MAYAN APOCALYPSE

End of the World Rumors Shuts Down 33 Michigan schools

Students in Lapeer County, Michigan started winter break two days early

Dec 21, 2012 by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

Fears over the ancient Mayan prediction that the world would end today prompted five Michigan school districts to shut down two days early for winter break.

School was out as of Wednesday night for students in 33 schools in Lapeer County, Michigan.

Lapeer Community Schools Superintendent Matt Wandrie sent a note home to parents saying rumors about the end of the world and threats of violence related to last week's mass-shooting in Newtown, Conn., proved too distracting for students, teachers, administrators and parents.

Wandrie said the threats of violence have been "thoroughly investigated and determined to be false."

Via Time Magazine

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?	Do you agree with the decision to close schools over these rumors?

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Yes, it was too distracting

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Dec '12

DerivePI

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When asked what he would do if the world would end tomorrow, Martin Luther said "I would plant a tree today."
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Dec '12

Buckfan4life2

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In English that meant that he would go find a hooker and have some sex. The man loved whores!
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Dec '12

DerivePI

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@Buckfan4life2 - I was never very good ast German - or Hungarian http://www.youtube.com/watch...
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Dec '12

isis2012

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@Buckfan4life2 What are Lutheran's anyway lol!
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Dec '12

marine1

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And we pay these people to educate our kids???
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Dec '12

Speedieg

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Wow! Totally nuts.
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Dec '12

isis2012

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Have you been to Detroit? It's looks like the end of the world lol!
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Dec '12

Fishbone345

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Yah, nothing to do with Christmas vacation or anything. My son is out too, it's called winter holiday time.
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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They won't have time to debunk the rumors. The world ends today, if you don't believe me just check your mayan caledar...
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Dec '12

DerivePI

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Well you are in luck! I am offering a loan today. I will give you $10 today and next week you will pay me back the $10 plus my fee of $10,000.
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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@DerivePI ok, lets make an appointment for some time nect week...opps i cann't no more days left on the calendar! Besides this sounds a bit like those e-mails I get from nigerian citizens telling me some one left me ten million dollars...
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Dec '12

DerivePI

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@PoliticalSpice - Its telling the end of world people to put their money where their mouth is.
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Dec '12

Polusalo

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@PoliticalSpice
Don't believe those emails man. Only believe the ones that are from the prince of Nigeria. He's a top-notch guy.
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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@DerivePI well ten dollars ain't much money, it will be wirthless anyway, and do you really think i'd spend my last day on earth running around to get ten dollars? besides its not a binding contract since it doesn't have a date certian for performance. And i verified the world is endding, it's noted on my iphone calendar...
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Dec '12

tomincali

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the kids are happy. school gave them an early Christmas present.
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Dec '12

stepped_in_it

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Wow.....Forest's Mama needs to talk to these people. Besides, I heard the Mayan did not include Leap year.....does that mean the "end of days" should have been months/years ago? HMMM
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Dec '12

MetaphorBreeze

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Hmm.... Math isn't my forte so maybe you could help me here. I also read that the Mayan calendar was created sans the inclusion of leap years. I assumed that it added an extra day every four years to the equation.
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Post @MetaphorBreeze
Dec '12

UnCommonBoston

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There are several reasons the calendar ended, none have anything to do with the end of the world --- a concept that was not part of their culture. Instead of closing the schools in panic, use this as an opportunity to demonstrate the difference between history based on wild speculation and looking at all the available facts, then using these, to come up with possible explainatio? Teach how to come up with therorys based onon solid facts.
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Post @UnCommonBoston
Dec '12

stepped_in_it

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@MetaphorBreeze Well, if they didn't know/understand a leap year, then the most likely didn't add the extra day. There are 365 1/4 days a year. Every 4 years we add a leap day to make up for it. Since their calendar did not have it, if over a 500 year span, they would lose (or be behind) 125 days (1 day every 4 years X 500 or 500/4)
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Post @stepped_in_it
Dec '12

NormalFlora

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Yeah, this is the Michigan education system. Debunk rumors? "Meh." Actually educate children? "That's not my job description." Give in to hysteria and drive that ship into the rocks? "Well no one can PROVE the rumors are untrue!!!" Head-keyboard.
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Dec '12

Keyjo

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The Mayan calender simply ends an era and begins another. Some people believe anything
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Dec '12

woodtick57

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Wait til you see the january 2012 mayan calendar girl! She's wearing a very revealing tunic and holding the latest bronze stone cutting tool....
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Dec '12

Keyjo

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@woodtick57
I'll pass. Now if they have a picture of a young Mayan warrior in a loin cloth, woo, woo!
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Dec '12

woodtick57

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@Keyjo

As a fundraiser to prepare for the end of time, thEy came out with a new "Sexiest Sacrificial Guards " calendar. Very hot...
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Dec '12

Keyjo

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@woodtick57
LMAO
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Dec '12

Tralee

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This may be the dumbest thing I've heard in ages! Kids in America are falling further and further away from the top and all these schools close for a stupid rumor? No wonder our public schooled children are graduating barely able to read at an 8th grade level, this sort of nonsense does no good.
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Dec '12

MnMking2797

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It wasn't the end of the world. It was rumors of a shotting and sometimes bombs. I can say that was scared to come to school today.
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Dec '12

Food4thoughts

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LMFAO!
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Dec '12

jessejaymes

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"It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine"
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Dec '12

HPthinker

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School is a drag, I never went.
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Dec '12

Denizen_Kate

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Yes, we can tell.(Kidding! Couldn't help myself!:)
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Jan '13

HPthinker

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@Denizen_Kate you're know einstien.
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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@HPthinker - Hey, I said I was kidding! You're right, though, I didn't know Einstein. He was before my time.(Or did you mean to write "you're no einstein"? Hyperbole. Almost no one is.)
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Jan '13

HPthinker

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@Denizen_Kate Oh G narley... I'm kidding too!
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Dec '12

seedtick

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Irresponsible response to a stupid rumor. You would think that education professionals could have used this as a teaching moment.
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Dec '12

Denizen_Kate

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You mean, like, do their jobs? Seriously? ;)
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Dec '12

Thunderchicken

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My kid has finals today. IOW the world not ending today (I think it was supposed to end about 5:00AM CST) is pretty far down on her list of concerns.
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Dec '12

Bobolinsky

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10:20 AM EDT, 12/21/12 and Pittsburgh is still here. I let you all know if the world ends here.

In news other than a repeat of Dec. 31, 1999... I liked this piece by Kim Strassel

Big Business Sells Out Small Business
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788...
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Dec '12

Bobolinsky

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http://www.youtube.com/watch...
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Dec '12

Bobolinsky

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2:30 PM EDT, 12/21/12 and Pittsburgh is still still here. Keep you posted.

In the meantime... enjoy this article about the freakout from the media over Wayne Lapierre's speech.

Journalists slam NRA throughout press conference
http://dailycaller.com/2012/12/21/journalists...
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Dec '12

Bobolinsky

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10:50 PM EDT, 12/21/12... The world still exists here in Pittsburgh.

There's still time. Here's a recent video of Bill Ayers talking about Leftist politics and how the Left needs to utilize it's "absolute access to the community, the school, the neighborhood, the street, the classroom, the workplace, the shop, the farm.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch...
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Dec '12

mikefrensham

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Lets hope we all make it through the night!!!
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Dec '12

Your_Name_Here

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American students aren't quite dumb enough yet so a few more days out of school will take care of that. It also sets a great example of leadership to watch adults being too "distracted" by fantasies to do their job. Maybe they could have some "We're being attacked by aliens!" drills.
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Dec '12

Buckfan4life2

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Is that a school room in Afganastan? If not they need to stop spending money on trying to beat Urban and the Bucks and spend it on thier schools.
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Dec '12

Cheenoguy

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The Mayan thing should have just been debunked. Taking off two days early for Christmas break over kids being distracted with concerns about school shootings is perfectly fine by me. Anybody remember those last two or three days before Christmas? Actually learn anything those days? Me neither, just watched movies and ate cookies.
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Dec '12

CharlieRosencr

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So, I'm going to shift gears here and take this opportunity to point out the parallels of two superstitions.

People hear about the end of the Mayan calendar, and despite scientific evidence debunking it, they still fear it and allow it to dictate their actions.

Compare to:

People read the bible, and despite scientific evidence debunking it, they still fear it and allow it to dictate their actions.

This is how myths work, guys. And this is the way it has been with humans from the beginning of our imaginations.
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