People are making jokes like there is no tomorrow . . .
Once upon a time in a magical land lived a snake named Nate. His purpose in life was to stay in the desert and guard the lever. This lever was no ordinary one, for if it was moved, it would cause the world to be destroyed. Nate took his job very seriously, and he let nothing get close to the lever. One day, he saw a cloud of dust off in the distance. He kept his eye on it because he was guarding the lever. The dust cloud continued to move closer to the lever. Nate saw that it was caused by a huge boulder - and the boulder was rolling straight for the lever! Nate thought about what he could do to save the world. He decided if he could get in front of the boulder, he could change its path and cause it to miss the lever. Nate slithered quickly to intersect the boulder. The boulder ran right over Nate, leaving him as flat as a pancake, but fortunately, the boulder was deflected as planned and missed the lever . . . leaving history to conclude that it was better Nate than lever.
The world may be ending tomorrow, but we’ve still got today . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Today and the Present” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree, is by accident. That’s where we come in; we’re computer professionals. We cause accidents.” -Nathaniel Borenstein
Warning: Reality.SYS corrupted. Reboot Universe? Yes / No
Good Things about the End of the World
- No more waiting in rush hour traffic with your fuel gage near ‘E’ for ‘empty.’
- No more surprises in the amounts of your utility bills and phone bills.
- No more waiting in long lines at grocery stores while the ice cream in your shopping cart melts.
- No more phone calls in which a recording says, “Press 1 for English,” “Press 2 for billing questions,” “Press 3 to speak to a representative,” “Press 4 if you dozed off during this recording and forgot why you called,” and then you finally hear, “Sorry, all of our representatives are busy with other callers, please try again later.”
- No more homework or tests or restrictions on when and where you can chew bubble gum.
- No more hard-luck relatives asking to borrow money or sleep on your sofa.
- No more worrying about runaway shopping carts denting your car.
- No more dead cell phone batteries.
- No more trying to explain simple things to people who seem to have heads made from blocks of wood or some other hard, impenetrable substance.
- No more alarm clocks.
- No more need to worry about being short, bald, or overweight.
“I decline to accept the end of man.” -William Faulkner (William Cuthbert ‘Will’ Faulkner (1897 - 1962))
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Pessimism and Optimism” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Mark and Luke were fishing on the side of a road. They made a sign reading, “The End is Near! Turn yourself around now before it is too late!” and showed it to each passing car. One driver who passed by was not happy with the sign and shouted at them, “Leave us alone, you nutty end-of-the-worlders!” Then, all of a sudden, they heard a big splash. Mark grinned at Luke, laughed, and said, “Do you think we should just make a sign that reads, ‘Bridge Out,’ instead?”
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Accidents and Safety” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“If the world comes to an end, I want to be in Cincinnati. Everything comes there ten years later.” -Author Unknown
Overheard: Actually, the world has already ended, but the government covered it up in a huge conspiracy!
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
by Robert Frost (Robert Lee Frost (1874 - 1963)): “New Hampshire” (1923); type of work: collected poems by a single author in book form
“It is not necessary to imagine the world ending in either fire or ice. There are two other possibilities. One is paperwork, the other is nostalgia.” -Francis Vincent ‘Frank’ Zappa, Junior (born 1940)
It may be a little arrogant of people to think that the world is going to end in their lifetimes. After all, the Earth has been around for billions of years, and untold numbers of generations of people have existed on it for only a tiny part of that time. So, just what is it about our generation that makes us think that we are so special that the world is going to come to an end while we inhabit the planet?
Once upon a time in a magical land lived a snake named Nate. His purpose in life was to stay in the desert and guard the lever. This lever was no ordinary one, for if it was moved, it would cause the world to be destroyed. Nate took his job very seriously, and he let nothing get close to the lever. One day, he saw a cloud of dust off in the distance. He kept his eye on it because he was guarding the lever. The dust cloud continued to move closer to the lever. Nate saw that it was caused by a huge boulder - and the boulder was rolling straight for the lever! Nate thought about what he could do to save the world. He decided if he could get in front of the boulder, he could change its path and cause it to miss the lever. Nate slithered quickly to intersect the boulder. The boulder ran right over Nate, leaving him as flat as a pancake, but fortunately, the boulder was deflected as planned and missed the lever . . . leaving history to conclude that it was better Nate than lever.
The world may be ending tomorrow, but we’ve still got today . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Today and the Present” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree, is by accident. That’s where we come in; we’re computer professionals. We cause accidents.” -Nathaniel Borenstein
Warning: Reality.SYS corrupted. Reboot Universe? Yes / No
Good Things about the End of the World
- No more waiting in rush hour traffic with your fuel gage near ‘E’ for ‘empty.’
- No more surprises in the amounts of your utility bills and phone bills.
- No more waiting in long lines at grocery stores while the ice cream in your shopping cart melts.
- No more phone calls in which a recording says, “Press 1 for English,” “Press 2 for billing questions,” “Press 3 to speak to a representative,” “Press 4 if you dozed off during this recording and forgot why you called,” and then you finally hear, “Sorry, all of our representatives are busy with other callers, please try again later.”
- No more homework or tests or restrictions on when and where you can chew bubble gum.
- No more hard-luck relatives asking to borrow money or sleep on your sofa.
- No more worrying about runaway shopping carts denting your car.
- No more dead cell phone batteries.
- No more trying to explain simple things to people who seem to have heads made from blocks of wood or some other hard, impenetrable substance.
- No more alarm clocks.
- No more need to worry about being short, bald, or overweight.
“I decline to accept the end of man.” -William Faulkner (William Cuthbert ‘Will’ Faulkner (1897 - 1962))
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Pessimism and Optimism” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Mark and Luke were fishing on the side of a road. They made a sign reading, “The End is Near! Turn yourself around now before it is too late!” and showed it to each passing car. One driver who passed by was not happy with the sign and shouted at them, “Leave us alone, you nutty end-of-the-worlders!” Then, all of a sudden, they heard a big splash. Mark grinned at Luke, laughed, and said, “Do you think we should just make a sign that reads, ‘Bridge Out,’ instead?”
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Accidents and Safety” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“If the world comes to an end, I want to be in Cincinnati. Everything comes there ten years later.” -Author Unknown
Overheard: Actually, the world has already ended, but the government covered it up in a huge conspiracy!
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
by Robert Frost (Robert Lee Frost (1874 - 1963)): “New Hampshire” (1923); type of work: collected poems by a single author in book form
“It is not necessary to imagine the world ending in either fire or ice. There are two other possibilities. One is paperwork, the other is nostalgia.” -Francis Vincent ‘Frank’ Zappa, Junior (born 1940)
It may be a little arrogant of people to think that the world is going to end in their lifetimes. After all, the Earth has been around for billions of years, and untold numbers of generations of people have existed on it for only a tiny part of that time. So, just what is it about our generation that makes us think that we are so special that the world is going to come to an end while we inhabit the planet?
It’s the end of the world . . . please pass the hot buttered popcorn . . .
‘The end of the world’ and ‘nearly the end of the world’ are often depicted fictionally in movies, novels, television shows, and video games. However, it is best to keep in mind that these are common themes for entertainment purposes and should not be taken seriously. What should be taken seriously is making sure you are putting as much effort into your personal life as you possibly can so that you can enjoy the rewards of hard work, smart planning, and taking measured risks. Show up on time at your job, work hard, and be nice to people. Pay attention in school, do your homework, and have fun with your friends. Keep your home neat and presentable, pay your bills on time, and make excuses for visiting your neighbors. Spend time in family activities. Try new things and go on adventures. These are the important things in life, and ridiculously exaggerated fantasies about statistically improbable calamities should never overshadow them. Perhaps we really should end any unhealthy obsession with doom and gloom and each of us should get busy living our one and only life.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Life and Living” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“Do not expect too much of the end of the world.” -Stanislaw Jerzy Lec (1909 - 1966): as quoted in Umberto Eco: “Foucault’s Pendulum” (1989), Chapter 7, page 49
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Attitudes and Expectations” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Overheard: They say that the world is going to end in a few days, and I still do not know what I am going to wear . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Attire and Accessories” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Popular Ways for the World to End
- An ice age turns the Earth into a giant ball of ice and snow, and nobody can get their cars out of their driveways.
- Acid rain eats holes in everything, including plants, fishes, cows, and your new patio furniture.
- A hole in the ozone layer lets cosmic rays come in to cook everything.
- Global warming or climate change causes droughts, floods, and you know, like, whatever.
- A really big space rock collides with the planet and we disappear like the dinosaurs did.
- A pandemic follows an accident at a lab in which viruses or germs escape.
- Extraterrestrial invaders come to live on our planet and tell us to leave or else.
- The Sun goes from its yellow dwarf state to a red giant state.
- Scientific advancement or an invention goes all wrong, and doom happens in the form of robots, computers, or other machines.
- Genetically altered or mutated life forms either refuse to share the planet’s resources with us or they eat us.
- Boredom: A lack of excitement causes everyone to become lackadaisical from unbearable boredom, which can be helped only by thinking up new and exciting ways for the world to end.
- The atmosphere burns up, because the oxygen and other gasses in it are highly flammable.
- Can you think of other ways in which the world could end, and if you can, why are you wasting your time thinking about it?
Notice: Due to the lack of experienced trumpeters, the end of the world has been postponed for three weeks.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Music” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
When the End of the World Arrives, How Will the Media Report It?
- The New York Times: “World to end tomorrow; story and analysis on page B11.”
- The Wall Street Journal: “World to end tomorrow; market to close early.”
- USA Today: “It’s Over!”
- The Washington Post: “World to end tomorrow; poorest nations will be hardest hit.”
- Business Week: Dow Jones Plummets As World Ends.
- Microsoft Systems Journal: Apple Loses Market Share.
- Sports Illustrated: Game Over.
- Wired: The Last New Thing.
- Readers Digest: ‘Bye.
- Discover Magazine: How will the extinction of all life affect the way we view the cosmos?
- Lady’s Home Journal: Lose 10 Pounds by Judgement Day with Our New ‘Armageddon’ Diet!
- America Online: System Temporarily Down. Try Calling Back In 15 Minutes.
- Inc. magazine: Ten Ways You Can Profit from the Apocalypse.
- Microsoft’s Web Site: If You Did Not Experience the Apocalypse, Download Software Patch APOT777.EXE.
“End of time: What happens when clocks stop.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
Ode to End Timers
Fanatics are trying to fend
With this concept: the world’s gonna end.
When portentous predictions
Turn out to be fictions,
They re-do their math and amend.
by Madeleine Begun Kane (born 1949)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Limericks” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
‘The end of the world’ and ‘nearly the end of the world’ are often depicted fictionally in movies, novels, television shows, and video games. However, it is best to keep in mind that these are common themes for entertainment purposes and should not be taken seriously. What should be taken seriously is making sure you are putting as much effort into your personal life as you possibly can so that you can enjoy the rewards of hard work, smart planning, and taking measured risks. Show up on time at your job, work hard, and be nice to people. Pay attention in school, do your homework, and have fun with your friends. Keep your home neat and presentable, pay your bills on time, and make excuses for visiting your neighbors. Spend time in family activities. Try new things and go on adventures. These are the important things in life, and ridiculously exaggerated fantasies about statistically improbable calamities should never overshadow them. Perhaps we really should end any unhealthy obsession with doom and gloom and each of us should get busy living our one and only life.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Life and Living” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“Do not expect too much of the end of the world.” -Stanislaw Jerzy Lec (1909 - 1966): as quoted in Umberto Eco: “Foucault’s Pendulum” (1989), Chapter 7, page 49
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Attitudes and Expectations” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Overheard: They say that the world is going to end in a few days, and I still do not know what I am going to wear . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Attire and Accessories” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Popular Ways for the World to End
- An ice age turns the Earth into a giant ball of ice and snow, and nobody can get their cars out of their driveways.
- Acid rain eats holes in everything, including plants, fishes, cows, and your new patio furniture.
- A hole in the ozone layer lets cosmic rays come in to cook everything.
- Global warming or climate change causes droughts, floods, and you know, like, whatever.
- A really big space rock collides with the planet and we disappear like the dinosaurs did.
- A pandemic follows an accident at a lab in which viruses or germs escape.
- Extraterrestrial invaders come to live on our planet and tell us to leave or else.
- The Sun goes from its yellow dwarf state to a red giant state.
- Scientific advancement or an invention goes all wrong, and doom happens in the form of robots, computers, or other machines.
- Genetically altered or mutated life forms either refuse to share the planet’s resources with us or they eat us.
- Boredom: A lack of excitement causes everyone to become lackadaisical from unbearable boredom, which can be helped only by thinking up new and exciting ways for the world to end.
- The atmosphere burns up, because the oxygen and other gasses in it are highly flammable.
- Can you think of other ways in which the world could end, and if you can, why are you wasting your time thinking about it?
Notice: Due to the lack of experienced trumpeters, the end of the world has been postponed for three weeks.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Music” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
When the End of the World Arrives, How Will the Media Report It?
- The New York Times: “World to end tomorrow; story and analysis on page B11.”
- The Wall Street Journal: “World to end tomorrow; market to close early.”
- USA Today: “It’s Over!”
- The Washington Post: “World to end tomorrow; poorest nations will be hardest hit.”
- Business Week: Dow Jones Plummets As World Ends.
- Microsoft Systems Journal: Apple Loses Market Share.
- Sports Illustrated: Game Over.
- Wired: The Last New Thing.
- Readers Digest: ‘Bye.
- Discover Magazine: How will the extinction of all life affect the way we view the cosmos?
- Lady’s Home Journal: Lose 10 Pounds by Judgement Day with Our New ‘Armageddon’ Diet!
- America Online: System Temporarily Down. Try Calling Back In 15 Minutes.
- Inc. magazine: Ten Ways You Can Profit from the Apocalypse.
- Microsoft’s Web Site: If You Did Not Experience the Apocalypse, Download Software Patch APOT777.EXE.
“End of time: What happens when clocks stop.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
Ode to End Timers
Fanatics are trying to fend
With this concept: the world’s gonna end.
When portentous predictions
Turn out to be fictions,
They re-do their math and amend.
by Madeleine Begun Kane (born 1949)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Limericks” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
When will the world end? Scientists believe the Sun will exist for another 5 billion years before going from being a yellow dwarf star to a red giant star, and in all likelihood, destroys the planet. Earth may cease to support life far before that time, however, due to the increased energy output from the Sun over time. What will become of humankind? Well before all of this occurs, humans will likely locate several really big rocks floating around in space, build habitable caves (seems familiar somehow . . .) inside the really big rocks, attach propulsion devices to the really big rocks, and pilot them out of the solar system. We will become a spacefaring species in search of new home-worlds.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about the Future and Predictions” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
In 7.5 billion years, the Sun will run out of fuel and turn into a Red Giant, at which time the Earth will be uninhabitable. For some unknown reason, this concerns many folks a whole lot and some can think of little else - given all the possible things that they could be thinking about!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Minds and Thinking” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Overheard: Chicken Little only has to be right once.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Fairy Tales” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“Have you noticed that in ‘the end of the world’ movies and books, the world does not explode, burn up, or become barren and devoid of all life, but instead, the sky becomes dark and people act only slightly more confused and disorderly than usual?” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
“There’s no end in sight!” -Author Unknown
“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” -Charles M. Schulz (Charles Monroe ‘Sparky’ Schulz (1922 - 2000))
Yesterday is proof there will be a tomorrow. There was a yesterday to yesterday, and a yesterday to that yesterday, and so on, going far, far back in time. If you could know when the first yesterday was, and look forward from that day, you would find that the first yesterday had a tomorrow and that tomorrow had a tomorrow, and so on. All those yesterdays and tomorrows, going on and on . . . builds the case that there will be not only a tomorrow, but a tomorrow for that tomorrow and so on, and so, many tomorrows will follow today, going far into the future, and so, there will be many tomorrows . . . perhaps even beyond our ability to count.
“I bought some Armageddon cheese today, and it said on the packet, ‘Best Before End.’” -Tim Vine (Timothy Mark ‘Tim’ Vine (born 1967))
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Dairy Foods” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
What does “The Bible” say about the end of the world? “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” -Jesus Christ: as quoted in “The Bible,” ‘Book of Matthew,’ chapter 24, verse 36
Some people lead dull lives because they aren’t the kind of people who actually do things, but are instead the kind of people who wait for things to happen. These are the people who talk endlessly about silly nonsense such as when and how the end of the world will happen. There is nothing going on in their lives; they aren’t doing anything with their lives; they are bored and spend their lives wishing something would happen, and if it doesn’t, they talk about what they wish would happen or what they wish other people would or should do. Do not let yourself be one of those people; rather, be one of the people who are doing things. Life is so much richer for the people who do things than it is for the people who wait and idle their lives away in fearful imaginings. So grab a ball and play catch with someone, or write an essay or a silly poem, or build a table and some chairs, or get a camera and take pictures of people and nature and events, or talk to someone about a new job, or just do anything that comes to mind or that you have been putting off doing. Do not wait, and do not engage in wasting time talking about the end of the world or what you wish other people would do. Be a doer yourself.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Inspiration and Motivation” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)
On 31 March 1940, the Franklin Institute issued a press release stating that the world would end the next day. The release was picked up by radio station KYW, which broadcast the following message: “Your worst fears that the world will end are confirmed by astronomers of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Scientists predict that the world will end at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time tomorrow. This is no April Fool’s Day joke. Confirmation can be obtained from Wagner Schlesinger, director of the Fels Planetarium of this city.” The public reaction was immediate. Local authorities were flooded with frantic phone calls. The panic only subsided after the Franklin Institute assured people that it had made no such prediction. The prankster responsible for the press release turned out to be William Castellini, the Institute’s press agent. He had intended to use the fake release to publicize an April 1st lecture at the institute titled, “How Will the World End?” Soon afterwards, the Institute dismissed Mr. Castellini from his job.
“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” -Richard Bach (Richard David Bach (born 1936))
“Our Earth is degenerate in these last days; there are signs that the world is speedily coming to an end; bribery and corruption are common; children no longer listen to their parents; every man wants to write a book; indeed, the end of the world is approaching.” -Author Unknown: Assyrian inscription carved in stone (about 1500 B.C.E.)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about History” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
End of the World Quiz
- Does any person really know when or how the world will end?
- When a person predicts the world will end in a certain way on a certain day, and he or she is wrong, what happens?
- Was Chicken Little right when she claimed the sky was falling because a pinecone fell out of a tree and hit her head?
- Might a person say the world is ending because he or she is bored and wanting excitement or is seeking to be the center of attention?
- Has anyone ever predicted the end of the world in order to defraud governments of tax-payers’ money, personal money or other personal assets, to get people to buy fictional books, or to get people to pay to see fictional movies or phony lectures?
- If you and I do not know when the world will end, why would we suppose that other people would know?
- What happens if we ignore people who say the world is ending, and instead just continue living our lives as usual?
“If a cult leader or a politician tells you the end of the world is near, it is time to leave the cult or political party and live in the real world. If a cult leader or a politician has not told you the end of the world is near, it is time to leave the cult or political party and live in the real world. The real world is the place to be.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
The following pretty well sums it all up: If you are planting a tree or teaching a child to read, and someone comes along shouting, “The world is ending, the world is ending!” first finish planting the tree or teaching the child to read, and then go look into the matter of the world ending.
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” -Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)
“For all we know, we may be closer to the beginning of the world than we are to the end of the world, and perhaps we should plan our days and live our lives as though it were so.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Beaumont’s Quotations” by David Hugh Beaumont.
“End of the world? Why, I can’t even find the beginning, because the world is round!” -Author Unknown
Cheer up - it’s not the end of the world! Another somewhat silly and somewhat serious topic is coming right up . . . on MFOL!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about the Future and Predictions” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
In 7.5 billion years, the Sun will run out of fuel and turn into a Red Giant, at which time the Earth will be uninhabitable. For some unknown reason, this concerns many folks a whole lot and some can think of little else - given all the possible things that they could be thinking about!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Minds and Thinking” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
Overheard: Chicken Little only has to be right once.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Fairy Tales” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“Have you noticed that in ‘the end of the world’ movies and books, the world does not explode, burn up, or become barren and devoid of all life, but instead, the sky becomes dark and people act only slightly more confused and disorderly than usual?” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
“There’s no end in sight!” -Author Unknown
“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” -Charles M. Schulz (Charles Monroe ‘Sparky’ Schulz (1922 - 2000))
Yesterday is proof there will be a tomorrow. There was a yesterday to yesterday, and a yesterday to that yesterday, and so on, going far, far back in time. If you could know when the first yesterday was, and look forward from that day, you would find that the first yesterday had a tomorrow and that tomorrow had a tomorrow, and so on. All those yesterdays and tomorrows, going on and on . . . builds the case that there will be not only a tomorrow, but a tomorrow for that tomorrow and so on, and so, many tomorrows will follow today, going far into the future, and so, there will be many tomorrows . . . perhaps even beyond our ability to count.
“I bought some Armageddon cheese today, and it said on the packet, ‘Best Before End.’” -Tim Vine (Timothy Mark ‘Tim’ Vine (born 1967))
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Dairy Foods” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
What does “The Bible” say about the end of the world? “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” -Jesus Christ: as quoted in “The Bible,” ‘Book of Matthew,’ chapter 24, verse 36
Some people lead dull lives because they aren’t the kind of people who actually do things, but are instead the kind of people who wait for things to happen. These are the people who talk endlessly about silly nonsense such as when and how the end of the world will happen. There is nothing going on in their lives; they aren’t doing anything with their lives; they are bored and spend their lives wishing something would happen, and if it doesn’t, they talk about what they wish would happen or what they wish other people would or should do. Do not let yourself be one of those people; rather, be one of the people who are doing things. Life is so much richer for the people who do things than it is for the people who wait and idle their lives away in fearful imaginings. So grab a ball and play catch with someone, or write an essay or a silly poem, or build a table and some chairs, or get a camera and take pictures of people and nature and events, or talk to someone about a new job, or just do anything that comes to mind or that you have been putting off doing. Do not wait, and do not engage in wasting time talking about the end of the world or what you wish other people would do. Be a doer yourself.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Inspiration and Motivation” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.
“The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)
On 31 March 1940, the Franklin Institute issued a press release stating that the world would end the next day. The release was picked up by radio station KYW, which broadcast the following message: “Your worst fears that the world will end are confirmed by astronomers of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Scientists predict that the world will end at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time tomorrow. This is no April Fool’s Day joke. Confirmation can be obtained from Wagner Schlesinger, director of the Fels Planetarium of this city.” The public reaction was immediate. Local authorities were flooded with frantic phone calls. The panic only subsided after the Franklin Institute assured people that it had made no such prediction. The prankster responsible for the press release turned out to be William Castellini, the Institute’s press agent. He had intended to use the fake release to publicize an April 1st lecture at the institute titled, “How Will the World End?” Soon afterwards, the Institute dismissed Mr. Castellini from his job.
“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” -Richard Bach (Richard David Bach (born 1936))
“Our Earth is degenerate in these last days; there are signs that the world is speedily coming to an end; bribery and corruption are common; children no longer listen to their parents; every man wants to write a book; indeed, the end of the world is approaching.” -Author Unknown: Assyrian inscription carved in stone (about 1500 B.C.E.)
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End of the World Quiz
- Does any person really know when or how the world will end?
- When a person predicts the world will end in a certain way on a certain day, and he or she is wrong, what happens?
- Was Chicken Little right when she claimed the sky was falling because a pinecone fell out of a tree and hit her head?
- Might a person say the world is ending because he or she is bored and wanting excitement or is seeking to be the center of attention?
- Has anyone ever predicted the end of the world in order to defraud governments of tax-payers’ money, personal money or other personal assets, to get people to buy fictional books, or to get people to pay to see fictional movies or phony lectures?
- If you and I do not know when the world will end, why would we suppose that other people would know?
- What happens if we ignore people who say the world is ending, and instead just continue living our lives as usual?
“If a cult leader or a politician tells you the end of the world is near, it is time to leave the cult or political party and live in the real world. If a cult leader or a politician has not told you the end of the world is near, it is time to leave the cult or political party and live in the real world. The real world is the place to be.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
The following pretty well sums it all up: If you are planting a tree or teaching a child to read, and someone comes along shouting, “The world is ending, the world is ending!” first finish planting the tree or teaching the child to read, and then go look into the matter of the world ending.
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” -Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)
“For all we know, we may be closer to the beginning of the world than we are to the end of the world, and perhaps we should plan our days and live our lives as though it were so.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
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“End of the world? Why, I can’t even find the beginning, because the world is round!” -Author Unknown
Cheer up - it’s not the end of the world! Another somewhat silly and somewhat serious topic is coming right up . . . on MFOL!
