[neverdem]

An EMP attack or massive solar flare is the main argument for expensive renewable energy with disseminated power generation, IMHO.

[edcoil]

This just in:

WE ARE DOOMED.

[Kenny Bunk]

.....buildings are often shoddily constructed, infrastructure is weak, and governance is incompetent.

That's Floriduh!

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

CO2 is a non-conductive gas so we are increasing our protection each day.

Praise Gore!

[al baby]

While reading that article, I forgot Obama was black man imagine that

[Badabing Badablonde]

.....and if my uncle had a uterus, he’d be my aunt.....

[Blueflag]

As I understand it, it’s the ‘high-tension’ high-voltage long-line distribution system that is most vulnerable to the double pulse of man-made nuclear-caused EMP. So I am not so certain that this is a report specifically pointed at re-structuring the grid, but rather protecting the control points of the distribution grid.

I don’t know much about solar EMP, but ... I am pretty confident that modern vehicles would survive to run again. (this is supported by a policy paper that you can link to from the back of “One Second After” I am just too lazy to walk over to my bookshelf, open the book, and get you the reference.)

I can agree though that either man-made EMP or solar EMP would put a terrible hurt on what we call civilisation.

Bottom line though is that man-made EMP or sever solar EMP *WOULD*

[DannyTN]

I think hardening the grid, and making it more flexible and redundant, while stockpiling key components, is smart. It would be useful not just in an EMP or solar storm, but in natural disasters like Katrina.

The faster you can get power back up in an area, the faster the supply of essentials are restored, and the faster repair and clean up can occur.

I think every city of 50,000 or more should prepare a site and an electrical tie in for a small portable nuclear generator to be dropped in place. You stock pile these generators around the country and then when a disaster strikes, you deliver one or more and quickly restore power.

[TonyInOhio]

I read One Second After. I read it in a day. It was terrifyingly compelling.

Our enemies won't need a vast arsenal to destroy us completely; two or three nuclear weapons would send us back to the 1850s.

[Carry_Okie]

Similar to our lack of preparation to mitigate or deflect an asteroid impact, this is the type of instance that convinces me that our government is not our friend. Mitigating this type of risk is cheap. Reacting to it is virtually impossible. It could be fatal.

Yet our "protectors" do nothing.

[AFreeBird]

So, is our quieting sun the proverbial calm before the storm? When she decides to get active again, is it gonna be with a bang, or a nice gradual buildup.

[netmilsmom]

We keep our crank radio in the Microwave of our camper, have chains hanging off both cars and solar flashlights.

I’m less prepared for the internet to go down!!!!

[thinking]

no one promised you a “Rose Garden”...

[poindexters brother]

Just so everyone is clear on this point...

If such a flare occurs it will be George Bush’s fault.

[prisoner6]

A rifle, a shotgun and a 4WD and a country boy can survive.

[DNME]

Give this some thought, kiddies ...

If the power goes out for good, the supermarkets will quickly run dry. There is a chance that the EMP/solar event would also knock out the computers in vehicles, so there might not be any resupply trucks rolling. And the refrigerated warehouses will no longer function, so there won’t be any fresh food to deliver in any event.

That means millions of hungry people, real soon, and they’re coming to your country home for lunch. And no ... you DON’T have enough ammunition, no matter how much you’ve got.

[MaxMax]

So America is more vunerable than third world countries,
America is bad. Got it.

[ctdonath2]

#1 concern: pacemakers. I can cope with everything else, so long as there is an “I”. If a TEOTWAKI EMP doesn’t take it out immediately, battery replacement would still be a problem.

[mvpel]

The best estimates suggest that super solar storms occur once every 100 years — which means we are 50 years overdue.

So, how is that the "best estimate," when it's obviously incorrect?

[the_devils_advocate_666]

a catastrophe from which America would never fully recover

Whatever. It may take a while but why wouldn't we fully recover?

[JasonC]

Chicken little horsefeathers. All this crap always is. Always. Alar, bird flu, swine flu, globaloney, every scrap of it, ever uttered, from the first medicine man screaming about the first eclipse and other unfavorable omens in the sky. When will we ever get a rest from this endless gusher of drivel?