It's the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?

Attention all preppers! Today's column is right up your alley-or, more precisely-your tunnel to your underground bunker.

- KEN C. POHLMANN

Put down your MRE. Lay aside your auto-loading shotgun. This is important. We are discussing your favorite topic: Armageddon.

Of course, everyone is familiar with Air Force One, the Boeing 747 designed to transport the President, well-presidentially. In case of imminent global annihilation, the aircraft also serves as a kind of safe room, keeping the commander-in-chief secure and flying high even while, regrettably, the flyover country below burns.

But do you know about the fleet of Doomsday airplanes? Currently, there are four E-4B Nightwatch aircraft, highly modified Boeing 747s, that would board all the Beltway muckety-mucks (first class, naturally) and thus ensure the continuity of government decision-making during and after a nuclear war. And no, I'm not making this up. In fact, Washington recently allocated $13 billion to build eight more Doomsday airplanes.