The $5,000 Nibiru Challenge: April 2009

Sunday, April 26, 2009

"Wired" magazine totally blows it

I like "Wired" magazine. I like tech news. I like science.

So imagine the velocity at which my jaw dropped when I read this HORRIBLE interview, with this HORRIBLE opening question asked of a MODERATELY REASONABLE person about a truly RIDICULOUS subject:

Wired.com: Do you think it’s coincidence that the Mayans predicted apocalypse on the exact date when astronomers say the sun will next reach a period of maximum turbulence?

I will give "Wired" magazine any three bones in my body if they can identify any significant Mayan tradition that identifies 2012 with "apocalypse."

As I've said before, and doubtlessly will be forced by my shame-faced disdain for my fellow man to say again, the Mayans did not predict "apocalypse" in 2012, ever, period. The Mayans predicted that their calendar would start over. This would be like "Wired" warning that the world will end on January 1st, 2010, because the Gregorian calendar 'ends' on December 31st of 2009. Way to blow it, "Wired." Consider my subscription canceled.

And, if you please, could you stop poisoning popular culture with this crap? You are either lying about the facts, or you are woefully underqualified to report on the facts, because you completely dropped the ball on this one, guys. In either case, you do not have the academic or moral authority to report on this issue ever again.

Stable text- the $100 Nibiru Challenge

Given the hilarious yet pernicious and persistent 2012 quasi-religious cult that has emerged in recent years over Zecaria Sitchen's mythical mistranslation "Nibiru," which is supposedly a massive planetary body hurtling towards the planet Earth at apparently several times the speed of light and will make a near pass by our planet sometime in the year 2012 and obliterate most of us, I am hereby committing the most fundamentally atrocious imposition crime that can be perpetrated against cranks and crackpots: I am asking for evidence.

I have argued and debated with the Nibiru-tards for many long hours on facebook, blogger, and ATS. In all of those, I ask something I would think would be relatively uncontroversial: if there is a colossal stellar body inside our solar system right now, we ought to be able to see it. To that end, I ask for the right ascension and declination of this object, which should be visible in the night sky to the naked eye either right now or shortly, if it exists.

To specify: the object I seek is the large planetary/ "brown dwarf" body commonly referred to in modern conspiracy lore as "Nibiru." Nibiru, being said to be a large stellar or planetary body on a long, elliptical orbit that crosses within 1 AU of the sun at regular intervals, should be easily identifiable with conventional instruments of astronomy.

If either man or providence grants me the coordinates of this body, and if its existence is thereafter confirmed by either Yourtel or live observation through a telescope, the source of this crucial evidence will receive $100 cash from me.

Your challenge is to provide evidence. If your apocalyptic belief is true, this should not be particularly burdensome since the Nibiru faith is predicated on an eminently testable claim. If the foundational claim of the Nibiru faith cannot be vindicated by astronomy's most rudimentary standard, the Nibiru belief is false.

This evidence may be left as a comment on any post on this page.

Update- $4,900 has been added to the pot.

The $5,000 Nibiru Challenge

Sunday, April 26, 2009

"Wired" magazine totally blows it

Stable text- the $100 Nibiru Challenge

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