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Experts: Civilians not ready for EMP-caused blackout
watchdog.org ^ | April 21, 2014 | Josh Peterson

Posted on 04/21/2014 7:59:57 AM PDT by Ghost of SVR4

The catastrophic effects of an electromagnetic pulse-caused blackout could be preventable, but experts warn the civilian world is still not ready.

Peter Vincent Pry, executive director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security and director of the U.S. Nuclear Strategy Forum, both congressional advisory boards, said the technology to avoid disaster from electromagnetic pulses exists, and upgrading the nation’s electrical grid is financially viable.

“The problem is not the technology,” Pry said. “We know how to protect against it. It’s not the money, it doesn’t cost that much. The problem is the politics. It always seems to be the politics that gets in the way.”


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: emp; peterpry; petervincentpry; pry
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To: Telepathic Intruder
The book “One Second After” is about a hypothetical EMP strike that’s supposed to be pretty sobering.

That is a VERY sobering book. Realistic enough to make you really think.

Here's a link. Foreward by Newt Gingrich.

Read this book and you'll think twice the next time you're in the grocery store.

21 posted on 04/21/2014 9:31:17 AM PDT by upchuck (Support ABLE, the Anybody But Lindsey Effort. Yes, we are the ABLE!!)
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To: upchuck

3 bucks on Kindle isn’t bad. I get a little depressed reading “end of the world” books. I still haven’t finished Lucifer’s Hammer. I bet people would be going crazy in the grocery stores, though. Like the movie World War Z (But I hate the stupidity of Zombie movies. I only watch Resident Evil for Milla Jovovich). I’ve heard that in preparation you should buy a large bag of dry dog food and just keep it in the garage. You never know.


22 posted on 04/21/2014 9:42:27 AM PDT by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: Irenic

STATE OF FEAR

Ever notice that it is one crisis, one scare, one virus after another? Each time a crisis ends, another surfaces.

Suitcase nukes, Aids, Global warming, swine flu, EMP attack, asteroid collision, terror attack, SARS, MERS, Avian Flu, antibiotic resistant bacteria, sea level rise, WMD’s, Al Qaeda, hole in the ozone, chemical weapons, climate change....on and on and on.

CONTROL y’all


23 posted on 04/21/2014 10:18:35 AM PDT by servantboy777
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To: Ghost of SVR4

Except for the Amish.

“Ready since 1699”


24 posted on 04/21/2014 10:19:38 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876
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To: Ghost of SVR4
There are countless scenarios we are not prepared for.

And there are just as many corporations and lobbyists around to scare us into thinking we need to spend/waste even more money on the latest threat du jour.

25 posted on 04/21/2014 10:21:54 AM PDT by gdani (Every day, your Govt surveils you more than the day before)
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To: Ghost of SVR4

A better response to anyone is “I’m preparing to be self sufficient”. This covers all bases.


26 posted on 04/21/2014 10:23:05 AM PDT by wheat_grinder
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To: Kartographer

Prepper ping worthy??


27 posted on 04/21/2014 11:39:51 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (The Second Amendment is NOT about the right to hunt. It IS a right to shoot tyrants.)
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To: Ghost of SVR4

The NSA, pervasive surveillence, drones, RFID chips, coming caste system...

There will come a time when the people pry for an EMP.


28 posted on 04/21/2014 11:57:07 AM PDT by Fitzy_888 ("ownership society")
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To: Ghost of SVR4

Considering the extremely improbability of an EMP wiping out our electric grid...I’d rather plan for terrorism doing the job.


29 posted on 04/21/2014 12:03:27 PM PDT by CodeToad (Arm Up! They Are!)
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To: Fitzy_888

Make that: “pray”


30 posted on 04/21/2014 12:03:41 PM PDT by Fitzy_888 ("ownership society")
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To: Arrowhead1952; pfflier; Ghost of SVR4

I have to agree with pfflier and Ghost of SVR4 that without even a modicum of suggestion as to preparation for such an event the article is not useful. Anyone paying attention has got to know that catastrophic loss of the power grid is a real danger and have planned accordingly.


31 posted on 04/21/2014 12:19:50 PM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
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To: William of Barsoom

“Do some research...”

Where - any suggestions, books, web sites, etc.?


32 posted on 04/21/2014 1:51:50 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: Jack Hammer

There is a lot of hoopla about EMP’s. Do a little experiment for yourself, put an am/fm radio in a all STEEL file cabinet, ammo can, gun case...does it lose reception? Yes! This is the effect called a “faraday cage”. If electromagnetic waves can’t get in (you lose reception) you effectively have a “faraday cage”. So long as any “sensative” electronics are in a “faraday cage” during an EMP event they should work perfectly fine after the event. The key here is sensative (radios, gps, cell phones, etc.) and that they are protected during the EMP event.

In some cases, the effect of an EMP is grossly-grossly overestimated. Car/trucks are hit by lightning frequently and keep traveling down the road. Vehicles are very durable in many respects.

Commercial electric distribution transformers are frequently enclosed in steel enclosures to protect from the elements, this is a very effective faraday cage.


33 posted on 04/21/2014 4:03:42 PM PDT by Fitzy_888 ("ownership society")
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To: Ghost of SVR4
I just don’t know what the damage would be, however, if we are talking half the country knocked out for a sustained period of time, the disease will sweep through the country as millions die off in starvation in the first ninety days alone. Hungry people are highly dangerous people.

One Second After

34 posted on 04/22/2014 9:15:59 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Truth sounds like hate...to those who hate truth.)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

The must important thing is living in an area that can be isolated from the hordes of human locust . And there aren’t many of those. Having food and water will make you a target if they can reach you. Actually the most important thing will be luck, because huge numbers of people would be dead in 6 months.


35 posted on 04/22/2014 9:39:38 PM PDT by Kozak ("It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal" Henry Kissingerhaha)
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To: Kozak

Another important thing is to not let anyone know beforehand that you have food and water. Because obviously you’d be a target.


36 posted on 04/23/2014 4:55:53 AM PDT by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: Ghost of SVR4

EM is being discussed right now on Coast To Coast AM radio show

First Hour: Advocate for protecting America’s power grid, Peter Pry, talks about preventing damage from EMP attacks. http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/upcoming


37 posted on 04/24/2014 10:20:14 PM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: Ghost of SVR4

Just saying, Coast to Coast AM just started today’s radio show, talking about protecting our power grid, like this.

Just started.


38 posted on 04/24/2014 10:21:58 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html#2013)
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