Crippling the US Without Firing a Shot: The Electrical Grid May Well Be The Next War’s Battlefield

by | Jul 17, 2014 | Headline News | 280 comments

Do you LOVE America?

    Share

    power-grid-attackWe talk a lot about Peak Cheap Oil as the Achilles’ heel of the exponential monetary model, but the real threat to the quality of our daily lives would be a sustained loss of electrical power. Anything over a week without power for any modern nation would be a serious problem.

    When the power goes out, everything just stops. For residential users, even a few hours begins to intrude heavily as melting freezers, dying cell phones, and the awkward realization that we don’t remember how to play board games nudge us out of our comfort zone.

    However, those are just small inconveniences.

    For industrial and other heavy users, the impact of even a relatively short outage can be expensive or even ghastly. Hospitals and people on life-assisting machinery are especially vulnerable. Without power, aluminum smelters face the prospect of the molten ore solidifying in the channels from which it must be laboriously removed before operations can be restarted.

    Many types of nuclear power plants have to switch to back-up diesel generators to keep the cooling pumps running. And if those stop for any reason (like they run out of fuel), well, Fukushima gave us a sense of how bad things can get.

    And of course banking stops, ATMs are useless, and gas stations cannot pump gas. Just ask the people of New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

    A blackout of a few hours results in an inconvenience for everyone and something to talk about.

    But one more than a day or two long? Things begin to get a bit tense; especially in cities, and doubly so if it happens in the hot mid-summer months.

    Anything over a week and we start facing real, life-threatening issues. National Geographic ran a special presentation, American Blackout, in October 2013 — it presented a very good progression covering exactly what a timeline of serious grid disruption would look and feel like. I recommend the program for those interested.

    Grid Threats

    We’re exploring this risk because there are a number of developments that could knock out the power grid for a week or more. They include a coronal mass ejection (CME), a nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) device, a cascading grid failure, and malicious hacking or electronic attacks.

    It’s the cyber-electronic front that’s especially concerning these days, as we depend so vitally on so many systems that operate completely dependent on computer controls.

    Many critical manufacturing and power generation systems are especially vulnerable to such attacks, as the Stuxnet virus showed in Iran where it is believed to have ruined thousands of delicate uranium enrichment centrifuges by overriding their commands and causing them to literally spin themselves to pieces.

    As one Peak Prosperity member recently wrote:

    My great fear is not supersonic missiles, it’s a combined-arms cyber attack plus (as necessary) kinetic assault on the power grid, with the “calling card” being left pointing to some convenient domestic extremist group scapegoat.

    The FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) released a report that suggested the US power grid could be knocked out for “weeks if not months” by taking out only 9 substations using a coordinated kinetic attack.

    Given that one substation was actually assaulted by persons unknown last year:

    In last April’s attack at PG&E Corp.’s Metcalf substation, gunmen shot 17 large transformers over 19 minutes before fleeing in advance of police. The state grid operator was able to avoid any blackouts.

    The Metcalf substation sits near a freeway outside San Jose, Calif. Some experts worry that substations farther from cities could face longer attacks because of their distance from police. Many sites aren’t staffed and are protected by little more than chain-link fences and cameras.

    So this power station assault actually happened. This whole thing isn’t just someone’s crazy dream.

    (Source)

    You can be certain that such concerns are very high on the list of things that the NSA worries about, and which it feels justify the use of whatever electronic eavesdropping may be necessary to guard against.

    A widespread loss of the electrical grid for even one week would be devastating for a number of reasons. First the fuel refining, manufacturing, distribution and delivery systems would cease to function. After emergency generators are used to move and distribute what processed fuel is in the system, are only remaining fuel will be that brought into the country from other regions of the world.

    Within a very short time, perhaps just days or hours of what is perceived to be a sustained loss of electrical power, the fuel system will be placed under emergency triage rationing — with hospitals, nuclear generation plants, the military, police and other emergency services consuming 100% of what’s available. Sorry, none for you.

    With every additional day that the electricity is out the damage to the afflicted nation mounts.  Food, fuel, and water, become scarce and sanitation problems rapidly  accumulate.

    Here’s the thing: cyber penetrations and outright kinetic attacks on US power grid elements have already happened. Given the extreme disruption that would result from any successful future attacks, you should have some personal preparations in place.

    Our Woeful Grid

    The US power grid, as a whole, is anything but modern and robust. Huge swaths of it were built decades ago. It remains largely a centralized generation and distribution system, one in which the failure of a remarkably few ‘nodes’ would be catastrophic.

    It’s millions of miles of lines, utility poles, towers, substations and generating stations. Here’s a good, short description:

    Today [2003], the US electric power grid serves about 125 million residential customers, 17.6 million commercial customers, and 775,000 industrial customers. These various categories of customers account, respectively, for about 37%, 36%, and 27% of electricity consumption annually.

    Electricity is produced at large power plants typically located in remote areas and delivered into high-voltage transmission lines that transport it across long distances to regional and neighborhood substations, where the voltage is stepped down to a current that can be used in homes and offices and fed into a local distribution grid.

    Between 1949 and 1973, electricity use in the United States grew at an average annual rate of 8.3%, and the system was able to meet that demand with only sporadic difficulty. Even with rising prices after 1973, electricity use grew at an average annual rate of 2.5% in the years from 1973 to 2006. The growth rate projected for the next 20 years is comparatively flat.

    The electric grid encompasses both transmission and distribution (T&D) power grids. The transmission system spans more than 160,000 miles (257,000) of high-voltage transmission lines and connects over 750 GW of electricity-generating capacity with local and regional demand centers across the nation. In addition, the electricity distribution system, which consists of smaller, lower-voltage distribution lines that deliver power from substations and transformers to customers, encompasses 6 million miles (9.6 million) of wire and cable spread across roughly 500,000 circuits and linked to the national transmission system by about 60,000 substations.

    (Source) http://www.brooksidestrategies.com/resources/origins-and-evolution-of-th…

    The substations circled in green in the image above are the most vulnerable points in the system.

    The alternative to this mass of interconnected wires would be a decentralized, smart grid involving a very large number of small generating ‘stations’ where thousands of failures would be required to cause a sustained loss of power for millions.

    But currently?

    The loss of just nine critical substations could mean a catastrophic loss of power for up to 18 months. What the country would look like after that, and whether such an insult could be recovered from is an open question.

    U.S. Risks National Blackout From Small-Scale Attack

    The U.S. could suffer a coast-to-coast blackout if saboteurs knocked out just nine of the country’s 55,000 electric-transmission substations on a scorching summer day, according to a previously unreported federal analysis.

    The study by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concluded that coordinated attacks in each of the nation’s three separate electric systems could cause the entire power network to collapse, people familiar with the research said.

    A small number of the country’s substations play an outsize role in keeping power flowing across large regions. The FERC analysis indicates that knocking out nine of those key substations could plunge the country into darkness for weeks, if not months.

    A memo prepared at FERC in late June for Mr. Wellinghoff before he briefed senior officials made several urgent points. “Destroy nine interconnection substations and a transformer manufacturer and the entire United States grid would be down for at least 18 months, probably longer,” said the memo, which was reviewed by the Journal. That lengthy outage is possible for several reasons, including that only a handful of U.S. factoriesbuild transformers.

    (Source)

    The Us grid consists of three big regions, and is designed in such a way that the failure of just a few critical components would drag the whole thing down.

    Again, that insult could be a deliberate attack, an EMP device, a CME, or even a squirrel on the wrong transformer on a hot day that leads to a cascading series of failures.

    These vulnerabilities could be addressed, but the main point of this report is to note that over the years since they’ve been identified they mostly have not been addressed.

    Does all of this seem too unlikely to worry about? Well, you might want to consider that we only recently learned that a massive CME narrowly missed the earth in 2012, the exact sort of threat we covered in great detail in a past podcast with a NASA scientist:

    Carrington-class CME Narrowly Misses Earth

    May 2, 2014

    The close shave happened almost two years ago. On July 23, 2012, a plasma cloud or “CME” rocketed away from the sun as fast as 3000 km/s, more than four times faster than a typical eruption. The storm tore through Earth orbit, but fortunately Earth wasn’t there. Instead it hit the STEREO-A spacecraft. Researchers have been analyzing the data ever since, and they have concluded that the storm was one of the strongest in recorded history. “It might have been stronger than the Carrington Event itself,” says Baker.

    The Carrington Event of Sept. 1859 was a series of powerful CMEs that hit Earth head-on, sparking Northern Lights as far south as Tahiti. Intense geomagnetic storms caused global telegraph lines to spark, setting fire to some telegraph offices and disabling the ‘Victorian Internet.” A similar storm today could have a catastrophic effect on modern power grids and telecommunication networks.

    (Source)

    How much did this storm miss us by? About one week. If the earth had been just 7/365 (1.9%) further along in its path, an entire hemisphere would have gotten shellacked. And, oh by the way, do any of you recall hearing of any warnings from NASA or other government bodies in 2012 that such a blast was headed our way and how closely it missed us by?

    Me neither. So perhaps we shouldn’t count on getting an official warning in the future either.

    Conclusion (Part 1)

    The main conclusion here is that you should be at least moderately prepared for a sustained electricity outage, at least to the same degree that you carry fire insurance on your property. Both are remote — but catastrophic — events where a little advance preparation can go a long way.

    In Part 2: Reducing Your Risk To A Grid-Down Event we reveal the vulnerabilities mostly likely to cause prolonged outages of the national power grid: cyber attacks. The current system in the US has a disconcerting number of failure points that can — and are, the data shows — being targeted by malicious agents.

    More important, we lay out the specific steps concerned individuals should take at the home level to have backup support and protection should the grid go down. The cost of such preparation is very low compared to the huge magnitude of this low-probability, but highly disruptive, risk.

    Click here to read Part 2 of this report (free executive summary, enrollment required for full access)

    URGENT ON GOLD… as in URGENT

    It Took 22 Years to Get to This Point

    Gold has been the right asset with which to save your funds in this millennium that began 23 years ago.

    Free Exclusive Report
    The inevitable Breakout – The two w’s

      Related Articles

      Comments

      Join the conversation!

      It’s 100% free and your personal information will never be sold or shared online.

      280 Comments

      1. “This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.” —T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men (1925).

        Many will say- Crap. Did the power *just* go off?

        The whimpering will start shortly thereafter I’m afraid.

        Not for all, but probably for many. God help us all.

        • It though that was APOCALYPSES NOW with Dennis Hooper ?

          • Wow this story again!

            • It would not take much, that is the problem. Even some whacked out billionaire could easily finance a type of launch system with the right type of nuke that emits more gamma radiation than anything and get the thing above 200-300 miles and bang the whole country is sent back to the early 20th.century. A terrorist group gets more and more advanced technology each year. The example of this is Hamas that use to only be able to hit Israel within 3 miles of Gaza 10 years ago. One missile last week went 173 km or about 108 miles. Technology improves and so does the ease of delivery of a death blow to a country or even the world.

              The Sun is way overdue to belch a flare in the direction of the planet. It has almost been like some force has prevented these sunspots from erupting at the wrong time. Pure chance though runs out. The Sun is only in position for an Earth hit about 25% of the time, but like a thunderstorm that hits an area, that 25% eventually becomes near 100% statistically over time. The thing is about the Sun is that it doesn’t have to be JUST a Carrington Event, it can be much, much, much worse. It has long been thought that past mega extinctions like the ones about 260 and 450 million years ago were because of a super solar flare or a gamma ray pulse. Either case, the Sun is capable of something frightening that not only would fry all long wires on the planet, but send deadly cosmic radiation to ground level.

              Another issue few people talk about is the magnetic field of the planet. Lose this or dimish it a lot and you will have severe problems with not only electric issues, but the protection shield around the planet that protects us from the solar winds that create the auroras. Also lost would be the ozone level. There are some strange happenings going on. People were expecting an Israel ground invasion of Gaza, but very few people could have expected a Malaysian airline to be shot down over Ukraine and 298 dead from it. Expect the unexpected, and an attack on the grid system is something that could happen without warning and then comes the test for all of us preppers/survivalists to handle the aftermath.

              • Amen,bro, do you wonder where we will be in 5, 10, 20 years from now???

                • I was thinking more like 6 months from now….

                  • We tend to think of losing electricity as to how it will affect our personal homes in terms of TV, refrigeration, computers, heat, and lights. But even if you have a solar system, think about all the others ways in which you’ll be affected;
                    No use of ANY industry that relies on computers
                    No gasoline
                    No food that can be refrigerated
                    No retail stores at all
                    No emergency services
                    No resources flowing into your area
                    No food stocks
                    Nothing. It all just stops without electricity.

                  • We get a trial run every few years when we lose power for about ten days due to a winter storm. It goes fairly smoothly. The hospital generators are powered from nearby gas wells. Some convenience stores have them too (something you should find out now). The family-owned Asian market is still open too. They close in the winter, but we’ve got a lot of farmer’s markets which do not require electricity. Providing a truck that runs on wood gas to get produce to market might be a business opportunity, but have someone literally ride shotgun.

                  • Always try to look on the bright side:

                    No more texting.

                  • SS,

                    No use of ANY industry that relies on computers — I’ve got my money in my hand, not the bank, so I could care less. I’m off my BP meds now, so I don’t care about that either.

                    No gasoline — Don’t have a car or anywhere I need to drive it in an emergency.

                    No food that can be refrigerated — I’ll cook of what I have, extending the time I have to eat it before it goes bad. Might trade some off too.

                    No retail stores at all — Have enough stores that I couldn’t care less about shopping for a while.

                    No emergency services — Number of times I’ve had to call 911 IN MY ENTIRE 54 YR LIFE: 2. One wasn’t even for myself.

                    No resources flowing into your area — We’ve got water, livestock and lots of gardens around here. I’m not afraid to deal locally.

                    No food stocks — If you mean JIT groceries, it’s the same as “no retail stores at all”. Oh well, no soda and hotdogs…

              • Weird coincidence that the airliner shot down was just like the one that disappeared last spring, right down to the paint job. The number of passengers was pretty close as well. Nothing to see here. Move on.

                • You know what they say: “At this point, what difference does it make?”

                  • Today’s Prepping Tip – PREVENTATIVE HEALTH – Get your Tenanus Shot – Hear that old adage; “Stepping on a Rusty Nail can Kill You.” Yes its true, Tenanus bacteria is a very deadly bacteria and it located everywhere even in the soil. Rusty nails are the perfect habitat for Tetnani bacteria to grow. In third world countries, thousands die every year from the Tenanus bacteria. Get a small cut or puncture wound and if not properly cleaned and gets infected, you can die within weeks. Tenanus is a horrible way to die. The Incubation period is about 8 days, then Tenanty sets in, which is also referred to as “LockJaw,” the contraction of muscle tissue which can tear muscles and cause bone fractures. Other signs are or symptoms are fever, drooling, sweating, muscle spasms, trouble swallowing. rapid heart beat. In SHTF/ Grid Down there will be many more hazards everywhere, including stepping on a rusty nail, metal shards in the dirt, causing scrapes and wounds. The CDC Center for Disease Control recommends adults receive a Tenanus Booster shot vaccine every 10 years. As we get closer to real SHTF or Grid Down, there may not be any medical services available. If there is any “ONE MAIN SHOT” to get, this is the one. So take your whole family to a clinic, to get this Required Booster Shot ASAP. More details at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus

                  • Tetanus – correct spelling. oops

                • Ok what about this conclusion.

                  America was being torn apart because of the border issues.

                  The first jet has been missing for a while.

                  Putin was talking to Odumbo at the time, saying ok you owe me a big favor for this.

                  All attention is taken away from border, Israel, economic issues, Odumbo’s executive order starting his gun war.

                  Obama shows no concern because he was behind the plan

                  Americans were mislead to again. WATCH OUT FOR WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

                  Odumbo is either the smartest Hitler impersonator, or the best world puppet lead.

                  Whatever, we are about to be screwed big time.

                  GOOD LUCK AMERICA don’t let the government win. At least not without fighting back with every ounce of your,mind and body.

                  God please do not forsake us.

                  • Justmyopinion:

                    You are right. Always look at the timing of things. The border issues dropped out of the headlines extremely quickly.

                    John 3:16

                • Same airline. What’s so strange about it being the same type plain and the same paint job?

                  I wouldn’t want to be their insurance carrier about now…

                  • Acts of war are not covered. Since the airline is state owned they probably cannot be sued or made to pay. Just bad luck all around. Glad to see our fearless leader showed so much concern. This country is getting exactly what it deserves and the getting is just getting started.

                • We are so extremely vulnerable! People in other countries who do not depend on electricity for their survival are in much better shape than us Americans, in the long run. We better “get back to the earth” like them if we don’t want to become dead meat!

              • why bother with the geopolitical fallout accompanying a nuke when you can accomplish a cascading power failure from within the system itself? Our industrial control software security is inadequate at best, the network that ties it together is riddled with holes and access, and you cant trust an employee not to plug in a thumb drive or open an email attachment claiming to be cute cat photos or nekkid pics of some chick. If you want to go with the “Evil James Bond billionaire megalomaniac” scenario, its simplest for him or her to simply buy into the power grid and employ a few saboteurs in critical places. Preppers focus on nukes and CME’s, but tend to ignore the more probable threats to the power grid.

              • Hi Bi did you heard about the Charlemagne Sun Flare?

                Researcher points to Sun as likely source of eighth-century ‘Charlemagne event’

                LAWRENCE — Until recently, the years 774 and 775 were best known for Charlemagne’s victory over the Lombards.

                But earlier this year, a team of scientists in Japan discovered a baffling spike in carbon-14 deposits within the rings of cedar trees that matched those same years. Because cosmic rays are tied to carbon-14 concentrations, scientists around the world have wondered about the cause: a nearby supernova, a gamma ray burst in the Milky Way or an intense superflare emanating from the Sun?

                http://archive.news.ku.edu/2012/november/29/charlemagne.shtml

              • bloombung

            • yeah
              this story AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN

              and you know why ???

              because despite the fact that the government KNOWS,
              by their OWN studies
              how very much at threat this is

              they continue in their inaction don’t they ????????

              so what to do ???

              warn other people
              and prepare yourself and your family

              some people respond to a whisper
              but most have to have a freaking piano dropped on their
              brain dead selves before they respond

              I’ve relayed this story before
              but I will repeat it again

              one day I was discussing preparedness type topics at work
              as we do live in a zone frequently hit by hurricanes

              most people had only a few days food
              and no water
              a couple of people only had food for a day or so
              one revealed the contents of her refrigerator
              a bottle of diet Coke,some salad mix and “a thing or two of yogurt”

              guess what
              if TSHTF in any way
              they’re in panic mode immediately,especially if they have kids
              I’m in panic mode in about
              oh a year or year and a half or so
              and that goes for my damn cats too !

              • @Satori. You are so correct. Even a totally honest government has a big fat problem with the grid, MONEY to repair it and put safeguards in.

                This reminds me of the most horrible abomination of mankind in Fukushima. That thing can be covered up and made safe. The Japanese dontt want to spend the money. They will say it can’t be buried because of the sea level. The Dutch completely reclaimed hundreds of miles of sea and the Japanese could do the same and make the nuke reactors safer and minimize the poison to the sea. It is all money. The same as the infrastructure of the grid of the U.S., it is way too expensive to make safer. Just like Fukushima, it WON’T be fixed.

                • Sounds like the problem could be mitigated fairly easily and relatively cheaply. After all, a billion dollars in the federal budget is now a rounding error. We have plenty of money for our new “guests”.

                  Its not like that the switch can be thrown back on after 18 months and we can all go back to work and say “Well, I’m glad THAT’S over”.

                • The Dutch could win land from the sea because the sea “bed” there is only a few feet deep. Look at the sea bed profile along the Japanese littoral and tell me how they could do that.

                  • @ Old Coach. Firstly the water depth off Fukushima is not much different than what is off the coast of southern California. What you want to do is wall off the area around the nuke plant with a breakwater type to contain the toxins. Southern California until the breakwater was put in to protect the naval shipyard had very rough seas. After Long Beach was blocked from the sea, it became a bay. A massive breakwater 1/2 mile to a 1 mile out would stop the radioactive material from being dumped into the ocean.

                    The water depth is deeper than the Netherlands coast granted, but not that much different. If it was the tsunami would not have run up as high as it did. Tsunamis to grow in size need shallow water to build. You would not need to reclaim huge swaths of sea floor either. Just enough to keep the sea water out and establish a firm foundation to be able to bury the power plants. You want also to lower the ground water table from off shore run off.

                    Basically what the Japanese have failed to do because of not willing to spend money and manpower is create a zone in which the radiation could be bottled up to at least reduced the amount of poison into the sea. Get enough water out around the plants and then you can start covering up and shielding it. It only takes about 12 feet of sand to reduce the amount of radiation to minute nearly undangerous levels. It is about money and unwillingness to lose pride that they couldn’t handle it. Just let it loose into the “big” Pacific Ocean and let it be diluted and forget about it.

                    It is just not such an engineering feat that it can’t be done. Even deep water with enough manpower can be contained and walled off. Even literally removing this would not be impossible and putting it away into some mountain or something. Exposure would be a huge issue of course.

                    The main objective should be the removal of water before it gets into the water table. I mean they keep New Orleans, that is basically a big bowl that is mostly 10 feet under sea level dry most of the time and 350,000+ people live there. They can’t mitigate the water level around Fukushima and stop or severely slow down the amount of toxics getting into the ocean. Hey right.

                • BI … Why is this a government, i.e taxpayer, problem? Government doesn’t own the grid. Power companies, both public and private, do. Government, mostly states, regulate the power companies. Government could impose rules on the industry. requiring that industry fix the known problems. Yet, government doesn’t impose those rules. You have to ask yourself, why don’t they? Cui Bono?

              • funny how when a threats pointed out people say “why isn’t the government doing something??!?” yet when they do, its pointed out as some great conspiracy.

                • I guess that depends on whether govt tries to actually FIX the problem, or USE IT to their advantage for something else… we’ve mostly seen the latter.

              • I’m adding another generator to my stockpile. I have a big 6500 watt and a small 2-stroke (sucks) and am now looking at picking up the Honda EU2000i inverter generator. Need something to run a fridge for a LONG time on little fuel.

                • Please note that the Honda EU line are fantastic little machines. However, they are not intended for extended duty. They are intended to be a ‘camping generator’ that is run for a handful of hours per year, they are not designed to provide ‘prime power’. If you use one for this purpose it will wear out quickly and it’s ‘throw away’ motor is not intended to be repaired.

            • Yeah shooter, cold meatloaf again……..

              • And you can keep it cold, along with other items, in a clay pot fridge…

                I also believe in a grid down scenario…
                Short range com will be essential…
                Just don’t rely on disposable batteries…
                NiMh and small PV panels work exceptionally well.

                Don’t forget your faraday cage, before the event!
                Tape the lid to the body with aluminum duct tape…

                • NiMh cells have an extremely high self-discharge rate. Use them only if you expect to drain them within 24 hours or so. For my part I’m using Li-Ion cells which retain charge for months – even years if stored at 50% charge.

            • Yeah you’ re not kidding. How about something a lot more recent there eh. You know, like the geopolitical chess game between Russia and the US. Or Isreal’s ruthless ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, and what potential game changers these events may lead to. We need writers like you to help the rest of us shed light on events taking place now, not two years ago. So a solar flare missed us and the government didn’t say a word about it. Oh well, what else should you expect from those losers. In any case, noted. Now lets move on. Ok?

              • ethnic cleansing? How would you want the US to respond if Mexico was lobbing rockets at California/Arizona on a regular basis? The Palestine terrorists hide their weapons among their own people on purpose so such claims as cleansing can be made after Israel responds to being attacked. What a sick world we live in, populated by low information voters like yourself.

            • My thoughts exactly. I’m sick of all the hype about the grid going down. Bring it on…let’s get the Apocalypse started! The sooner we start, the sooner we can clear out all the leeches and build a new government truly “Of the People, For the People”!

            • Motel 6- We’ll leave the Candle Light on for ya.

            • Wow mac, what’s the problem? Are you running out of doom porn stories again?

          • Good!! I’m ready. This is will bring this corrupt Goverment to a grinding halt. Sooner the better. A good EMP knocking out all electronics will be a good start. No more IRS, NSA, DHS, PD, Military, Banks, Mortgages, Bill collectors phone solictors Main stream Media, Internet, pollution, aircraft flying overhead spraying toxic chemicals. In fact it will be quite peaceful just hearing the birds sing.

            • Couldn’t agree more! Bring it on!

          • Nope.

            Francis Ford Coppola wasn’t even born until April 7th, 1939 in Detroit MI

            Apocalypse Now! (great film, BTW) didn’t air until 1979.

            • off topic:

              I loved the Facebook hatred aimed at Speilburg for posing with the Triceratops–“I don’t care how rich he is. That asshole shouldn’t have shot that animal!!”

              • ROFLMAO

            • So is “The Matrix” and “Avatar”…

          • It’s Hopper Dennis Hopper

        • For many, yes. And it’s sad. I’m lucky, my house runs on propane and solar with only a small electric bill each month. Wouldn’t be hard to do with less. I’ve got lots of wood on my property for warmth and building things. Getting water could be tricky though. Going to be an interesting ride, that’s for sure.

          • Billy,solar pump perhaps?Shallow well a picture pump is a easy addition,good quality hand pumps are made that can pull 100’s of feet if necc.,that and perhaps a few rain barrels for a catch system.

            • Warchild, I’ve got a well on property but we only used it for irrigation due to the extreme iron content in the water.

              It’s only a couple hundred feet deep and I looked at some hand pumps but didn’t find any that would draw from that deep. Hadn’t considered solar pumps, I will look into that.

              I live in an area that doesn’t get much rain so I have nearly a thousand gallons of water stored in totes. We’re considering putting in a pool, too.

              • Billy,the bisons ect. a easy 300′ pull,a bit pricey,but hey,we are talking water.This is a interesting article,not sure if it truly works or not but mother earth has a lot of usually good info.: ht tp://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/living-off-grid-a-home-made-deep-well-pump.aspx ,to avoid moderation wait lines I put a space between http,hope this gives you some help,happy dowsing!

            • We got a Simple Pump, relying on advice received from people on this site, and it works beautifully. Our well is over 200 feet deep, but water level stays at around 65 feet. It takes 5-7 pumps to get water running and we test it twice a week. Water is nasty, but potable, so chickens will be watered as well as sheep. I’ve tried running the well water through our Big Berky, and am sure it’s safe but it still tastes nasty. Iron and sulfur. KY Mom, got in the Kelly Kettle stove today, so we’re getting loose ends tied up. Am going to town today to finish buying medical supplies, and am feeling a lot better. My husband and I grew up in rural Oklahoma during the 1950s, and electricity was a totally unreliable luxury. I strongly recommend getting several Alladin Lamps if you can afford them. They put out the most light (about 40 watts) and also heat up the room. Great in winter, not so good in summer. Two will put off enough light to read or sew, and we’re conditioned to ennui and to entertain ourselves. Today’s kids, not so much, and that will be an added stresser. Good luck to all!

              • Get a whole house charcoal filter and the water will be just like bottled.

              • A couple of solar panels charging a deep cycle battery should give you all the LED provided light you need.

              • For the iron in a well, try 20% vinegar overnight. Flush the well out. It kills the iron producing bacteria and clears the water to where it tastes like spring water. My well is over 70 years old and 260 ft deep. Old pipes, old casing..go figure. For years I was told to bleach the well but that did little or nothing. Won’t go into a kitchen chemistry class on PH but that is the answer. You figure out the question…smiles… The vinegar worked wonders.~~~~ my blond children were no longer red heads…smiles…..God bless……

              • Don’t forget to put water bottles in your space in your freezers.
                Helps foods stay frozen longer; more efficiency with full freezer than half full.
                Second: frozen jugs can be used in coolers for meats, milk, refrigerated foods. 🙂

          • put a hand pump on your well!

          • Good Job Billy Hill. You are way ahead of the masses. When the Grid goes down the sanitary condition in cities will be quite toxic, thus the spread of disease followed by death. Back in the Dark ages when the Great Plague set in, it was those living remotely from the population that survived. Those stuck in the cities fighting over skimpy resources and exposed to the dead plagued corpses so vanished as well. Just think everyone here reading this. Out of all the mass chaos and death over Centuries and millions of years, ice ages, drought, plagues, wars, and a lot of luck we are still here through strong Genetics, And this is no time now to let up, as we all have a lot of living to do in the future and for more generations to follow, We can overcome anything, including this current BS. Let er’ Rip!!!

            • Wow! You REALLY love your doom porn there don’t you whodoo.

          • When I was a kid in the fifties our old pioneer chainsaw went kapuit and couldn’t be fixed. cutting firewood with a axe and crosscut was really hard work. dad traded his best blue tick coon dog for a Homelite chain saw and everyone was happy. dad worked construction and never worked in the winter. our only winter income was from the coon hides dad hunted every nite. and trading that dog was like killing the goose that laid the golden egg. so we trapped for raccoon. and used a marginal dog. however we heated & cooked with wood. No electricity. a cistern with a hand pump in the kitchen. maytag gas engine powered washing machine. we also had a 400 ft deep well that had a jet pump powered by a vertical shaft lawn mower engine jury rigged to it.

        • If you are not prepped, you will be inepted…

          • Eppe, I’m prepped so I’ll never be inepted. The ones who voted for Ovomit were already inepted. Sadly we have a nation of inepted people. They won’t make it, but people like you and I will make it because we prep.

            • Amen rb,makes one wonder…

          • Most will die the first winter living in any Northern states, booming biz for undertakers, casket makers, butchers, bakers and candle stick makers. Lol.

            • There won’t be a booming industry anywhere. Not without electricity. Yes, the vast majority of people won’t survive a northern winter. Especially if it’s like last winter.

              • The northern climes will be very beneficial,will keep the “meats”frozen till needed!

                • Yeah that was about the only advantage living up north, the beer stays cold in the car over night. No cooler w/ice required.

            • Yeah. lets hope all the old fucks in Florida die from the heat without their ac,lol!

              • Yeeeehaaawwww! Looks like all the red thumbs are saying I really hit a nerve! Go ahead mac, censor this comment! YOU and your merry band of gloomsters can’t take it, you’re all WAY too fragile.

                • Anon, you are one sick troll.

                  • Coming from a confirmed conspiracy loony tune like you braveboy, that is a COMPLIMENT!

        • There is one link missing in this article. The link to the FERC report. Anyone have it?

          • Muddy, what is the FERC report about?

          • @Muddy

            Reportedly portions of the scathing report were ‘leaked’.

            This is the current Power Generation and Outlook for the Summer 2014:
            h t tp://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/reports-analyses/mkt-views/2014/05-15-14.pdf

            Shows that a lot of our power comes from COAL. You know, the thing that Obungler and the EPA want to shut down.

            This presentation covers some of the FERC Report if I’m not mistaken-
            Cybersecurity and the North American Electric Grid: New Policy Approaches to Address an Evolving Threat

            h t tp://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Cybersecurity%20Electric%20Grid%20BPC.pdf

            Between the two, they show what we have and what we can lose.

            • Socrates, thanks, you just answered my question. I’ll look them up and print some hard copies of them.

            • Yep. Obamanation has already had over 200 coal plants shut down. People don’t know it but we are buying power from Mexico and Canada. Mexico is building nasty coal plants like crazy along the border to sell us power. Interesting how the Obama Regime is destroying the U.S. piece by piece. Kalipornia has rolling blackouts daily in it’s big cities for hours at a time. This has been going on for years and it is NEVER on the news. Soon we will be paying much more for power and the entire country will be having blackouts.

              • There are no rolling blackouts in calif. cities. Where do you get this crap?

              • I live in Central California and we do not have rolling blackouts. I grew up in So Cal and still have most my family there, no rolling blacks south of me either.

                Just FYI.

            • Sorry to tell ya, King Coal is one of the most toxic polluters out there, that has destroyed our waterways for decades, and why there is hardly a fish you can eat out of the stream that is filled with Mercury and other toxins. Coal Use:Cheaper is not better. I have no sad feelings to have all coal production slowed and that used to produce energy come to a halt. Time to get Greener. Look at what burning coal in China has done to their environment with little regulation. People walk around wearing face masks. Is that how you want to live? Or your kids? Hey kids go outside and play in the soot, wipe you feet off before you come in. (sarcastic)

              • As usual you make no sense.

            • Sorry to be a thread hog (again) But this needs to get out there. Those EPA douchebags are part of Obumblers ‘Private Army’

              This is how The Bundy Ranch is going to be seized….along with a lot of other areas.

              This ‘rule’ goes into effect Sept 2nd, 2014

              The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to amend EPA’s claims collection standards to implement the administrative wage garnishment provisions of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1982, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA). The direct final rule will allow the EPA to garnish non-Federal wages to collect delinquent non-tax debts owed the United States without first obtaining a court order.

              Direct Link:
              h t tps://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/07/02/2014-15578/administrative-wage-garnishment

          • Yes I will post it Fri AM. Both FERC and NERC Reports.

        • Socrates, that will be whimpering hear around the world. The whole world will rejoice at seeing the US finally brought down.

          • @the renegade braveheart

            Yes, they will be cheering and clapping…for awhile.

            Then the news will slowly reach them that U.S. has over 104 nuclear reactors many of which have large spent fuel pools…which need to be cooled right along with the reactor, even if it did SCRAM first. Again, the ten ton white elephant in the room that many simply do not/will not see.

            With no power to keep those cool, they won’t be cheering for long. It’s a small blue planet after all.
            🙁

            • This is from a confidential report on Spent Fuel Pool Vulnerabilities:

              CHARACTERISTICS AND COMMON VULNERABILITIES
              INFRASTRUCTURE CATEGORY: NUCLEAR SPENT
              FUEL STORAGE FACILITIES
              Protective Security Division
              Department of Homeland Security
              Version 2, September 22, 2003

              Spent fuel storage facilities and cooling systems at *operating* power reactors are built to be robust
              but were not specifically designed to withstand a terrorist attack. Assessing the precise amount of
              any contamination resulting from a potential release depends on many factors, such as the type
              and amount of damage to the pool, location of the damage, proximity of the storage facility to
              populated areas, and meteorological conditions at the time of the event.

              The *only postulated scenario* at a decommissioned power reactor spent fuel pool that could result
              in a significant off-site radiological release is a beyond-design-basis event commonly referred to
              as a “zirconium fire.” An event sequence resulting in a zirconium fire begins with a substantial
              loss of water from the spent fuel pool, subsequently uncovering the spent fuel. Uncovering the
              spent fuel could result in a heat-up of the spent fuel to the point where the fuel’s zirconium
              cladding might begin to oxidize in a rapid, exothermic, self-sustaining reaction.

              The above will also happen if cool water is not continually circulated over the spent fuel rods. With no heat exchange, they begin to rapidly heat up, eventually the water boils off , exposing the rods.

              The rest as they say, is history- as in the end of our history.

              • I bet the chaps that designed the early nuke plants went to their graves completly amazed that nobody had bothered to find a permanent solution to the spent fuel problem. They probably never dreamed we’d just keep stockpiling the stuff.

                Thank Gerald Ford for making reprocessing fuel illegal and Jimmy Carter for making that law permenant.

              • What was the plan for the rods that were to be stored at Yucca mountian?

                • Dry casket.

                • You mean the Yucca Mountain storage facility that Harry Reid and Obozo shut down because their palms weren’t being greased enough?

            • Which is why I live in a state that doesn’t have but two nuclear plants. One has been shut down for over a year and the other is well East of me. Neither is in a direct or indirect water route to me so I should be able to hunker down and survive for awhile without fear of radiation from a meltdown.

            • National Map for all NUKE Plants and radiation they currently emit. http://www.RadiationNetwork.com This Interactive Map updates every minute including warnings of rapidly increasing radiation releases. Check your area and keep aware of the wind direction. You always want to be upwind of a radiation release, or quickly get out of the way. Keep this web link on your phone if you are bugging out. Granted the Internet and cell phone system is yet up and running.

            • Thank harry Reid for killing the used nuke storage depot at Yucca Mt.in Nevada. Now all waste is kept on site. real smart.

          • I think the whole world will be astounded by the Revolution of We The People…and how We The People kicked commie ass!..you listening Globalist????

            Live Free or Die
            Talon1776

        • A thought for the day.

          A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her name plate that the teller’s name is Patricia Whack. So, he says, “Ms. Whack, I’d like to get a loan to buy a boat and go on a long vacation.”

          Patti looks at the frog in disbelief and asks how much he wants to borrow. The frog says, “$30,000.”

          The teller asks his name and the frog says that his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and that it is okay, he knows the bank manager.

          Patti explains that $30,000 is a substantial amount of money and that he will need to secure some collateral against the loan. She asks if he has anything he can use as collateral. The frog says, “Sure, I have this,” and produces a tiny pink porcelain elephant, about half an inch tall. Bright pink and perfectly formed.

          Very confused, Patti explains that she’ll have to consult with the manager and disappears into a back office. She finds the manager and says, “There is a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000. And he wants to use this as collateral.” She holds up the tiny pink elephant. “I mean, what IS this?”

          The bank manager looks back at her and says, “It’s a knick knack, Patti Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man’s a rolling stone.”

        • No matter what, if you live where it gets cold, you better put in a wood heater and cut some wood and dry it out now.

          • Yes I am in Florida, and have my pile of hard oak ready, just for SHTF Cooking outside if necessary. Not worried at all about winter cold.. Let er’ Rip!!

          • Then the EPA will arrest you for burning wood. Soon all wood burning fireplaces and stoves will be illegal.

        • So this is how liberty dies–to thunderous applause

        • Just a thought I haven’t seen talked about much.
          How long before people scavenge the power lines?
          So even if there is a restart, what will it restart on?

      2. The Grid will fail one day, either from a natural disaster, terrorism or physical attrition. That’s why we have sites like this to prepare us, and hopefully a network of family and friends to support us. Here in New Jersey we got slammed by Hurricane Sandy a few years ago. The families who were close-knit, did not live beyond their means, and practiced a spiritually balanced lifestyle, came through the disaster unscathed and even closer as a unit. We played board games. Took turns going into the basement to bring up water and food supplies, etc. At night we were each responsible for candles, checking batteries on flashlights, etc.
        The dysfunctional families? Let’s just they grew more dysfunction. In the end we are a nation of families. The ones that the government has not weakened and destroyed with handouts will survive the Grid failure. It’s those government-sponsored families who we might be getting an off-hour visit from in the darkness. Semper Paratus everybody. J. Veritas

        • J. Veritas, I have to agree. I’ve been a prepper since the 70s. I’ve lost count of how many power outages I’ve been through since then, the longest one being one week back in 2003, and came out of each and every one of them smelling like a rose. I’m already familiar with the gist of this article having seen too many like them in recent years, but I know it’s possible and it is coming whether we like it or not. I stockpile a shitload of non-perishable foods, water, water purification items, camping equipment, extra clothing, footwear, socks, underwear, alternative means of lighting, etc. I have a Coleman propane stove and Kelly Kettle for cooking. I keep my electronics stored in a metal trash can [Home Depot for $25] with bubble wrap [The UPS Store or FedEx] for insulation from EMP. I have a ton of batteries for said electronics [LED flashlights, radios, etc.]. IF my LED lights are fried by an EMP, I also have an old 2 D-cell Maglite converted to LED which will see me through. I also have means of protecting my preps from the nonpreppers that I will surely encounter at some point after the grid goes down. Those who failed to prep have already signed their own death warrants and won’t realize it until it’s too late. It’s all I can do to keep myself and mine alive. I’m only another individual trying to survive out here. I’m not some government agency with money to waste on freeloaders. I work and pay taxes into the system like everyone else here. I do for myself. I work for what I want and need. I’ve always taken responsibility for my own well-being and never took one tax dollar for any purpose. I’m a prepper, I’ve been through many personal SHTFs and survived them BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN BEING PREPARED FOR WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT ME. I know how to get through adverse situations. We who prep will survive. The dysfunctionals who suck on the government tit won’t make it. The “great culling” will be horrendous. If you’re not prepping, you’re inepting. Take care and keep prepping.

      3. We’ve all been hearing about this scenario for awhile now. For years. Can it happen? Of course! Will it happen, well maybe. Just like the stock market crash we’ve all been hearing about……….that never seems to come. All we can do is prepare the best we can. But seriously, IF we lose the grid, or even parts of it, there’s not much we can do LONG TERM as no one will have an endless supply of fuel for the generator. And solar power? Not enough power to help long term for most people. Now’s the time to pick up supplies and a hand pump IF you have a well…….

      4. That’s what PREPARING is all about! Duh???????????

        Yes, inconvenience is the least of what you have to deal with. But, if you prepare for this type of event, you will be able to survive.

        It doesn’t take much to put yourself into a reactive mode. Just flip the electric Master Switch to the off position. Now, if its just for the day, you can work it out. How about a couple days. A week. If you prepare, you will make it. Stock up on what you need. For sure, when the power goes, you won’t be able to get necessities at the corner market.

        • David, I deal with inconvenience in my sleep. Excellent points.

      5. Remember: Its better to be a YEAR EARLY, than a DAY LATE!!!!! Prepare!!!!!

        • Yeah, but how do you know what you have missed until that day happens and you don’t have it? For instance, let say you have radio but forgot rechargeable batteries….even the prepared won’t be fully prepared because you won’t know what you are missing until you find out you font have it….the shtf will be ugly for all….

          • Practice. Turn your electricity off for a weekend and see what happens.

            The electricity goes off pretty often here because of storms and the occasional car hitting a power pole. I think we have everything covered now.

        • I have a Non Prepper friend who has little coping skills. I keep telling him to stock up on canned and dehydrated food just in case. His response is “I prefer to eat fresh food.” Some people just will never get it. He will die after about 30 days from hunger. I said you better get a bug out bag together just in case. His response is I just drive up to my parents house about 600 miles away. Lol. I said do you habe extra gas cans? He says no I’ll just stop for gas. Lol. Yeah him and 10 million other idiots who don’t prepare. We have not spoken to each other since Feb. F-him.

          • I forgot to add about my Non Prepper friend. I said did you pick up a few guns and plenty of ammo for self defense? He said, No I don’t believe in violence. I just shake my head. Hes Fckd. There are lots of people out there who will freak out when life comes to a grinding halt for a long time.

            • I know what you mean. My brother said “If anything happens, y’all can just come stay with us.” He actually thinks that because he has a much bigger house, he would be better off if something happens.

            • WWTI, I gave up on talking to such people shortly after Katrina. On the 3rd day that your friend goes without water his body will start shutting down. 30 days? No way.

            • WhoWuddaThunkIt, apparently your friend does believe in begging, starving and dying. Sorry ’bout his luck.

          • Most likely your friend will die a lot sooner than that. Most people will die from thirst or from drinking contaminated water.

            • @Barn cat, My Non Prepper friend does have a backyard swimming pool but no way to filter the water to ensure a healthy drink. Oh and he thinks he is prepared because he has a Generator to keep his refrigerator running. I said when the hordes come knocking at your door cause your loud as generator is calling the dinner bell how are you going to protect yourself? He has no weapons. I also asked him how long he can run that with no extra gas other than for his lawn mower. A few days maybe, then he’s Fckd. I even gave him a mini EDC bag with goodies,like fire starter, paracord, duct tape a lighter, canteen, small knife, medical basics. Then this Guy does not even keep it in his car when he goes on trips. Whatever.. some will never get it.

          • 10 million…more like several 100 million.

            some in my own family.

            • Another Prepper Tip- VEHICLE MAINTENANCE -SPARE TIRES AND JACK- OK Going into along weekend, this is a good one. When was the last time you checked the air in your spare tires in your vehicles? Even spare tires can look 5 to 10 lbs of pressure a year, just sitting there. A year backed I checked mine and it was like 18-20 lbs, way low. Half of what it should be. How about checking your car jack? Take it out put it together and make sure you have all the parts, and the wrench that fits the same size of wheel nuts. You would be surprised how many people don’t even have a tire jack in their vehicles, or know where to place it to jack up the car. How about extra assorted fuses for the fuse box? An extra fan belt, extra oil filters, oil & fluids, extra windshield wipers? Lots to do this weekend eh? Let er’ Rip!!

              • Yesterday, after a day at the beach I discovered a flat tire due to a screw in my tire. I watches hubby try, for some time, to get the spare tire released from under my truck. No success. Thankfully a friend went a bought a plug and hubby figured out how to plug it. But I was really embarrassed to say the least. Of coarse, I spent the entire evening knowing how royally screwed we are when the SHTF, unless God mercifully spares us.

                I’ve tried toget hubby to think ahead and plan ahead it his head just isn’t in the game. I’m not sure what else I can do besides figure out the tire only own a stock up on plug kits.

                Hubby travels and doesn’t have any supplies in his car to get home if SHTF while he’s gone.

                This weekend has been a painful reality check.

          • Yeah, we know two couples like your friend. They think we’re crazy, and we think they’re crazy. I just shut up about everything several years ago because I don’t want them showing up here. One of the men mentioned a week or two ago that we “must have seen the light” because we don’t do that crazy talk anymore. I just said that we couldn’t afford it and would have to take our chances like everyone else. They are much friendlier now (and dumber) and we’ve discouraged any visiting. You can only do so much.

            • @Vicky, Many people can’t deal with any negativity or planning ahead, even though it may save their lives. Its the bubble concept, caught in their abyss, twisting in the wind, happy as a lark today, eating out 3 times a week. The problem is when SHTF, they will have Zero coping mechanisms to handle a crisis. Being a prepper, you don’t have to worry about eating, drinking shelter, security, and all the rest, and can focus on small tasks with minimal stress. While when SHTF, your friends will be fighting over that last bottle of water in the grocery store, or beat up grabbing for that last jar of olives since the shelves were wiped out days earlier of all regular food. The it hits them, they wake up and have to figure out they are out of toilet paper, and start cutting up all their clothes in their closet to wipe themselves. Wudda Couldda Shoulda. Just tell them good luck with that, and keep doing what you are doing.

              • Vicky, you’re doing exactly right to be concerned about yourselves and your loved ones. It’s all any of us can do to keep ourselves and our own going. I don’t have time to worry about ignorant people who refused my advice about prepping. They made their own bed so they can go lay their stupid asses on it. I’m only responsible for myself and my loved ones. anyone outside my family is not my responsibility. So I just ignore the morons and keep on prepping.

                • I wonder where helot is, with the “Love thy neighbor” shit.

                  I don’t have time for idiots who refuse to prepare.

          • AND your friend will forage in the forest….:-)
            AND hunt and fish like those ‘other’ millions of idiots that don’t have ammo, guns, or fishing gear–not even a fishing line!!!!

      6. First the econemy, must fall

        B.R.I.C,S,,,is a 100 billion bank and currency pool
        this is just for Brazil,Russia India,China,South Africa

        putin and others put this together,within the last 36 hours

        guess what? destroy americas dollar.roits,marshal law,murder,kill, you name it..this it hot off the press “THE HILL, NEWS” look it up?????????????

        • Saudi Arabia joining BRICS? Abandoning the Petrodollar? Starting Gold-backed Sovereign Wealth Fund?

          ht tp://stateofthenation2012.c om/?p=6181

        • Putin is the real deal. We gots Buckweat running the lemon aid stand.

          • With anti-freeze in the cups.

          • Let’s put this in prepper context—

            Putin is doing what any prepper worth their salt would do, but on a much larger scale. Putin has publicly tried to warn people, but many refused to listen. I think we all know that feeling, don’t we?

            He is preparing for what he sees coming, to protect his country and people from the globalist banksters, and he does not care if any of his neighbors refuse to prepare. Their destiny is in their own hands. How many of us have said that exact same thing?

            Putin is networking and forming a group for stability, safety and security. They are working together as countries, to protect themselves and their people. I wish we could just get together as COMMUNITIES, let alone as a COUNTRY.

            BRICS is pretty much doing the same thing as preppers who hold PM’s to hedge against a currency collapse, only he’s creating their own financial institutions, to by-pass the current corrupt ones we’re stuck with.

            WWIII will start when the banksters realize they are on their way off their Corporate/IMF thrones.

            Anyone who doesn’t admire Putin’s BRICS effort, is simply not a prepper. What sucks is, it had to be Russia and “Communist” countries who got a clue and had the balls to actually DO IT.

            …While American whiners sat around wondering where their EBT card went…

      7. Hello darkness, my old friend
        I’ve come to talk with you again
        Because a vision softly creeping
        Left its seeds while I was sleeping
        And the vision that was planted in my brain
        Still remains
        Within the sound of silence
        And in the naked light I saw
        Ten thousand people maybe more
        People talking without speaking
        People hearing without listening
        People writing songs that voices never shared
        No one dared
        Disturb the sound of silence

        • Anon, thanks for that Simon and Garfunkel. They were really cool.

      8. AS A PRIVATE PILOT, how are you going to land at night, at a airport, will i have power for my instruments, or just a compass? no lites for an ILS approach, no vasi lites, no landmarks?

        • You will have nothing. Just land….

        • Do airports have generators? Or stick a person at each end of runway with big flashlights.Shine them towards incoming plane, not directly, in figure 8…pilot can line plane up with lights.

          • The 70’s & 80’s cocaine cowboy drug dealers would snap a string of glow sticks on abandon runways at night to land, they would then unloaded and abandon their throw away planes. Necessity, the Muther of invention.

        • If the magnetos on your engines still work (probably), then you’ll probably have no gps or radios and I hope you’re flying VFR.

        • When I trained we had to do it without lights , it was an exercise for the ability to land without all that nice modern stuff , you know .. Do it like the old days
          Turn in the landing lights and work it out
          Of corse this was VFR rules
          IFR well that’s gonna be tuff

          • Turn ON the landing lights , the ones on the aircraft

          • I spent 80 hours to get my IFR rating back in 1987,no gps back then, fun landing at 16R at seatac washington chasing thoes needles,waiting for the glidescope to become active, watching the DME, done it all,,
            , and yeah the mags would work, but if we got hit with a EMP?,,,

            • one thing people need to remember planes still fly with out the engine, they just dont go too far before needing to land
              so with that said , when the engine quits you find a suitable field asap and fly the plane until it wont fly any more and land that sucker in a farm field, beach or ditch it..

              they dont fall out of the sky unless there is structural damage or the pilot shouldn’t be piloting

              • @VRF or anyone,- Are there any charts or formulas out there, that will tell me how far planes can glide using height in altitude? Like at 1000 Ft in altitude how far can a plane glide? Of course speed is a factor at the time of failure. I have these Aholes flying 250 to 300 Ft over my house which is 1.73 miles from a runway. They are also slow movers. twin engine. I don’t think they could make it back to the runway that slow and far out if they had an engine failure. RE: Title 14 Part 91.119(b) Minimum Safe Altitudes over congested areas, yellow color coded on the VFR map. Believe me I have filed complaints to the FAA. More useless Fed employees living on the dole.

        • Splashdown, after all your instruments stop working. Yeah look for planes dropping out of the sky for an EMP the first half hour after the blast.

          • I doubt a EMP would drop a plane. Lightning doesnt. a plane isnt grounded and all componants are shielded. Even your car ECM is shielded.

        • Didn’t you train to land without the usual fanfare? No emergency landing procedure practice? Ever thought about how a glider lands in a field?

      9. There are many fires in Washington State, and at least one small town is without power. Ask the people in Winthrop, WA, how they managed — assuming the whole town doesn’t burn down. This is posted on the Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook page – I didn’t include the person’s name because I don’t know her, but since it’s on a public site I assume she won’t mind.

        “My niece lives In Winthrop and is saying they were told power will be out for three days as the fire has jumped the loop. She says the town is going crazy getting food and water and Ice to keep things going”

        • CDE, that’s a perfect example of why people need to prepare. Hopefully, some of those people will “get it” and start prepping.

        • been to winthrop on my motorcycle.

          god bless winthrop

          • Looks like some rain coming to the west side of the state, hope it all goes over the Cascades and wets the east side down, but it looks like a bunch of lightning is going to come with it.

        • Fire is one thing we all over looked in the post about best bugout places. If there are no fire fighters in all those mountain retreat bugout areas… I didn’t even think of that but every year from July till mid to late October, if the people are in the woods lighting fires to cook with etc, it will all go up in flames and not stop.

        • I could smell the smoke this morning. Thought it might been dust in the air, nope.

          • And grid down no water pressure in fire hydrants. Need a raised water storage system and hoses. Lots of uncontrollable fires and another reason to cache food and extra supplies burried in the yard away from your house.

          • You may be smelling the smoke from those huge forest fires in NW Canada. Biggest burn rate ever seen for this time of year. They say you can smell the smoke in the NW and Central USA as the jet stream carries it south.

      10. Hunker down,lock and load.

        SSG USMC 1965-1972

      11. FYI, I JUST BOUGHT 250 GALLONS OF PROPANE
        BETER HAVE IT NOW, BEFORE IT GOES TO 6 BUCKS A GALLON…,,,

        • You really need to think about getting a 500 gallon tank.

      12. “Many types of nuclear power plants have to switch to back-up diesel generators to keep the cooling pumps running. And if those stop for any reason (like they run out of fuel), well, Fukushima gave us a sense of how bad things can get.”

        And this in a nutshell is why it can’t happen, at least on a nation-state level. Anyone dumb enough to try this will die. It might take ’em a little while but they would be dead as a doornail within a relatively short period. Say less than 20 years. Probably less than 10. Along with everyone else…

        And hence did nuclear weapons become obsolete and no one even realized it until now.

        Nope it’s an old fashioned ground pounder’s war now. Objective #1: control all the nuclear sites. And you better hope you get them all, all at once… or else someone might just decide to switch off the coolant on purpose.

        Talk about Mission Impossible…

      13. The power grid can be brought down with out trying very hard.
        The Turd in chief is letting it happen. There are more terrorist coming over the border that we want to admit.
        The way to hurt the US is to take down the grid.
        Just watch with in a few weeks there will be something major happening her in the US.
        Keep Praying and Prepping because that is all we can do.
        Watch the market it went over 17,000, If I’m right when it went over 17,000 it was the start of the crash. I see it went down 180 points today.
        Now a false flag with a power grid just might be on the horizon! Bring the stock market to it knees!

        AIM SMALL MISS SMALL
        Sgt.

        • Good evening, Sgt. Dale. With the border situation, the plane crash in Ukraine, Israeli military action in Gaza, Ovomit slapping more sanctions on Russia, etc., I’m getting nervous. I was planning another prep shopping trip this weekend anyway. There is supposed to be another gun show in my area on the 26th and 27th this month. I’ll get some more ammo and maybe something else? I just hope nothing happens before then. But I know something big is coming, I can feel it.

          • RBH
            I hear you load and clear!
            I got up this morning and just felt like there was something wrong. Next thing I hear is the air liner was down. Then a short time later I hear Israel was in Gaza. (don’t forget that Hamas is nothing but an Iranian proxy). Libya having another Civil war, The Over running of the border. ONLY ABOUT 5% ARE VERY YOUNG KIDS!

            This was the same feeling I had on 9/11. The feeling hasn’t gone away yet and it is now 0200hrs the next day.

            I found a very nice Finnish Nagat (7.62x54R) at a Flea market on July 4Th. Now starting to stock up on ammo.
            If anyone has advise on the best bullet weight to shoot out of this Rifle, PLEASE let know. I might try hunting with it also!

            Now for the grid going down. Right know I’m working on SOLAR power. Still playing with a wind generator.

            Good talking to you! I hope you find what you are looking for.
            May the Good Lord watch over you and yours.

            A.S.M.S.
            Sgt.

            • Lighter bullets generate less recoil and can make extended range sessions with lighter rifles and carbines more pleasant. Heavier bullets often hit closer to the point of aim when using military sights regulated for longer distances.

              212 grain round nosed bullet at approximately 2020 feet/second

              “spitzer” bullet known as the “L” for light was adopted which weighed 147 grains and had a muzzle velocity of 2800 feet/second

              Hope this helps Boss
              Have fun , and let me know how well it shoots

              • mosin nagant on sale at turners for 129$ right now.

              • VRF;
                Thanks man!!!
                I will take all the advise I can get.
                The round and rifle is kinda new to me.
                Thanks again.
                Sgt.

            • Always enjoy your posts AND I pay attention to the opinion of those who know what they’re doing. If you’re uneasy, then I will be, also. Feel the same way about Be Informed who is well-educated about so many things. This site has a few hysterics and a few people who are belligerent, but over-all, most are helpful, worried, normal people. BTW, Camping Survival has a sale on Fish antibiotics. Might be a good idea to stock up on Cipro just in case some of our “guests” from the south are carrying anthrax. More face masks and more silver and antiseptics. Good luck to all!

              • Vicky:
                Thanks for the advise.
                went to Mexico and on my way back picked up 800 MG. Advil, and Cipro. I also got some steroid packs.
                Thanks again.
                Sgt.

                • I’ve got enough 800mg ibuprofen to choke a horse…literally.

              • Vicky—
                Thomas Labs is safe, fast, and the best price for a dependable company advertised on many sites I’ve checked.
                Good luck.

                Any prices beating Thomas Labs, I’d like to know.
                Still need cipro and Cephalexin.

      14. The power grid is the most obvious way to usher in martial law. Seven days and no lights or power will create panic. Then comes the blue helmets….

        • Ugly, when I see those blue helmets in my area, its game on. My “ventilation team” will be put to work.

          • Braveheart.
            When or if those days come, I hope all folks have a ventilation team against the blue helmets. Once that day comes and people do nothing, then we are done. Might as well go Sky diving with no parachute….good luck in the land of Elvis !!!!

            • I had a short dream the other might about a bunch of elites hiding in their subterranean bunker. Inside the bunker they were watching TV and eating lobster, while up top the people starved.

              Then in my dream, someone fired up one of those big, evil-looking machines they use, to bore huge holes in mountains—the ones with the cone-shaped rotating jaws that cut through solid granite…and bunkers…

              • Sixpack, now THAT is a dream worth having. I’d be willing to see a movie like that.

                • They could call it “NOWHERE LEFT TO HIDE”

        • And right along with the blue helmets,full blown civil war,it has rested long enuff!

          • Ugly and Warchild, I’ll be ventilating a bunch of those blue helmets before it’s all over with.

      15. There have been many novels written with this thesis of no electricity for extended periods (or forever). Alas Babylon, One Second After, and my favorite Dies the Fire (and the entire series).
        Hard to wrap your head around, but if electricity stops, our society does too.

        • Jericho the tv series was pretty good.

          • They probably shut Jericho down, because it was giving people too many good ideas…

            • Yeah, ” They” shut it down alright, Jesus, EVERYTHING everywhere has GOT to be a conspiracy. ” They” wouldn’t shut it down due to poor ratings or anything like THAT now would ” they”.

              • Okay, the didn’t “renew” it because…

        • @westcoaster

          Just finished reading One Second After. General Eugene Habiger (ret) former commander -in- chief US strategic command said concerning EMP: “It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.”

          • Read Lights Out for a more in depth scenario….

      16. now this is some bad news

        2 Fla. cases of mosquito virus contracted in US

        http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MOSQUITO_VIRUS_FLORIDA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-07-17-17-19-20

        this virus isn’t known to be fatal
        but it makes you sick enough you almost wish it was

        and it spreads like wildfire

        “It first appeared in the Americas late last year, on a Caribbean island. By July 11, more than 355,000 suspected and confirmed cases were being reported in the Americas.”

        fortunately it isn’ spread person to person

        • In Florida…

      17. Where was “the grid” in 1775? “The grid” is just another dependence on the enemy that is a weakness of the ENEMY but can be shucked by us, the people. THAT’s the modern “Boston Tea Party” that can be thrown overboard, just as permanent boycotts of British Triangular Trade products and such weakened that enemy’s leverage over us.

        • Yes, we need to stop fearing this and instead welcome it. If you are here, chances are you are somewhat prepared. That puts you that much further ahead of the general population. Our masters rely on the electricity being there when they flip the switch. We can learn to survive without it; they however, cannot. None of the tools of the oppressor work when the power is gone. No NSA spying, no drones, no hordes of jackbooted thugs kicking down your door at 3 AM. Most of the population will perish, but they will be those who were unprepared, and for a large part of them, unteachable. Many here are Christian; I am not, but I can appreciate the parables in the Christian Bible. Look to the parable of the 12 virgins; we cannot save everyone and it is not our duty to try. They have been warned and chose not to listen. What will remain afterwards will be work, hard, dirty, and never-ending, but satisfying because it will belong to you.

          • @ Moon
            As a retired Clergyman, who holds an advanced degree in Theology I can tell you that the parable of the “Watchful Virgins” has NOTHING to do with being prepared in a physical sense.

            Parables are to teach moral lessons. In this particular one, Christ is saying to those whom He is speaking to “Practice your faith 24/7” as you don’t know the day/hour which you will meet your Creator.

            I’ve seen this parable misused on a few other sites before, so this error is common.

            Although you are not a Christian, should you own a Bible, look to the book of Proverbs for a better reference.

          • I’m not wasting time and money trying to continue living as much of my current lifestyle as I can, in an extended grid down situation.

            I’m trying to prepare to simply SURVIVE IT, in as much reasonable comfort as possible. Just the basics.

      18. cheap $1.00 solar lights you set out durring the day and bring in at night for light in house and then there is the solar flood lights you can put out side for security to see whats around or mount them to your gutters or soffit

        • The ones I use are the corner post style that can be attached to the top of a 4×4 (like out on a deck). Just take em off and bring them inside at night.

          • I just bought a solar camp light at Wally World. less than $20 bucks. Has 3 settings for the brightness and you can charge your cell phone(if it still works). Is suppose to keep a charge for 6-8 hours. I used it and the sucker is really bright.

          • Take a handful of the stake style LEDs and put them in a glass jar, like a floral bouquet of light.

      19. The electrical grid. Maybe the most fragile system there is. Without it, I’m afraid most people do not even begin to understand how bad things could get, literally over night. Go flip that breaker, go ahead, give it a try, see how long you can go without it.

        • …in the winter with 14, -4, -22 degree…etc.

      20. Do as the Amish do; oil lamps and candles are not that hard to do, when we talk preparedness I thought you were talking more then just food, so I dug out my Aladdin oil lamps cleaned them up, bought new mantles, fuel and I’m ready to go. I am not adding anything to my freezer and using up what is already in there anything new will be canned, put down in salt or smoked. IMHO the time is a lot closer then we want to admit why? with the border crisis and today’s event in the Ukraine I can almost smell trouble brewing.

        Time to sample some of the dill pickles I caned last week and relax for awhile been a busy day. Nite all.

        • Houses will be burning left and right because of candles. Americans struggled to program their VCR timers so they could record rasslin.

        • mmmm…dill pickles. Been eating some fresh made ones myself along with pickled hot cauliflower.

          • @JRS

            Bread and Butter Pickles and Sweet Relish is today’s caning job plus 2 loaves of bread and 4 Banana Bread been a busy day but one has to keep moving on garden is growing and winter is coming they say it is going to be a tough on for some of us. Time to knit a few rows and then bed. Later you guys.

        • Or this…..
          OxyLED T-01 DIY Stick-on Anywhere 4-LED Touch Tap Light Push Light, LED Night Light for Closets, Attics, Garages, Car, Sheds, Storage Room

          for $9

          I have one ordered for the shed and it WILL be brought in if needed.
          Battery operated, but I have a solar battery charger.
          These l.e.d. lasts a long time.
          I had Christmas candles in the window last 6 weeks and never needed new batteries.

      21. I’ve spent a LOT of time researching portable solar equipment.

        To that end, I recommend the products at http://www.aspectsolar.com– incredible, innovative stuff that uses LiF04 [lithium ion phosphate] batteries, not lead acid ones. Tell the good folks there the Lone Ranger recommended you, they know who I am.

        And don’t forget high-end LED Flashlights with rechargeable [Eneloop] batteries. LED flashlights are massively superior to incandescent ones.

        For example, if you research Eagletac’s D25A (runs on 1 AA battery) and D25A2 (runs on 2 AA batteries) flashlights, you’ll be blown away by how many lumens the former [200 lumens] will project and the 453 lumens the latter will.

        So if your clothing, water, nonperishable food, ammo, and other needs/preps have been adequately stocked, don’t skimp on portable power from the sun– I love the stuff from Aspect Solar, that can also recharge the appropriate batteries that will give you light at night!

        In a world of seeming darkness, “Let there be light!”

        – the Lone Ranger

        “There is not enough darkness in the whole world to put out the light of one small candle.”
        – Motto of the Christopher’s

        [To learn more about or to research other flashlights, check out http://www.candlepowerforums.com.]

      22. from TSHTF Plan “archives”

        Report: Chance of a Catastrophic Solar Storm Is 1 in 8; Would Take Down Power Grid, Food Transportation, Water Utilities, Financial Systems

        https://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/report-chance-of-a-catastrophic-solar-storm-is-1-in-8-would-take-down-power-grid-food-transportation-water-utilities-financial-systems_03062012

        that story is why this story AGAIN

        it would take a comparatively small amount of money to protect the grid from both solar storms and any EMP threat

        why in the hell hasn’t it been done ???

        EMP attack on U.S. power grid could kill 90% of Americans, experts testify on Capitol Hill

        http://www.naturalnews.com/045197_EMP_attack_power_grid_American_deaths.html

        would 90% die ???
        I don’t know
        but so what if that figure was way off and it was “only”
        20% ?
        that’s still MILLIONS of people

        Congress ,the current President and past Presidents
        have shown nothing but gross negligence on this matter
        to the point of being criminally negligent in my opinion

        • planned, they want an excuse to lower our numbers..they are looking really hard for a way to do it and get away with it
          as they all hide like cowards

          • VRF,
            All they have to do is bring in a huge number of people with some weird tropical diseases to kill off some of us…oh wait, they are already doing that.

            • yep, their plan is in action

              too bad our plan isn’t meeting it head on

      23. Oh well!
        Party like its 1899!

        • @ Kulafarmer. At least in 1899 there was no income tax and no fiat currency and money was backed up by hard currency. 😉 Also money could actually purchase something.

          • Amen Bi,,,
            I will welcome it with open arms!

        • More like 1839.

      24. Blood in the streets will be the next battleground. Tensions are building now with the recent illegal immigration.

        • This weekend there are over 300 protests planned against Obama’s “Illegal Immigrant Surge”.

          If you go to http://www.ALIPAC.us, the site will direct you to one closest to you.

          Remember this quote: Marine Corp General John Kelly, commander of SOCOM, “The crisis on our Southern Border threatens the very existence of the United States”.

          • Come on Mac, ok the darn link, will ya?

            • Educated,just put a space between http to avoid wait times!Folks not willing to cut and paste are not really that interested in info.,though am sure whatever you have to say can be found in the yankee anti zombie survival manual!Hmmm….,wish I knew where to find that!

              • @Warchild

                Many Thanks, what I was trying to post is that there are over 300 anti-Obama surge protests planned for this weekend and that the information where they are can be found at http: // www. ALIPAC.com

                Also the “American Thinker” site has instructions on what to bring to the protest, what to/not to do, and how to protect yourself from the La Raza crowd.

                Stand Up-Stay Safe

      25. My opinion on why this subject keeps coming up

        one word

        Conditioning

        getting us ready for the inevitable .. some day its gonna be a reality, either due to a natural event , but more then likely TPAB are going to shove it on us if they cant control us

        • It’s not about control. It’s about Agenda 21 and genocide. The globalists want to depopulate the earth down to 500 million people. An estimated 90% of Americans would die within a year after the power goes out for the last time.

          • aware of that , and have voiced that scenario many times ..nothin new to me

            what i ment is , were not being controlled enough for their liking , and they dont like that..so our death is eminent with the current players , and this( grid down) is a way to facilitate that

            • VRF says:
              Comment ID: 3185429
              July 18, 2014 at 5:30 am
              planned, they want an excuse to lower our numbers..they are looking really hard for a way to do it and get away with it
              as they all hide like cowards

              see I said it ,, just a few comments up

          • Heck Barn Cat, if they were as “Theologically savvy” as you, all they would have to do is wait for “The Rapture”, Right? Poof!

            • Yes, if you were saved like I am you would have a bright eternal future.

              I’m waiting for the Rapture but I expect the collapse to come first. I expect the collapse to lead to the one world government prophesied in the Bible. I expect the Rapture to occur just before the world leader is revealed.

          • Heres a thought,
            Maybe we few prepared ones are the ones they want to keep alive,
            We are resourceful enough to be independent and not need a lot of support, generally self sufficient to varying degrees and most likely tread lightly with regards to resources. Are generally civil and courteous, and at the same time dont take any shit!
            The bullets and MRAPS could be for the unprepared violent “golden hoard”
            Just a thought,
            If i were TPTB i would prefer folks who know how to garden, construct and make do over those who need a handout every few weeks. And would rather critical thinkers than the genes of honey boo boos and kim kardashians of the country.

            • We don’t fit the profile of people they want to keep alive. We’re likely to be Christians, Constitutionalists, gun owners, Pro-Lifers, and free thinkers. We’re not the sheep they’re looking for.

              • We are the extremists keeping Eric Holder up at night.

      26. It’s good to have articles like this reposted from time to time to keep us on our toes.

        I think we’ll be OK here for a while. I just went around and checked all my outlets for power. Seems like my walls are all full of electricity so that should last us quite a time if the grid goes down.

        I’m more worried about whether SHTFplan has backups for it’s backups. I want to be able to gloat.

        • @JRS
          So the electricity is stored in the walls? Wow! (Good to know)

          I’m betting that it’s all of those mice running in those wheels inside the walls that generate it, ya think?

          • Well, no…what I do is look on my electric bill to check out the kilowatt hours I use each month and then average that out over the year. If I can use less than the average every month, the walls should fill back up over time. I even checked the attic receptacle and it has plenty of juice so I know the walls are full up to there at least.

            My son said that’s not how it works. Kids…buncha know-it-alls.

            • I’m guess’n you be an EEE-lectrical Engineer, cause you knows so much. Is I right?

              • Yeah, and if ya run out, just run and bury a long cord from your neighbors outside outlet since he has extra. lol

              • No…But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

            • I don’t say this very often but, OMG !!!!!!!!!

      27. Malaysian flight MH17 is more proof flight 93 of 9-11 fame ( the one that supposedly went down in Pennsylvania) is a line of bullshit

        Look at he wreckage of flight 17, the bodies every where, the debris everywhere

        None of that was discovered in Pennsylvania of flight 93

        MH17 got hit by a missile and there is still debris and bodies It fell over 30 thousand feet
        allegedly flight 93 just “dug in” due to being flown into the ground during an on board altercation with the alleged hi-jackers
        more proof 9-11 another hoax? more proof there were no passengers? more proof there was no “real” flight 93.

        Keep telling on yourself US government , were listening
        at least some of us are

        there’s a ton of people in this country that better pull their heads up out of their asses , because this crap is getting deep!

        • Flight 93 went in from low altitude and had been flying just above stall speed for several minutes before.

          Just because you don’t want to believe it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

          • your missing my point,

            and if what your saying is the truth , why no bodies, and no- to little wreckage ?

            ever hear of comparison investigation?

            something went down yes, but it isnt what they told us it was and this proves it

            • Maybe the pictures you saw of the 93 site didn’t show bodies out of respect for next of kin. Russians don’t have that problem, obviously. Were you a first responder at the 93 site? If not, look a few of them up and ask them. It’s certainly true that nobody on the passenger manifest for Flight 93 was ever seen alive again. Are you suggesting that Flight 93 took off empty? Or that it landed somewhere and discharged all the passengers to a secret CIA location where they were quietly disposed of? C’mon, man, get real.

              • and flight MH370 just disappeared too right?

                they have No “Respect” for anyone , or didnt you get that memo?

                who are you respecting by not showing the wreckage?

                I got no time to waste on your argument, glad the koolaide tasted fine

              • Old Coach–even first responders and that element commented on the ‘no body parts’ theory.
                Where have you been for 13 years??
                Use your investigative skills.

      28. couple items of interest

        Mount Fuji ‘at risk of eruption’ from pressure build-up after 2011 earthquake

        http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/mount-fuji-at-risk-of-eruption-from-pressure-build-up-after-2011-earthquake/

        Yellowstone: supervolcano eruption would last for ‘many months,’ possibly even ‘years’

        http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-would-last-for-many-months-possibly-even-years/

        that map covers a lot of territory !!!

        • When Yellowstone blows…so does the grid…beware of HAARP created harmonics. The illegal hordes won’t last a day, Interstate commerce will be paralyzed, no FEMA, no military intervention because the roads will be covered in ash several feet thick, no vacations for Barry…(awww shucks), those elitist will be buried alive in their bunkers, no airline travel anywhere, no access to resupply yourself, huge number of Morloks roaming like The Walking Dead. But the chances of diseases spreading are neutralized, the earth gets a fresh coat of top soil…mind you nutrient enriched top soil, localized economies free of tyrannical government regulations will flourish and expand, no alpha bit soup federal BS, property and resource rights are reestablished, Our Constitution endures and affirms Our enumerated God Given Rights,and most of all we remain FREE.
          Chance favors the prepared mind and heart…but not without sacrifice.

          Live Free or Die
          Talon1776

      29. Good Morning SHTF.

        Another story about the electrical grid going down.
        It is a good idea from time to time to revisit various topics. Things change, new products and new ideas. Of course new people coming on line. Learning how to cope with the stress from being removed from the modern conveniences of our lives.
        When we have these disruptions, there are two ways we can look at them. Before and after. While there is still time (Before) we are always learning, acquiring and building to lessen the effects. Then the after part is learning how to defend and maintain what we worked so hard at over the years. The easy part is now as our surroundings are stable.
        Understand that most events have been localized and for short periods of time. Wide scale events compound the simplest inconveniences.
        We should be thinking either Nationwide or Globally.
        As the world is today, the threats are there and Our Country has very poor Leadership. Due to the condition of our nation we will have to deal with those who will become destitute and a government on a rebound to recover from whatever catastrophe, imposed or created.
        The people be damned.

      30. Looks like the proverbial faeces is about to hit the rotary ventilation device (SHTF), with a vengeance. Of course there won’t be any current to turn the blades, so it will just hang there.

        But, that’s OK. NERObama already has his two weeks at the Vineyard scheduled–If a great white shark ate him would it be considered racism, or animal cruelty? I hope we find out.

        • maybe there’s a reason he’s at MVY for two weeks( if that IS where he really went)..watch yer backs people

      31. when they kill the power grid alot of innocent folks are going to die for the wrong ignorant reasons.

        i advise folks to stay close to home and off the streets, especially at night.

        history shows us within just 3 days the Rule of Law fades away during black outs , fear hunger thirst drives people to commit mob driven crime murder and only the ruthless predators walks the streets at night.

        prepare

        puff

        • No, the rule of law fades in minutes. In the town I used to live in, I would listen to the scanner a lot. Every time the electricity would go out at night, within minutes the police would be on the radio telling about looters heading towards downtown from a certain part of town. The looters knew that alarms would be going off all over town, and the police wouldn’t be able to check all of them.

      32. My ancestors did without electricity and thrived, so can you if you play it wise.

        Grid can go down with an EMP pulse, man made more likely than natural event given the volatile conditions with N Korea, Iran, Russia…It can be compromised with computer viruses….power stations can be attacked simutaneously in a terrorist plot shutting the grid down….or locally from storms.

        You’d be better off in the country, away from large chaotic desperate populations.

        Have more stored canned and dry food than refrigerated food available or buy a propane refrigerator for short term.Smoking meats and canning them last longer.

        Your workplace will probably close down so pay off your debts, have cash on hand, keep most of your money out of banks that will close and you can’t access it.

        Try to have prescriptions stored ahead of time, find substitutes from natural sources, and have stored regular medicines. Have fish doxycycline and amoxicillin for antibiotic.

        Get a wood stove that heats the home, cooks the food, dries the clothes, heats the water. Have fuel available for two years heating, and extra batteries, esp. for the radio if communications come through.

        Make sure you have plenty of gas stored for vehicle, chainsaw, mowers, and generator (if they still work).

        Store water and have access to water when the grid goes out. Have filters, purification available for your use.

        Arm yourself and defend your home. Others not as smart as you will want your food, gas, water, etc., through any means.

        For entertainment, cards, board games, books, craft and drawing supplies will keep the kids busy if they don’t kill themselves losing facebook, social media, and video games.If you let your kids be babysat most of their lives with these devises, they will have a hard time adjusting.

        • Mowers??? I’m still laughing. 🙂

      33. OPERATION NORTHWOODS
        Operation Northwoods was a series of proposals that originated within the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of the United States government in 1962. The proposals, which called for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or other operatives, to commit acts of terrorism in US cities and elsewhere, were rejected by the Kennedy administration. [2]

        At the time of the proposal, Cuba had recently become communist under Fidel Castro. The operation proposed creating public support for a war against Cuba by blaming it for terrorist acts. [3] To this end, Operation Northwoods proposals recommended hijackings and bombings followed by the introduction of phony evidence that would implicate the Cuban government. It stated:
        “The desired resultant from the execution of this plan would be to placed the United States in the apparent disposition of suffering defensible grievances from a rash and irresponsible government of Cuba and to develope an international image of a Cuban threat to peace in the Western Hemisphere”

        Several other proposals were included within Operation Northwoods, including real or simulated actions against various US military and civilian targets. The operation recommended developing a “Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington”.

        The plan was drafted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed by Chairman Lyman Lemnitzer and sent to the Secretary of Defense. Although part of the US government’s anti-communist Cuban Project, Operation Northwoods was never officially accepted; it was authorized by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but then rejected by President John F. Kennedy. According to currently released documentation, none of the operations became active under the auspices of the Operation Northwoods proposals.

        Look for it..ISIS…Al Qaeda…Sandy Hook…Boston Bombings…Aurora Theater…and now a possible strike on the grid.

        Live Free or Die
        Talon1776

      34. Not just possible, but probable. And most of you are not prepared. OK, and when the grid and dollar collapses ( count on it) what do you think will happen in the good old USA. Let’s be ruthlessly brief, TS will HTF, you will be up the river without a paddle. Your money will be about worthless and the beer and peanut butter in your refrigd will last only a few days. Like most Americans you will morf into a zombie, driven by hunger and thirst because you had your better half stuck up your lower half for the last ten years. And some of you are still blowing off firecrackers. So read up for free, get a copy of Yankee Anti-Zombie Survival Manual from AMAZON, 101 rules to save your self from disaster. The most important survival manual you’ll ever read. Don’t pay thirty or forty bucks on complicated, useless advice. This is free or peanuts. Check it out, you only have your life to lose.

        • Lotta people love those firecrackers. Keep blowing them off for a month after the 4th of July. This is a zombie trait, mindless behavior, too much Fluoride in the blood stream, mixed with MSG, aspartame and corn syrup. Off course a zombie thinks he’s celebrating by making as much noise as possible, can’t help himself, too far gone to read anything. Don’t worry, he’s the guy who will be on your front porch scratching his scrotum asking you for a spare can of beans when the SHTF.

      35. All these comments about nuke plants and stored nuclear waste rods.Come on folks,prep,just think of em as extra large glow sticks,lighting for decades,you guys can keep your oil lanterns/candles/outdoor solar lighting!

      36. Oh No, what ever will we do?

        I had better go to the store and get a “whole case” of bottled water, some peanut butter, and a can or two of Spam! (This thing might last 2-3 days)

        Now where did I put Dad’s old revolver and that 1/2 box of shells he had? I haven’t fired the darn thing in years.

        What am I going to do with the kids if the TV isn’t on by tonight?

        Ok, Calm down, everything will be OK, our Government will take care of us all……..(super sarcasm)

        • …Well put, Educated!

        • Except for having a revolver, you must’ve met my neighbor.

      37. What we don’t see and what we don’t hear.

        We have heard of those hot summers where people who had no air condition, died in their homes. Those who suffered the cold winters. Those in homeless camps, braving the elements. There are thousands across this nation that struggle everyday but we only hear the News Worthy and that is only sound bites in one local area.
        We can not fathom the distress for the information is corrupted and hyped to the point that we have become numb to it. After all it does not affect us, does it?
        Some of us would like it all to go down the tubes but that brings in another set of rules to play the game. Having to take the good with the bad is so unfair in life.
        On the human side. Many are going to feel the heat of the sun and the cold of winter. They will hear the wind and listen to the rain. The sounds of the birds and insects. They will hear other people speak. Not because they want to, but because they have to, to survive.

        • Very true, Slingshot!

        • I happen to like the sound of wind and rain, and the birds and insects. I like the smell of a thunderstorm coming, and new snow. I can sleep very well next to a babbling brook but I hate the sound of a leaky water faucet.

      38. I have been saying for years our Achilles Heel is our electric power. EVERYTHING in America runs on electric power. And NO matter how hard you try you can not imagine how difficult life will be without it, because NOTHING will work. In your home alone, NO heat, NO air conditioning, no lights, no water, sewage will soon back up into your home (due to sewage plants needing electricity to pump the sewage in it’s treatment process) NO TV, NO radio, NO cellphones or any phone, NO lights, NO computer, NOTHING WILL WORK and the only difference between being out doors is you will have a roof over your head but other than that it will be like living out doors. Most people only have 3 to 7 days of food and then they are scavenging or stealing food.
        Several studies have been done on casualties associated with a long term power outage (1 year) and they range from 90% low to 97% high. (That means for every 10 people you know 9 will die). There will be untold suffering, despair, hardship and cannibalism will become prevalent, NOT as isolated events but will become rampant throughout America for almost every one who survives. There will be precious few who have prepared for this event and will not have to resort to cannibalism to survive. Some of the best info I have seen about survival and prepping your home for survival and making your own power is at: http://www.iplantosurvive.info
        Good luck and God Bless

        • And there’s absolutely NO need for any of those dire things to happen. There’s plenty (maybe ONLY plenty) enough for everyone IF everyone is allowed to have what they need and forget about claiming more than enough. If this land has MORE than sustained us by Big Agriculture’s exploitation of it for their lucre, it can also basically sustain us by individually independent, small agriculture and that “beastly” practice of “scavanging” (foraging). For sure, the Powers-that-be will likely try to eradicate what people can get or do for themselves in order to trap them into compliance with the Powers-that-be. That’s what keeps us compliant now and always has. In so doing, however, the Powers-that-be will MOST SURELY reap the whirlwind! They’ll definitely then meet their own fate that they intend to inflict on others. Bear with me for a “sermon” but, it’s funny how so many “Christians” and even “Jews”, who supposedly have such closeness to God (the Personality of Nature), revile at the notion of “scavanging” (foraging) when Adam and Eve were, by Biblical description, made by God to be FORAGERS! The “opening of their eyes” to “partake of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (agriculture)” and the resultant but unnecessary angst over the ever-so-elaborate clothing, shelter and other “necessities” that so many are ready to kill for, is when the likes of faithless Eve and her henchman son, the murderous Cain, and their sordid urbane race began the culture that we, including, if not especially the “religious”, think is so vital to our survival. The cop-out that “oh, we’re now Fallen” is a devilish clinging to that “Fallen” state, rather than Jesus’ appeal that we get back to the faithfulness of Eden. It’s only by the grace of God that we’ve survived despite our self-deified attempts at inadequately and distortingly “providing” for (in reality, POISONING) “ourselves” by adherence to the height of indulgence in “the fruit of the Tree” that we know as Big Agribusiness.

      39. Without all the technology that is dependent upon the creation of man there will be few who will be able to maneuver the tides that wash away all the sandcastles.

        Many of us however, have different abilities which are not hinged upon technology but an great creative willfulness and humankind will be just fine.

        We will be able to meet each other and speak candidly. We can help each other with our unique talents and above all, our collective desire to make the world a better place for people will bring back our light.

        • HUMANITY won’t likely be “alright”. But, those (probably very few) who DO understand that the cushy modern world will be GONE are the ones who stand a chance at survival. They MUST, however, be on their highest guard against those “zombies” who will be desperate to rob those who have instead of learning how to make their own (and the kindred-in-spirit of those “zombies”, the rich, and their goons, the Government, who’ve lived high on the backs of others’ labor all along).

      40. Civil War has already started,minus the body count.When that starts,it will surpass the first one.

      41. “It’s comforting to repeat that nobody wants an economic collapse and nobody wants a world war, but it wouldn’t be the first time that ruling elites have deployed these two chestnuts as a ‘double whammy”

      42. As Staff Sergeant Jimmy Massey, part of Iraq Veterans Against the War and of the US chapter of Veterans For Peace, said when interviewed for Venezuelan State Television, “There are no rules, this is World War III. The rule book went out the window on September 11th.[2001].”

      43. With the privatization of war in the West, points out UK charity War On Want, “repeated human rights abuses” are being “perpetrated by mercenaries, including the indiscriminate killing of civilians and torture. Unaccountable and unregulated, these companies are complicit in human rights abuses across the world, putting profit before people and fanning the flames of war.”

        So if you want somebody to fight a nuclear war, conduct a massacre, or shoot down an airliner for you nowadays you can buy those services on the free market. The proliferation of private military companies since 9/11 suits the military industrial complex very nicely, thank you.

        But how has the world come to the point where such companies have state protection and business is, quite literally, booming?

        The problem again, is the global banking giants who have been shown in court, time and time again, to be hand in glove with the intelligence services and international drug cartels. Whether it’s Iran Contra with drugs flying one way and guns the other, or HSBC’s piffling $2 billion fine in 2012 for money laundering, they are not just criminals who are above the law, they are now shaping it in their own private interest.

        h t t p://rt.com/op-edge/173788-malaysian-plane-crash-ukraine/

        • States are no better, if not much, much worse. States are allowed by feeble people to be sovereign over and instead of the people being sovereign over themselves individually–ruling themselves for the protection of others and for the freedom of oneself from others. That STATE sovereignty is far more dangerous than private military and, is what makes private military so much more dangerous if sanctioned by a state. EVERYONE’s private militarization is what the right to keep and bear arms is all about–the sovereignty of EVERY individual, independent of and instead of state permission to do so only under the state’s and the state’s elite rulers’ control of who is allowed to keep and bear arms, namely, those crony “security” businesses who do their bidding as their paid goons, a la late medieval feudalism. To be noble, in such a neo-medieval world, instead of being someone else’ serf, one must be self-governing, self-dependent and self-armored against those who would be one’s overlords.

      44. I would like to think that we, as decent human beings, would pull together and rally to help each other. Truth is I expect it would bring out the worst in most people. It is sad to think how far we have fallen.

        • Hunger is one helluva driving force. Don’t think so, go without eating a couple of days.

      45. P.S.
        Those PATRIOTS who have firearms with RED DOT SIGHTS, a la Aimpoint, Eotech, etc.

        These ARE vulnerable to EMPs.

        Factory says: store them without batteries in a lead (1/4 in thick) shielded box until after the EMP.

        Then. you’re GTG.

        • So, you’ll have a “schedule” of when EMPs are going to be detonated? HOW MANY spares do you have? Can you operate at all without high-tech stuff? Why try to cling to dependence on THEIR tech junk when THEIR dependence on YOUR dependence on them is what keeps them over you and will enable them to defeat you on their terms?

      46. ht tp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E4FJr55udI

      47. Better not be dependent on their stuff that they can take away from you or threaten to take away in order to coerce you into compliance with their unacceptable demands.

        • wow !

          FANTASTIC site Doc

          thanks for posting

      48. Delicate stomachs, stop reading here:
        The pro-rebel website Russkaya Vesna on Friday quoted Igor Girkin as saying he was told by people at the crash site that “a significant number of the bodies weren’t fresh,” adding that he was told they were drained of blood and reeked of decomposition.

      49. The only thing I would have issue with is not getting my meds.

      50. obama = false religion = islam = satan ……easy to figure out

      51. (This may be older but I belive it may be right read this)

        End Of Days for US and AU and World Economy total economic crash predicted by Geneva

        by BBC UK 10:14am, monday January 21 2013 from london UK

        End Of Days for US and AU and World Economy total economic crash predicted by Geneva think tank headed by Arthur Swenson depression 20x worse than 1930′s
        A Think tank in Geneva tracked Dr Swenson. Stated World Economic downturn 20x’s worse than Great Depression to start in Fourth quarter of 2014. Peaking in 2015 and lasting till 2017. Money will have no value all basic sevices will be off, you will have to be prepaired to ride it out. Geneva think tank states comoditys will be the currency during this Depression the likes of the World has never scene. Arthur Swenson states the best things you can do to ready yourself and your family are.Buy all the Silver you can untill end of2014 to retain some wealth. Find a small home or peice of land in an unpopulated area if you can not buy a small home put a camper on the land and drill a well have a pump. Things you need a generator and fule to run the generator 6 hours a day for 2 or more years. Buy a ham radio (there will be no internet)buy 2 or more guns and cartriges 300 or more each. Stock pile canned/dried goods and everything else you would need. Put togeather a medical kit with antibiotics and a medical referance book plus instuments. (there will be no emergency rooms in operation)Also have packs of seeds to grow squash is easy to grow as is Swiss Chard and beets.Have a 4 wheel drive car and extra basic parts for it most importsnt a battery, and 2 100 liter drums of fule for the car incase you need to get out of the area your in.REMEMBER thoses who did not plan will attempt to steal from your and your family and group. If desperate they may even attempt to kill you trust no one outside your group.

        Over a million Americans Have Been Making ready to survive in isolated areas. They are stockpiling Supplies to last years.

        The 3 best spots to build a secrete refuge are Montana Vermont and Colorado. Anyone who fails to prepare is going to not weather the Economic crash. Predictions range from Other think tanks. 2012 to 2016. Genius DR. Swenson predicts April 2015 as the final collapse thats the date Americas debt interest will equal the GNP product but fast downturn will start Fourth quarter of 2014. Swenson states I started hoarding supplies last year and expect to have 10 years worth at My Vermont refuge.

      52. Thanks to everyone for the really good information (and web sites). I just ordered a Kelly Kettle after reading it would work on twigs, grass and pine cones (got plenty of that where I live).

        I’m still searching for a good solar battery recharger and a all band width radio that runs on electricity/batteries/solar. My old solar radio (the small one that cranks) didn’t last long enough; the dials get wonky. Any my solar flashlight stopped working. I don’t mind paying for stuff, but nothing is made to last.

      53. “Many types of nuclear power plants have to switch to back-up diesel generators to keep the cooling pumps running. And if those stop for any reason (like they run out of fuel), well, Fukushima gave us a sense of how bad things can get.”

        The purpose of those backup generators is not to operate cooling pumps while the plant continues to produce electricity. They are there so that the plant can be shut down in an orderly and safe manner… and that’s all.

        Fukushima was a cluster-f**k from beginning to end. First, it was a 40 year old plant that had a service life of 25 years. It was several years past its expiration date but because of TEC’s desire to make and sell power, they continued to operate it. The Japanese government should have voided their operating license and forced the company to shut that plan down on schedule. It was a classic case of not following the original plan and rules that allowed the Fukushima mess to occur. Second, it was about 30 years ago that nuclear plant design engineers discovered that passive control systems that function reliably regardless of power availability was the way to go. They use gravity to bring in cooling water from large lagoons instead of cooling water pumps. They also use gravity to move the control rods and shut down the reactor. It requires electricity to pull the rods out of the reactor and initiate the nuclear fission reactions. If that power is interrupted for any reason, gravity pulls the rod back into the reactor, safely shutting it down to idle. That’s the cool thing about gravity… it ALWAYS works! Finally, once the reactor core(s) had melted down, the Japanese government continued to allow an operating company to remain in control of the disaster instead of bringing in a remediation company that knows how containment and site remediation actually work. Clearly, TEC does not know and the fact that this horrific disaster has been allowed to continue for 3 years is an absolute national disgrace AND a worldwide environmental disaster. The Japanese government needs to be a LOT less concerned about “saving face” and a LOT more concerned about the Japanese people continuing to have faces.

      54. so get yourself a small generator
        I did
        it is for one purpose the fridge and the freezer.

      Commenting Policy:

      Some comments on this web site are automatically moderated through our Spam protection systems. Please be patient if your comment isn’t immediately available. We’re not trying to censor you, the system just wants to make sure you’re not a robot posting random spam.

      This website thrives because of its community. While we support lively debates and understand that people get excited, frustrated or angry at times, we ask that the conversation remain civil. Racism, to include any religious affiliation, will not be tolerated on this site, including the disparagement of people in the comments section.