Preparing for Doomsday

Here is an article I was featured in from a local newspaper regarding The Mayan End of Days.

Doomsday ... DUN-DUN-DUN

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Posted: Sunday, December 16, 2012 11:45 pm | Updated: 7:49 am, Mon Dec 17, 2012.

By Jenny Wagner jwagner@timesonline.com |0 comments

Are you ready for the apocalypse?

If you’ve been as busy as we have hanging holiday decorations and shopping for presents, chances are you haven’t had any time to think about the impending day of doom, let alone prepare for it.

But don’t worry, we’ve covered the end of the world before. (Remember last year when the leader of a Christian sect in California predicted May 21 was Judgment Day?)

And we’ve got you covered this week. (Just in case the predictions about the Mayan calendar are right.)

Countless theories have bounced around the web for years about how the world will end or be dramatically altered on Friday, and most stem from an interpretation that the long-count Mesoamerican calendar used by ancient civilizations in Latin America comes to a halt on Dec. 21, 2012.

Numerous scientists have discredited the idea, but some believers claim that a rogue planet will collide with Earth, or the rotation of the globe will suddenly shift or some other major disaster will lead to our utter demise.

On its website, NASA posted frequently asked questions and answers about the anticipated apocalypse in order to reassure the public that the world will not end this year.

“For any claims of disaster or dramatic changes in 2012, where is the science? Where is the evidence? There is none, and for all the fictional assertions, whether they are made in books, movies, documentaries or over the Internet, we cannot change that simple fact,” the scientists wrote.

Paul Falavolito doesn’t believe the world is coming to an end either, but he knows a thing or two about dealing with disasters.

“Some people believe that next week, ‘Hey my wife’s going to turn into a zombie!’ But to me, I don’t subscribe to the idea that the world is going to end on any specific day,” the White Oak resident said.

But through his job as chief of White Oak EMS, Falavolito sees disasters and emergencies happen every day, and he believes in being prepared for such events.

The “domestic prepper” — not to be confused with the “doomsday preppers,” who you may have seen on the television show of the same name — has put a lot of time and money into his own preparedness, and he offered up a few tips for those who might be feeling increasingly nervous as Friday approaches.

“I think the biggest thing that harms people in any disaster is that sudden change of lifestyle,” Falavolito said. “You’re used to 70 degrees and three meals a day that are hot, but now all of a sudden you’re ripping open an MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) that the military hands out.”

To avoid the initial shock, Falavolito suggests new preppers start by walking around their homes to evaluate the things they will need in the event of a disaster.

“Ask yourself, ‘If I lose power in my house for 72 hours or more what are the things that I need to have on hand to restore my life to how it would be with power?’” he said.

Flashlights, non-parishable or canned foods, and a way to cook and/or heat water are good places to start. Medical supplies, blankets and means of protection are also important to consider.

And just in case zombies do take over on Friday, Falavolito suggests opening all those carefully-wrapped presents on Thursday night and getting a vehicle that can navigate all kinds of terrain and outrun the undead.

Fighting zombies and battling the rush at the grocery store isn’t for everyone though, so we also have some suggestions for other ways to prepare.

Some local bars, such as Tinker’s in Crescent Township, are planning to go out with a bang at End of the World parties. You could also celebrate with the band Downfall, for their final performance Friday at the Fallout Shelter in Aliquippa.

It may also be fun just to kick back in your favorite spot and wait to see what happens. We recommend stocking up on the appropriately-named Rapture IPA from Helltown Brewing in Mount Pleasant.

Owner Shawn Gentry said the hoppy beer goes well with spicy foods, and is best enjoyed while hanging out with friends and family.

And since you won’t have to worry about heartburn or a hangover on Saturday, it sounds like a good plan to us.

What is it about weather?

What is it about weather that is so fascinating.  The eerie images from Hurricane Isaac the past few days have consumed us all, glued to the television for hours, watching and waiting for that next destructive image.  So sad and heartbreaking but at the time so fascinated that you simply cannot pull away from it. 

 I will admit that I am consumed by significant weather events and I can't state a rational reason why I find it so exciting.  I cringe at the loss of damage and property, yet I am so fueled by the images and having the chance to be part of it.  Last year I responded as part of my job to Hurricane Irene in New York.  It was an amazing experience.  A few years earlier again I found myself working in the snow blizzard that affected Pittsburgh and the surrounding counties.  Again so heart pounding and exciting.  But what is it about weather that makes ordinary people infatuated with mother natures wrath? 

 These images are amazing.  Not amazing that I think they are cool and that I would wallpaper them all over my computer or iPhone, but amazing in the sense that this can happen anytime, anywhere to all of us.  And at the core we all realize how small of a world we live in and how these weather disasters will effect us for many years to come.  Let this be the great wake up call and call to action for all us to get prepared, prepared for the very worst that life can send our way.  I sincerely hope that all effected by this storm will overcome the great hurdles that lay in their way.

Images from www.weather.com

What is a Champion?

19 Olympic medals? Being on a winning sports team? How do the common define champion? For me, my gold medal has always been being in control of my own destiny, both professionally and personally. Most of us reading this will never know the glory of standing on any kind of podium or receiving that big sponsor payday. No matter what we do or where we work, in our own minds we can never forgot that we are champions to those close to us and perhaps to people not so close to us. For that reason alone, I stand on my own podium in my heart holding my gold medal close to me.

Congratulations to Team USA for all that you have accomplished. For those that may not win a medal during these games always remember...you don't need a medal to be a champion. Just getting there is champion enough.