they're fun in their own right.
If, so far, this seems to be a review of Borderlands rather than the sequel it's because both games are pretty much the same. Borderlands 2 is larger and slightly tighter in pace. It adds a couple of new elements and removes a couple that didn't really work, but that's it really. Technically there's still the slow texture update; and notification updates from the PS3 block the mini-map. Subtitles can still alternate between the person giving you a mission update and the nearby radio which can be annoying.
Controls still work with the obvious four weapon slots tied to the d-pad there's little need to let go of the sticks except for those things one would expect to need to stop moving for. Menus are pretty much the same; the bonus things you could do in the first game (Kill 10 enemies with melee) now award "Badass" points that can be exchanged for bonuses that will permanently alter things like gun damage for all your characters. Death still gives you a chance to gain a Second Wind by killing something or just recreates you at the last station.
All pretty much the same except for one thing - you can no longer play back recordings you find.
Why was this removed? Seriously this is one area of the original that needed a tidy-up and instead got removed entirely. Given what I've just said about how well the story has been written the game now presents the situation when a recording or mission remark can be interrupted which means never being able to hear it again. That's unconscionable. At times I've resorted to going online to check for written quotes or video playthroughs just to find out what was going to be said.
Beyond that one major, major flaw it's a really fun game.
3 Ocak 2013 Perşembe
Sexting app in rubbish news
To contact us Click HERE
For some reason I ended up watching Daybreak on ITV this morning (still half asleep I think) and the first story presented from the newspapers by one of their guests was regarding a "sexting" app on page 7 of the Daily Mail no I'm not going to provide a link as I'm sure you're not interested in seeing a sidebar of photos of underage celebs looking "all grown up" [shudder].
In essence this is an app that means the sender can destroy the photo sent after a set period of time. So send that photo of you looking stupid and no longer have to worry it's going to end up as a meme on a Demotivational Poster. Of course the media being the media and the Daily Mail being the Daily Mail (unofficial slogan: Scary enough to print) instantly turns to how this could be used for "sexting" sending dirty pictures with no recourse as they've been deleted.
Fortunately one of the guests was Rosie Millard who pointed out that this was all a storm regarding something that has not happened and may never happen. Sadly she missed a main point that once again shows that either the media don't understand technology or wilfully ignore it for the sake of sensationalism. To understand what's going on I'll imagine writing some similar app; there are multiple ways of doing it but this should be a simple step-by-step using terminology anyone capable of reading this online should be familiar with.
Step 1: I write an app that is in reality a cut-down browser. This browser only allows visits to my site mydomain.com and has no address bar.
Step 2: When a user downloads my app it creates an account on mydomain.com linked to their mobile number.
Step 3: When a user uses my app to send a photo mydomain.com stores that photo and creates a unique link to it.
Step 4: mydomain.com checks its records for the mobile number you want to send the photo to and notes on that person's account that a photo has been sent to them
Step 5: The recipient's copy of my app reads that a photo has been sent to them and alerts the user.
Step 6: The app directs the recipient to the photo; displays it for the stipulated length of time and then closes.
Step 7: mydomain.com then deletes the photo and the link.
The important bit of that process is Step 5 the recipient needs a copy of the same app in order to view the photo sent to them. I can't send a photo to any other message-reading app and have it self-delete. Both people need to purposefully download an app that will allow them to send and receive self-deleting images.
In other words they're both culpable.This isn't some 'evil' app that means people can sex-bomb any mobile with photos and have the evidence delete itself. But if you listen to the media that's what they're saying. Yeesh!
In essence this is an app that means the sender can destroy the photo sent after a set period of time. So send that photo of you looking stupid and no longer have to worry it's going to end up as a meme on a Demotivational Poster. Of course the media being the media and the Daily Mail being the Daily Mail (unofficial slogan: Scary enough to print) instantly turns to how this could be used for "sexting" sending dirty pictures with no recourse as they've been deleted.
Fortunately one of the guests was Rosie Millard who pointed out that this was all a storm regarding something that has not happened and may never happen. Sadly she missed a main point that once again shows that either the media don't understand technology or wilfully ignore it for the sake of sensationalism. To understand what's going on I'll imagine writing some similar app; there are multiple ways of doing it but this should be a simple step-by-step using terminology anyone capable of reading this online should be familiar with.
Step 1: I write an app that is in reality a cut-down browser. This browser only allows visits to my site mydomain.com and has no address bar.
Step 2: When a user downloads my app it creates an account on mydomain.com linked to their mobile number.
Step 3: When a user uses my app to send a photo mydomain.com stores that photo and creates a unique link to it.
Step 4: mydomain.com checks its records for the mobile number you want to send the photo to and notes on that person's account that a photo has been sent to them
Step 5: The recipient's copy of my app reads that a photo has been sent to them and alerts the user.
Step 6: The app directs the recipient to the photo; displays it for the stipulated length of time and then closes.
Step 7: mydomain.com then deletes the photo and the link.
The important bit of that process is Step 5 the recipient needs a copy of the same app in order to view the photo sent to them. I can't send a photo to any other message-reading app and have it self-delete. Both people need to purposefully download an app that will allow them to send and receive self-deleting images.
In other words they're both culpable.This isn't some 'evil' app that means people can sex-bomb any mobile with photos and have the evidence delete itself. But if you listen to the media that's what they're saying. Yeesh!
LISTEN: Episode #9 of RetroFlickFillet - It's a little (people) world afterall!
To contact us Click HERE
Yep, the episode where we finally cross the line and GO THERE! What better episode than this one to feature Jeff Martin from BETTERGEEKTHANNEVER website & blog to join in on the fun with!
Get the scoop on our thoughts on Child's Play, Leprechaun, & Willow from the twisted minds of Doug, Mike & Special guest co-host Jeff!!!
This episode is SUPER-SIZED, coming in at just about 2 hours, plus a bonus 30 minutes after the show's outro!
CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
LISTEN HERE:http://tiny.cc/x2kv9
Get the scoop on our thoughts on Child's Play, Leprechaun, & Willow from the twisted minds of Doug, Mike & Special guest co-host Jeff!!!
This episode is SUPER-SIZED, coming in at just about 2 hours, plus a bonus 30 minutes after the show's outro!
CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
LISTEN HERE:http://tiny.cc/x2kv9
Wibiya's New Toolbar Design
To contact us Click HERE
As you may have noticed, Wibiya redesigned their toolbar. As you can see it looks completely different, not just for you but for every visitor. Depending on where you arrive to my site from the toolbar will be different. For example, if you come to my site from Facebook then the toolbar will show your friends and the Facebook like button. The same if someone were to visit from Google+ then you'd see the G+ button instead. The only real way to fully explain how the new toolbar works is to try it for yourselves. If you enter my site from different locations you will see what I am trying to explain.
In my opinion, the new design looks pretty good. The first time I updated it I was confused thou. I didn't know how to edit it nor how it worked but now I understand it better. So if you have a blog/website then I recommend you upgrade and be patient with the options.
In my opinion, the new design looks pretty good. The first time I updated it I was confused thou. I didn't know how to edit it nor how it worked but now I understand it better. So if you have a blog/website then I recommend you upgrade and be patient with the options.
Milano's
To contact us Click HERE
Milano's is a pasta and pizza restaurant I tried out the other day. I got an extra large bacon pepperoni pizza. It wasn't the best pizza I've had but it was delicious. I nearly ate the entire pie by myself. As soon as you walk into the restaurant you see a couch with a table full of magazines. Not the usual setting for a pizza place but it was a comfy couch. I wouldn't mind going back for another pie if I had the chance.
2 Ocak 2013 Çarşamba
LISTEN: Episode #9 of RetroFlickFillet - It's a little (people) world afterall!
To contact us Click HERE
Yep, the episode where we finally cross the line and GO THERE! What better episode than this one to feature Jeff Martin from BETTERGEEKTHANNEVER website & blog to join in on the fun with!
Get the scoop on our thoughts on Child's Play, Leprechaun, & Willow from the twisted minds of Doug, Mike & Special guest co-host Jeff!!!
This episode is SUPER-SIZED, coming in at just about 2 hours, plus a bonus 30 minutes after the show's outro!
CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
LISTEN HERE:http://tiny.cc/x2kv9
Get the scoop on our thoughts on Child's Play, Leprechaun, & Willow from the twisted minds of Doug, Mike & Special guest co-host Jeff!!!
This episode is SUPER-SIZED, coming in at just about 2 hours, plus a bonus 30 minutes after the show's outro!
CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
LISTEN HERE:http://tiny.cc/x2kv9
Wibiya's New Toolbar Design
To contact us Click HERE
As you may have noticed, Wibiya redesigned their toolbar. As you can see it looks completely different, not just for you but for every visitor. Depending on where you arrive to my site from the toolbar will be different. For example, if you come to my site from Facebook then the toolbar will show your friends and the Facebook like button. The same if someone were to visit from Google+ then you'd see the G+ button instead. The only real way to fully explain how the new toolbar works is to try it for yourselves. If you enter my site from different locations you will see what I am trying to explain.
In my opinion, the new design looks pretty good. The first time I updated it I was confused thou. I didn't know how to edit it nor how it worked but now I understand it better. So if you have a blog/website then I recommend you upgrade and be patient with the options.
In my opinion, the new design looks pretty good. The first time I updated it I was confused thou. I didn't know how to edit it nor how it worked but now I understand it better. So if you have a blog/website then I recommend you upgrade and be patient with the options.
Milano's
To contact us Click HERE
Milano's is a pasta and pizza restaurant I tried out the other day. I got an extra large bacon pepperoni pizza. It wasn't the best pizza I've had but it was delicious. I nearly ate the entire pie by myself. As soon as you walk into the restaurant you see a couch with a table full of magazines. Not the usual setting for a pizza place but it was a comfy couch. I wouldn't mind going back for another pie if I had the chance.
Life's Apptastic!
To contact us Click HERE
Are you getting an iPhone for Christmas? Or maybe sometime later? Do you want some "pay for apps"? Well then, check out this website we recently came across!
Now we all know apps become free once in a while as promotions. What the website basically does, is tells you when an app becomes free. This website also tells/shows you, original price, pictures of content, and links. Best of all, this premium service is free! Now while this isn't a game, we believe it still deserves a rating, so here it is!
The Three States rating; 8/10
This may just become your #1 online website! Either that, or the website we mentioned above...
Now we all know apps become free once in a while as promotions. What the website basically does, is tells you when an app becomes free. This website also tells/shows you, original price, pictures of content, and links. Best of all, this premium service is free! Now while this isn't a game, we believe it still deserves a rating, so here it is!
The Three States rating; 8/10
This may just become your #1 online website! Either that, or the website we mentioned above...
1 Ocak 2013 Salı
The joy of property rates
To contact us Click HERE
I've mentioned in the past how much councils charge business in rates (for services they don't receive) how this can be lowered thanks to Small Business Rate Relief which was set to be cancelled next year. What I can't seem to find is remarks regarding empty properties. I'll rectify that now.
Keeping it simple empty industrial properties were exempt from paying council tax rates. Some thought this unfair and some thought that it allowed landlords to keep rents high as they lacked incentive to rent out the building (such people being idiots as landlords are still required to pay utility bills from a zero-income building) as such the Labour government introduced a cap. If the Rateable value of your building was over £15,000 rates would need to be paid; the next year they raised the threshold to £18,000. In 2011 the Conservatives lowered it to £2,600.
Currently the council tax multiplier is set to 45.8p that means a property valued at £12,000 RV that stands empty and paid nothing now accrues a charge of £5,496 a year just as if someone was renting it. Recall that this is on something that is generating zero income. How would that translate to domestic property?
Take a property worth £100,000 rent per month is set to 1% or £1,000 which is an RV of £12,000 per annum. If it were a business it would pay that £5,496. In Stourport it's a Band E property and thus is charged £1,848.22 or almost a third the amount; oh and they'd have their bins emptied too.
Logic says that companies make more money. Except companies also have to pay tax - company, NI etc. which a household doesn't. So why are businesses charged in a different way to domestic premises? Isn't doing so a disincentive to all these home-start businesses?
I'm being serious if you start a business at home then you're supposed to notify the council as the room you call your 'office' is now subject to business levels of rates if used primarily for that function. So that's the full whack of domestic council tax plus the RV of that room multiplied by 45.8p. Assuming, of course, that you have permission anyway as your work may constitute a change of use and require planning permission.
It's a bit of a joke, but this distinction is not helping the economy.
Keeping it simple empty industrial properties were exempt from paying council tax rates. Some thought this unfair and some thought that it allowed landlords to keep rents high as they lacked incentive to rent out the building (such people being idiots as landlords are still required to pay utility bills from a zero-income building) as such the Labour government introduced a cap. If the Rateable value of your building was over £15,000 rates would need to be paid; the next year they raised the threshold to £18,000. In 2011 the Conservatives lowered it to £2,600.
Currently the council tax multiplier is set to 45.8p that means a property valued at £12,000 RV that stands empty and paid nothing now accrues a charge of £5,496 a year just as if someone was renting it. Recall that this is on something that is generating zero income. How would that translate to domestic property?
Take a property worth £100,000 rent per month is set to 1% or £1,000 which is an RV of £12,000 per annum. If it were a business it would pay that £5,496. In Stourport it's a Band E property and thus is charged £1,848.22 or almost a third the amount; oh and they'd have their bins emptied too.
Logic says that companies make more money. Except companies also have to pay tax - company, NI etc. which a household doesn't. So why are businesses charged in a different way to domestic premises? Isn't doing so a disincentive to all these home-start businesses?
I'm being serious if you start a business at home then you're supposed to notify the council as the room you call your 'office' is now subject to business levels of rates if used primarily for that function. So that's the full whack of domestic council tax plus the RV of that room multiplied by 45.8p. Assuming, of course, that you have permission anyway as your work may constitute a change of use and require planning permission.
It's a bit of a joke, but this distinction is not helping the economy.
Early Santandar Debit Card
To contact us Click HERE
I was a little shocked Friday night to come home to find my new debit card had arrived in the post, shocked because my current one doesn't expire until March next year. Was someone ordering a new card in my name, was something wrong with the old one? I phoned the Customer Service team and beeped in 20 numbers plus numerous menu choices before I got to speak to someone.
Turns out so many people's cards are renewed in March they've decided to send some out early and i happened to be near the front of the queue. I explained how this might seem concerning to some and the nice lady apologised that there was nothing with the card to explain why this had been done.
Annoyingly that meant having to visit town so as to unlock it, which I wasn't planning on doing.
Turns out so many people's cards are renewed in March they've decided to send some out early and i happened to be near the front of the queue. I explained how this might seem concerning to some and the nice lady apologised that there was nothing with the card to explain why this had been done.
Annoyingly that meant having to visit town so as to unlock it, which I wasn't planning on doing.
Local politics - 5-year olds in a playground
To contact us Click HERE
It's the single site again - our district council spending around £10m on new premises, in these economic times, in order to save £500k a year (savings which only seem to top renovation savings over a 25-year period). For some reason people are still whining about it despite the fact it's been built and now occupied; it's done, nothing more can be done, and it can't be undone so why can't they let it rest?
I don't know, perhaps it's because it appears the majority of the district didn't want it. Perhaps because despite having a town known world-over as a carpet manufacturer the site's carpet tiles came from a out of district supplier. Or perhaps it's because Mr Martin (Labour) claims the savings may only be £80k? (with a fuller 'letter' here).
Ah hah time for a response from our glorious leader (Mr Campion, Conservative). This will set the record straight. Oh yes indeed it does.
Shall we start with the political dig that Mr Martin supported the proposal before joining the Labour party? Why not given that Mr Martin himself acknowledged his change of heart in his own letter; could Mr Campion be insinuating that Mr Martin has only changed his mind as a way of "harmonising" with his new party? Perhaps "insinuating" only in the same way as bricks through windows could be considered as being a subtle attention grabber.
At least we get down to the nitty gritty in that Mr Campion claims Mr Martin wrong in stating that the savings will be £80k rather than £500k; on the grounds that the savings will be £500k. Uh-huh a wonderful political turn of "Is!, Isn't!" that we've all sadly come to expect.
Oh but hey I'm not accusing anyone of being childish. It's not as if one of the letter-writers then takes a personal pot-shot at the other by accusing them of being "negative" or tries to score another cheap political hit by tying this negativity to a 'won't someone please think of the community' expression.
It's always fun to read our councillors' missives in the paper and then have a little cry over some of them due to the fact that these people are supposed to be our representatives.
Hopefully JC will read this and then accuse me of being an armchair sniper (snipist?) that'll make my day.
I don't know, perhaps it's because it appears the majority of the district didn't want it. Perhaps because despite having a town known world-over as a carpet manufacturer the site's carpet tiles came from a out of district supplier. Or perhaps it's because Mr Martin (Labour) claims the savings may only be £80k? (with a fuller 'letter' here).
Ah hah time for a response from our glorious leader (Mr Campion, Conservative). This will set the record straight. Oh yes indeed it does.
Shall we start with the political dig that Mr Martin supported the proposal before joining the Labour party? Why not given that Mr Martin himself acknowledged his change of heart in his own letter; could Mr Campion be insinuating that Mr Martin has only changed his mind as a way of "harmonising" with his new party? Perhaps "insinuating" only in the same way as bricks through windows could be considered as being a subtle attention grabber.
At least we get down to the nitty gritty in that Mr Campion claims Mr Martin wrong in stating that the savings will be £80k rather than £500k; on the grounds that the savings will be £500k. Uh-huh a wonderful political turn of "Is!, Isn't!" that we've all sadly come to expect.
Oh but hey I'm not accusing anyone of being childish. It's not as if one of the letter-writers then takes a personal pot-shot at the other by accusing them of being "negative" or tries to score another cheap political hit by tying this negativity to a 'won't someone please think of the community' expression.
It's always fun to read our councillors' missives in the paper and then have a little cry over some of them due to the fact that these people are supposed to be our representatives.
Hopefully JC will read this and then accuse me of being an armchair sniper (snipist?) that'll make my day.
Starbucks in Kidderminster
To contact us Click HERE
I had been reliably informed that a Starbucks had opened its doors in Kidderminster; heh what perfect timing. So where did the branch think was the best site for those wanting to down one of their beverages?
Was it the Swan Centre which has the Gourmet Cooks up top and the Baker's Oven and the Penny Black down below? How about the Rowland Hill centre with the Clock cafe? Don't be silly how could they compete with places selling both food and drink? Nothing small enough on High, Worcester, or Vicar Street that I can think of.
Oh wait silly me I know the ideal position for a Starbucks - just on the other side of the short Husum pedestrian bridge on the opposite corner from Caffe Nero; you know that other place that sells coffee.
I'd like to stress that I am, of course, sure this wasn't done with the intention of attempting to poach customers from Nero who have been there for a long while (since the area was re-built I think) and is all to do with how coffee is so much better when its purchase is confined to a small geographical area.
Was it the Swan Centre which has the Gourmet Cooks up top and the Baker's Oven and the Penny Black down below? How about the Rowland Hill centre with the Clock cafe? Don't be silly how could they compete with places selling both food and drink? Nothing small enough on High, Worcester, or Vicar Street that I can think of.
Oh wait silly me I know the ideal position for a Starbucks - just on the other side of the short Husum pedestrian bridge on the opposite corner from Caffe Nero; you know that other place that sells coffee.
I'd like to stress that I am, of course, sure this wasn't done with the intention of attempting to poach customers from Nero who have been there for a long while (since the area was re-built I think) and is all to do with how coffee is so much better when its purchase is confined to a small geographical area.
It's the end of the world as we know it; or not.
To contact us Click HERE
Has everyone ticked off the last item on the bucket list? Bid your family and friends farewell? Why not; don't you know the world ends tomorrow?
Yes the 21st day of the 12th month of the year 2012 is the end of time... according to the Mayans. Well actually not according to the Mayans, but according to all the kooks who happily misinterpreted Mayan inscriptions.
In essence:
from BizarroBlog (was BizarroComic)
That's pretty much it. The 21st represents the end of the 13th B'ak'tun and the date using the Mayan Long Calender flips to 13.0.0.0.0. Of course this being an end of a cycle and featuring the dreaded number of 13 got some people's knickers in a twist.
Firstly - seriously it's a calendar based on an arbitrary point in time just like the dominant Western Calendar. Heck the Islam Calendar starts with the first hijra why not when the Mohammed received revelation 12 years earlier? Someone just said "Let's start counting from here".
Secondly this is the end of the 13th b'ak'tun marking the start of the 14th. It's not even the end of the first p'ik'tun which won't occur until 13th October 4772; strictly speaking the date will flip over to 0.13.0.0.0.0. Why bother to create another unit of measurement if the world is coming to an end?
Thirdly, and related to my second point, consider if you knew the world was ending at the end of 2012; would you buy a 2013 calendar? Would you then mark on that calendar a business trip in March, anniversaries, birthdays, bin collection days etc.? Kind of pointless; yet that's the equivalent of what the Mayans did. They've set up reminders for feast days etc. that extend well past the 'end of the world'.
Fourthly. Why the hell should we be treating this with any form of seriousness at all? We don't get all excited about turning points in the Roman calendar; hell we don't get excited about changes in the Judaic or Islamic calendar and they're still being used. Nope just the Mayan's because you know they had all this secret wisdom; and were visited by extraterrestrials... sigh.
Fifthly. Ah but wait what about the great celestial alignment that's going to see the Sun, and Earth aligned with the black hole at the centre of the galaxy (and/or some dust cloud) with gravitational forces doing nasty things to us? We're not even going to be at the closest point to the black hole, we move in and out all the time anyway, and the effect this has is about 1 part in 900,000,000.
Or of course there's Nemesis (or Erin, or Nibiru) which is either some rogue planet or Earth's orbital twin that's going to suddenly appear and hit us. Again gravity, if there were a planet out there, we'd know about it due to the gravitational effect it would have on other planets, recall that's how Neptune was discovered as a planet. Any sort of rogue of that magnitude on a cyclical orbit would show up. As for a 'twin' in order to remain hidden behind the Sun would a) require some serious rewriting of physics due to the speed differences as we orbit the Sun and b) if it were catching us up (or the other way around) its high relative motion would show up on pretty much every astronomer's telescope (including amateurs for the tin-foil hat brigade).
But hey if there's anyone reading this who absolutely truly believes that the world is about to end; then I have a PayPal account you can transfer all your worldly assets to; not as if they're going to help you and if you're a Christian dying poor is supposedly a good thing.
Yes the 21st day of the 12th month of the year 2012 is the end of time... according to the Mayans. Well actually not according to the Mayans, but according to all the kooks who happily misinterpreted Mayan inscriptions.
In essence:
from BizarroBlog (was BizarroComic)That's pretty much it. The 21st represents the end of the 13th B'ak'tun and the date using the Mayan Long Calender flips to 13.0.0.0.0. Of course this being an end of a cycle and featuring the dreaded number of 13 got some people's knickers in a twist.
Firstly - seriously it's a calendar based on an arbitrary point in time just like the dominant Western Calendar. Heck the Islam Calendar starts with the first hijra why not when the Mohammed received revelation 12 years earlier? Someone just said "Let's start counting from here".
Secondly this is the end of the 13th b'ak'tun marking the start of the 14th. It's not even the end of the first p'ik'tun which won't occur until 13th October 4772; strictly speaking the date will flip over to 0.13.0.0.0.0. Why bother to create another unit of measurement if the world is coming to an end?
Thirdly, and related to my second point, consider if you knew the world was ending at the end of 2012; would you buy a 2013 calendar? Would you then mark on that calendar a business trip in March, anniversaries, birthdays, bin collection days etc.? Kind of pointless; yet that's the equivalent of what the Mayans did. They've set up reminders for feast days etc. that extend well past the 'end of the world'.
Fourthly. Why the hell should we be treating this with any form of seriousness at all? We don't get all excited about turning points in the Roman calendar; hell we don't get excited about changes in the Judaic or Islamic calendar and they're still being used. Nope just the Mayan's because you know they had all this secret wisdom; and were visited by extraterrestrials... sigh.
Fifthly. Ah but wait what about the great celestial alignment that's going to see the Sun, and Earth aligned with the black hole at the centre of the galaxy (and/or some dust cloud) with gravitational forces doing nasty things to us? We're not even going to be at the closest point to the black hole, we move in and out all the time anyway, and the effect this has is about 1 part in 900,000,000.
Or of course there's Nemesis (or Erin, or Nibiru) which is either some rogue planet or Earth's orbital twin that's going to suddenly appear and hit us. Again gravity, if there were a planet out there, we'd know about it due to the gravitational effect it would have on other planets, recall that's how Neptune was discovered as a planet. Any sort of rogue of that magnitude on a cyclical orbit would show up. As for a 'twin' in order to remain hidden behind the Sun would a) require some serious rewriting of physics due to the speed differences as we orbit the Sun and b) if it were catching us up (or the other way around) its high relative motion would show up on pretty much every astronomer's telescope (including amateurs for the tin-foil hat brigade).
But hey if there's anyone reading this who absolutely truly believes that the world is about to end; then I have a PayPal account you can transfer all your worldly assets to; not as if they're going to help you and if you're a Christian dying poor is supposedly a good thing.
Kaydol:
Yorumlar (Atom)