![]() The Mayan Calendar destroys the world © 2010 FrenchTribune Raul Sanchez Staff Writer Many people believe that the world is going to end on December 21st due to many apocalyptic theories, such as the Mayan calendar. These apocalyptic theories, among other things, are one of the main reasons for the panic that great deals of people are feeling as the calendar slowly gets closer to this ominous date. Coupled with the threat of Global warming and the knowledge that hurricanes and other calamities, natural or otherwise, are becoming more abundant, the earth is seemingly doomed. However, apocalyptic theories are still just theories; with a bit of knowledge on the subject, you can see that the only real danger that will await us on December 21, 2012 is a mild case of frostbite. Apocalyptic theories, such as the Mayan Calendar theory, have all been stretched to fit the December 21st, 2012 apocalyptic deadline, which was actually set by the Mayan Calendar. The Mayan Calendar was a calendar used to mark a period known as the Great Cycle. The period known as the Great Cycle began August 13, 3114 B.C, and ends on December 21st, 2012. This date actually falls on a winter solstice, during which the sun will align with the center of the Milky Way. Some people speculate that when this does happen, fire and brimstone will fall down upon earth and the magnetic field of the planet would disrupted. The problem is that this makes absolutely no sense, the calendar is just a calendar that would have been restarted once the date had passed, and the magnetic poles becoming disrupted just because the sun happens to be the farthest away from the sun makes no sense. It is not scientifically valid; it's merely a claim made to scare, not to inform. My opinion about the end of the world is that the entire idea is stupid, mainly because it’s been predicted several times (the date 6/6/06 and Y2K, for example), and every one of these have been wrong. People hear things assume without knowing why or believing facts. If I had to guess, I would say that the attention given to these theories is all derived from the social media and doomsday movies.
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![]() By Raul Sanchez Staff Writer Have you ever taken part in a prank on a person in school, maybe the lonely kid sitting in the corner or maybe on one of the teachers? Have you ever bad mouthed or singled out someone on Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other social media sites? It may seem like just a harmless prank and funny at the time, but there is a chance that this “harmless thing” can stick with them for the rest of their lives and is classified under bullying. Contrary to popular belief, bullying isn't necessarily physical; in fact, emotional abuse usually sticks with a person longer. These actions can lead to depression, social awkwardness, and even suicide. According to bullyingstatistics.org, bullying is usually classified under 4 categories: Physical Bullying, Emotional Bullying, Verbal Bullying, and Cyber Bullying, and they all can be emotionally scarring. These categories of bullying are often done in the name of fun or humor, such as the recent chain of Facebook pages that post provocative pictures of students. However, bullying doesn't just affect the person being bullied; it can affect others around them too. People who have been bullied often report having fantasies in which they violently harm their bullies. Statistics provided by makebeatsnotbeatdowns.org, the website of a nonprofit organization against bullying, report that people who have been bullied often report having fantasies in which they violently harm their bullies, 1 out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school, 1 out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying, and harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school-shooting incidents. The funny jokes that you may have been telling about that nerdy kid in class could result in you and your friends dead. So how do we prevent bullying and all of the terrible things that come with it? It’s actually not that hard, just try to understand and think before you go through with something. Try to understand what that kid you keep making fun of for being short or big is feeling. Try to think what could possibly happen if you pants a kid or call him names. Try to put yourself in that kid’s shoes. Maybe they’ll remind you a bit of yourself. You might even make a new friend. If your friend or someone you know is bullying someone, talk to them. Let them know what it is they’re actually doing; open their eyes. If that doesn’t work, try to be a friend and encourage them. To some kids, that would mean the world to them. k here to edit. ![]() By Maria Sandoval Staff Writer There are approximately 700,000 undocumented students in the United States that are still striving to succeed. These are the students who want to better their future by going to school. Most of the time, undocumented students are discouraged because they believe they don’t have the chance to continue to study after high school. That’s where Deferred Action comes in. Deferred Action gives students the opportunity to further their education, get work permits, and also gives them the opportunity to go to college/ University. I had a talk with one of the students who was applying for the Deferred Action program on Sept. 28th 2012 at Daley College. Israel Garcia, who is currently 20 years old, says he arrived here to the United States at the age of 14. He has been in school ever since. Israel had always dreamed of going off to college, but sometimes felt like his hard work was going all to waste because of his immigration status. After finding out from other people that this law had been passed, he felt hopeful. “I’m excited, nervous, yet very hopeful because I know there is a future for me as well as others with whom I share the same situation,” he said. He has many plans for the years to come. Israel has dreams and goals like many students out there. He says “I would love to have a business of my own. That way I can have a house of my own and buy a stable home for my parents.” He wants everyone to know that it is possible, and he will be informing friends and family who might also be in the same situation what they can do to help themselves out. If you would like more information, you can visit http://www.dhs.gov/deferred-action. |
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