The Threat of Nuclear War

Many here are older. But don’t listen to the defeatist drivel being spewed forth. Many may not be physically fit etc. but you are a walking, living, breathing encyclopedia that is EMP proof - err, well sorta, mind the pace makers etc. :face_with_spiral_eyes:
Older folks will be desperately needed to give the youth a chance. They simply don’t know what they don’t know. They are all brass balls, gungho, we got this mentality - until real s#it happens then they will need seasoned folks desperately.
We can give the youth a fighting chance. Tell the elitist poo hooers to p@ss off and be as prepared as you can, as fit as you can be for your health issues.
Many have numerous firearms, much equipment, much training - if you dig a hole and save only yourself - well… just consider your considerable skills to help others.
I think things are going to go from bad to worse, soon; so cinch up your belts, eat your spinach, limber up your old bones and be ready if the ice cream does turn to crap!

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"“This is an inside joke about a series of games called Fallout.”":stuck_out_tongue:

I always preferred Fallout New Vegas.

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I tried that game, it was clunky and unplayable. Maybe I’ll try it again, looked pretty fun actually.

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Half the kids today would be in shock if their phones and computers went dead. You are correct in that they will need someone to kick them in the butt to get them moving. We worry about our grandkids. Daughters kids are in pretty good shape. All 3 boys are shooters and Eagle Scouts. Son’s kids not so much. His daughter has no interest in shooting. His son is autistic.

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I have stocked up on POTASSIUM Chloride, if it will do any good,but do have it stocked up

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I think we are hearing less about it these days here in the US because the government would have to admit just how unprepared it is for a major nuclear exchange. The Russians have been dramatically increasing their shelter capacity and food storage for decades. Aside from the few shelters being built by the individuals who can afford their own, there have been no public efforts here that I know of to protect civilians for the past several decades. And those built decades ago are mostly abandoned and not functional. Our strategic food reserves have been emptied and sold of to Russia and other countries.

I don’t know how high the chances of such an event are but suspect they are about the highest they have been since the Cuban Missile Crises. Many folks don’t realize how incredibly close to WW3 we were during that event.

I’d like to think that those in power wouldn’t be stupid enough to pull that trigger. But their power is failing and they are likely to get desperate to hold on to it. The Russian leadership may not care about the rights or happiness of their citizens but they are taking steps to protect that resource in order to have the labor force necessary to rebuild after an event. Guess the kleptocrats and their corporate backers in this country are planning to use robots to put things back together for them while they scoop up all the suddenly available properties??

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Iodine would be a great buy. Dual purpose for topical prevention of infection or Iodine 131 prophylaxis. Saturate your index finger up to the first joint, the iodine will be absorbed into your body and load up your thyroid so Iodine 131 cannot be absorbed (a major componant of fallout.) Iodine tablets are good too, but expensive. You can buy Prussian Blue to eliminate isotopes from your body, but research its use carefully, and use after exposure to radioisotope contamination. The problem is not just the exposure to radiation, it is skin contact with fallout, ingestion and inhalation of radioisotopes.

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The correct drug is potassium iodide. For an adult the daily dose is 130 mg. Your thyroid absorbs the potassium iodide rapidly, leaving no further capacity for absorption of the radioactive potassium isotope. The tablets should be used only as directed by public officials should a nuclear radiation emergency occur. Tablets are usually crushed and mixed in a liquid.

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Many don’t know the difference between radioactive and radiation.

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New Vegas was good but I still kinda of preferred Fallout 4. Granted, NV was the same engine and everything so very similar.

I was just excited for the FO4 DLC’s for the Puppies perk really

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One can be exposed to radiation, alpha and beta particles as well as gamma rays. Alpha particles are high speed helium nuclei, and do not damage your skin. A piece of paper can block them. Beta particles are similar to high speed electrons flung off of an atom. They can damage tissue and cause “burns” by killing skin cells. A quarter inch of aluminum is sufficient to sheild one from 100% of naturally occuring beta particles. Gamma rays are like x-rays, they can cause burns, kill cells deep in the body and damage cells too. They are a photon, so a form of light. They can be soft (low energy) and hard (high energy.) It can take many feet of earth, concrete or even steel and leaded glass to sheild one from gamma rays. Being exposed to radiation time distance and sheilding all limit exposure. When a nuke goes off, there is typically a tremendous burst of gamma rays and neutrons. Neutron radiation is bad because it can cause non radioactive materials to become radioactive, that is were most fallout comes from.

If one is exposed to most radiation they will rarely become radioactive.

Contamination is when one ingests radiactive material or gets it on clothes or skin. When one has inhaled or ingested radiaoctive material even alpha particles become dangerous to internal tissues. Many radioactive Isotopes like Strontium 90 mimic other chemicals needed in the body. Strontium 90 mimics calcium, Cesium 137 potassium and sodium.

I will apologize to those if this is remedial, and am welcome to corrections from those that are more educated.

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Right out of my Rad II qualification class…

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Christopher-51, excellent information but there is another problem. Some of the Russian nuclear weapons are salted with cobalt.

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That was a great brief @Christopher_S1, I for one appreciate it. Very informative sir. Thanks

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I have read that some weapons have a cobalt case. England actually is the only nation that admitted to detonating one as far as i recall. H bombs (thermonuclear bombs, fusion bombs) are potentially just as bad because of the neutrons emmitted in the reaction. Cobalt becomes Cobalt 60, a very potent gamma emitter in the blast. Cobalt 60 is one of the most radioactive materials there is.

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Hmm… Very informative, and I am sure very scientific discussion.
If nuclear weapons will be released, they are unlikely to touch American soil in my opinion. The situation will resemble Covid lockdowns and mandates if it happens, by design.

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My take is that Russia will not use a destructive nukular (I just loved the way Bush Jr. mangle that word) device but a high-altitude EMP device to fry electronics and let the U.S. and other countries destroy themselves. an Electro-Magnetic Pulse device doesn’t leave yeas of radiation. It is a high altitude (350 miles) device that emits radiation that burns out electrical devices without harming animal or plant life. So, if you are driving a Tesla, your $100K toy will be just that a decorative device to plant flowers in. Oh, and your rock-solid 401K plan? Zapped into the ether. Of course, everyone else will be in the same boat, so you will have lots of company sitting on the curb sobbing.

An EMP device makes much more sense. It teaches a lesson without killing anybody (well, except those with pacemakers and those whose life depends upon a constant flow of electrons)

While you may have isolated your own home from the grid, it will do you little good as so much else will be fried that it won’t matter that your minty '65 El Camino is still functional. First of all, it will be the target of every car thief for a 'hunnert miles around and you will be reduced to dipping gas from in-ground tanks until the gas is no longer suitable for internal combustion engines. On the bright side, it will still be perfectly acceptable for molotov cocktails

An EMP attack is the subject for a whole long article. I really don’t see an advanced country like Russia or China or even the U.S. using the old fashioned blast type bomb such as used in Japan in 1945. I have spent a lot of time reading up on EMP attacks and the anticipated results. The Russians have extensively tested an EMP attack on — you guessed it, a Ukrainian town and carefully documented the results. You can read about them on line just look up Russian EMP tests. I will quit here.

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The problem with Russia using an EMP is that their target would at least respond in kind to that attack. The risk of escalation to a full on exchange would still be very high.

Perhaps Russia would attempt a sub launch from off the coast of North Korea or just convince NK to launch their own. That might succeed in shifting the blame and avoiding a retaliatory response. But that would still be a big risk as the US is unlikely to let Russia and China break its global control while the US citizens take themselves out for the last bits of food on the shelves.

Think it would be smarter and far less risky for Russia to just activate the malware they have planted in our electric grid. It would have a very similar impact with somewhat less risk of a retaliatory nuclear strike since it would be easier to make it look like the attack came from one of the other countries we don’t get along with.

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So many different scenarios for nuclear conflict. Perhaps if russia does use nukes on the Ukraine we should do nothing. Unfortunately i do not think that will be the case.

BTW, the military does ground and emp their vehicles, however some average everyday vehicles may survive an emp. Many vehicles can run after a lightning strike. Teslas, nope. Even if the computer isn’t fried the power grid will be.

Prepping for any type conflict or disaster will be useful. We still have 90 or so nuclear reactors in the US, so even if EMP is used, expect radiation.

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An equally or slightly better chance than my scenario. In any event, I really don’t see a full on ICBM ground level nukular(sic) attack by the Ruskies. My evaluation is that the nut job in Pyongyang is the only one likely to go ground level attack. There are many scenarios that could play out, the only question in everybody’s mind is just how far Putin will go to remain in power. I believe that perhaps even he doesn’t know if he will go nukular(sic) when push comes to shove, even if he has all the details worked out in Plan X. Will he be able to rain down murderous destruction on basically most of the world?

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