Don't worry, I will open/close the "faucet" to the electricity production plant. so you will see the whole country blinking that way (beats a torch) 

Where is your plane landing, if I may boldly ask?
If it is Sao Paulo International airport, then I wholeheartedly suggest that you book a room in a decent hotel and have one of their cabs pick you up. At night that place is dangerous (because the poorest of the poor live right next to the airport). When I came through that airport a cab drove me to the international bus station. That trip took me right next the "village" (a house there is just a pallet on its side with a piece of plastic)...and I understood why other people warned me to not be in the airport at night.

Hmmm, I could tell you a story about what happened the one time I flew back to Holland, using Sao Paulo I.A. ...but that is too off-topic. But if you (or the BLAZEMONGER Inc "Customer Service" Department) keep bothering me I will tell.

[Going way OT]
We're flying Buenos Aires to Lima on a extreme whistle-stop tour of Peru before catching an Antartic cruise ship at Santiago.
[/Going way OT]

[Staying way OT]
Hey! How long will you stay in BA? Drop by and say hi while you're here if you want 
[/Staying way OT]

Fascinating that a thread entitled "How will the Earth end?" becomes a travelogue (and how appropriate;))

Have a great time - sounds like great fun. Try and be brave about the waterfall!

I wonder if the travel insurance covers the whole of Antartica spontaneously melting and the resultant tidal waves wiping out all mankind below an altitude of 6000 meters?

Hmmm...I guess that would depend on how they decide to classify global warming.

Is it:

a) an "act of god"
b) a case of human "negligence"
c) just the fallout from a criminal act

Coverage would vary based on the definitions in whatever virtual reality your assurance underwriter dwells in.

Just when this thread was seeming to go back on track, I'm back here to help stray it a bit more ... 

Nice trip/cruise, 4wd! 
I hope you and your wife enjoy it. And I'm glad that those officials at the Brazilian Consulate were bored enough to grant you your visa in record time  Hopefully you'll enjoy the visit to the Iguazú Falls more than you think. Yes, it's just "gravity at work"  , but let me warn you that it's gravity at work BIG TIME:

Upon seeing Iguazu, the United States' First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly exclaimed "Poor Niagara!"

Anyway, from your planned schedule I guess you'll only stay for a few hours at Buenos Aires, mainly transferring between the two airports, on your first stop here:

so it'll possibly end up being: fly in to EZE, transfer to AEP, fly to IGR, stay 2 nights and watch gravity at work, fly to AEP, stay o/n at EZE and then out the next day.

By the way, sorry about those U$S 100 entrance fee. I didn't know that was applicable to Australians. Apparently they're stating with it on January 2009 

for that privilege I get to pay for a US$100 visa on arrival - you may be able to pick up on the fact I'm not particularly thrilled with that idea

The Argentine Consulate in Australia has an explanation about it on their website:

Australian citizens, who are going to Argentina for up to 90 days, do not require a visa when they travel for tourism, business or investment purposes.
However, as of 1st January 2009 Australian citizens will need to pay an entry fee upon arrival in Argentina which is equivalent to the amount Argentine citizens have to pay when applying for an Australian visa (roughly USD100).

From your cruise's brochure it seems that you'll be spending a whole day (Feb 8th) in Buenos Aires. I hope you are able (and willing) to get off the ship and do some tourism here. If those end up being your plans, just let me know and I'll be happy to help you. I'm sending you a PM with my info.

Cheers!

Oh, and about that "End of the Earth" thing ...

Fascinating that a thread entitled "How will the Earth end?" becomes a travelogue (and how appropriate;))

It is particularly appropriate since Antarctica has been called "The end of the Earth" many times (but maybe that's what you meant and I'm simply "over-explaining" it ...  )

I read the thread and maybe I missed it, but...

The end of the Earth?  Hmmmm... only celestial/solar or geological/geothermal cataclysm. 
No other power (even nukes on steroids) could do it. The Earth is simply TOO BIG.  There are certain laws in nature that cannot be superseded.  While the supersonic rush of sub-freezing air masses swirling in from space makes an interesting global-war(n)ming theatrical ("The Day after Tomorrow" movie) it is physically (think: physics) impossible.  First off, since space is a vacuum no force on earth could be strong enough to invoke a terrestial atmospheric low pressure that could override that of space.  Also, the laws that govern the movement of gases states that the temperature of an air mass will change in proportion to the speed of the movement.  Specifically, the faster the air mass would descend from near space (no "air" in space) the faster it would warm up to match the surrounding environment.  You get the idea.  In regard to global warming the same types of laws apply.  While it might have an effect that effect would naturally be limited to its max and then would wane.  Sure, it might be a rough ride, but it would return to equillibrium.  It couldn't be the end.

The end of humanity?  Barring the above, it would seem impossible as no human-induced phenomena could reach every possible remnant.  The actions of humans against humans can not go beyond a "critical mass."  In the aftermath there is a reduced human presence; therefore, a reduced threat.  The fewer the possibilities the fewer the results.  While disasters on a national scale will come so will the reduction of potential as well.  It all stays in balance.

So, when will it all come to an end?

The short answer is,
"... when the last second,
of the last minute,
of the last hour,
of the last day,
of the last week,
of the last month,
of the last year,
of the last decade,
of the last century,
of the last millenia,
of the last eon...

... runs out.

k, i know this thread is beyond old (last post 17th jan 2007)...however, its kinda fun, and i just found it, so lets revive it

I think the worlds gonna end because ATM (Cash Machines) take over the world, and destroy humans by means of suffocation, caused by insane amounts of receipts.  

*Bumped as part of my "omg its 7am and I had nothing better to do than search the Living Room archives for something fun to bump for no good reason at all jus to see everyone's reaction" campaign*

in silence.