Preparing for the next outage

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Carrington Event of 1859, electromagnetic pulse (EMP), Solar Storm

Electromagnetic pulse … America’s security nightmare

By Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich, a former speaker of the House and a Republican candidate for president, lives in McLean with his wife, Callista.

Callista and I live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, and, like many in the region, we lost power in the recent storms. The blackout, combined with a record heat wave, made homes nearly uninhabitable. The storm and heat were this region’s greater leveler: Rich or poor, urban or suburban, six-figure income or just barely getting by, we were all cast on the same strange shores.

Without power, the comforts of home become worthless. You sit in the sweltering heat, realizing you are living in a box that, without electricity, is a trap. You pray for the “juice” to return before your groceries go bad. You either make do in the heat or find refuge with friends who have electricity.

I write this now because of my concern for national security and our power grid, which are susceptible to doomsday-level damage if hit by an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) strike or a major solar storm.

It is almost unthinkable, yet possible, that an enemy could detonate a nuclear weapon over the atmosphere over the continental United States, triggering an electromagnetic pulse(EMP). This would short-circuit our power grid, taking power off­line for months, perhaps even years.

A similar crisis could be sparked by a solar storm like the Carrington Event of 1859, a type of geomagnetic disturbance that occurs about every 75 years. Statistically, we are long overdue for such a storm. There have been some recent examples of the potential impact, such as the millions in Quebec who lost power for several hours in 1989 as a result of a space storm.

Our nation’s communications infrastructure, modes of transportation and many fundamentals of survival all rely on a power grid that is vulnerable. The current system lacks safety features needed to prevent damage to critical electrical infrastructure.

In 2009, my friend — and sometimes co-author — William R. Forstchen published a truly frightening book, “One Second After.” (I wrote the foreword.) The story is fiction but based on hard facts. It is a cautionary tale about the threat of EMP strikes and major solar storms, known as coronal mass ejections.

William turned to bipartisan congressional studies published in 2004 and 2008 and interviewed many experts. His book made the New York Times bestseller list and helped to trigger what some call the “prepper” movement.

During the recent power outage, William and I talked about what would have happened if this had been an EMP attack or a strong solar storm. > > > READ MORE

Additional info:

Our Worst Frailty: An Electro Magnetic “Hit”

EMP ATTACK: WHAT TO DO TO PREPARE

The Carrington Event

Electromagnetic pulse impact far and wide

In the Shadow of Our Fathers

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Declaration of Independence, worthy example

On Independence Day: In the Shadow of Our Fathers

Below is something my Uncle Rex wrote for me a while back when I was in a low moment, verging on despair because so many of our fellow-Americans are still asleep and it seemed to me cannot be awoken. I have posted it before, but I think it is especially appropriate to post today, on Independence Day, when so many of us are wondering “what’s there to celebrate?” There is so much that has happened and is happening that is destroying everything that the Founding Generation fought, bled, died, and struggled for, that it can truly seem like a farce, a sick joke, to attend parades, watch fireworks, or do anything in celebration on our Independence Day, as John Adams called on us to do.

A reading of the Declaration of Independence today (which is something we should all do to honor our heritage) will show the stark reality that many of the most egregious of the “long train of abuses” enumerated in the Declaration as causes of taking up arms and causes of separation, are now happening again, to us. Our forefathers threw off a corrupt and oppressive empire, and while we slept, another has been built up around us, and over us, step by step, brick by brick, and we are now in a nearly directly parallel position that the Founders were in in 1772-1774: On the very eve of Revolution. And we are here, in large part, because so many of our countrymen have been asleep at their watch for decades, and many are STILL asleep. And so, it is easy to despair. I will have more to say later, but please read this – Stewart Rhodes

In the Shadow of our Fathers

The liberty we possess as Americans is not government granted but God given. It is what our Fathers call “Our natural birthright.” Therefore, it is not ours to give away nor to relinquish; for in essence, it is given to us as caretakers for the up and coming generations of Americans yet unborn.

It is as if we are running a marathon with the baton of American liberty clutched in our hands. Our goal and our purpose is to carry it safely and pass it on to the next generation of American runners so they in turn may pass it on to the next and so forth.

But – if because we cannot see the finish line and the odds against us seem insurmountable; if we become overwhelmed and lose our will to continue the race and succumb to the temptation to sit it out; if we lose the hope in the contest and give up the race, then all is lost and American liberty is no more. The fate of future Americans is weighed in the balance and we as a free people are in charge of the outcome for no man or group of men holds in their hands the final answer to the issue but ourselves. It is up to us to run the good race and fight the good fight; we as individuals as well as we as a team, for no one person carries the American baton of liberty by themselves, we are all in this together till the end…and be assured there is no end, at least not until Providence dictates it to be so.

When in the darkest hours of the year 1772, when disunion against British tyranny seemed eminent, Warren of Plymouth was desponding and said:

“The towns are dead and cannot be raised without a miracle.”

Samuel Adams responded: “I am very sorry to find in you the least approach towards despair. Nil desperandum (never despair) is a model for you and me. All are not dead; and where there is a spark of patriotic fire, we will rekindle it.” (Bancroft”History of the United States” Vol. III pg. 426)

And indeed they did!

In late December of 1772, during that same low ebb, the Boston Committee of Correspondence wrote:

“By the people’s thorough understanding of their civil and religious rights and liberties, encouraged to trust in God that a day was hastening when the efforts of the colonists would be crowned with success, and the present generation furnish an example of public virtue worthy of imitation of all posterity.” (IBID pg. 428)
Today is that day! (4 July)

Therefore, let us be a worthy example for our posterity by walking worthily of the freedom whereby we have been made free and by never returning back to the beggarly elements of slavery; for we are not children of the bond woman of old Europe but we are free born under these western skies, and free we must remain, for you are children of noble parental blood – they never quit, neither must you.

The world watches what you do here today with the greatest of anxiety for if we fail, the light of mankind’s hope for liberty and freedom will be extinguished and the world will be thrown into an age darker, sinister and more slavish than mankind has ever experienced.

Finally brethren, be not counted as the generation who lost all after it has been given all by those who gave all, for if you do, your posterity shall rise up in their slavish toil and curse you.

–Rex. Ruth, Founder, The Educational Institute for Governmental Studies

Obama signs Executive Order empowering Kill Switch over the Internet

My mind cannot wrap around this stuff … Is there no recourse? No legal response to the repeated disregard for the US CONSTITUTION??? have we, in fact, become a society governed by men rather than Laws? Heaven help us, we know not what we do!

BUNKERVILLE | God, Guns and Guts Comrades!

Not much excitement about this apparently.So what he cannot do by Congressional action, he does by fiat. The interesting part is that his Executive Order was posted in the Federal Register and gives 30 days for responses. Presidential powers over the Internet and telecommunications were laid out in a U.S. Senate bill in 2009, which proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet. But that legislation was not included in the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 earlier this year. I would ask, why must Janet cut off private networks? I caught some discussion of this, and the rationale was that  “misinformation” may need to be curtailed. Where did I hear that before? Anyone still wondering where we are headed with this?

 President Obama signed an executive order this week that could give him control over the web in times of emergency.

According to The Verge…

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Meet the Wonderful “Wings Over Wendy’s” Crew

For the past ten years, a group of military veterans have met each Monday morning to share a bite to eat and swap war stories at a Los Angeles-area Wendy’s fast-food restaurant. Initially starting with just two veterans — both airmen who served in World War II — the “Wings Over Wendy’s” (WOW) crew has grown to include more than 100 veterans from all branches of the Armed Forces.

On a recent Monday, WOW member Jan Begg (pictured, left) shared a poem he had written about his comrades. We heard about it when friend Karen Vegtel sent us the following email describing the scene:

One of the W.W.II veterans who attends the Wings Over Wendy’s meetings wrote a poem about the group. It is outstanding and I would like to share it with you.

The veteran’s name is Jan Begg. Jan uses a rollator to get around, so he rolled up to the front of the room. Then he proceeded to read his poem after releasing his grip on the rollator. It was a struggle for him to stand, unassisted, but he persevered and read in a loud strong voice.

When Jan finished his poem, we clapped and gave him a standing ovation.

“THE MEN WHO MEET AT WENDY’S” by Jan G. Begg

THERE’S A GROUP THAT MEETS AT WENDY’S
TO VISIT DAYS OF YORE
TO REMINISCE AND TELL EACH OTHER
TALES ABOUT “THE WAR”.

THEY COME HERE EVERY MONDAY
MOVING CAUTIOUSLY AND SLOW
BEFORE YOU LAUGH OR CRITICIZE
THERE’S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW

ONCE, WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER
THEY CHOSE TO TAKE A STAND
TO OFFER EVERYTHING THEY HAD
TO PROTECT THIS BLESSED LAND

THEY FOUGHT THE GERMAN NAZIS
AND THE JAPS WHO BOMBED OUR FLEET
‘TWAS A LONG — HARD — BRUTAL JOURNEY
ERE WE BROUGHT THEM TO DEFEAT

THESE MEN, NOW OLD AND FRAGILE
DID ALL THAT THEY WERE ASKED
NO MATTER WHAT THE CHALLENGE
THEY WERE EQUAL TO THE TASK

THEY FOUGHT AND BLED AND SUFFERED
THROUGH HISTORY’S CRUELEST WAR
BUT THEY WROTE A SHINING CHAPTER
IN OUR PATRIOTIC LORE

THEY STRUGGLED IN THE HEAVENS,
ON THE OCEAN, IN THE MUD
AND THE FREEDOM THAT SURROUNDS US
WAS PAID FOR WITH THEIR BLOOD

IF YOU LOVE OUR PRECIOUS COUNTRY
WITH ITS DEMOCRATIC LIFE
‘TWAS THESE OLD MEN WHO SAVED IT
IN THAT LONG AND COSTLY STRIFE

YOU’LL NEVER SEE THEM SWAGGER
IT’S NOT THEIR WONT TO BRAG
BUT ONCE, THEY OFFERED UP THEIR LIVES
FOR FREEDOM — GOD — AND FLAG

WHEN OUR NATION NEEDED HEROES
WHEN THE BATTLE FLAGS UNFURLED
THE MEN WHO MEET AT WENDY’S
WENT OUT — AND SAVED THE WORLD!!!!!

Several of these dear veterans are regular volunteers at Operation Gratitude. We are grateful for their brave service to our country and their dedication to support today’s brave warriors.

Read more about the “Wings Over Wendy’s” crew in this wonderful LA Daily News story: Veterans Wing It at West Hills Wendy’s. We are honored to know these men!

(Photos credit: Karen Vegtel — thank you, Karen!) MORE PICS HERE!!!