Anybody else read "The End" by G. Michael Hopf? Fictional book on the results of a massive EMP attack on the USA plus much of the rest of the world. Details the complete breakdown of our modern society in two weeks. Attempts to show just how thin the veneer of civilization is and how morality changes.

Pointed out how we wouldn't want to live close to a nuclear energy plant in the event of a EMP attack. Something I hadn't considered.

Quote from: Possumpoint on July 19, 2013, 01:11:01 PM
Anybody else read "The End" by G. Michael Hopf? Fictional book on the results of a massiveattack on the USA plus much of the rest of the world. Details the complete breakdown of our modern society in two weeks. Attempts to show just how thin the veneer of civilization is and how morality changes.

Pointed out how we wouldn't want to live close to a nuclear energy plant in the event of a EMP attack. Something I hadn't considered.

EMP = electromagnetic pulse

Quote from: Possumpoint on July 19, 2013, 01:11:01 PM
Anybody else read "The End" by G. Michael Hopf? Fictional book on the results of a massive EMP attack on the USA plus much of the rest of the world. Details the complete breakdown of our modern society in two weeks. Attempts to show just how thin the veneer of civilization is and how morality changes.

Pointed out how we wouldn't want to live close to a nuclear energy plant in the event of a EMP attack. Something I hadn't considered.

Why is a nuke plant an issue?
The electronics are shielded from an EMP, not to mention there are mechanical safeguards if power fails.
Granted, the power will be off indefinitely.

I'd be more concerned about the people that have yet to prepare for such an event, there will be no power for refrigeration, food will be cleaned of the shelves in no time, people will begin to turn feral in 3 days.

Hell, even leaving the city will be a problem, considering most cars aren't protected from a massive EMF, they just won't start, and those that can start won't be able to navigate the roads for all the dead cars.

Get a bicycle and head out of town fast.

Simple thirst will lead to the entire breakdown of civility within 24 hours.

Something the left is either ignoring, or doesn't realize, is that all 7 billion of us are a glass of water away fom utter madness and chaos.

Then again, maybe they are well aware of it.

Quote from: Possumpoint on July 19, 2013, 01:11:01 PM
Anybody else read "The End" by G. Michael Hopf? Fictional book on the results of a massive EMP attack on the USA plus much of the rest of the world. Details the complete breakdown of our modern society in two weeks. Attempts to show just how thin the veneer of civilization is and how morality changes.

Pointed out how we wouldn't want to live close to a nuclear energy plant in the event of a EMP attack. Something I hadn't considered.

Oh, and no, I've never read it, but two weeks is about right, and it's all downhill from there.

Quote from: Solar on July 19, 2013, 05:56:12 PM
Why is a nuke plant an issue?
The electronics are shielded from an EMP, not to mention there are mechanical safeguards if power fails.
Granted, the power will be off indefinitely.

I'd be more concerned about the people that have yet to prepare for such an event, there will be no power for refrigeration, food will be cleaned of the shelves in no time, people will begin to turn feral in 3 days.

Hell, even leaving the city will be a problem, considering most cars aren't protected from a massive EMF, they just won't start, and those that can start won't be able to navigate the roads for all the dead cars.

Get a bicycle and head out of town fast.

Have all Nuc. plants been shielded from a EMP Blast? I don't know.

Without electricity, no pumps. No pumps, cooling water evaporates resulting in meltdown.

Personally, I'ver never wanted to live near a Nuc. plant anyway. Closest one to me is 40 miles,

Quote from: Possumpoint on July 20, 2013, 06:12:28 AM
Have all Nuc. plants been shielded from a EMP Blast? I don't know.

Without electricity, no pumps. No pumps, cooling water evaporates resulting in meltdown.

Personally, I'ver never wanted to live near a Nuc. plant anyway. Closest one to me is 40 miles,

I believe they are, they followed the Military standard of a potential EMF from the USSR.
And yes, the rods are mechanically withdrawn and immersed in water alleviating meltdown.

But aside that, the area supplied would be the real issue, as you pointed out, pumps, the city pumps water to it's residents, without power, back up generators are at the mercy of fuel, and with all the roads blocked with countless cars, so fuel will not be getting to the generators.

Quote from: kramarat on July 19, 2013, 06:15:38 PM
Simple thirst will lead to the entire breakdown of civility within 24 hours.

Something the left is either ignoring, or doesn't realize, is that all 7 billion of us are a glass of water away fom utter madness and chaos.

Then again, maybe they are well aware of it.

Don't you worry about nothin kramarat, they are aware of it and these guys will save ya, after all they are christian too no?

Quote from: Mountainshield on July 20, 2013, 11:41:27 PM
Don't you worry about nothin kramarat, they are aware of it and these guys will save ya, after all they are christian too no?

Good one!!

Quote from: Solar on July 20, 2013, 07:07:55 AM
I believe they are, they followed the Military standard of a potential EMF from the USSR.
And yes, the rods are mechanically withdrawn and immersed in water alleviating meltdown.

But aside that, the area supplied would be the real issue, as you pointed out, pumps, the city pumps water to it's residents, without power, back up generators are at the mercy of fuel, and with all the roads blocked with countless cars, so fuel will not be getting to the generators.

Modern backup generators wouldn't run after an EMF with or without fuel. They use essentially the same electronic ignition components that our cars use. Even most chainsaws and such would be fried.

(Man, I gotta get back on the hill and cut some firewood!  )

Quote from: TboneAgain on July 21, 2013, 08:44:45 AM
Modern backup generators wouldn't run after an EMF with or without fuel. They use essentially the same electronic ignition components that our cars use. Even most chainsaws and such would be fried.

(Man, I gotta get back on the hill and cut some firewood!  )

Some diesel gensets will still run, they don't require an electric ignition, the military still uses these for this very reason.

The real deep part is the fact that almost all of the sophisticated equipment that makes those ignition components would also fry. Outsourcing might not be such a bad idea in that respect. Chinese or Singaporean component makers could maybe resupply us, but nobody subject to an EMF attack will be in the circuit board making business for a very long time.

Quote from: TboneAgain on July 22, 2013, 02:39:26 PM
The real deep part is the fact that almost all of the sophisticated equipment that makes those ignition components would also fry. Outsourcing might not be such a bad idea in that respect. Chinese or Singaporean component makers could maybe resupply us, but nobody subject to an EMF attack will be in the circuit board making business for a very long time.

Assuming it's a terrorist attack, and not an actual tactical nuke, there are a myriad of ways of protecting electronics.
The microwave oven is a ready made Faraday cage, or throw everything on a sheet of aluminum screen from a screen door and wrap it around all your electronics and hook a ground wire to it. (real metal screen, not that fake crap)
Of course this is only if we have warning that a nut is planning an attack.

But yeah, a tactical nuke would make short work of 80% of the electronics on the market.

I called attention to the book because it points out how fast the thin veneer of civilization would fall off. How fast we would revert to me and mine against all takers. How there would be absolutely no help from any form of government. It also pokes sticks at those who stand around and wait for somebody to fix the system so they can get back to their cushy lives.

Quote from: Possumpoint on July 22, 2013, 07:27:18 PM
I called attention to the book because it points out how fast the thin veneer of civilization would fall off. How fast we would revert to me and mine against all takers. How there would be absolutely no help from any form of government. It also pokes sticks at those who stand around and wait for somebody to fix the system so they can get back to their cushy lives.

I'll have to check it out, sounds like he's been doing anthropological studies of inner cities.
He's right if that's the case, people in the bigger cities tend to live off the local diners, fast food, and never keep much more than a day or two worth of food around, and that is a recipe for disaster.

In my neck of the woods, most of my neighbors have several months of supplies, I have years, and we have talked about this and what to do if it happens, first thing we will do is block the road so no one can get in.