T he big question right now with alternative thinkers of all sorts is whether there will be a 2013 at all.
     According to some doomsayers, the end of the Mayan calendar on 21 December 2012 is supposed to herald events of such a cataclysmic nature that one wonders if it will be worth doing any Christmas shopping just a few years from now.
     The nature of this earth shattering event is apparently still hidden from us, but in theory it could be anything from an asteroid strike, an alien invasion, a polar shift, or a nuclear war.
     Those of us with long memories recall February of 1962, when Indian astrologers predicted something dire was in the works. They were nearly right with the Cuban Missile Crisis that October, bringing a very close brush with nuclear war. Then there was the Y2K computer glitch which was supposed to create chaos on the eve of the millennium.
     As the Mayans were famed for their knowledge of astronomy, the best bet is that any coming event will be cosmic in origin, and part of an extremely long cycle.
     Anyone scanning the headlines knows that we are in a good deal of trouble, and it may just be a question of which catastrophe overwhelms us first.
     The author Marie D. Jones is much published and a licensed New Thought minister. She begins by examining the various Mayan codices and explaining how the end date was determined.
     There is some variance in pinning down the precise date. One source even says that it will arrive much earlier than expected, in the fall of 2011, while another gives us an extra two days beyond 21 December.
     Astronomers have worried for a long time over an asteroid impact that we won’t see coming. A less likely prospect is a giant p1anet “Nibiru” headed for the vicinity of Earth from the outer reaches of the solar system.
     Ms. Jones argues that time seems to be accelerating caused in part by the increase of information available to us. Certainly, the speed of the economic deterioration now upon us, argues for this idea.
     There is the possibility of a polar shift – an extinction level event. Some readings of the earth’s electromagnetic field seem to indicate it is weakening significantly.
     Then there is the question of peak oil – are we truly starting to run out of this commodity, and when will the real crunch start? Climate changes cause superstorms such as the hurricane that nearly wiped out New Orleans in 2004.
     There is a super volcano underneath Yellowstone Park in the United States that has been dormant for millennia. Should it ever erupt, well, I am afraid I will not be sitting here typing this, even though I am hundreds of miles to the north. The entire western half of the United States and Canada could be wiped out.
     Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union, we are not out of the woods with either a full-scale or limited nuclear war. India, Pakistan and Israel continue to develop nuclear weapons. China is a potential superpower, and the Russian military appears to be making a comeback.
     Epidemics and plagues have always been with us, but the possibility is increasing of a real pandemic, somewhat on the lines of the 1918 influenza that killed millions. Certainly, all the stress we live under cannot be good for our health. When health breaks down there is increasing strain on medical systems worldwide, especially in Africa, where AIDS is an ongoing problem.
     About the only thing the author does not mention is an alien invasion or the construction of the supercollider near Berne, Switzerland. In the case of the former, there would be an upswing in UFO sightings forcing the government to make full disclosure of what they know. Even that seems to be nearing, as more and more governments release their files.
     The super collider has not yet gone fully online, due to mechanical problems, however it should be ready to go by mid-summer 2009. Some have speculated that it will cause a mini-black hole which might swallow the entire earth.
     So there we have it, Ms. Jones backs up the problems we are having with plenty of statistics. However, in the second half of the book, she sees lots of reason for hope and the entering of a new state of consciousness by the human race.
     There is a chance we will yet find cures for every human disease, and perhaps increase life expectancy to 150 years or beyond. Recognising problems then searching for new solutions is half the battle won.
     Although some may look askance at self-replicating computers and artificial intelligence, these technological innovations could lead to far-more efficient ways of performing simple tasks and new discoveries in complex matters.
     It is interesting that although Ms. Jones does not mention an alien invasion, she does refer to the chance that open disclosure will lead to contact with beneficent aliens, thereby advancing humanity at a much faster pace. This split between hostile alien forces and benign ones leads to the conclusion that the final outcome may depend on what goes on in our very own heads.
     Quantum physics teaches us that the outcome of any given event is indeterminate in advance of that event. So, while there could well be major upheavals, it would be extremely unwise to bias our opinions in advance of 2012.
     This split in human consciousness is evidenced in the closing pages of the book, where interviews with a number of famous individuals are presented. These include former astronaut and moon walker Edgar Mitchell, UFO expert Nick Redfern, conspiracy author Jim Marrs and radio personality Robert R. Hieronimus, Ph.D., among others.
     The one thing they agree on is that whatever happens the world will not be the same. But isn’t that what we have a1ways faced? In 1914, 1929, 1962 and 1991, watersheds were reached that completely altered old circumstances.
     Although she goes a bit heavy on news reports at times, Ms. Jones is sincere in her desire to inform us that all is not lost in wondering about 2012. In the end, it is all up to us. A straight-shooting report that cuts through all the vague hype about 21 December 2012.