EMP Defense Council: November 2011

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Allianz joins SwissRe and Zurich in saying severe Space Weather could mean "lights out" for weeks on your watch -- tsk tsk.

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Do you think your company's power supply is reliable and uninterruptible because you have a back-up generator and a few days' supply of diesel fuel on hand? Guess again. Read the news from Allianz further below and take action.

As a concrete example, we recently met with the head of operations of a major data center company in the U.S. and he proudly declared that their HQs had a back-up generator and 72 hours' supply of fuel, and that each of their data centers had 24 hours of fuel.

Woohoo !!

But of course, power outages from just "normal" natural events such as earthquakes and hurricanes can routinely last 1 - 2 WEEKS.

Sadly, power outages from space weather events (solar flares, coronal mass ejections, etc.) could last weeks or MONTHS. Yes, MONTHS. Possibly years in extreme cases.

Was this data-center head of ops well prepared ? No, he was foolish and arrogant combined.

A liter of diesel fuel for your thoughts... ?

Now, to the news:

"Solar Storms May Cause Large-Scale Power Outages, Allianz Says"

Bloomberg --- 23 Nov 2011

"Solar storms may cause large-scale power outages in 2012 to 2013, according to Allianz SE, Europe’s biggest insurer.

“Particularly in the northern hemisphere, space weather events could severely damage high-voltage transformers whose repair can take days or even weeks,” the company said in a report today.

"Increased use of renewable energy also threatens power-network stability, according to the report. ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-23/solar-storms-may-cause-large-scale-power-outages-allianz-says.html

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See also:

http://www.agcs.allianz.com/about-us/news/companies-in-europe-and-the-us-underestimate-power-blackout-risk/

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http://www.agcs.allianz.com/insights/white-papers-and-case-studies/

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http://www.agcs.allianz.com/insights/white-papers-and-case-studies/power-blackout-risks/

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Posted 24 Nov 2011 (Thanksgiving Day) by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse

http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

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Slash & burn = utility companies best defense against "normal" Earth-based storms -- and against solar EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) = severe space weather

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The article below describes the ineffectual response of Connecticut utility companies to power outages caused by normal Earth-based weather such as ice & snow storms, or tropical storms & hurricanes -- for the past 25+ years ! Recent outages lasted from 1 - 2 weeks.

Hence, imagine these utility companies' pathetic response to a solar EMP event, where power outages could last from months to years !

In both cases, one of the main enemies is the same -- trees ! During a major solar flare cum coronal mass ejection (CME) event, all loooooong conductors such as power lines will spark. Tremendously. If an event occurs in summertime or a dry season, hundreds of forest fires will start immediately -- and simultaneously. Nationwide, possibly thousands will start.

Thus, alllll utility companies in the United States should have very very aggressive tree trimming / cutting programs year-round to prepare for EMP events.

And to prepare for the more normal storms of Mother Nature -- blizzards, ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.

And now, to the news that should not be "news" -- again:

"Connecticut storm highlights decades of repeat issues"

"Recent Conn. snow storm highlights decades of repeat problems with utility storm response"

12 Nov 2011

"HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- A storm hits Connecticut and causes hundreds of thousands to lose power. Utility companies take a week or longer to restore it. Public outrage leads to state investigations. Officials order service improvements.

"It's a cycle that repeats itself in the Land of Steady Habits. The problems that arose after the freak October snowstorm and Tropical Storm Irene in August are similar to ones that cropped up after other major storms dating to Hurricane Gloria in 1985, an Associated Press review of state regulatory reports shows.

"Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, legislators and other state officials say it's time to finally fix long-standing problems such as utilities not being quick enough in bringing in out-of-state crews, inadequate tree trimming and poor communication with government officials after storms. They also want to hold utilities more responsible for performance troubles, possibly by issuing fines.

...

"The Oct. 29-30 storm downed scores of trees and utility wires, leaving 3 million homes and businesses in the Northeast without power. Hardest hit was Connecticut, where a state record of 850,000 outages was set only two months after Tropical Storm Irene caused a then-record 830,000 power failures."

...

Read the full article here:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/conn-storm-highlights-decades-repeat-171137833.html

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Very electro-magnanimously yours,

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

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Is your company prepared for a catastrophic radiological event courtesy of an overly confident utility company near you ?

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Probably not.....

Is your company stocked up for the Ghost of Fukushima Past & TEPCO Ridiculous Redux (Tokyo Electric Power Co.) !? !?

If your neighbor's 3-eyed dog is chasing your luminescent cat.....

And......if there is a nuclear power plant within 100 miles upwind of your home and/or company, go to Walmart immediately and stock up on your favorite isotope-quenching, energy sports drink to reduce free radicals !

And now.....hot off the press:

"RxBio gets $ 15 million from BARDA to further develop radiation drug"

BIO SmartBrief -- Nov 10, 2011

"RxBio received a $15 million grant from the HHS Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority for the continued development of a radiation protection drug called Rx100. The contract includes options to increase the funding by $9 million over the next two years. The treatment helps improve the chances of survival of those exposed to radiation, even three days after the radiation exposure, researchers said."

The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.)

Full article here:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/08/biotech-company-affiliated-memphis-based-uthsc-win/

See also:

http://www.rxbio.com

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And to get your fair share of your own tax dollars, visit:

http://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx

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POSTED 12 November 2011 by:

David A. Palella
BIOSCIENCE VENTURES Inc.
San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpalella

blog: http://biobizdev.blogspot.com

& Group Founder:

Japan Biotech/Biopharma Partnering Forum
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/2857975/

Infectious Disease R&D and Business Network
http://www.linkedin.com/e/-ubgx8c-godydbie-43/vgh/3937807/

Biotech / Pharma Business Development, Licensing & Dealmaking
http://www.linkedin.com/e/-ubgx8c-gp40f4dt-22/vgh/3964633/

& Co-founder:

Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3921448

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EMP Defense Council(sm) Youtube video posted -- Vivacious post-mortem explanation of the dier [ sic ] after-effects of Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) events

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For those of you who prefer video inputs over textual, Ms. Desi Ivanova, Head of Business Development for the EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm) in San Diego, California, has recorded the first educational Youtube video for the Council.

Titled "Transform the Storm" -- the video explains the negative impact of EMP events such as solar storms and how companies should try to transform such adverse space weather into a business opportunity, instead of viewing geomagnetic storms as another major business-continuity expense.

You can view the video here -- recorded in the dim candle light that will prevail for weeks, months or even years after an EMP event and the resulting predicted pandemic electrical grid collapse:

-->> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndbdsxAnVTM

Finally, Desi's slides presented in the video may be obtained by contacting me directly by courier, passenger pigeon, Pony Express, smokes signals -- or by regular email -- not by LinkedIn email.

And do print a hard copy of the slides on biblical papyrus for an indelible monastic Posterity before your computer and printer's fragile integrated circuits no longer function.

Very electro-magnanimously yours,

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

EMP Defense Council video - 11/2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndbdsxAnVTM

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

P.S.: Watch EMP tests conducted at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Highly confined and man-made EMPs instantly and permanently disable a flying model helicopter and a full-sized automobile in motion:

“EMP Part 1”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvu08Y9XJ0U

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“EMP Part 2”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0odJKYTzXg8

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Latest Geomagnetic Weather Forecast easily accessible by any humanized manly Android-based smart phone !

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If you only play an astronaut on TV like me, now you too can easily check the current SPACE weather just by scratching the face of your smart phone ! I don't have any relationship with the developer of this smart-phone app, so put your tin foil hat on and do your own due diligence.

Scotty ! -- Beam me up !!

And now to the news:

Elecont Software's "Weather for Android" released with Geomagnetic Storm capability

"The new version of the Elecont Weather 3.7 for Android released.

"The new version adds a geomagnetic storms forecast. This feature, together with indicator of large changes in pressure and warning of extreme weather events is very important to people, responding to changes in weather.

"Now Elecont Weather is the most informative android application about environment: current weather and weather forecast from different weather providers, weather alerts, last earthquakes, live radar, geomagnetic storm forecast, pressure changes indicator and moon and sun calendar.

"Also in new version added:

- Geomagnetic storm forecast;
- New widgets: Geomagnetic storm, Weather Alerts, Precipitation amount, Ultraviolet, Sunset and sunrise;
- New status bar indicators: Geomagnetic storm, Precipitation amount, Ultraviolet;
- Widgets preview;
- New widget options;
- New time widgets: analog and LED; and
- US Radar runs three times faster."

Here is the original post:

http://androidforums.com/application-announcements/440505-elecont-weather-android-released-geomagnetic-storm.html

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http://androidforums.com/application-announcements/440505-elecont-weather-android-released-geomagnetic-storm.html#post3419934

--

http://www.elecont.com

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Very electro-magnanimously yours,

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

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EMP Defense Council(sm) new PowerPoint presentation published on LinkedIn's Slideshare facility

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For those of you with an abiding interest in preparing America & the world for EMP events, whether solar or nuclear, you can download or view on-line our latest PowerPoint detailing our markets- and standards-based approach to incentivizing companies to turn EMP events into profit-making opportunities.

The title of the PowerPoint is:

"Corporate Preparedness & Co-opting Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) events during the active Solar Cycle “Plateau” of 2011-2017 –

Turning the threat of solar Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) – or ANY “Black Swan” events -- into Business Opportunities"

In short, only the profit motive, self-interest and the "invisible hand" of free markets will cause American companies to take action in time to save us alllll from EMP events. Or, at least, to mitigate the damage caused by EMP events, thus allowing a faster recovery.

To access the PowerPoint:

Go to my public profile:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpalella

Then click on "View Full Profile".

Then page down to the very bottom and click on the PowerPoint presentation icon on the left-hand side of the page.

Finally, constructive criticism and feedback are welcome, but, please, no nitpicking, hair-splitting nor lunatic-fringe commentary.

Very electro-magnanimously yours,

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

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Space Weather Forecast for mid-November ? -- Significant Chance of Severe Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) raining on your business continuity charade

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Almost all Disaster Response & Business Continuity Plans will fail the "Stress Test" of a major Geomagnetic Storm

Do you think your company is prepared for every credible disaster ? Think again. The high probability of major solar Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) events over the next 5 - 6 years means your company's financial performance could be substantively impaired for 1 - 9 years.

Yes -- years.

Skeptical ? Read the November space weather forecast below.

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"Largest Sunspot in Years Now on the Sun"

04 November 2011

"One of the largest sunspots in years is now visible, rotating around into view on the Sun’s limb on November 3, 2011. And it’s an feisty one, too. The Solar Dynamics Observatory team called Active Region 1339 a “Bad Boy,” as at 20:27 UTC, a solar flare peaked at X1.9.

X-class flares are massive, and can be major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. This region is not facing Earth — yet. But we’ll be keeping on eye on it as it turns toward an Earth-facing direction."

http://www.universetoday.com/90653/largest-sunspot-in-years-now-on-the-sun/

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SEE ALSO:

"Sun comes alive with solar storms"

"Scientists say the most active region of the sun will be directly facing Earth in about five days"

The Associated Press -- 04 November 2011

http://www.pressherald.com/news/nationworld/sun-comes-alive-with-solar-storms_2011-11-04.html

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POSTED 03 November 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

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"Space Storms to Pose Greater Risk to Flyers and Astronauts" -- per the journal SCIENCE

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Intra-stellar [ sic ] subatomic-particle hurricanes, tornadoes and hail storms forecasted to increase...

U.S. Air Force high-altitude, experimental jet pilot develops eye cancer -- should frequent flyers worry too ?

And now the article from the respected journal SCIENCE:

"Space Storms to Pose Greater Risk to Flyers and Astronauts"

By Jon Cartwright -- SCIENCEmag.org

23 September 2011

"If you thought the outlook for Earth's climate looked bleak, don't look up. A new study suggests that space weather — the hail of energetic particles above our atmosphere—is set to worsen in coming decades. The grim forecast suggests that astronauts and frequent flyers will face greater radiation hazards and could rule out a crewed mission to Mars before 2050.

Space weather is a general term for the environmental conditions above Earth's atmosphere. When space weather is bad, dangerous particles abound. These include protons and ions, known as galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), raining down at near-light speed from space, and similar particles coming in bursts from the sun, called solar energetic particles (SEPs)."

...

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/09/space-storms-to-pose-greater-ris.html

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POSTED 24 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

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"Doomsday Coming for Catastrophic Risk Insurers?"

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Solar Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) or Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) events are likely near-term scenarios that could decimate the insurance industry

The reinsurance industry fails to redistribute risk adequately, its very reason for being, according to a Harvard Business School professor in the interview cited below.

And in the case of a widespread catastrophic event such as a solar Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) or Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) event, which could cause immediate property & casualty damage equal to "20 Katrina's" per a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study, there is not sufficient liquidity / capacity in the worldwide insurance / reinsurance industries to pay off all "covered" claims. In short, you are not covered.

20 Katrina's equals about US$ 1 TRILLION.

So even if your company were to buy CME / EMP coverage within your Business Property, Business Continuity, Contingent Business Continuity, and D&O (Directors & Officers) policies, could you collect on it ?

More than likely, no. So insurance is, sadly, not insurance for CME / EMP.

And a holistic approach to planning for CME / EMP events is required.

Now to the news:

"Doomsday Coming for Catastrophic Risk Insurers?"

September 19, 2011

Interview with: Prof. Kenneth A. Froot, Harvard Business School

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6774.html?wknews=09212011

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POSTED 22 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

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"Radiation experts: Tokyo may have to be evacuated"

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Radiation contamination Kabuki fan-dancing ? -- now you see it, now you don't !

The Mama-san of all Disaster Evacuation Contingency Plans ?

Having lived in Japan 4 years and done business there 30 years, I can testify that we should not doubt the source of this reportage below as much as we should doubt the veracity of Japanese government agencies and pandemic end-stage corporate Nihonsclerosis focused on protecting vested interests.

And now, film at 11:00 !

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"Radiation experts: Tokyo may have to be evacuated"

September 19, 2011

Youtube - Al Jazeera

"At least one billion becquerels a day of radiation continue to leak from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant after the March earthquake and tsunami. Experts say that the total amount of radiation leaked will exceed amounts released from Chernobyl, making Fukushima the worst nuclear disaster in history. Al Jazeera's Steve Chao reports from the Japanese capital where experts consider the possibility of evacuating Tokyo."

http://youtu.be/IBkrIgJUWLk

--

http://www.thedailycrux.com/content/8698/Japan/rss

--

http://www.activistpost.com/2011/09/radiation-experts-tokyo-may-have-to-be.html

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POSTED 22 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

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Forbes reports: "Powerful Solar Storm Could Render Satellites Inoperable For Years"

---

...meaning GPS-dependent industries are SOL (sadly out of luck), and crappy hurricane forecasts / tracking will be the norm for a decade, and military intelligence will be hugely impaired for years, and ..... plus, plus, plus....

Now the article:

14 Sept 2011 -- Forbes.com

"Last October, around Halloween, the Sun produced a solar storm that was one of the largest ever recorded, and was strong enough to raise some concerns about the safety of Earth’s satellites.

"According to a recent paper published in Space Weather, such concern may well be justified. If its conclusions are correct, then a solar storm the size of one that was observed in 1859 could potentially kill several weather, telecommunications, and military satellites in less than a year."

...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2011/09/14/a-powerful-solar-storm-could-render-satellites-inoperable-for-years/

--

Reference also:

"Profound change of the near-Earth radiation environment caused by solar superstorms"

SPACE WEATHER, VOL. 9, S08007, 13 PP., 2011

doi: 10.1029/2011SW000662

http://www.agu.org/journals/sw/sw1108/2011SW000662/

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POSTED 17 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

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"The Great Southwest Blackout" --Vol. II -- low-watt dimwit saga shines bright light on infinite failings of overly-complex systems

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Recent Southwest U.S. Blackout a Tempest in a Teapot Compared to Fallout from Solar Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)

And just wait until a major solar storm or severe space weather causes a weeks- or months-long blackout. The failure of a back-up generator at a San Diego hospital described below is especially Illuminating ! -->>

Back-ups for the back-ups !

And even redundancy may fail flatly during a regional, national, or hemispheric EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) event. Got one back-up generator? Sorry, that won't cut it in an EMP event.

Now, here's the local San Diego blackout updates:

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San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) opens blackout claims process

15 Sept 2011

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/15/san-diego-utility-opens-blackout-claims-process/

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SDG&E [ San Diego Gas & Electric ] Sued by San Diegans;

Local businesses filed a class-action suit against the power company

16 Sept 2011 -- NBC San Diego

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Restaurants-Sue-SDGE-129924153.html

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Scripps Mercy Hospital [ in San Diego ] probed after generator fails

16 Sept 2011 -- San Diego Union-Tribune

...

"Scripps Mercy Chula Vista was the only hospital out of 19 in San Diego County to totally lose emergency power during the blackout. It also is one of just two hospitals in the county with only one emergency generator. The other is Sharp Coronado Hospital."

...

"Gammiere and Tim Collins, Scripps Health corporate vice president for support services, said they will recommend buying a portable generator that could cost $1 million, to station at the Chula Vista hospital. All five Scripps hospitals also should have an extra fuel pump and hookups for the portable generator, they said."

...

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/16/scripps-mercy-probed-after-generator-fails/

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Outage had roots in Mexico, too;

Transmission official says Yuma [ Arizona ] was not the only problem

16 Sept 2011 -- San Diego Union-Tribune

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/16/outage-had-roots-in-mexico-too/

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POSTED 17 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

------

A black eye for "smart" grid white knights ? -- And who will pay for 100s of millions of dollars of losses from the Great Southwestern Blackout ?

---

If you think this was bad, wait until a solar coronal mass ejection-induced blackout lasting weeks or months takes place. The plaintiffs' bar will be happily busy for years. Now the news from San Diego:

"Blackout sparks multiple investigations -- Restoration ends immediate inconvenience, but reviews of massive outage will go on"

San Diego Union-Tribune -- September 9, 2011

"Investigators on Friday poured into San Diego, Yuma and Folsom, home of California’s main power system operator, to figure out how a modest failure in the Arizona desert became the worst blackout in San Diego history.

They will spend months determining whether the problem was a mistake by one utility worker, or a massive breakdown of a system that is supposed to maintain reliability above all — or both.

According to San Diego Gas & Electric, an Arizona utility worker went to fix faulty equipment at a substation and triggered the meltdown that left almost 7 million people in two countries in the dark for hours.

Some experts already are convinced the system shutdown was avoidable, only because so many fail-safes are supposed to be in place.

“Every possible contingency is planned for,” said Robert McCullough, a utility consultant from Portland, Ore. who has been following the San Diego case. “Unless there’s a catastrophic event like a tsunami or an earthquake, we should have been prepared.”

Officials at several government agencies announced investigations, inquiries and special reviews of the failure, which stretched from Orange County into Mexico and persisted in some places for more than 24 hours."

...

Rest of the article is here on the San Diego Union-Tribune web site:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/09/power-surges-back-on/

--

And a related article:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/09/effect-of-power-outage-linger/

---------

POSTED 09 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

------

Great Southwest Blackout caused by butterfly flapping wings in Arizona?

---

Imagine then the sun flapping its wings ? -- as in an EMP event (flare + coronal mass ejection)

Dateline: 08-09 September 2011 (San Diego, CA)

FLASH UPDATE !

In temperatures ranging from 80 - 115 degrees Fahrenheit, 5 - 6 million people lost power for 5 - 24+ hours in the Great Southwest (Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico & Northern Mexico) causing 100s of millions to a few billion dollars of damages from business interruptions and loss/spoilage of food, medicines and biological materials requiring refrigeration.

The root cause of The Great Southwestern Blackout? -- possibly a single butterfly (utility company employee?) in Arizona (not Beijing) flapping its wings -- as Chaos Theory and the article cited below tell us.

A secondary cause for all the damages ? -- 100s of thousands of businesses, schools, universities, research institutes and private citizens tooo cheap or foolish enough to trust their utility company to provide a non-stop uninterruptible fail-proof power supply. In particular the percentage of businesses without back-up generators was roundly stunning. Duh. Duhmb and duhmber.

So if one mindless butterfly in Arizona can cause so much damage to the grid and American business, imagine an EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) event such as a nationwide or hemispheric geomagnetic storm (solar flare + coronal mass ejection). Hence the projection from NASA that the economic damages in the U.S. alone would equal "20 Katrina's" = U.S.$ 1 - 1.25 TRILLION. Not billion. Trillion.

Katrina is the best recent example of Chaos Theory effects on a regional or national economy during a negative black-swan event. "Never again" most people would say, but "Back-ups for the back-ups" is a more realistic slogan for American business survival.

Now the article:

"Major power outage hits from San Diego to New Mexico on Thursday"

The Weather Space -- 08 Sept 2011

"... The internet is abuzz with possible reasons. An X-Class solar flare erupted from the Sun a couple days back which could result in a solar storm today or tomorrow. Then you have the more realistic reason being the hot temperatures over 115 degrees overloaded the grid in the desert, causing the blackout. ...

"Others tell TheWeatherSpace.com it was traced to someone removing a piece of monitoring equipment at a power substation in Southwestern Arizona."

http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-09_08_2011_sandiegopower.html

--

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/09/140326543/outage-affects-millions-in-southwest-mexico

Reference for Chaos Theory:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/complexity/CompLexicon/lorenz.html

-----------------

POSTED 09 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse

http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

------

Remember: Geomagnetic Storms Fry the Electric Grid from Top AND Bottom

---

1859 Carrington Event = the Mother of alll Global Electrocution Sandwiches!

This article below reminds us that severe geomagnetic storms cause not only powerful subterranean ground currents that can fry power station transformers from the bottom up (a la Quebec in 1989), but they also cause equally powerful above-ground flux in the Earth's magnetic lines of force causing large voltage spikes in allll loooong conductors -- such as copper telephone and power transmission lines -- thus also frying power station transformers from the top down.

Many commentators forget that the threat to the grid is *dual* or bidirectional -- including both high-voltage torpedoes and electrifying air-to-air missiles (so to speak).

Thus, sadly, large transformers (and capacitors) will become the meat in a high-voltage sandwich.

So not only are ground resistors needed for every transformer in the U.S., but also allll transmission lines would have to be disconnected from every transformer to save the equipment in the case of a geomagnetic storm.

In short -- hee hee -- the entire grid would have to be shut down regionwide or nationwide before it was shorted out.

Gentlemen, ssssssstarrrrrrt your back-up generators !! -- and pray they survive dual voltage surges too !!

Very Electro-Magnanimously yours,

David Palella
Founder
EMP Defense Council(sm)

Now let's cut to the article:

"Sept. 2, 1859: Telegraphs Run on Electric Air in Crazy Magnetic Storm"

By Alexis Madrigal -- Wired Science

02 Sept 2011

[ email: alexis_madrigal@wired.com ]

"On Sept. 2, 1859, at the telegraph office at No. 31 State Street in Boston at 9:30 a.m., the operators’ lines were overflowing with current, so they unplugged the batteries connected to their machines, and kept working using just the electricity coursing through the air.

"In the wee hours of that night, the most brilliant auroras ever recorded had broken out across the skies of the Earth. People in Havana and Florida reported seeing them. The New York Times ran a 3,000-word feature recording the colorful event in purple prose."

...

Full article here:

http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2011/09/0902magnetic-storm-disrupts-telegraphy-carrington-event/

-------------

POSTED 05 Sept 2011 by:

David A. Palella
Founder
EMP DEFENSE COUNCIL(sm)
[ Electro-Magnetic Pulse Defense Council(sm) ]

San Diego, California
cell: 619-787-5767
email: dpalella@gmail.com

http://EMP411.blogspot.com

EMP Defense Council -- Preparing for Electro-Magnetic Pulse
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3702799/

(1) Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Defense Council(C) Founded in San Diego, California on Pearl Harbor Day

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=695425

(2) The EMP Defense Council(C) Announces the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Priority Hardening List Ranked by Industry Vulnerability, and Proposes a Markets-Based Approach to Addressing Solar or Nuclear EMP Events

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=708639

(3) EMP Defense Council(SM) Highlights Calculable Risks of Solar Cycle Peak in 2013

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=784096

--------