Prepping for the world's end

By Joshua Chemparathy

Presently, Florida remains the only state in the country not to have snow on the ground. Many places like Oregon's Linn and Curry counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas.

This unusual weather has created a national uncertainty about the environmental stability of our planet.

The world's end predicted on Dec. 12, 2012 has caused an abnormal amount of visitors to NASA's special "frequently asked questions" web site. NASA lists the origin of the myth as December 12, 2012 being the last day on the ancient Mayan ‘long count' calendar.

However, just as our calendars end on December 31 each year and begin again, so too would the Mayan long count calendar.

Although the world may not end in 2012, there exists a more realistic danger that Bay Area residents have to fear.

The "Superstorm," previously thought to be a super earthquake, is expected to devastate California in the near future.

The U.S. Geological Survey has new evidence that indicates that the worst-case scenario Superstorm would be a hurricane producing over 10 feet of rain, causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage.

Here are some tips on how to survive any natural disaster. Please note that "How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse" influences some of these ideas.

Tip 1 - Know your enemy and prepare! Preparing for a superstorm  is similar to preparing for a zombie apocalypse. Pack lots of supplies: water, food, flashlights, batteries, weapons, etc.

Tip 2 - Pack ahead of time. You should have an emergency pack in your room, in your car, in your backpack and in your classrooms. This may seem excessive, but when everyone with just one emergency pack runs out of supplies, you will have seven more bags of rations (depending on the number of classes you have).

Tip 3 - Create a rendezvous spot.   The meeting spot should be secure and have plenty of supplies. Make sure that your closest friends and family know how to reach this rendezvous after disaster strikes. (Note: this does not include your cousin vacationing in Scandinavia or that really annoying girl in your group of girlfriends that everyone hates and would vote off the island.)

Tip 4 - Be wary of strangers. Your supplies are your most precious resource. Protect them from thieves. That fair maiden who looks stranded may actually be baiting you for your disaster supplies. Or she could be a zombie.

Tip 5 ­- Even though zombies are not real (as of today) and disaster has yet to strike, it is a good idea to look over the safety tips that are provided on websites like www.american.redcross.org.