[ForestBeekeeper]

Solar Storms on MPBN -

I heard part of this on the radio, then I found the link and I was able to listen to all of it. Very interesting.

Including in the discussion:
Rep. Andrea Boland/D-Sanford
Tom Popik -Foundation for Resilient Societies
Max Riseman -Meteorologist
Dr. Peter Pry -EMPACT America
Brian Conroy -Central Maine Power

http://www.mpbn.net/OnDemand/AudioO...l/ViewItem/mid/3682/ItemId/31797/Default.aspx

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/mpbc/local-mpbc-1031379.mp3

 

[mattmuttsmith]

Thanks dude. I am always interested in solar events and EMP's.

 

[Gleedaniel13]

Solar Storms on MPBN -

I heard part of this on the radio, then I found the link and I was able to listen to all of it. Very interesting.

Including in the discussion:
Rep. Andrea Boland/D-Sanford
Tom Popik -Foundation for Resilient Societies
Max Riseman -Meteorologist
Dr. Peter Pry -EMPACT America
Brian Conroy -Central Maine Power

http://www.mpbn.net/OnDemand/AudioOn...7/Default.aspx

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net...bc-1031379.mp3
Read more at http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=337397#saVkbdVtep5GZ2yS.99

That would be interesting to hear. I really want to know general information for our own goods.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

For highlights:
a- in the past decade our grid customer base has grown 25%, while spending on infrastructure maintenance has dropped 30%.

b- we had a solar event in 1989 that destroyed a component of the national grid.

c- in the 1800s we had two solar events that were both capable of 100% destroying our current national grid.

d- utility companies today are strong lobbies and have not allowed congress to mandate equipment updates in the face of known dangers.

e- In the event of a large solar flare, our entire national grid could be fried. In such an event, estimates range from 75% to 90% of our population will not survive.

f- North Korea has already tested a missile to see that it could reach the USA without detection, to deliver to the USA a nuclear EMP device. That missile was successful. And NK has repeatedly threaten to launch a nuclear device at the USA.

These were not tin-foil hatters. These were industry reps, Phds, and a state legislator who has been talking with many other industry engineers.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

In the panel discussion, there seems to be agreement that this will happen at some point, and that the power industry is united in fighting any effort to be prepared for it.

 

[LordOpie]

since these experts appear to beleive this is a realistic concern, did they offer advice to listeners on what and how to protect themselves? Did they say what they were doing themselves?

Whenever an expert says stuff like this, but hasn't become a 'prepper' themself, I wonder if they understand what they're saying?

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

since these experts appear to beleive this is a realistic concern, did they offer advice to listeners on what and how to protect themselves? Did they say what they were doing themselves?

Whenever an expert says stuff like this, but hasn't become a 'prepper' themself, I wonder if they understand what they're saying?

In the discussion, the panel members were not asked, nor did any of them share if they were 'prepping'.

Only that some of them are trying to get the Utility companies to prepare.



They did address the possible threat to off-grid homesteaders.

 

[Rabt]

At least someone in the media is talking about it.......

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/01/26/judge-jeanine-pirro-warns-vulnerability-americas-power-system

 

[arleigh]

If the government believes that a solar EMP is possible it will fit right into their plans aligning with NATO 21 agenda.
If the communication network is dismantled, the first amendment is out of the way .
With out community communications, with hardened military communications they are free to do as they please, with martial law, and confiscate what ever they wish and no resistance or little resistance will be able to organize.
Though the nay sayers don't believe it is possible , it doesn't matter,
Remember "never let a disaster go to waste" ( typical Democrat abuse to support an agenda)
Now with the capability of delivering an EMP any where and any time via the Boing drone ,they could simply use the event and insure the whole grid is down, every where they see fit. High altitude EMP to take out a state or low altitude to take out a city.
Hams with radios in safe storage will likely be the only ones making communications, and those few could be easily found by military and intercepted.
I seriously doubt that very many hams have spare radios set aside per the event of EMP.
Though I believe several here do .
Even so too few to stand up and make a difference.
I have seen a business that was poorly operated, but was successful because of one thing, communications .
People needing one another's services .
This got emergencies met,
repairs met,
fuel delivered,
customers delivered and pleased,
profits up.
Protect your communications and practice with your secondary equipment . don't wait till the last minuet to learn how to turn it on.
Good communications habits are learned .
Should an EMP occur ,don't be left, mute.

 

[remus]

I found a poin made in the Fox article funny. They say imagine most of your food spoiled because of a lack of refrigeration. I immediately thought about the fact for me, and I am sure for many people here, that was wrong. The vast majority of my food is canned. I have plenty of raw materials for making bread and all the salt and spices I would need for preserving a freezer full of beef, elk and deer. There are milk jugs in my freezer frozen solid that will help keep it cool for a bit longer as well and we would more than likely just eat the fish and chicken first while preserving the red meat.

Food is not my major concern. My major concern is water. My well runs off an electric pump and I have yet to put up any sort of back up. The river is less than a quarter mile away but daily trips to refill buckets would suck. I have a feeling that many people will over look the importance of water until it is to late. That is actually going to be my major project this year coming up with a back up method of supplying water here.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

... Food is not my major concern. My major concern is water. My well runs off an electric pump and I have yet to put up any sort of back up. The river is less than a quarter mile away but daily trips to refill buckets would suck. I have a feeling that many people will over look the importance of water until it is to late. That is actually going to be my major project this year coming up with a back up method of supplying water here.

The majority of the USA is 'water-stressed' already. Only with municipal management of water resources do most Americans have water.

Much of the nation is in drought. Much more is drought-prone.

Water is a big issue.

 

[Dragonid]

For highlights:...
d- utility companies today are strong lobbies and have not allowed congress to mandate equipment updates in the face of known dangers.
...

In the panel discussion, there seems to be agreement that this will happen at some point, and that the power industry is united in fighting any effort to be prepared for it.

Not surprising that they don't want to spend money or raise prices to cover infrastructure improvements. They aren't going to volunteer to do it, even if it is in their own long term best interest. Not a lot of long term thinking these days.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

Not surprising that they don't want to spend money or raise prices to cover infrastructure improvements. They aren't going to volunteer to do it, even if it is in their own long term best interest. Not a lot of long term thinking these days.

The state Rep's research has shown her that it would cost 1/2 of 1% of what our state utilities are already spending on annual maintenance.

 

[Dragonid]

The state Rep's research has shown her that it would cost 1/2 of 1% of what our state utilities are already spending on annual maintenance.

If they could avoid spending $5 more, they would probably do it. The insurance value of the relatively small investment can't be "justified" under current lack of social pressure.

If there are no immediate consequences to doing nothing, and doing nothing costs less, then they will continue to do nothing. Only when the 'cost' of doing nothing rises, will that fraction of a percent of infrastructure investment be the more affordable option.

There is a more room for reason and logic when dealing with a co-op or public utility, but your average corporation is only going to make an adjustment like this if they are given financial incentives or disincentives. Even when a logical or emotional argument is used, it is leveraged through the customer, financially manipulating the corp.

 

[remus]

The majority of the USA is 'water-stressed' already. Only with municipal management of water resources do most Americans have water.

Much of the nation is in drought. Much more is drought-prone.

Water is a big issue.

This is very true I just think most people, especially those in cities, don't think about it. To them they turn on a tap and there is water.

My area is stressed at the moment. Normally we have a foot of snow on the ground here in the valley and it is dry out there. Our mountains don't have more than a light dusting of snow at the moment. If we don't get some heavy snow here soon we are going to be hosed come summer.

I am actually in the process of looking for a new location for my family.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

This is very true I just think most people, especially those in cities, don't think about it. To them they turn on a tap and there is water.

This is true with many things.

... My area is stressed at the moment. Normally we have a foot of snow on the ground here in the valley and it is dry out there. Our mountains don't have more than a light dusting of snow at the moment. If we don't get some heavy snow here soon we are going to be hosed come summer.

I am actually in the process of looking for a new location for my family.

Good luck

We were very picky, we had a long list of criteria. It took us a long time to finally find our ideal region.



Just as far too many 'assume' water will always be in the faucet, that the power will always be on, cable will always have TV, and McD's will always have burgers; so too are the posters who live in places withotu ever truly considering the viability of their region.

"I grew-up here" is often the honest reasoning given for how/why they 'chose' the place. Which tells me that they did not choose the place, they chose to not choose. They simply accepted whatever was presented to them. Baaa

http://www.sheep.com/sounds/baasheep2.wav

 

[Mtnman Mike]

The majority of the USA is 'water-stressed' already. Only with municipal management of water resources do most Americans have water.

Much of the nation is in drought. Much more is drought-prone.

Water is a big issue.

And will become a bigger and bigger issue in the future as more people arrive, in a few different ways.

I think owning a well is good but having access to a lake, pond, river, creek or spring is even better. And having some kind of water storage in bottles and large containers is also a good idea.

Even in the severe droughts of 2002 and 2012 here in the Rocky Mtns, my 2 springs never dried up.

Water and food are the two most important survival topics and people might vary in other items and preps.

 

[ChapNelson]

What wasn't mentioned in the links, but should be self-evident, is that power companies have drastically increased their expenditures on cyber security, at the cost of physical security and long term maintenance upgrades. Some providers report as many as 10,000 digital attacks a day - its all about the closest alligator to the boat.

Report prepared in congress last year: http://democrats.energycommerce.hou...ort-Electric-Grid-Vulnerability-2013-5-21.pdf

This does not justify negligence of physical/EMP security, but demonstrates that the energy industry is highly sensitive to the consequences of an outage, and doing something about one kind of threat, while neglecting others.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

What wasn't mentioned in the links, but should be self-evident, is that power companies have drastically increased their expenditures on cyber security

The customer base has grown 25%, while spending on infrastructure maintenance has dropped 30%.

... at the cost of physical security and long term maintenance upgrades. Some providers report as many as 10,000 digital attacks a day - its all about the closest alligator to the boat.

Report prepared in congress last year: http://democrats.energycommerce.hou...ort-Electric-Grid-Vulnerability-2013-5-21.pdf

This does not justify negligence of physical/EMP security, but demonstrates that the energy industry is highly sensitive to the consequences of an outage, and doing something about one kind of threat, while neglecting others.

I can see that. Increasing maintenance budget by 0.05% is far too much to expect, when they are so sensitive to outages.

 

[ChapNelson]

The customer base has grown 25%, while spending on infrastructure maintenance has dropped 30%.





I can see that. Increasing maintenance budget by 0.05% is far too much to expect, when they are so sensitive to outages.

Wasn't disagreeing with your original post, simply pointing out that their internal budget has been reapportioned in ways not reflected in the conversation covered by the links you provided. Infrastructure maintenance is considered physical, while cyber is not, as detailed in their own budget documents. You may have noticed that I said it doesn't justify negligence?