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THE WORD OP/ ED. 3 December 2009 Staff Writer by Vanessa Ramirez Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanoes! The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria! When winter 2012 comes around, it won’t be holly or jolly. It’ll be the darkest of times Cougars, and we have to prepared for anything. The ancient fact that the world will end on December 21, 2012 is becoming more of a realization to people here in Kennedy. Any student that doesn’t believe the world will end soon is in denial, and things like logic and common sense cloud their minds. I asked one Kennedy student if they believed in the world coming to an end in 2012 and they said no; I asked three homeless men if they believed, and they said yes. That’s 75% of America taking the irrational side of things; now that takes heart. So, why aren’t you agreeing with the majority of America? It’s heart-wrenching to think that some people can’t accept the end of days, like freshman Ty Kazmi, who said that our technology should be “advanced enough to predict incoming disasters.” Well, the Aztecs predicted Whether it’s an anniversary, birthday, prom or homecoming, guys are always expected to go out of their way to do something special for the girl. Girls never I Demand the World, Darling...NOW! Are girls' expectations exaggerated or realistic? the end of the world and that was probably a billion years ago! It’s offensive to compare our knowledge to that of people who drove stone cars with their feet. “I think something big will happen in 2012, but what? Who knows?” asked sophomore Rigo Torres. I do of course. I have taken every theory into consideration and have come to a startling conclusion; every single thing will come true. Apparently the gods want this planetary destruction to live up to biblical expectations. We’ll encounter all natural, supernatural, and supranatural disasters along with the typical dragons and sword-wielding angels. Now that may seem awesome, but when one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse holds you over a flaming rift in the ground with dragons hovering above and hot rods blasting heavy metal as they rip through the flames below, just think, “Is this still cool?” Okay, it might still be a little cool. Obviously, it’s better to be over prepared for the inevitable ceasing of life than to be sensible and financially conservative. Thankfully, there are numerous companies hoping to profit off our brilliant preparations. Now get over to the nearest Walmart and get a fallout shelter, heat vision goggles, a fully automatic M4A1 assault rifle, and some pop tarts for the kids. So why is the apocalypse coming in 2012, and why just before Christmas? I’m guessing the gods are just a bunch of Scrooges. Hopefully they’ll find it in their hearts to postpone Armage ddon until after Christmas. This global disaster is coming and it won’t wait for you to be ready, especially after we’ve been warned so many times. Undeniable facts and statistics provided by professional bloggers and pop up ads show that even when the truth stares people in the face, they still can’t comprehend it. We have been warned by movies, books, and even the merriest of songs. “Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.” Hmm, subliminal much? seem to go out of their way for a guy. If anything, they try on a birthday or on Christmas, but cute little surprises should absolutely not be given just because they’re a year older or because it’s the time of the year when everyone gives. Love should be spontaneous and filled with wonder. All a guy asks for is good relationship morals, not materialism. As for girls, they expect “the world” according to senior Brandon Calderon. “Girls are becoming more and more dependent on boys,” said a student who would like to remain anonymous. Girls need to learn to be independent and expect less out of a guy. Realistically speaking, if a guy doesn’t meet a girl’s expectations, it will likely upset her. High school girls need to leave their dependency issues aside. The more a girl expects, the higher the disappointment. “Expecting too much is sure to kill a relationship,” according to award winning medical journalist Collete Bouchez. To avoid all these complications in a relationship, it should be kept “light and breezy” and put no expectaions on each other said author Mellisa Darnay. “Girls definitely seem to become more attached than guys, maybe that’s why they seem to be so needy at times, because guys aren’t as dependent on girls,” said Kennedy alumni student Gerardo Murillo. We all know “the world” is impossible to give, but realistically speaking, girls have high expectations. “I think one expectation many girls have is that a guy has to ask a girl out in a cute way, or a guy has to ask her to prom or homecoming in a cute way,” said Kennedy alumni student Yvette Cornejo. If a guy asks you to be his girlfriend, obviously he’s serious about you and he likes you. Why does it take flowers or extravegant gifts to prove that? Aren’t the words enough? “I think that it’s way cuter when a guy goes all out for a girl, it shows he loves her,” said senior Diana Sibrian. If a guy asks you to homecoming or prom, why does he need to go out of his way to get a point across that he can just get across by asking you? I mean either way, you’re bound to have a good time. “Actions speak louder than words,” definitely doesn’t mean “Money speaks louder than words.” We need to stop stressing out and stop expecting so much out of guys. If he likes you, he likes you; don’t expect him to cross the Atlantic Ocean for you. I’m not saying it’s not okay for a guy to go out of his way for a girl, but remember, it’s a two way street! Another thing, maybe you should start going out of your way for your boyfriend sometime. A simple candy bar will do, maybe his favorite candy or a cute card. Don’t forget, the extravagance of a gift doesn’t equal the strength of a feeling. R unning around 10 miles three times a week, Student Run L.A. (SRLA) is one of the most physically active organizations on Kennedy’s campus. SRLA runs long distance, meaning more than 6 miles every time they run. It’s easy to say that students who run with SRLA are in shape, so I decided to put myself to the test and spend 14 days doing what SRLA does. SRLA has running practice of Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. Due to the fact that I have college classes on those days, I chose to run the distance on Wednesdays and Fridays. I figured it might be best if I exercised to prepare myself before I began my 14 days. My first attempt at running in over four years wasn’t too successful; I ran about two blocks and I decided to stop for ice cream (I know, it’s terrible). My next attempt was to run two miles, which I did in fact complete (Although more walking was involved than running). After, I thought to myself, “That should be enough practice right?” Of course, I was greatly mistaken… Day 1: I ran a mile! Without stopping for ice cream!! Day 2-3: I may need to recuperate, I feel oh so lazy . Day 4: I tried to run the two miles again, but it got to be late and very windy. I also learned that if you drink too much water before you run, you may get extreme running crampage. Day 5-6: I’ve taken these days to rest because it’s freezing (Yes, excuses, excuses). I’m sleepy and I can’t seem to eat healthy and drink more water like I should be doing. On the plus side, running is getting a bit easier and next time I’m going to try for two miles. Day 7: Running is getting easier, but I can still only do a mile. Luckily, this time, I didn’t get any cramps because I learned it’s best not to drink water while you run. Day 8: I ran two miles today!! I turned pink and wanted to collapse, but I did it! As you may assume, it’s quite a big accomplishment for me. Day 9: Break time. The first couple times I ran I wasn’t sore at all, but now I feel it every time I take a step. Day 10: It’s Thanksgiving! So I’m taking one for the team and spending all day eating. Day 11: I thought it might be time to try the Woodley hill that SRLA runs on a regular basis. After running two miles, I found myself already exhausted, staring up the horrifically steep looking hill wondering if I’d later be regretting my decision. For those of you who don’t know…running up Woodley is like an arduous trek that is never ending. And I couldn’t even do it! I had to walk up the hill and take a break half way through…then another break after a few more steps. Day 12: Today I started running a little bit late. Not only is it freezing, but despite the fact that I brought a flash light with me, I tripped off the curb and hurt my ankle. Next thing I know, my boyfriend and I are greeted by a playful dog in the middle of the street. For the next 10 minutes we looked for the dog’s house for fear it might get hit by a car or snatched by coyotes. After finding his home we decided to stop running because it was already 9 o’clock. Day 13: Running has become a normal pattern for me now and I’m not even dreading it anymore. Although I still stumble over cracks on sidewalks every time I run, it’s actually a lot of fun and I love the endorphin high you get afterward. Day 14: This final day of running I’m using to chillax. I never thought I’d be able to say that within two weeks I worked myself up to run 3 miles. After all the exercise and physical activity that I did within the last two weeks I can honestly say I did enjoy running. It’s somewhat of an addiction that isn’t at all bad for you. Many people probably think running is so easy and not even worth the space in this newspaper, but they need to learn to show some respect to the Kennedy students in SRLA who are truly athletes and can run over 20 miles when it’s marathon time. 14 Days: In It For The Long Run Assistant Editor-in-Chief by Sally-Jean White Staff Writer by David Munoz The End Is Near: 2012 The apocalypse is coming home for the holidays.
