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Lights out: House plan would protect nation's electricity from solar flare, nuclear bomb
Washington Examiner ^ | JUNE 17, 2013 | 6:45 PM | PAUL BEDARD

Posted on 06/19/2013 8:33:49 AM PDT by BenLurkin

Amid growing fears of a massive electromagnetic pulse hit from either a solar flare or a terrorist nuclear bomb, House Republicans on Tuesday will unveil a plan to save the nation's electric grid from an attack that could mean lights out for 300 million Americans.

Dubbed the Secure High-voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage Act, the legislation would push the federal government to install grid-saving devices such as surge protectors to protect against an attack.

"It is critical that we protect our major transformers from cascading destruction. The Shield Act encourages industry to develop standards necessary to protect our electric infrastructure against both natural and man-made EMP events," said Rep. Trent Franks, the Arizona Republican who is offering up the bipartisan bill.

Electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, has come into focus because of fears the sun is pushing out unusually big solar flares that can disrupt the electric grid. Defense officials are also worried about a terrorist attack, possibly in the form of a small nuclear bomb exploded overhead.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Miscellaneous; Science
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To: ansel12

Americans also built TEMPEST systems which they no longer do in most cases. The military isn’t any smarter than the average America...duh, because we Americans ARE the military, so it is logic to follow that the military isn’t any better than the rest of us.


61 posted on 06/20/2013 1:07:25 PM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: ansel12

” we didn’t understand science”

And we still don’t. We believe in Global Warming and the Ozone Hole, EMP, etc.

We banned a multi billion dollar industry over the Ozone Hole to no effect but no longer care about it because the liberals got their way. Liberals are Luddites and desire man to go back to living in caves. That Ozone Hole is still there, but you don’t hear a peep out of anyone about it. The liberals claimed it was man made and we just had to ban fluorocarbons, yet, we did and no change.


62 posted on 06/20/2013 1:10:06 PM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: CodeToad
OK, Then how would you suggest we deal with this issue?

I agree the feds need to say out.

The sun will one day hit with a large flare assuming we all survive the power will be out for a while. Should we fix it at that point or put in EMP switch's to handle the load?

I would think at the very least we could have backup systems ready at major electrical plants. Building new ones after an EMP hit would be difficult at best.

63 posted on 06/20/2013 1:13:16 PM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric Cartman voice* 'I love you, guys')
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To: Steve Van Doorn

You can’t protect from a massive solar flare. Hell, that type of thing could be an extinction event. There have been two of those just in the past year, one in front of us by 90° and behind by 90°. Just three months either way and the electrical grid would have been the least of your worries. That 1,000° sunburn would have hurt.


64 posted on 06/20/2013 1:18:20 PM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: CodeToad

Since you claimed to be an “an expert in EMP effects” I was expecting a better answer to post 45 about military radios, than just nutty ravings about liberals and the ozone layer.


65 posted on 06/20/2013 1:30:05 PM PDT by ansel12 (Libertarians, Gays = in all marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws.)
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To: ansel12

“Nutty ravings”? FU, kid. You’re a known troll about these things. The fact is you couldn’t possibly understand a scientific discussion of the subject. Since you are already bought into the idea of EMP there isn’t anything that could be said to change your mind. I know your type. You have the same mentality as the global warming freaks that swear and be damned it is true because all their friends just know it is and it has been repeated so many times it couldn’t possibly not be true.

Since you know so much about EMP why don’t you tell us exactly, precisely, in scientific terms how EMP causes failure of electronic devices. Go ahead, see if your google-foo has the ability to actually come up with an answer.


66 posted on 06/20/2013 1:59:23 PM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: ansel12

I was writing up a nice explanation but since your GenWhyMe attitude kicked in and your typical impulsive and impatient attitude lead you to be demanding and rude you got that answer instead.

AMF


67 posted on 06/20/2013 2:08:21 PM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: CodeToad

More nutty ravings, post 45 was a pretty simple post and I thought that you would have a response, but I sure didn’t expect this raging nutcase stuff.

Read your post and try to figure out where you came up with all those bizarre and radical conclusions and insults and detailed claims about me and EMP beliefs and so on.

You aren’t making any sense, what posts of mine are you reading that said any of that?

What triggered this raving insanity?


68 posted on 06/20/2013 2:08:59 PM PDT by ansel12 (Libertarians, Gays = in all marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws.)
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To: CodeToad
2003 X28 flare was the strongest and the only one that could have done mass damage to our person.

69 posted on 06/20/2013 7:37:36 PM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric Cartman voice* 'I love you, guys')
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