Happy new year, 2012 is here.
An eventful year just got over. Another starts . This year is predicted to be the year of doom . Why? Well the Mayans were too bored to go beyond this year on their calendar. Dec 21st , 2012 is marked for apocalypse and Armageddon. End of the World ( EOW , better this way cause I don’t like the sound of it). So is it true ? Is the world really going to end ? Should I be preparing a bucket list ? Well , I don’t know if I should care about the Mayan calendar getting over or what Nostradamus scribbled when he was drunk. Never the less , there has been a huge set of people who strongly believe that the EOW is a possibility. Many are damn right sure about it being an assured phenomenon.
There is not much base to this prediction. How will the EOW happen ? Earthquake ? Asteroid ? Wrath of the Titans? 21/12 being a palindrome , I find it too filmy a number to believe in it. But what if it really does happen ? What do we do ?
The best we can do is to be prepared. 21/12 might have been predicted , but there are events that are bound to happen due to the unpredictable nature of nature . And here are few things that can help you during / after such a crisis . Of course this is only if it isn't a total wipe out.
1) Get a stock of some essentials and have them ready at home at all times.
- First Aid kit , Medicines
- A Water filter and a Stock of fresh water for 2 weeks .
- Food for at least 2 weeks, non perishable food , Dry Fruits.
- Some basic tools , A Swiss knife .
- Batteries . ( not a pair, a whole lot of them ).
- A Torch / Flashlight.
- A good ole Radio ( FM / AM ) and a Walkie-Talkie .
- Matches / Lighter.
- An Alternative SIM from an adjoining state ( To avoid network Jam during crisis ) .
2) When a disaster occurs, I don’t think Google will be able to answer your questions. So once in a while practice thinking "What would my grandparents do to get this done?"
3) Keep a copy of your important documents at some other location, Say a relative staying in another city.
4) Staying Calm and collected during the crisis will save your ass for the most part.
5) Save yourselves. Then think about others . I know there is nothing heroic about this but the fact is people helping others are the ones that get killed. ( I salute them , but cant do that in person ). Post catastrophe, Check yourself for injuries and then start helping others .
6) Get Educated on what to do in various situations.
Now to the specifics .
1) Earthquakes / Tsunami / Cyclones
- These are serious and ever present dangers . Worst part is they are by products of most EOW scenarios .
- Please read through the survival info publish on the following sites ( Google / Bing for more )
2) Asteroid Crash
- This is scary and very much possible
- NEO ( Near Earth Objects ) can disrupt surface activity or erupt to create havoc .
- All previous occurrences have known to cause terrible damage ( one of which particularly made sure I can never ride on the back of Sauropod to school )
- Only solution I can think of, is an Armageddon style rescue .
3) Solar Flare
- A Strong enough solar flare can have the same effect as an atomic bomb, Just a little way bit more powerful than that . Extreme heat , Radiation .
- If it is a smaller flare , that leaves us alive . First thing you will notice is that your fancy smart phone and your TV don’t work . because a solar flare will have a EMP ( Electro Magnetic Pulse ) accompanying it . So , that will put us at "What would my Great Great Grand father do ?" ideology.
- Radiation post flare will still last for a long time. So we would end up living in Tin Foil Tents .
4) Crazy Planet alignment causes cosmic energies to affect everything on earth.
- Consult a gemologist . Get a bunch of rings .
- Wear your lucky charm
- On a serious note , These can cause Tsunamis and Earthquakes.
5) Kali yuga
- This is the EOW as predicted in the Hindu texts.
- Be good , do Good , Think Good to survive Kalki's wrath.
- Bible's Armageddon . Nostradamus predictions . All the same
6) Zombie Apocalypse .
- Get Fit , you are going to be doing a lot of running
- Stay away from tunnels and closed paths. After watching so many movies , you will know that is where most people die ( and horrible background scores are created ) .
- Don’t be a hero and go around investigating surroundings. There will be a zombie behind door no 2.
- Get Guns :D . All those years of playing first person shooters , this will be your true test.
7) Meddling Scientists
- This is my best bet for a cause for the EOW . I am guessing some crazy scientist will be poking at the dynamics of energies / particles he does not understand and unintentionally create Armegeddon.
- Current researches are on God particle and Antimatter. These are things that could cause a black hole and gobble the planet as a whole .
- Silliest but plausible reason for an EOW.
8 ) Alien Invasion
- Learn a language , you never know what they will speak .
- Learn to play the piano . ( Close Encounters )
- Have a vial of Common Cold virus handy , it will come to be of use. ( War of the worlds )
Other possibilities of concern are Nuclear war , Global Warming and Chuck Norris's Sneeze . No matter what , I am sure we will survive. Earth survived a million years , we will survive a million more. Live today like there is no tomorrow
BTW , Don't forget to create your bucket list :P
