But the Mexican ambassador seemed quite serious when he wrote to both TODAY and ST (both appeared 31 Dec), to argue that people have got it all wrong, and to set the record right. Here's the TODAY version, which is basically similar to ST's:
Not doomsday but transformation
Ancient Mayans predicted Dec 23, 2012, would mark start of a new, better cycle for humanity...
Letter from Antonio Villegas, Mexican Ambassador to Singapore
I refer to William Pesek's commentary, "2012: Fear recoupling, not end of the world" (Dec 29).
Mr Pesek wrongly attributes to the ancient Mayas of Mexico the prediction that the world would end in 2012.
To set the record straight and for the benefit of your readers, I would like to note that, according to authorised scholars on the subject, the ancient Mayans, great architects, mathematicians and astronomers, predicted in the 6th century AD not the end of the world on Dec 23, 2012, but the end of the 13th cycle "b'ak'tun" of the Mayan calendar, and the beginning of a new cycle in which the Cosmos would regenerate.
That means that, far from the end of the world, according to the Mayans, the world in 2012 will face a major transformation, which is in essence the gist of Mr Pesek's and other world analysts' appreciation of the events facing the world next year.
The Mayan calendar is not represented in a single image but is a complex system consisting of around 15,000 hieroglyphic signs, known as Mayan glyphs, which look very different from the Aztec Sun-God stone wrongfully represented in some articles about the Mayan prophecies.
We are very happy with the great interest the subject of the Mayan prophecies has evoked around the world. Mexicans and descendants of the Mayans in the Mexican state of Yucatan are preparing to receive in 2012 a large number of visitors keen to know more about the vast cultural and scientific legacy of the Mayans, as well as the rich diversity and attractions Mexico has to offer visitors.
May I extend to you and your readers my best wishes for a wonderful 2012, as well as a warm invitation to come and visit Mexico in 2012 and welcome, on Mayan territory, the advent of a new and better cycle for humanity.
As chair of the G-20, Mexico will also be hosting in June 2012 the summit of the group's leaders, in order to contribute to the solution of some of the urgent problems mentioned by Mr Pesek in his article.
Mucho gracias, amigo, for that elucidating letter!
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I want to wrap up on the SMRT saga too. This picture, sent to TODAY (31 Dec) by reader Chan Lai Ying tells a lot:
The writer says, "On a recent trip to Hong Kong, I noticed that there is a top window in every [train] cabin which can be opened to allow for air to enter the cabin in case of emergency."
This is not the time to point fingers to ask "If it's possible, why didn't we have this important feature too?". SMRT should simply respond and say, "Yes, we'll do it."
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I like this ST Life! headline (31 Dec, page E24):
The story itself is about Britons being worked up over the BBC's choice of a panda as one of its 12 female faces of the year (2011). But aren't pandas cute, as in this recent pic, from a wire story in ST:
Final wrap-up item is this YouTube video of Chook the adorable lyrebird, from Adelaide Zoo, which died this year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rouDlC3oBA
Goodbye, mate!
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