Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Flame On!



If a nuclear weapon were to be detonated hundreds of miles into the atmosphere above the continental United States, the resulting electromagnetic pulse could destroy the nation’s electric grid and render impotent all elements of society that rely on electricity. In short order, many aspects of American society would be thrust into the early 19th century.

-"Protecting America from the EMP Threat"
Well, someone's never heard of the Kármán Line.

19 comments:

patrick said...

Wasn't that the plot to a Bond movie?

NutellaonToast said...

Um, those aren't really rules so much as guidelines, bro. It's not like there's a fucking line in the sky across which you do not!

Justin said...

Wait, we invented a time machine?

James N. said...

Batman don't shiv.

Enron said...

"It's stuff like this that scares me about America. If one of these hits America, it will be the end of employment for most of us here. I hate to be unpatriotic, but sometimes I wonder if it's impossible to prevent such an attack at least up to 80%, and wonder if we all shouldn't be planning in what country we'll move to when all this happens."

I feel fine.

Eerily Lackadaisical said...

That's von Karman to you, untermensch ...

Anonymous said...

Isn't this what US did with abandon in Nevada, with little if any distant effect? Wouldn't one solar electromagnetic storm (like the Carrington Flare) pump in the atmosphere more electromagnetic energy than all the US-SU cheapo nukes combined (assuming that all of them would still fire...).

Capt'n Obvious

davidly said...

Duggie Fields on his erstwhile roommate Syd:
My interpretation is that he was thinking that while he lay there, he had the possibility of doing anything in the world that he chose, but the minute that he made a choice he was limiting his possibilities, so he lay there as long as he could. So he had this unlimited future. But of course that's a very limited present when you do that. And a very depressing one also, I think.

Bring it on! Is it regulable, like, could we start with the 30s?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Chopin#George_Sand

Anonymous said...

A]I guess it's time to start agitprop for The War of Enduring Freedom Against the Thermosphere.

or

B]We have always been at war with the Thermosphere


Which comment should I go with?

Anonymous said...

dont sleep on those solar flares. the sun is are one true enemy.

Montag said...

"the end of employment for most of us here"

OHLOL! what country will be left out there for a million fucking actuaries to go to answer their calling?

Anonymous said...

"many aspects of American society would be thrust into the early 19th century" Don't the the repthugs want that to happen anyways, har har har.

Anonymous said...

Re:1105

I was wondering where all the Donk agitateurs went.

Capt'n Obvious

Gen. Turgidson said...

Mr. President we must not allow an... EMP gap!

Anonymous said...

I'm not afraid to say it, I though "Unbelievable" was a good pop hit.

Gridlock said...

It's a bomb, not a firework. I want craters and zombies, not de-instagrammed hipsters

High Arka said...

Damn, Paris, you know so much about science, too! Color this one impressed! Karman and stuff! How about a date?

Anonymous said...

Tube radios and film will come back! Yay!

http://stopmebeforeivoteagain.org said...

The early 19th century would be a definite improvement. Not that the choice is really available.