# So at 00:00:01 on December 21st... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742 "2012-12-11T20:21:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/21 "2012-12-12T06:06:59Z")
I’d say “So long and thanks for all the fish.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/22 "2012-12-12T06:17:59Z")
I would be pretty pissed, but mostly because all these end-of-the-world idiots turned out to be right. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/23 "2012-12-12T08:08:03Z")
This happened to me durring the big Y2K scare: Jan 1st 2000, beautiful day out,. The sun was shining. And then, all the sudden, the electricity goes out for no apparent reason. It only stayed out for like five seconds, but still, that was long enough to make me think: “Oh Shit!” ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/24 "2012-12-12T12:18:02Z")
5:11 central means my husband won’t have gone to bed yet, and my son will be either in our bed or in his bassinet next to it, so I’ll be set. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/25 "2012-12-12T12:26:12Z")
And 6:11 EST means that if it takes long enough I’ll get up and feed the cats one last time (they might as well die happy) and if it doesn’t I’ll just think “Ugh, I’ve got to get up. Oh. Or not.” ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/26 "2012-12-12T12:52:55Z")
I’ll be on a boat in the gulf of mexico… so I’m probably going to drown in some sort of a big tsunami… not a good way to go! I’d be really sad that I wasn’t able to hold my boyfriend or my sister or whatever one last time before being snuffed out of existence forever. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/27 "2012-12-12T17:46:50Z")
Honestly? I would breathe a sigh of relief, hug my dogs and say good-bye. As long as we all go together, I’m ready. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/28 "2012-12-12T19:33:43Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > As long as we all go together, I’m ready. But can you imagine the lines at the Pearly Gates? I don’t think they’re equipped to handle a crowd of that size. Can I arrange for some sort of pre-screening or something? Go ahead and punch my ticket for Hell now, and I won’t have to go out of my way. Maybe there’s a website. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/29 "2012-12-12T19:43:23Z")
> [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](#): > > I would be pretty pissed, but mostly because all these end-of-the-world idiots turned out to be right. On the bright side, they can’t get into your face and say “I told you so!” ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/30 "2012-12-12T19:45:13Z")
Yes, I would gladly welcome our annihilation. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/31 "2012-12-12T21:18:00Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > …you are awakened by a giant rumbling in the earth that grows and grows and grows. > > How many of you would pull up the covers, turn over one last time, and mutter something like “thank god!” ? “Oh hell yes, there’s a non-zero chance shit will turn out like Shadowrun. I hope I get to be a dragon!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![taskmgr.exe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@taskmgr.exe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taskmgr.exe)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/32 "2012-12-12T21:20:46Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I would gladly welcome our annihilation. This. _Sometimes the innocent suffer along with the guilty._ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/33 "2012-12-13T03:24:25Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > Honestly? I would breathe a sigh of relief, hug my dogs and say good-bye. As long as we all go together, I’m ready. Hasta mañana, Senora loca o mujer loca. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/34 "2012-12-13T03:51:27Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > Honestly? I would breathe a sigh of relief, hug my dogs and say good-bye. As long as we all go together, I’m ready. Yep. But my Dane would be suspicious, assuming I wanted him out from under the covers again. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/35 "2012-12-13T07:02:57Z")
I would mutter “Damned train” and go back to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/36 "2012-12-13T07:18:48Z")
[“oh thank god!”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMsa_CBZ3Os) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/37 "2012-12-13T10:01:33Z")
I’m secretly hoping. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/38 "2012-12-13T18:23:05Z")
> [@drew870mitchell](#): > > There’s two. They trade off in shifts. I mean, I love dogs, but I don’t want to hear yours 24/7. Now this made me laugh! (Sorry.) I can picture the two canines punching a time clock like Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/39 "2012-12-13T19:37:26Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > But can you imagine the lines at the Pearly Gates? I don’t think they’re equipped to handle a crowd of that size. > Can I arrange for some sort of pre-screening or something? Go ahead and punch my ticket for Hell now, and I won’t have to go out of my way. Maybe there’s a website. Oh, I don’t think there will be that many there. The road to hell, on the other hand will be just…hell (only not as hot). May as well get used to it. When I wake up on Dec. 22 (or 1/1/1 in the Mayan calendar), I will chortle once more: Those idiots. Do people actually believe this drivel or is it some kind of scam? ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742/40 "2012-12-13T20:18:05Z")
A side note - the Mayan calendar doesn’t really end on December 21; in fact, they have units of time as long as 63 _million_ years (see table [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_calendar#Long_Count)), although not commonly used. For example: > [@](#): > > December 21, 2012 is simply the day that the calendar will go to the next b’ak’tun, at Long Count 13.0.0.0.0. The date on which the calendar will go to the next piktun (a complete series of 20 b’ak’tuns), at Long Count 1.0.0.0.0.0, will be on October 13, 4772. So, December 21 is more like going from January to February than to a new year (as **Hari Seldon** put it). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-at-00-00-01-on-december-21st/643742.md?page=1)