Could the reason that the Mayan calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012 be because the guy writing the calendar just up and died?

No, the calendar is not constructed like a modern Western calendar. It is cyclical and based on Mayan math. You could think of it, however, as ending in a "big round number" and there would have been another cycle if the Mayans had cared to calculate further in advance.2012 is just the Mayan Year 2000 problem but since they don't have any computers running on it they don't have to worry about fixing software bugs.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.