by Ron Foster
“What is a “Scud in a Bucket” scenario Randal?” Joyce asked trying to figure out what he was alluding too.
“EMP attacks could come in several varieties. There’s the so-called “Scud-in-a-bucket” scenario. Iran’s Shahab-3, an advanced scud variant, can carry a 10-kiloton nuclear warhead about 1,000 kilometers. It couldn’t reach the United States from Tehran, but it doesn’t have to. As Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) notes: “A terrorist organization might have trouble putting a nuclear warhead “on target” with a Scud, but it would be much easier to simply launch and detonate in the atmosphere. . . . Just launch a cheap missile from a freighter in international waters — al Qaeda is believed to own about 80 such vessels — and make sure to get it a few miles in the air.”
“This is no mere theoretical risk I am telling you, Joyce.” Randal said to emphasize his points. “Iran has already simulated an EMP attack by conducting tests in the Caspian Sea to determine whether its ballistic missiles could be detonated at a high altitude by remote control. Currently, the United States does not have adequate missile defenses to protect against this type of attack. And that’s not the only EMP threat we face.
“EMP as the primary or sole means of attack has been studied by Russia and China for many years. What a lot of people don’t consider is that two types of non-nuclear EMP devices have been developed. One uses conventional explosives to induce the EMP; another uses a single-use, high-power microwave generation device.” Randal concluded looking very serious.
“Wouldn’t we just be able to bug in at the house, live off supplies for a few months and bug out to the country later after the big die off of the population took place and start over somehow? Besides, doesn’t it take a high level of sophistication to create any type of an EMP device?” Joyce questioned and looked clearly skeptical of this type of scenario.
“I can immediately answer your very first Joyce question about surviving in an urban populated area.” Randal declared, “The answer is that you will not survive for long without other people helping you! I am sorry to burst your bubble, but if you don’t live in the middle of the woods or the countryside, your chances of survival in an urban disaster or collapse is very limited. As for the other question at hand, consider this example.” Then Randall proceeded with the following history lessons.
In 1925, the theory behind the E-bomb was proposed by physicist, Arthur H. Compton. He was not trying to build the weapon but just studying atoms. Compton was able to demonstrate that firing a stream of highly energetic photons into atoms that have a low atomic number causes them to eject a stream of electrons. His nuclear research led to an unexpected demonstration of the power and creation of a new type of weapon.
The existence of this electromagnetic pulse has been known since the 1940’s.It was when the nuclear weapons were being developed and tested.However, the effects of an EMP bomb were not fully known until 1962 because of lack of data. At that time, the United States was conducting a series of high-altitude atmospheric tests named "Fishbowl” .The nuclear weapons designers ignited hydrogen bombs over the Pacific Ocean. The detonations created bursts of gamma rays. The gamma rays strike the oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, released electrons that spread for hundreds of miles. As a result, street lights in Hawaii were blown out and radio navigation was disrupted for 18 hours, as far away as Australia. Then, the United States start to learn how to "harden" electronics against this electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and develop EMP weapons.
In 1963, the Atmospheric Test Ban Treaty was signed by the United States and Soviet Union to counter the possible threat imposed by electromagnetic pulses. Unfortunately, the destructive potential of an EMP increases everyday as society becomes evermore technological.
In 1991, the U.S. Navy used experimental E-bombs for the Gulf War. These bombs used warheads that converted the energy of conventional explosives into a pulse of radio energy.
In 1998, David Schriner, a former civilian electrical engineer for the US Navy, told the Congress that he spent $US500 to buy automobile ignition coils, batteries, fuel pumps and various used hardware in his basement to build an e-bomb. In one week, he built an e-bomb that could make a running car hiccup at 15 meters by overloading its electrical component. So, the Congress agreed to give Schriner a million-dollar contract to see if he could build a truly effective e-bomb out of readily available materials. This proves that an e-bomb is a lot easier to build than a nuclear bomb, and they don't have to be delivered by very high technology missiles.
In 2000, British scientists at Matra Bae Dynamics (British Defense Firm) developed a non-explosive artillery shell serving as an E-bomb that could destroy electrical and electronic systems for miles. This E-bomb uses radio frequencies to destroy enemy’s electronics.
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Commercially sold shock wave generators are capable of producing focused acoustic or electromagnetic energy that can break up objects such as kidney stones and other similar materials. EMP generators can produce pulses of electromagnetic energy that can destroy the sensitive electronics in computers and microprocessors. Destabilized LCR circuits can produce multi megawatt pulses by using an explosive wire disruptive switch to achieve an effect similar to larger EMP devices.
The electrical infrastructure is very vulnerable and if a EMP type attack was directed at several points using both EMP (guns) as well as employing conventional explosives a cataclysmic event could be triggered that would turn out the lights and send everyone back to the 18oos on the eastern seaboard if were to be successful. This scenario however could be used also just as a distraction to hit the ports in NY. (Author note: remember that the directions for an EMP disruptive gun are readily available on the internet and the parts can be purchased easily at a Radio Shack. In Russia people have been using EMP guns to rob banks and blackmail corporations for years).
Quoting the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet (1-23-98), the news agency AFP said the high-power microwave bombs ("bear cans") could be bought on the Russian market for "several hundreds of thousands kronor" (< $150,000) and had already been bought by the Australian military among others.
It said the bomb was stored in a briefcase and emitted short, high-energy pulses reaching 10 gigawatts, which could destroy complex electronics systems
14
Party Time
Prepper Stock was in full swing by the time Randal pulled into the campground. He quickly located Low Buck’s motorhome and joined his prepper friends in a round of hugs and handshakes as new friends and old joined together for a special prepper celebration.
“Joyce, glad you could make it! I wasn’t sure I would get to see you this trip. You doing alright what with that storm going on and all?” Randal asked concerned about his friend’s predicaments and losses.
"You're not going to find a Prepper that isn't an optimist by nature," she said, trying to stay upbeat about the situation. "It's just a prerequisite, I guess and I decided that since it looks like I got to start over, I may as well start here." Joyce replied grinning and pointing to a box of her books she had authored and had plans on selling at the gathering to raise some much needed funds.
“Good deal! I will help you sell them anyway I can. Get LowBuck, GoatHollow and Misty Cluck to plug you on YouTube if you haven’t already.” Randal said reaching down and getting a book from the box and then signaled at LowBuck with it. LowBuck was doing one of his fire side chat videos with the folks sitting around the campfire and panned the camera towards him.
“You’re on stage!” Randal declared grinning and started guiding a startled Joyce towards the video camera LowBuck was aiming their way.
“I am going to get you for this later Randal!” Joyce said in a hushed but warning admonishment to Randal for making her do the impromptu interview and then flashed her most charming smile at the camera and settled in for her introduction and book promo on the Real Day Prepper Show..
Randal walked over to where Misty was being filmed by Mountain Man stirring a huge aluminum military pot f
ull of what was going to be a thick community dish of pork and hominy stew. If you've never tried hominy before, you're in for a treat. Mix canned hominy—a nutty, tender ingredient made from dried, hulled corn kernels and lime with chunks of pork and bold spices and you got something to stick to your ribs and keep you warm. There are tons of different recipes for this dish and Randal was interested in how Misty was going to be making hers. Served with warm corn bread or spooned over steamed rice you could probably extend that pot of chow she was working on to feed everyone present. LowBuck had made some on a StoveTec and had his own version also that was a bit too hot for Randal. LowBuck made a (Mexican pork and hominy stew) which his wife Cat explained was called Pozole. This is a special occasion dish in Mexico, especially in Guerrero State. Restaurants called pozolerías specialize in it. This dish is a well-known cure for hangovers and is often eaten in the wee hours of the morning as a preventive. Pozole is also popular in New Mexico, where it is usually spelled posole.
“That probably explained why LowBuck liked it and it really was a good choice of a dish for Prepper Stock, because it looked like the adult beverages were flowing freely around that campfire where he was videotaping Joyce and reviewing her book.” Randal mused smiling.
“Hey what’s up prepper folks?” Randal said when Mountain Man and Misty took a break from video recording for their YouTube channel.
“Randal! Nice to see you, we finally get to meet." Mountain Man said extending a firm handshake.
“And to you my friend. Hey Misty! That sure smells good!” Randal said greeting Mountain Man`s wife in turn.
“Good to see you Randal! The gang's all here now that you have arrived.” Misty declared smiling.
“I run into a few delays but it doesn’t look like I am late for supper.” Randal said hoping for a taste of that delicious smelling food.
“Well you got a bit of a wait until it’s done so pull up a log to sit on and visit awhile.” Misty replied.
“I will in a minute. I need to go grab my cooler first though. Do you put beer in your recipe? I add it to mine.” Randal said looking hopeful that there was a beer to be bummed before he returned to the truck to get his own supply.
“No, I don’t have that ingredient in mine, so you on your own.” Misty declared knowing LowBuck and Randal had a penchant for adding some kind of booze or LowBuck Lemonade to whatever it was they were doing or cooking.
“Ok, I will be back in a minute. Hey Mountain Man if you got a minute help me unload that SUNRNR. It looks like my favorite pack mule LowBuck is going to be busy for a bit.” Randal said watching Joyce tittering about something funny LowBuck had said during her interview.
“Go grab GoatHollow or somebody to help you. You always said that thing was a bit heavy.” Misty suggested.
“Many hands make light the work!” I always say.” Randal replied and went off with Mountain Man to get a couple men to help move his famous solar generator.
“That sure is one cool piece of technology. I have wanted to check yours out, ever since I heard you were bringing it with you to Prepper Stock.
“That solar generator sure was a lifesaver for me and my neighbors’ last hurricane season. I ran all my lights, my icemaker, fan and antennae TV off it. Worked like a charm and was the envy of those that knew I had one going during the three weeks we had of the power being out totally out.” Randal said smiling proudly that he had gone all out in prepping for such an occurrence and had all the ice and comfort he needed during that time of need.
“Dang Randal did you win the lottery or something?’ Mountain Man asked eying the trailer Randal had hooked to his truck full of expensive preps.
“Well something like that. I have been very fortunate and lucky in pursuing my prepping path. I had a few good business deals go through that I finally got paid for and as you know I work with several manufacturers who support me to receive advertising and reviews on their products. A lot of this gear I bought on my own and some of it was donated by generous company executives. Hey grab that end of this tarp and we will unload some of this gasoline first.” Randal said and undid the ropes on his side to reveal six 5 gallon cans of gas in assorted containers.
“You got a gas generator on this thing too?” Mountain Man asked undoing his side of the cargo and beginning to help Randal unload the containers of fuel.
“Well Yea, I sure do. But it's Propane.” Randal said laughing while setting down a big olive drab military Jerry Can full of gasoline.
“I brought the propane generator hoping for a barter deal or sale of it. The extra gas is half for the trip back and some extra for the gas generator LowBuck is using for his projects.” Randal concluded.
“Don’t you think that’s a bit of going over the top prepping maybe? You know with the safety issues and all of transporting 30 gallons of gas in containers on a trailer?” Mountain Man asked skeptically.
Randal looked up at him seriously and told him to have a seat on the trailer floor for a second.
“Check this out buddy. If you didn’t fill up before you parked your truck yesterday, you need to go do it now.” Randal declared.
“Oh we did that already and we are all gassed up. Hell, gas seems to be going up by the hour from that ARkStorm. Wasn’t much of a refinery issue for the East coast though, I thought.” Mountain Man said waiting for Randal to go on.
“Ok, think of it this way. Give me a minute because it will take me a bit to make all my points. Taken together, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are the largest port of entry to America, and the third largest in the world, handling 30 percent of U.S. shipping imports by value in 2003.Scenarios estimating the economic impact of a port closure in either Long Beach or Los Angeles, CA calculate that a short-term shut down would result in a loss of approximately $300 million. A medium closure time could result in a significant loss of approximately $63 billion, and a long-term closure up to $252 billion. The port closure periods and economic losses, of course, are just predictions.” Randal said laying out the basis for an economic discussion.
“How did you get your statistics and what are you basing your port reopen times on?” Mountain Man said puzzled but showing evident interest in what Randal was describing to him.
“I wrote a paper in college once entitled “How real is the dirty bomb threat”? It is very real, according to my studies. Radioactive materials are easy to obtain. The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that nearly every country has devices with the radioactive materials needed to build a dirty bomb. Once the materials are in terrorist hands, a dirty bomb can be built by anyone who knows how to build a conventional bomb. Now the consequences from a dirty bomb attack fall into three categories. First are the immediate fatalities and injuries that occur from the blast and radiation exposure. Second is the airborne dispersal of the radioactive material and the immediate and long-term effects it has on the exposed population. Lastly is the economic impact the shutting down of a major port would have on our nation, and, from a supply chain point of view, the dent it would put in the movement of goods from one point to another.
The studies I researched estimated the length of time a port may be inoperative following a dirty bomb attack into short (15 days), medium (120 days), and long term (one year) closures. The closure of a port following a dirty bomb attack would likely occur due to:
Dock workers concerned about returning to work.
Shippers fearful of delivering goods to the harbor.
The time it takes to decontaminate the site.
Any of the above reasons for a major port closure would have a tremendous impact on most companies in the U.S. supply chain. Without dock workers, who will unload the goods? Will the product be safe at a port that has already been terrorized or contaminated? How long will it take for the EPA to deem the port decontaminated? The reports I studied made clear no one really knows how long a dirty bomb would close a major port – conceivably, it could be for many years.” Randal said for Mountain Man’s enlightenment so h
e could draw some of his own conclusions about the domino effects Randal had in mind to discuss.
“Oh I get it. So, you think even after those ports do dry out it will be sometime before they can reopen. No telling what kind of contamination you would have with all those shipping containers being submerged or what the flood waters might be carrying in them with regards to chemical spills or carcasses floating about. I bet there is probably at least a half million dead cows alone that will be floating around in that retched soup of a inland sea forming before this ARkStorm is over and that doesn’t even include all the pigs, chickens, horses or other livestock that will be affected.” Mountain Man said with grim realization of where this conversation was going.
“So everyone is realizing with barely anything coming in or out of the ports on that side of the country, prices on everything are going to go through the roof. Shipping is going to get real crazy with all those west coast folks and I bet we are going to get some major flooding in the Midwest from this storm also that will hamper recovery efforts and transportation of goods. “Randal said ominously.
“Oh yea, I can see your point of course. That ARkStorm reminds me of Hurricane Isaac that just sat its weather front over New Orleans for a few days dumping rain and filling up the levies to damn near bursting. Jeez! But that was only for a few days, not this 40 days and 40 nights of rain crap they are predicting for California at the moment.” Mountain Man said helping Randal to get his solar panels and cables off the trailer before they unloaded the SUNRNR solar generator.