Obama Parting Shot: No Nuclear EMP Protection

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Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
174
106
Of course, if he had done something, the article would be instead about how he'd dictatorially imposed a cripplingly expensive measure on the American people, against a laughably unlikely event because he hates capitalism.

And also he's still a Muslim. FYI.

Sad.

Some people haven't read the article.

The claim is that a comprehensive plan wouldn't be expensive. But, that the expected plan, while only providing limited protection, makes expansion into a more comprehensive protection later much more difficult and expensive. That's the complaint.

"The cost to comprehensively protect the entire U.S. grid from both E1 and nuclear and naturally occurring E3 would be modest if integrated with geomagnetic disturbance protection, and much of that could be recovered by utilities from their ratepayers at a very low per capita cost.

"Once FERC makes its final ruling on the regulatory standard for only GMD EMP protection, it will be both difficult and more expensive to replace with the necessary comprehensive standard that integrates the nuclear EMP protection.

Fern
 

bshole

Diamond Member
Mar 12, 2013
8,315
1,215
126
This type of EMP can be done with conventional explosives and a small private aircraft. Popular Mechanics published an article about it with plans/diagrams back in 2001 IIRC. (Nukes cover a larger area. I don't remember the range using conventional explosives, but even if conventional explosives would limit the EMP to a major metropolitan area it could be catastrophic.)

That clearly isn't syfy.

Fern

Did they also post suppliers for the explosives? If they are posting plans on how to accomplish it, why not go full monty?

Seriously WTF were they thinking? Posting plans on how to attack America? That is just nuts.
 

agent00f

Lifer
Jun 9, 2016
12,203
1,243
86
Some people haven't read the article.

The claim is that a comprehensive plan wouldn't be expensive. But, that the expected plan, while only providing limited protection, makes expansion into a more comprehensive protection later much more difficult and expensive. That's the complaint.

Fern

Have you considered: "The Chairman of the EMP Commission, Dr. William R. Graham, asked me to share with Newsmax" why someone like that would find that crowd particularly important to share this no doubt critically technical evaluation with?


Did they also post suppliers for the explosives? If they are posting plans on how to accomplish it, why not go full monty?

Seriously WTF were they thinking? Posting plans on how to attack America? That is just nuts.

The level of tech required for effective non-nuke emps implies an enemy that is basically nuclear anyway. This is a dumbshit concern thread as mentioned.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
63,428
19,832
136
Some people haven't read the article.

The claim is that a comprehensive plan wouldn't be expensive. But, that the expected plan, while only providing limited protection, makes expansion into a more comprehensive protection later much more difficult and expensive. That's the complaint.



Fern
Someone completely failed to grasp the point of my post. It's Newsmax, ergo, any action or inaction taken by this administration is the wrong one.
 

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,961
3,950
136
What about the dire threat of asteroids striking the earth? Why has Obama steadfastly refused to construct a giant force field over the United States to protect us from this menace? Why does he hate America so much?
 

Paratus

Lifer
Jun 4, 2004
17,752
16,085
146
It's hardly Obamas fault. The only guy selling EMP hardened chips was this psycho nazi Russian dude.

a-view-to-a-kill-max-zorin-mayday-christopher-walken-grace-jones-roger-moore-james-bond-007-spectre-movie-review-1985.jpg


:p
 
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Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
174
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-snip-
Conventional explosives get used quite a bit in wars, and it's pretty obvious that losing power is not the Real problem there.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. But your remark about conventional explosives used in war leads me to believe you have misunderstood. The conventional explosives do not themselves create an EMP, but Popular Mechanics (or maybe Popular Science) explains the construction of a specific device that is powered or driven by conventional explosives. This type of EMP generator has nothing to do with war time bombs and such.

And I completely disagree that "losing power is not the REAL problem". The magnitude of the problems caused by widespread power outage for a sustained period cannot be overstated.

Fern
 
Feb 16, 2005
14,080
5,453
136
And another mine was laid by Obozo. Worst President EVER!
conner, that wonderful title will be going to the drumpf taking office on friday. I get you don't like obama, and your reasons are so very well thought out, but he accomplished more than anyone ever dreamed he would.
suck it up buttercup
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
174
106
-snip-
The level of tech required for effective non-nuke emps implies an enemy that is basically nuclear anyway. This is a dumbshit concern thread as mentioned.

Um, no. Not at all.

One of the points in the article is that this type of EMP generator is rather low tech and can be built with readily available supplies.

Fern
 

agent00f

Lifer
Jun 9, 2016
12,203
1,243
86
I'm not sure what you're trying to say. But your remark about conventional explosives used in war leads me to believe you have misunderstood. The conventional explosives do not themselves create an EMP, but Popular Mechanics (or maybe Popular Science) explains the construction of a specific device that is powered or driven by conventional explosives. This type of EMP generator has nothing to do with war time bombs and such.

And I completely disagree that "losing power is not the REAL problem". The magnitude of the problems caused by widespread power outage for a sustained period cannot be overstated.

Fern

I'm saying that people who don't know much about tech easily conflate "conventional explosives" with simple weapons of that namesake, which some rogue element might employ, and not very complex systems just as sophisticated as nukes if not more. Also that people who aren't the business of understanding technical things are about as good at evaluating technical risks as you can imagine.
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
174
106
Someone completely failed to grasp the point of my post. It's Newsmax, ergo, any action or inaction taken by this administration is the wrong one.

IDK NewsMax. But Newsmax is irrelevant. They merely printed the letter by the Congressional EMP Commission and that's what's relevant. I.e., this is not Newsmax content or opinion.

And you're the one who posted about huge costs. If that wasn't your point you shouldn't have included it.

Fern
 

brycejones

Lifer
Oct 18, 2005
30,263
31,300
136

agent00f

Lifer
Jun 9, 2016
12,203
1,243
86
Um, no. Not at all.

One of the points in the article is that this type of EMP generator is rather low tech and can be built with readily available supplies.

Fern

So why are russia and the US about the only people doing it? Damn that al qaeda is hella dumb, if only they read Pop Mechanics like the conservative brain trust.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
73,589
35,322
136
Iran gets uranium and gives up heavy water, as required by the pact. Iran also mothballs centrifuges, as required by the pact. Sounds like the pact is working.
 

mrjminer

Platinum Member
Dec 2, 2005
2,739
16
76
It's been a while, but IIRC the cost isn't prohibitive; the cost is something like $2 billion. Obama is a shithead, and so are the Presidents before him that could have resolved the issue, as well. The interview I watched on Levin TV said something like the commission had their analysis and solutions identified in the early 90's and have been urging action since, but have been ignored. Might have been the mid-late 90's; been a year since I watched the interview.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
63,428
19,832
136
IDK NewsMax. But Newsmax is irrelevant. They merely printed the letter by the Congressional EMP Commission and that's what's relevant. I.e., this is not Newsmax content or opinion.

And you're the one who posted about huge costs. If that wasn't your point you shouldn't have included it.

Fern
:facepalm:
I feel like you're deliberately trying to not understand what I was saying, so I'll just quit while I'm behind.
 

mrjminer

Platinum Member
Dec 2, 2005
2,739
16
76
It's been a while, but IIRC the cost isn't prohibitive; the cost is something like $2 billion. Obama is a shithead, and so are the Presidents before him that could have resolved the issue, as well. The interview I watched on Levin TV said something like the commission had their analysis and solutions identified in the early 90's and have been urging action since, but have been ignored. Might have been the mid-late 90's; been a year since I watched the interview.

And I completely disagree that "losing power is not the REAL problem". The magnitude of the problems caused by widespread power outage for a sustained period cannot be overstated.

Fern

This. The cost compared to what amounts to basically wiping out like 90% of our population due to the after-effects makes such a small cost entirely negligible.

Also, forgot to mention, guess what country flies weather balloons across our country in the exact calculated areas for maximum damage from an EMP when a nuke is exploded in the air? That's right, crazy as fuck North Korea. And don't think they wouldn't do it, either, if they get the capability.
 
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Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,686
136
Well it seems the liberal idiot squad on here know more about EMP threats than the Congressional EMP Commission who is warning us that we're about to get screwed, so we have nothing to worry about. :rolleyes:

Yeh, how we're about to get screwed from the imaginary threat of a rogue state detonating an EMP burst big enough to blackout the whole power grid. After which 90% of us will die cuz reasons & shit.
 

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
Yeh, how we're about to get screwed from the imaginary threat of a rogue state detonating an EMP burst big enough to blackout the whole power grid. After which 90% of us will die cuz reasons & shit.

This thread is... holy shit. They are completely deranged.