8 chapters across the catalog
The hosts introduce a new segment called "Guess the Movie" featuring a clip about the Earth's crust destabilizing. Adam Curry correctly identifies the film as 2012, which centers on the Mayan apocalypse prophecy. They reflect on the hysteria surrounding the actual year 2012 and the conventions held by people who believed the world would end.
The year 2030 is being positioned as the next major "doomsday" date, following the patterns of Y2K and the 2012 Mayan calendar phenomenon. Various institutions, including MIT and ABC News, have released reports predicting a 2030 "obesity apocalypse," food shortages, and economic collapse. The domain the2030club.com has been registered to aggregate these predictions and capitalize on the growing doomsday sentiment.
Listener Donations, End of the World Palindromes
The hosts read a series of listener donations themed around the "Mayan meltdown" and the end of the world. They discuss various donation amounts, including "69.69" and "12.12.12," while providing "karma" and "don't eat me Hillary" soundbites to contributors.
The hosts acknowledge Anthony Leone for achieving knighthood through his donations. They discuss the upcoming "apocalypse" on December 21, 2012, based on the Mayan calendar. They also address a listener who found the podcast depressing, with the hosts arguing that the listener is "missing the joke" of their media analysis.
Economic Depression Cycles, Mayan Calendar, and Dutch Street Organs
John C. Dvorak discusses the psychological impact of the 40-year economic depression cycle, while Adam Curry mentions the upcoming end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012. Curry shares an anecdote about a traditional Dutch street organ in an Amsterdam market playing "Havah Nagila" and Turkish music instead of traditional Dutch tunes. They also clarify that Dutch "coffee shops" remain open to foreigners despite rumors of a "weed pass" restriction.
September 21st Apocalypse, Power Outage Prediction
John Dvorak claims that the "real" date for the end of the world—or at least a massive U.S. power outage—is September 21st, rather than the December date associated with the Mayan calendar. He jokingly suggests that the aliens moved the date up due to a scheduling conflict. The hosts plan for their "last show" on September 20th.
2012 Doomsday Mythology, Peter Gersten Leap of Faith
As the year 2012 approaches, doomsday mythology surrounding the Mayan calendar has become a significant cultural phenomenon. Arizona lawyer Peter Gersten has gained attention for his plan to perform a "leap of faith" off Bell Rock in Sedona on the winter solstice to save the world from a perceived computer program shutdown. The commercialization of 2012 by networks like National Geographic is criticized for promoting "junk programming" and mind control.
Mayan Calendar 2012 Prophecies and Swine Flu Fear
A discussion on the 2012 Mayan calendar prophecy suggests that the "end of the world" is a metaphor for a shift in human consciousness rather than a physical cataclysm. The hosts link this to modern "fear-based" events like the swine flu outbreak, suggesting such events are used to drive the population into submission or FEMA camps.
