A western culture scare
By Jessica Smith, A&E Editor
We’ve all heard—the world is supposed to end on December 21, 2012. Some people are standing on the sides of streets holding signs reading, “Repent: The world is going to end” or something along those lines.
But, it’s not going to happen. NASA debunked that myth. According to NASA scientists, the world will not end in 2012. The planet has been getting along just fine for more than four billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012.
Also, the Mayan calendar does not end on December 21, 2012. The date signifies the end of the Mayan long-count period, but another long count period begins—just like our regular calendars.
So, there you have it. The world is not going to end in a few days. We are all going to be just fine. All of this hype about the world ending is just our culture’s way of blowing things way out of proportion and trying to scare average citizens. Some “religious” icons even go so far as scamming money out of poor souls who believe this end-of-the-world hogwash.
I’m not worried about it, and nobody else should be either. Just like Y2K and other past scares, this is nothing but hype. I’m going to enjoy the rest of my break.
Survival plan
By Christa Cwiek, Copy Editor
Talk of the world ending on the 21st of this month has been circulating. Even my pastor jokingly made mention of it during his sermon on Sunday (reassuring the congregation this is simply a myth).
While I don’t believe the world is actually going to end, it has raised some interesting topics of conversation for my family. We talked about people from the National Geographic reality show “Doomsday Preppers” and how they have bomb shelters filled with necessary items for survival, such as insulin.
We are in no way a paranoid family; we don’t have stockpiles of crossbows and prescription medications hidden throughout our house. However, it is important to know what needs to be done in an emergency situation. What if a bomb detonates in Chicago? Is it best to head due north? With my six immediate family members spread out across five different cities, if sources of communication are down and we don’t have a plan in place, we’re screwed.
If you’re like me and don’t believe the world is going to end like the Mayans prophesized, an emergency plan is still needed. As college students, we need a way to get home to our families to figure out the next steps for survival.
Off the mark
By Rachel Szucs, Copy Editor
As a Christian, I turn to the Bible for truth and insight into the world. Still, many Christians read verses that seem to eerily foretell the world we live in now and that the apocalypse is near. In Matthew 24, Jesus’ disciples ask Him for signs of the end of the age. Jesus declares that nations will rise against each other (turn on the news for a quick taste of that) with wars and rumors or wars. Christ speaks of famines and earthquakes (who could forget Haiti), and others coming in His name claiming to be the Messiah and deceiving the public as Christ-like figures (everyone’s heard the “Obama is the Anti-Christ theory,” not that I believe that). Christ calls theses events “the beginning of birth pains.”
Yet, one verse is all that’s needed to refute the Doomsday theory. Matthew 24:36-39 states, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
I believe that knowing the true day that the world will end is impossible, and that it certainly isn’t December 21. Who knows, maybe it will be December 20 or 22. Wouldn’t that be a hoot? But all I know is, no one knows, and I believe we should live everyday loving like it is our last.
Dec.21 will not be a problem; Jan. 18 of 2038 will be
By Brock Copus, Multimedia Editor
With all this talk about this “Doomsday” coming up, I don’t think much of it. I’ll merely appreciate it for the hilarity that is surely to come. But there is a date in the future that could lead to some serious repercussions: January 18, 2038.
Similar to the worries of Y2K, Y2K38 will involve our vast dependence on computers and technology. But unlike the issues from over a decade ago, this upcoming date involves a structural problem with 32-bit technology; not just lazy coding that only involved two digits to denote a year. On such date in 2038 (time depends on the time zone), 32-bit technology will have an integer overflow, resetting the date internally back to January 1, 1970.
This issue can be remedied for a lot of technology by upgrading to a 64-bit system (where an overflow date would occur over two billion years from now). But for a lot of technology, such upgrade is not feasible.
Problems will be seen by such number glitch years before 2038, since many systems load date information for the near feature, meaning its effects will be seen much sooner. And although such “doomsday” would not lead to a collapse of the world as we know it, a much more realistic issue will be sure to provide us with headaches.
End of the world
By Jax Anger, Opinions Editor
I know for a fact that the world will end on Friday because that is the day I am getting married.
The world as I know it will cease to exist and a new family will form in its place. We’re a non-traditional couple, and our Fallout/Doomsday themed wedding will be a great memory for the rest of our lives.
As for the world actually ending—I’m not afraid. Rogue meteors and solar flares aside, we’re living on a fairly safe rock astronomically. If the world ends Friday or even tomorrow, I’m at peace knowing that I’ve lived a great life, I’ve loved and been loved, laughed and been laughed at.
If you’re really that scared of the apocalypse, it’s probably because you’ve done something heinous and your guilt is what’s going to end you. I’m more afraid of snow on my wedding day Friday than the world actually ending.
Wait and see
By Mary Benson, Editor in Chief
Goodbye world. As of December 21, 2012, the world is supposedly coming to an end.
I do not believe that the world will actually end; I hope it doesn’t at least. There is still too much to do in my lifetime for the world to abruptly be done, but if the world does happen to end, at least I will be surrounded by love. That day I will be celebrating the marriage of a co-worker for a Doomsday themed wedding.
There have been many conspiracies about what people think, and some have gone to the extreme to stock up on food and supplies to live for years to come. All this talk just makes you reflect on your life and realize all the good and bad has happened for a reason. I could not be happier with my life at this moment.
My life has been divine and will continue to be glorious if the world does not end. If for some reason the Mayans were correct in predicting the world to end on this day coming soon, life’s been great. I hope to see everyone on the flip side, that being Dec. 22.