Good morning, friends!

Welcome to the last day of the world! 

Wow – can you believe it all came to this? Boom – all over. But exactly how will it happen? Read here for the process they have in mind for your final hours.

Coincidentally, it is also the draw for Spain and the World’s biggest lottery, the El Gordo Navidad. And I tell you what, with a 1-in-3 chance of winning something, I’m giving myself the chance to be a billionaire. You know, just in case the world doesn’t end! I bought five tickets. Get your tickets here.

The Morning Spice is going to be gearing down a bit over the next two weeks. You will still get articles during the day, but the Morning Spice will probably be taking a little rest. Maybe I’ll give you one every now and then.

When I said “give you one,” I didn’t mean it like that.

Thanks everyone for a marvellous vibe. In general.

Please travel safe and enjoy your time with friends and family.

Especially today – the last day of the world..

 

 

 

Mayan Apocalypse: Bugarach Prepares For The End – in Pictures – Bugarach, a small village on the French side of the Pyrenees, has become a centre of attention because some believe it is the only spot on Earth expected to survive a coming global apocalypse on 21 December. [guardian]

Zuma Picks Motlanthe To Lead ANC’s Political School – Jacob Zuma has announced that the ANC’s former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe will lead the party’s new political school. What a lovely gesture. [mail&guardian]

Students Admit Eagle Snatching Video Is Fake – Three students from Canada have admitted creating a fake video that appears to show an eagle snatching a child. In the first 24 hours it was online, the clip of the eagle swooping and lifting the toddler off the ground was watched more than five million times. [skynews]

Rejected “Pinch-To-Zoom” Patent Could Reignite Apple vs Samsung Trial – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) tentatively invalidated Apple’s “pinch-to-zoom” patent Wednesday following a second review. [techradar]

Instagram Reverses Privacy Policy – In the aftermath of the uproar over changes to Instagram’s privacy policy and terms of service earlier this week, the company did an about-face late Thursday. [newyorktimes]

Facebook Tests Charging $1 to Send Some Messages – Facebook said Thursday it has begun testing a system for users to send messages to people outside their immediate circle of social contacts for a payment of $1, as the company continues to find new ways to capitalize on its popularity. [wallstreetjournal]

American Gun Deaths to Exceed Traffic Fatalities by 2015 – Guns and cars have long been among the leading causes of non-medical deaths in the U.S. By 2015, firearm fatalities will probably exceed traffic fatalities for the first time. [bloomberg]

Nationalisation Of Mines Dead And Buried – The ANC has rejected mine nationalisation as an economic policy at the ruling party’s elective conference in Mangaung, Free State. [mail&guardian]

ANC Executive Now Almost 100% Zuma – President Jacob Zuma has consolidated his grip on the ANC – his backers now dominate all its most powerful structures and the national party conference in Mangaung adopted almost all his key policy proposals on the opening day. [timeslive]

Mandela ‘Steadily Improving’ – During his closing address on Thursday evening, President Jacob Zuma has informed the ANC conference in Mangaung that Nelson Mandela’s health condition was “serious” but that he was “responding well to treatment” after suffering a lung infection and undergoing surgery for gall stones. [news24]

Vladimir Putin Goes On Offensive Against US – Vladimir Putin signalled his support for a controversial new law that would ban American citizens from adopting Russian orphans as he issued a fierce verbal attack on the United States. [telegraph]

Bullet-Proof Backpacks Flying Off the Shelves In US – On the heels of the deadly shooting tragedy in Connecticut, parents’ anxiety is driving a surge in sales of bullet-proof backpacks, in the hope the armored bags can give their kids a safety edge. [afp]

The Great $18 Million Maple Syrup Heist – It was an inside job of sorts. Thieves with access to a warehouse and a careful plan loaded up trucks and, over time, made off with $18 million of a valuable commodity. [nytimes]

Miss USA Becomes Miss Universe – A 20-year-old Boston University sophomore and a self-described “cellist-nerd” brought the Miss Universe crown to the United States for the first time in more than a decade when she won the televised contest Wednesday. [cbs]

Why the US Media Ignored Murdoch’s Brazen Bid To Hijack The Presidency – Did the Washington Post and others underplay the story through fear of the News Corp chairman, or simply tin-eared judgment? [guardian]

Anchorman 2 Gets a Release Date – It’s really happening, San Diego. If Will Ferrell appearing in character on Conan wasn’t enough, and the teaser wasn’t enough, and the various story bits (songs! dances!) and casting updates (Kristen Wiig!!) were also insufficient, this should settle things: Anchorman: The Legend Continues has staked out Dec. 20, 2013 for its release. [bloomberg]

Study: Squeezing Breasts Can Prevent Cancer (Finally) – Teenage boys have been waiting for this news for years. According to a new study, squeezing breasts can prevent cancer. Yes, really. [glopo]

Click ‘Tune In Now’ button (top right of your screen)
Only uses 20Mb an hour of data

COMING UP TODAY

The Premier Show With Seth And Bruce 10h00 to 13h00 – Easing you into your Friday, Seth and Bruce discuss the topics of the day, with a smattering of sport, entertainment and finance. Powered by Jack Daniels! [2ovfm]

Spoek Mathambo On 2 Girls 1 Mic – Spoek Mathambo (real name: Nthato Mokgata) first hotwired our world with a series of collaborative projects – Sweat X, Playdoe – that placed his smart, dirty vocals on top of electro-rap bangers that activated dancefloors across the globe. Now, he makes the Afro-futurists look old school. Tune in for his interview with Angel from 13h00-15h00 on 2oceansVibe Radio! [2girls1mic]

FRESH PODCASTS

Your Plans For NYE Are Sorted – At least 3 major parties will be hosted at various locations across the V&A featuring countless bands, DJs and live music acts. Join us as we bid farewell to 2012 and set the skies alight with a magical fireworks display at midnight. With fantastic parties featuring live entertainment, top musicians, rocking DJs, a showstopping fireworks display and so much more, there’s simply no better place to celebrate the New Year than the V&A Waterfront. Whether it’s a dance party you’re after, the Market at the Wharf party with acoustic performances by Tombstone Pete Trio and Natasha Meister , or simply dinner and a show, with fireworks of course, there’s n better place to visit than the V&A Waterfront. Mark Bayly has all the details in the podcast below. All hotels are offering something special. Booking is essential. [podcast]