21 replies to this topic

[Kalimaster]

The news has been filling up that Russia may attack our power grid here in the U.S. on the day Mid Term elections come around, according to the Dems. If Russia could do this, they would have done it by now. I'm more worried about some 13 year old snot nosed A-hole doing that because he can, and just for poo and giggles shut down half the west coast because his porn subscription ran out. Half the United States power supply is in short Antiquated, meaning levers and dials, no computers at all, voltage meters etcs. Why? Because the power companies are cheap, and won't spend a dime on upgrades when they can stick it to the American Consumer.

[Spare Parts Bin]

A single EMP attack could transform us into a 4th World Country at least for the 5-20% left alive.

[Kalimaster]

An EMP attack, probably won't kill very many, at least not by blast. Riots, people not able to go to the store and who can't fend for themselves, that would whittle down the general population. Yeah, 4th world. Maybe worse, L.A. would look like Beirut.

Just think about just how many people can't even figure out how to fix a PB & J sandwich, and you will start to see a whole new level of hurt.

[B0oN]

Sounds pretty intimidating to lose all electrical power ...

But if you look at it from another angle : having infrastructure not on computer-control makes them way less vulnerable to skriptkiddies and other unsavoury people like that but needs proper "hands-on" approach to deal damage to them .
Now how many terroristas can claim to have a deep enough knowledge with powerplants and their accompanied systems to bring them down when they aren´t controlled by computers ?
Sure, you could easily kidnap a few technician´s families to press them into service, but then that´s also easily applicable with IT techs to attack anything that´s been connected to the net .

And yea, people got way too pampered into near uselessness in terms of survivalcapabilities by our "living standard improvements"

[Kalimaster]

Power loss is more of an annoyance than anything else. Let's say a drunk driver smashes a pole or a transformer blows. If it was around here, where I live, I would say a religious fanatic with a chain saw took some TLC with a pole. At one side you will have some soft ice cream in the freezer and won't be able to play X-Box. On the bigger side of the scale, most flat grills at your local hamburger joint are electric so they will have to close. Gas pumps work off electric power also, so there goes your chance to put gas in the car. Small inconvenience. No traffic signals, that will slow traffic up.

Let's ratchet up the gross factor. Depending upon the sewer treatment plant, you might end up with some "sludge" bubbling up from man hole covers.

If a power loss happens at night, most people wlll simply sleep through it. At the worst, alarm clocks won't go off on time in the morning. But a power loss during the day, traffic snarls, no ATM, no Gas. No burger. People really get pissed off.

Magnify:
Large city at night. The animal in many of those you hear about on TV break into stores, burn a couple of cars, create havoc.

Let's say that a kid in L.A. does find a way to hack into the power system and shut it down. Oops, no T.V., no computer. Thus no fun. Even a dumb little twerp is smart enough to know that if he kills the power supply his electronic means of enjoyment also goes piff.

So the threat would most likely come from terrorists, but most likely environmentalists trying to save the planet. But to really knock out power, it takes mother nature. Hurricane, quake, etc.

[B0oN]

And mama nature has an easy day knocking down our puny edifices

[Kalimaster]

I once got to see the devastation that a hurricane did, it had laid a whole forest down like freaking toothpicks. It was an eye opener to see, especially when the only thing left was the stubs of where houses once stood.

[B0oN]

… and we humans still think us kings of the world ^^

[LordNothing]

i figure this will only affect city dwellers. i live on an island with its own hydro power and not enough population to warrant attacking.

also i think both our political parties need to go on prozac. i dont like having to choose between two different brands of insanity to elect a president.

Edited by LordNothing, 30 July 2018 - 03:24 PM.

[B0oN]

"two different brands of insanity" … well said, Lord, well said .
For me in Austria it would be more like 6 different brands of total incompetence(aka the "major parties" being voted for) but your remark is brutally on spot .

I´d totally give them all a massive dosage of weed, for a year or so, then see what comes of that

[vonJerg]

Well, as many have stated, there are various ways to shutdown electric grid. Variations of the graphite bombs already proven in many previous conflicts. Probably the most sure way would be to use improvised devices built in the country that is to be attacked, so as not to provoke outright WW3. With the availability of all necessary materials, all you would need is a will to do it, and few hundred bucks ( price tag includes sandwiches ).

[Kalimaster]

I don't think there is enough Prozac in the country for congress. I'm sure that the people who operate the insane asylum don't want them either.

So it's always a good idea to have some emergency supplies, and I'm not talking about an extra bag of chips for Friday Nights table top game. Batteries, a half dozen candles, and maybe some food rations. All someone has to do is pick a small shelf in the closet and load it up.

[LordNothing]

po folk like us have a simple disaster plan: cannibalism and looting. prepping is for people who can afford to eat every day.

[Davegt27]

an old PBS show I think you guys should watch

connections: the trigger effect

https://www.dailymot...m/video/x4e30ki

[Tetatae Squawkins]

Yes civilization is more fragile than most people realize. That doesn't mean I'm going to crap my pants all day worrying about collapse or not enjoy all the benefits and "pampering" of modern life.

I really have no desire to live in a world where the only people left are unhinged bumpkins who "knew it was coming all along!" and were actually wishing for it to happen.

[Kalimaster]

For those wishing it to happen is nuts, therefore people need to tell Congress to "Knock it Off". However if you think about it, in a true survival situation, spam actually starts to look good. Also that Christmas Fruit cake your aunt sent you five years ago and is still inside the sealed can might still be edible. Maybe not digestible, since they never seem to be that way even when they are off the shelf.

Then there are Vienna Sausages, those are okay, but I don't suggest opening a can of the barbecue ones if you are using a red filter lens. Trust me, from experience.

[Kalimaster]

Oh, by the way LordNothing, How do you know when a cannibal likes you?

When he asks for a second helping.

[Lily from animove]

we are way to dependend on electricity, many homes wouldn't heat anymore without because even oil fueled ovens need electircity to operate.

And if you do this, do it during a very strong winter when environment makes it even harder to recover and restore, but not during summer.

Edited by Lily from animove, 07 August 2018 - 12:39 AM.

[Kalimaster]

Suggestion. Wood stove, will work until we run out of wood. Suggest we look for a new planet to screw up.

[Spare Parts Bin]

Lack of medicines,social services, social order,exposure to the environment and starvation would account for a 75-90% decrease in most populations. My red neck family members would fare much better between the agricultural and hunting skills the possess.