2012 Mayan Calendar to Feature Kitten Hanging from Tree Branch.....

Guatemalan Highlands-According to a team of leading Mayanist scholars, who today announced the findings of a 10-year study of the ancient mesoamerican civilization's complex and elaborate hieroglyphic based writing system, the 2012 Mayan Calendar will feature a kitten hanging from a tree branch accompanied and the words "Hang in there, baby!"

The Mayan Calendar, considered by many to predict the end of the world on December 21, 2012, is well known for the sometimes controversial images chosen to represent various calendric cycles. As of late, the calendar has shifted towards more acceptable pictures, ranging from babies sitting in flower pots and other containers to anthropomorphized animals. The calendar has certainly come a long way considering that just 1500 years ago it was common to find depictions of human sacrifices and horrifying drawings of the Mayan gods of death and putrefaction.

"I couldn't be prouder of the accomplishments of my team," archaeologist and lead researcher Dirk Fletcher explained. "The cat is just adorable, and it's something that everyone can relate to because we've all had days like that, you know. I can't imagine a better image to represent the horrendously violent and bloody destruction of all humanity."