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Last week we dodged an apocalypse that many across the world believed was inevitable. Of course, there were many other people who did not take the end of the Mayan calendar all that seriously. Whether any of the Doomsday Preppers were concerned or not, all believe that the end of the world as we know it will come when it wishes and at any time. They are ready. This week’s Doomday Preppers explore preparations for the advent of a financial collapse, but what else is looming on the horizon? Even the United States Geological Survey suggests that although the world didn’t end, you should be prepared. Are you prepped?
When the World Doesn’t End: Advice from the USGS
The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) took the opportunity of the speculated December 21 apocalypse to share what science currently can and cannot predict. With a nod to the fact that many had spiritual beliefs regarding the end of the Mayan calendar, USGS stated, “Such beliefs aside, what we know with certainty is that Earth has a tremendous capacity to generate natural disasters on any day of any year. For this reason, USGS scientists continue to look for ways to better forecast a wide range of natural hazards and protect our communities.”
USGS covered the possibilities of earthquakes, volcanic unrest, landslides, wildfires, meteorological storms and magnetic storms. The USGS points out that while there is no reliable predictor for earthquakes, that wildfires, landslides and weather events are generally easy to predict and prepare for in advance. Even volcanic activity can be predicted as, “Fortunately, volcanoes generally show signs of unrest hours, weeks and months before they erupt.” While the USGS agrees that magnetic storms could cause a great deal of disruption, they also point out that, “Damaging storms occur about four times a decade, with smaller events occurring more frequently. Magnetic storms can be detected up to two days in advance by monitoring the sun.”
While the USGS would prefer that no one panic over unforeseen possibilities, perhaps they would agree that the Doomsday Preppers are doing something right. USGS suggests that we all ask ourselves, “Have I done everything I can to ensure that my family and I are prepared, should a disaster strike? This includes preparing and practicing your emergency plan and building a disaster supplies kit with food, water and basic needs.”
Will Social Media Help the UK in a Pandemic?
The Department of Health, England and Health Departments of the Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland released a plan titled UK Pandemic Influenza Communications Strategy 2012 which is meant to provide an updated communications strategy in the event of a flu pandemic. The plan is comprehensive and includes the use of social media. The department would use social media “to signpost to online sources of information and to promote news and updates, including monitoring and responding to avoid the spread of false or misleading information,” it said. Specific usages of social media include:
- Official channels including Department of Health (DH) and Devolved Administration (DA) government/ Assembly websites, bulletins, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts
- Twitter feeds (DH and DAs) to promote messages and drive traffic to online information
- Expert blogs from the 4 countries’ CMO, Director of Nursing, and Director of Immunization
The plan is meant to explain the outbreak, instruct the public and minimize risk of infection. After the detection of the outbreak, the communication plan will make information available regarding the spread of disease, the escalation of the virus and then ultimately the recovery phase. It is possible that social media could be a particularly effective means of information sharing, but perhaps the safest of those receiving the information will be the Doomsday Preppers, who will have the least contact with the infected populace.
Is a 2013 Financial Collapse Inevitable?
Gerald Celente who is the publisher of the Trends Journal and a business consultant who makes predictions about the global financial markets is worried about what comes next in the world of finances. Citing a former Treasury official who worked under the Reagan Presidency, Celente posits that and Unites States bonds will fail in 2013 and cause an unprecedented financial collapse.
Celente states in the interview that “The whole world is being propped up by these phony bonds and it’s going to collapse. It has to happen. Interest rates are going to start going up, and when they do, the bond bubble explodes. You cannot keep interest rates at zero for this amount of time and expect anything other than disaster to follow.” Celente feels that the Dot.com bubble burst, the real estate market failure and even the Great Depression will be marginal compared what the collapse of the “bond bubble” does to the economy. Could Doomsday Preppers be right? Could financial collapse be inevitable?
In this week’s Doomsday Preppers Brian Smith has big plans for the end of the world. The father of 12 is preparing for a total collapse of the U.S. monetary system. Tune in Tuesday, January 1st at 9PM et/pt and decide for yourself if he is Prepared, Not Scared.
December 30, 2012, 2:12 pm
