Life Cataclysm - Is it going to happen to you?

**Rain Man** · 10:14 AM

In your lifetime, what do you think are the odds that there'll be a big disaster that affects, say, a quarter of the U.S. population, either directly or indirectly (via food shortages, extended power outages, etc.)?

Such an event might include, but not be limited to:

- meteor hit
- radiation blast from deep space
- massive earthquake and/or crustal shift/pole shift
- supervolcano eruption
- massive tsunami
- nuclear attack
- bioterrorism attack
- chemical attack
- attack of giant mutant animal
- alien invasion
- military invasion by Mexico or China or some other company
- superhurricane that's way bigger than Katrina
- supertornado that's way bigger than Katrina
- complete governmental collapse
- massive depression that makes the Great Depression get renamed the Pretty Good Depression
- large new dust bowl thingie
- massive virus epidemic
- civil war
- global warming and climate change
- destruction of food via honeybee decimation or virus that kills all grasslike plants like wheat and corn
- comet strike
- asteroid strike
- lunar strike
- dinosaur cloning and resultant rampage
- attack of crazy birds
- arrival of messiah who doesn't like Americans
- attack of brain-eating zombies
- development of sentient large apes who take over
- nuclear accident of huge magnitude
- massive solar flare
- massive computer virus that destroys infrastructure
- world's largest forest fire
- massive energy crisis that shuts down infrastructure
- solar flare that destroys Earth's electricity
- black hole
- mass extinction that destroys the food chain

88TG88 · 01-20-2009, 11:14 PM

Massive earthquake would be the smart pick for me.

**The Franchise** · 01-21-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88TG88

Massive earthquake would be the smart pick for me.

This.

Hammock Parties · 01-20-2009, 11:14 PM

I'm waiting for such an event with great anticipation. Then I can finally be the hero I see in all my favorite movies. And they ALWAYS get laid.

**Skip Towne** · 01-20-2009, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claythan

I'm waiting for such an event with great anticipation. Then I can finally be the hero I see in all my favorite movies. And they ALWAYS get laid.

It might be your best chance. Let's hope something horrible happens.

Hammock Parties · 01-20-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

It might be your best chance. Let's hope something horrible happens.

My only concern is the battery life of my mp3 player. I'm scared I might run out of hero music.

**Bugeater** · 01-20-2009, 11:16 PM

Nothing ever happens in Nebraska.

**Buehler445** · 01-20-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Nothing ever happens in Nebraska.

You didn't see the tornadoes that smoked everything in about a 10 mile stretch of I-80 around Kearney? If it weren't BFE Nebraska lots of people might have died....Wait....I see your point.

Nevermind.

**HemiEd** · 01-20-2009, 11:24 PM

We have already experienced it, and are dealing with it right now. The general populous has lost it's loyalty to American made products, for a variety of reasons. They feel they actually have a right to buy foreign cars and not support their neighbor.

lazepoo · 01-20-2009, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

We have already experienced it, and are dealing with it right now. The general populous has lost it's loyalty to American made products, for a variety of reasons. They feel they actually have a right to buy foreign cars and not support their neighbor.

Really? Come on. "Foreign" products are assembled here, and "American" products use components that are made overseas. We are part of a global economy.

**CrazyPhuD** · 01-20-2009, 11:26 PM

Does a plan to take over the world count as a cataclysm? I mean it would be pretty sweet for me...but would suck for everyone else.

If so then I would say 100%

lazepoo · 01-20-2009, 11:29 PM

Honestly, I think a continuation of the global financial system unraveling is probably the most likely source of cataclysm, even though the nerd in me wants to think that a killer virus (affecting humans, plants, animals, whatever) could wipe out enough things to seriously hurt the US.

That said, I don't think any of these things are likely. So many things have to fall into place for these situations to gain serious traction and spread enough to be a cataclysmic event that I doubt seriously they will happen.

teedubya · 01-20-2009, 11:44 PM

I'd say very very high... the powers that be feel that there is too many people on earth... a good 80% is the number I have found that they want eliminated.

Codex Alimentarius is one way they slowly will create the pandemic...

I could foresee something crazy happening... some biological something, and transportation stops... thus the food supply is diminished... thus rioting and madness occur.

Frazod · 01-20-2009, 11:49 PM

New Madrid quakes tend to hit every 300 years or so, and it's been 200 years since the last one. If the next one hits early, there could be people here alive when it happens. Hope I'm not one of them. The destruction of a major midwestern quake would be unimaginable, and I doubt if the nation as we know it would survive it, especially if it hits during a period when the economy is in the shitter.

lazepoo · 01-20-2009, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

New Madrid quakes tend to hit every 300 years or so, and it's been 200 years since the last one. If the next one hits early, there could be people here alive when it happens. Hope I'm not one of them. The destruction of a major midwestern quake would be unimaginable, and I doubt if the nation as we know it would survive it, especially if it hits during a period when the economy is in the shitter.

I was living near Chicago when there was a tremor there last year... it was a very weird sound, especially for someone from the Midwest that's never heard anything like it. The buildings here aren't ready for it at all, either. I don't think it would cripple the nation, but it would be really bad – probably worse than Katrina or at least in the same ballpark.

View Poll Results: Odds of an American Cataclysm in Your Lifetime
0%	2	2.86%
1 to 5%	13	18.57%
6 to 10%	3	4.29%
11 to 20%	6	8.57%
21 to 30%	10	14.29%
31 to 40%	2	2.86%
41 to 50%	6	8.57%
51 to 60%	5	7.14%
61 to 70%	3	4.29%
71 to 80%	4	5.71%
81 to 90%	1	1.43%
91 to 95%	2	2.86%
96 to 99%	1	1.43%
100%	6	8.57%
I thought this poll was about cats.	1	1.43%
Is running out of doughnuts a cataclysm?	5	7.14%
Voters: 70. You may not vote on this poll

01-20-2009, 11:12 PM	Topic Starter
Rain Man Seize life. Be an ermine. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $-632449 VARSITY	Cataclysm - Is it going to happen to you? In your lifetime, what do you think are the odds that there'll be a big disaster that affects, say, a quarter of the U.S. population, either directly or indirectly (via food shortages, extended power outages, etc.)? Such an event might include, but not be limited to: - meteor hit - radiation blast from deep space - massive earthquake and/or crustal shift/pole shift - supervolcano eruption - massive tsunami - nuclear attack - bioterrorism attack - chemical attack - attack of giant mutant animal - alien invasion - military invasion by Mexico or China or some other company - superhurricane that's way bigger than Katrina - supertornado that's way bigger than Katrina - complete governmental collapse - massive depression that makes the Great Depression get renamed the Pretty Good Depression - large new dust bowl thingie - massive virus epidemic - civil war - global warming and climate change - destruction of food via honeybee decimation or virus that kills all grasslike plants like wheat and corn - comet strike - asteroid strike - lunar strike - dinosaur cloning and resultant rampage - attack of crazy birds - arrival of messiah who doesn't like Americans - attack of brain-eating zombies - development of sentient large apes who take over - nuclear accident of huge magnitude - massive solar flare - massive computer virus that destroys infrastructure - world's largest forest fire - massive energy crisis that shuts down infrastructure - solar flare that destroys Earth's electricity - black hole - mass extinction that destroys the food chain Last edited by Rain Man; 01-21-2009 at 10:14 AM..
Posts: 145,438

01-20-2009, 11:14 PM	#2
88TG88 don't tell me about collage Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Los Angeles Casino cash: $10009184	Massive earthquake would be the smart pick for me.
Posts: 6,274

01-20-2009, 11:14 PM	#4
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $850478	I'm waiting for such an event with great anticipation. Then I can finally be the hero I see in all my favorite movies. And they ALWAYS get laid. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 297,301

01-20-2009, 11:16 PM	#7
Bugeater The Maintenance Guy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Renovated Bugeater Estate Casino cash: $3992680	Nothing ever happens in Nebraska.
Posts: 70,546

01-20-2009, 11:24 PM	#9
HemiEd Supporter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ozarks Casino cash: $-459436	We have already experienced it, and are dealing with it right now. The general populous has lost it's loyalty to American made products, for a variety of reasons. They feel they actually have a right to buy foreign cars and not support their neighbor.
Posts: 34,866

01-20-2009, 11:26 PM	#11
CrazyPhuD Meow Join Date: Jun 2005 Casino cash: $10005050	Does a plan to take over the world count as a cataclysm? I mean it would be pretty sweet for me...but would suck for everyone else. If so then I would say 100% __________________ "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t*rd by the clean end"
Posts: 8,523

01-20-2009, 11:29 PM	#12
lazepoo Wizard Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mpls Casino cash: $10005004	Honestly, I think a continuation of the global financial system unraveling is probably the most likely source of cataclysm, even though the nerd in me wants to think that a killer virus (affecting humans, plants, animals, whatever) could wipe out enough things to seriously hurt the US. That said, I don't think any of these things are likely. So many things have to fall into place for these situations to gain serious traction and spread enough to be a cataclysmic event that I doubt seriously they will happen.
Posts: 477

01-20-2009, 11:44 PM	#13
teedubya Most Valuable Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $8993042	I'd say very very high... the powers that be feel that there is too many people on earth... a good 80% is the number I have found that they want eliminated. Codex Alimentarius is one way they slowly will create the pandemic... I could foresee something crazy happening... some biological something, and transportation stops... thus the food supply is diminished... thus rioting and madness occur.
Posts: 36,832

01-20-2009, 11:49 PM	#14
Frazod Did you hear what I said? Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $-736615	New Madrid quakes tend to hit every 300 years or so, and it's been 200 years since the last one. If the next one hits early, there could be people here alive when it happens. Hope I'm not one of them. The destruction of a major midwestern quake would be unimaginable, and I doubt if the nation as we know it would survive it, especially if it hits during a period when the economy is in the shitter.
Posts: 121,761