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Saturday, May 21, 2011

Amateurs

So it isn't the end of the world today:

The May 21 doomsday message was sent far and wide via broadcasts and web sites by Camping, an 89-year-old retired civil engineer who has built a multi-million-dollar nonprofit ministry based on his apocalyptic prediction. According to Camping, the destruction was to have begun its worldwide march as it became 6 p.m. in the various time zones.

So the guy is nuts and those who believed his purportedly Bible-based prediction of doomsday are foolish. Begin the mocking of the rubes, by all means.

The real pros make predictions far into the future--well beyond when they can be called to account--based on computer models, admit no short-term trends as falsifying the prediction, and blame a few degrees of projected warming for the real Apocalypse that we will experience. These guys will be collecting grants for the rest of their natural lives. That's the way to play the game.

Of course, both groups think that our appropriate response to predicted doom is to give up all our worldly goods and lifestyle to prepare for the end. But other than peddling carbon credits versus repenting sin, I'm not sure there is much difference.

UPDATE: Heh. Although posting that right at 6:00 p.m. might have been a little eager, hmm?

UPDATE: Yeah, the left has their own doomsday prophets. They just don't think there is a god involved.