One Second After

[610Alpha]

Yeah, i usually only bust ex-military/LEO personnel chops if they use 'clip' instead of 'magazine'.

[Lowdown3]

The old people part was fairly horrifying IMO. Another reason never to end up some place like that.

What could have been done? Set them out in the sun for a while. Seriously.

Would you rather die inside, in filth and stink, or outside looking at mountain views and sunshine?

Borrowed the book from a friend. Pretty good overal.

I'm not big into the "community will save us" a.k.a. Jericho type mentality. That being said the author did a pretty good job.

The only complaint being the little gig about the "survivalists" up in the hill that taught them how to make "explosive and improvised weapons." While the author wrote this in not so much a derogatory tone - because it was when the big DeRazza crew was coming in to attack them- it was just the implication that "survivalists" would know how to "improvise" explosives, etc.

I guess I'm always on guard for things that tarnish the ideas/tenets of the survivalist movement.

[610Alpha]

The whole community scenario as a whole most likely won''t work. It does illustrate that you will need more that just who lives in your house pre-SHTF in order to make it.

It does leave a bad connotation about survivalists being the ones to teach them how to make explosives however I think he did mention that they were going to barter with them for knowledge transfer of the skills they were lacking which goes to show that the survivalists know there stuff! :)

If nothing else it shows us what not to do and what happens when you do. The bag of rice comment was very good.

[Klayton]

Wait, you bust the chops of someone that using the slang "clip" instead of magazine?
Hmmm well I am ex military, and NEVER stopped calling my rifle "MY GUN", guess that means your going to bust my chops too?
The slang "clip" has many rumors of its origin, I like the one where someone would say when they insrted the magazine it would "clip" into place. Then the slang "clip" was used by many instead of saying magazine.

I see no big deal here. Some call it soda, others call it pop, I call it by its correct and full name soda pop...

[610Alpha]

Yep I would bust your chops (i.e. give a hard time, tease them, make fun of) if I knew you. I guess I need to be very clear in that I only bust the chops (see previous parentheses) of people that I personally know that are military(current/ex)/LEO's or other people that know better. :)

Go back to your old DI and make the same comment about your "Gun" and I bet he would bust your chops as well and probably make you drop and give him 50. :)

All kidding aside I don't really give a hoot what you want to call it. Doesn't phase me one bit, but if you were a personal friend of mine you would be fair game for being harassed, kidded, teased, all around made fun of in a good humored sort of way. As I would expect the same treatment and would laugh with you. :)

[bountyhunter69]

Excellent book! I'd also suggest 'Lights Out' for another read about the aftermath of an EMP.

who is the author of this book?

[610Alpha]

One Second After - William R. Forstchen

Lights Out: The Electricity Crisis, the Global Economy, and What It Means To You - Jason Makansi. I will read this one when I get a chance, time to focus on purchasing resource books as well other prepping needs.

[Rmplstlskn]

Well, I finally finished it... The second half? Wow! Crud! Damn! Sucks! Bummer! Pride! All rolled into one..

I like how the author left most of the "war" to the imagination... Not his forte... (calling a magazine a clip, etc...) I hope there are really kids out there like that... The ones who have not already joined the armed forces, that is.

The magnitude of death and the "dying off" really hit the last half... I wonder where I would be in that progression?

Ramifications of an EMP really just hit me... I depend on a gas generator to get emergency water from my well. Would a well pump even function? No water! Closest water is an artesian-fed creek about 200 yards away, downhill. Lots of hauling water uphill. Boiler not functional. No heat! Fireplace a very poor option. Need more kerosene! Small garden. To rip up sod and till the earth in a post-EMP time would be lots of manual labor! Need to look into getting a plot cleared and tilled while equipment is everywhere... Need to put some backup electronics in my "faraday cage," basically an old, large, all steel ammo box. Lots of other examples... I am NOT as squared away as I thought...

I'm not easily brought to tears, but the pages when his daughter died took all my strength to not bust loose a river... So much so, my face muscles hurt. I think that hits close to home as I have a 7yo daughter myself and I could not imagine watching her die...

A good read... and motivational! I cannot figure out how my local town, about 6 miles away, would deal with such an event. Parts of it I think would come together, but there are far too many who are clueless, unprepared, ignorant of survival, and offer no useful skills. It doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling, rather one of dread.

Need to pass it on to my wife now... She will be balling for sure...

Rmpl

[610Alpha]

Well said Rmpl. Looking at my 1 yr old daughter made me sick to my stomach thinking about her dying like that or starving to death.

Definitely a motivator, hope the movie is good so that I can take my wife to see it. Hope she finds it as motivating as I did.

[Lowdown3]

Awesome reply Rmpl.

Fiction stories like this should give us "food for thought" and start showing us potential "what if's" that we can plan for.

On your well pump- it's hard to say for sure on the actual pump down however many feet under ground. That of any of the components probably has the best chance of survival. Your above ground components would probably be fried. Thankfully these are the easiest and cheapest to switch out. We have a whole padded ammo can devoted to well repair spare parts.

I don't know if it's standard fare, but the parts we stock for our deep well may be similar to what is needed on yours- fuses for the safety disconnect switch, starting and running capacitor, pressure switch, mechanical blow off valve, pressure valve on the side of the tank, etc.
None of these parts individually are more than $15. IIRC. All of them are relatively simple to replace.

Pulling the pump is a different story however.

Deep well hand pump setup is a good thing. Unfortunately you can't do it with a shallow well "pitcher pump" of the $50. or so variety.

[Rmplstlskn]

Awesome reply Rmpl.

Fiction stories like this should give us "food for thought" and start showing us potential "what if's" that we can plan for.

My well is a bit simpler I think. I too think a well pump 75 feet down inside the ground (aka grounded) surrounded with water would be protected as long as the surge did not go through the power cord all the way down... Above ground is just the pressure switch (mechanical with contacts ~ no electronics). Filters use water flow for gear movement. I think I would be OK, but I would still need something to POWER the well pump...

This novel also really drilled home how VERY POSSIBLE this is... I am sure this novel has sparked renewed interest in the various "war fighting schools" of our enemies. But that ocean tanker could be on its way to a USA port RIGHT NOW for all we know... Scary thought...

Rmpl

[Benn Gleck]

I thought One Second After was a good read but terribly depressing, not as bad as The Road though.

The part that really hits home for me is the nursing home, having just put my mother in one.

[Klayton]

Glenn Beck??? Love your books!! =)