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When preparing before SHTF, make sure you also have plans on what to do if you get stuck elsewhere after an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. This ensures that you have survival gear and that you can safely get home even if things go south. (h/t to TheSurvivalMom.com) What is an EMP?

An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation from large explosions, especially nuclear explosions or from a magnetic field fluctuation.

EMPs can produce damaging current and voltage surges within electrical systems, which can put your appliances and gadgets at risk.

In Ted Koppel’s book “Lights Out,”the author warned that the nation’s leaders have done “virtually nothing” to protect the power grid from “any type of attack, nor are there effective plans in place to help the millions of citizens who will be completely unprepared.”

When researching his book, Koppelinterviewed people in the know, such as Janet Napolitano, Leon Panetta and Admiral William Gortney, who spoke during a Pentagon news briefing in 2015 about power grid vulnerability. Tips for creating your plan to get home after an EMP

When finalizing your EMP emergency preparedness plan, you should figure out how you’re going to get home after an EMP attack before you travel. Planning ahead gives you the time to assess your particular circumstances.

Before SHTF, prepare get-home bags and leave one at your office and keep another one in your car so you can access your gear if something happens while you are on the road. (Related: How to prepare for an EMP strike.)

Here are six variables to consider when drafting your plan:

Transportation

Do you plan to walk all the way home if SHTF? If this is your first option for transportation, you need to make sure you are in shape.

You need to be healthy enough to walk several miles while carrying your get-home bag. Exercise regularly and get quality walking shoes or boots and pack several pairs of socks.

Keep some Shoe-Goo in your emergency kit for quick repairs and for a quick waterproofing job.Prepare a basic first aid kit and include moleskin to protect against hot spots and painful blisters on your feet.

Weather and terrain

The weather and the terrain mightchange as you travel.

Can you stay dry if it rains? Do you have enough water in your bag to stay hydrated on a hot day?

You should also look for alternate routes that might be easier to travel or would allow you to avoid populated areas if people rush to escape the chaos of an EMP attack.

Water

Where you are stranded and the terrain between you and your home will determine if you can access clean water for your various needs.

If you’re not sure you can find water, stay where you are. A one-gallon container of water weighs eight pounds, but you can keep your bag light by getting a water straw.

You should also have something that allows youto filter larger quantities and carry some water with you until you find a new water source.

Food

Here are some food items and snacks to pack in your get-home bag: Cheeses (Choose cheeses with a stable shelf life.) Chicken, salmon and tuna packets Crackers Dried fruits Dried meats Energy bars or breakfast bars Nut butter Nuts Seeds Tortillas Trail mix

However, if you’re on the road for several days, your food will eventually run out.

Before SHTF, make sure you know other ways to find food safely. You can learn how toset traps and hunt and fish using alternative methods.

Another option is to learn how to forage and identify edible and medicinal wild plants.

Other essential prepping skills that will help with finding and cooking food include knowing how to start a fire and how to purify water. Pack something you can use as a cooking pot and a tiny, lightweight camp stove, if possible.

Shelter

If you think you will be traveling for several days or more, learn how to set up a sturdy shelter. You can also bring asmall, lightweight tent in your emergency kit so you can sleep comfortably outdoors.

Security

Lastly, you should be able to defend yourself. You can either learn a martial art or learn how to use a self-defense weapon like a gun or pepper spray.

When SHTF, you might be surrounded by people more desperate than you so you need to be able to fight back if escaping isn’t an option. 5 Ways to increase your chances of survival in a post-EMP world

You don’t have a lot of options if you arestranded far from home after an EMP attack, but it doesn’t mean your situation is entirely hopeless.

Before an EMP event, you should have several options in case the worst happens and you are dozens or hundreds of miles from home.

Head home with your survival gear or whatever you can find

Survival novels often feature determined men who make their way home to their families while traveling hundreds of miles. This option is possible if you are in good physical shape, have no health issues and are lucky.

If you’re lucky, the terrain between you and your family might have several clean bodies of water.

Stay put andkeep your head down

If you have the necessary survival skills and knowledge, set up a wilderness camp and use your skills to live off the land.

How long you survive will depend on how skilled and creative you are.

Stay put and try to join another household or group

If you have many prepping and survival skills like gardening, food preservation or medical training, you can try to join a survival group.

As the infrastructure begins to be rebuilt, you can go back on the road and begin heading home.

Do a bit of both

If possible, keep traveling and try to seek shelter with several families orcommunities. Some people might be willing to accept another survivor if you have useful skills or if they need additional help with physical labor.

Stay put and start a new life

This option may seem pessimistic, but depending on your circumstances, you may have no other choice but to stay where you are and start a new life.

Before SHTF, make plans and prepare your get-home bag with the necessary survival gear. Learn more about your surroundings and look for safer alternate routes to travel, be alert and avoid danger and always have a backup plan in case things don’t go as planned.

With a detailed plan and the right supplies, you can get home safely if you are stranded elsewhere after an EMP attack.

Watch the video below for tips on how to prepare and maintain your get-home bag.

This video is from theSurvival 101 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories:

Personal safety and survival: 15 Things to do after an EMP attack.

SHTF tips: How to survive an EMP attack that brings down the power grid.

12 Tips to survive an EMP attack.

Sources include:

TheSurvivalMom.com 1

TheSurvivalMom.com 2

OceasOutdoors.com

Brighteon.com
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MG begins deliveries of the world’s first mass-produced EV with a semi-solid-state battery

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MG begins deliveries of the world's first mass-produced EV with a semi-solid-state battery

SAIC MG delivered the first MG4 model with a semi-solid-state EV battery in China, starting at under $15,000.

The MG4 is the first EV with a semi-solid-state battery

In August, SAIC MG launched the all-new MG4 at the Chengdu Auto Show, deeming it “the world’s first mass-produced semi-solid-state” electric vehicle.

The new MG4 is available in five different trims: Comfort, Ease, Freedom, Smart, and the semi-solid-state “Secure” edition.

SAIC MG announced on Thursday that it had delivered the first MG4 equipped with the new battery tech. The new MG4 is on sale starting at 68,800 RMB ($9,800), with prices rising to 102,800 yuan ($14,500) for the semi-solid-state battery model.

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It’s available with two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery sizes: 42.8 kWh or 53.95 kWh. The three lowest-priced trims are equipped with the smaller (42.8 kWh) battery, providing 437 km (271 miles) CLTC driving range, while the Smart version uses the 53.95 kWh battery, delivering 530 km (330 miles) of range.

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The new MG4 with a semi-solid-state EV battery (Source: SAIC MG)

Meanwhile, the semi-solid-state variant is powered by a 53.95 kWh semi-solid manganese-based lithium-ion battery, delivering 530 km (330 miles) of CLTC range.

All new MG4 models are powered by a single front-mounted “six-in-one” electric motor with 120 kW (161 hp) and 250 Nm torque. Using DC fast charging, it can recharge from 30% to 80% in 20 minutes.

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The new MG4 (Source: SAIC MG)

The electric hatch is 4,395 mm long, 1,842 mm wide, and 1,551 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,750 mm. That’s about the size of the BYD Dolphin.

Like most Chinese EVs nowadays, the new MG4 is loaded with modern tech and features. The smart cockpit is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 in-car chip.

First-EV-semi-solid-state-battery
The interior of the new MG4 with a semi-solid-state battery (Source: SAIC MG)

While the three lower-priced trims feature a 12.8″ central infotainment screen, upgrading to the Smart and semi-solid-state models adds a bigger 15.6″ display with 2.5K resolution.

The company said that by reducing the liquid electrolyte content to just 5%, the semi-solid-state EV battery significantly reduces the risk of combustion and improves the cycle life.

In two recent needle penetration tests, the new battery produced no smoke, no fires, and no explosions after two hours. SAIC MG said it was an industry first, exceeding industry standards by 20%.

SAIC MG delivered over 13,000 new MG4 models in November. It’s also the best-selling independent Chinese car brand overseas, A “beacon of Chinese automotive success,” in the EU and British markets, the company said.

Source: CarNewsChina, SAIC MG

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GM considers former Tesla Autopilot head Sterling Anderson as next CEO, report says

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GM considers former Tesla Autopilot head Sterling Anderson as next CEO, report says

GM CEO Mary Barra is reportedly considering Sterling Anderson, the former head of Tesla Autopilot and co-founder of Aurora, as her potential successor. But first, she is putting him through a “tough test” in his new role as Chief Product Officer.

We reported back in May that GM hired Anderson as its new Chief Product Officer in a surprising move that put a tech executive in charge of the legacy automaker’s entire vehicle development program.

Anderson is well-known in the EV community. He led the Model X program at Tesla and was the director of the Autopilot program during its formative years (2015-2016). He later left to co-found Aurora Innovation, a self-driving startup that has focused heavily on autonomous trucking.

Now, a new report from Bloomberg states that Barra sees Anderson as a frontrunner to replace her when she eventually steps down.

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According to the report, Barra is “gauging” Anderson for the top job by giving him a massive portfolio that serves as a trial by fire. Since joining in June, Anderson has been tasked with overseeing the end-to-end lifecycle of GM’s products, both gas and electric, including the critical integration of hardware and software.

The “test” essentially boils down to whether Anderson can successfully execute Barra’s vision of transforming GM into a tech-first company. This involves untangling the automaker’s software woes and delivering on the promise of “eyes-off” autonomous driving for personal vehicles, a pivot away from the robotaxi-focused strategy of its former Cruise unit.

While Barra, 63, hasn’t announced a retirement date, the pressure is on to find a leader who can navigate the rapid transition to electric and software-defined vehicles. If Anderson passes this “test,” he could become the first outsider with a tech background to lead the 117-year-old automaker.

Electrek’s Take

“Tech background” is not entirely true, but mostly accurate. He has spent a few years at Tesla and then built Aurora; both are in the auto industry, but certainly on the techy side of it. Before that, he spent years at MIT, and the ‘T’ stands for technology.

I’ve only had a few interactions with Sterling, but from what I could tell, he is a smart guy who was among the most realistic about autonomy at Tesla, which is probably why he didn’t last long at the head of the program and went on his own.

He helped build Aurora into a multi-billion-dollar company that is now seen as the leader in autonomous trucking.

GM is starting to build an extensive and impressive EV lineup, but it still has issues committing to high volume due to the political landscape, which, in my opinion, the company itself often lobbied the wrong way.

I think some fresh blood could help.

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House passes bill to ease permits for building out AI infrastructure

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House passes bill to ease permits for building out AI infrastructure

House passes bill that would help advance AI data center buildout

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill aimed at making it easier to get federal permits to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence projects.

The bill, known as the SPEED Act, is backed Big Tech giants such as OpenAI, Micron and Microsoft

The bill cleared the House in a 221-196 vote, overcoming a conservative rebellion that nearly sank the legislation in a procedural vote earlier this week.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where it is likely to be part of a larger conversation around permitting reform. 

The SPEED Act’s proponents argue it is critical to help the U.S. outpace China and other global competitors in the race for AI dominance. 

“The electricity we will need to power AI computing for civilian and military use is a national imperative,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., the bill’s sponsor and chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. 

The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, which mandates federal reviews for projects that would impact the environment.

It would tighten the timelines for NEPA reviews and shrink the statute of limitations for NEPA litigation to 150 days from the current six years. 

Permitting reform has drawn bipartisan support recently as clean energy projects supported by Democrats became ensnared in permitting delays.

Pressure has built on Congress to act as AI has emerged as a key sector and power-hungry data centers have placed an increased strain on the electric grid. 

Read more CNBC politics coverage

The Democratic cosponsor of the bill, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, said the SPEED Act would allow the U.S. to be “nimble enough to build what we need, when we need it.”

Most Democrats opposed the SPEED Act, however, demanding that any permitting bill overturn President Donald Trump‘s moves to choke renewable energy sources like offshore wind

Democratic resistance was only compounded after GOP leadership inserted language to exempt Trump’s efforts to block renewables from provisions in the SPEED Act that would limit the White House’s ability to arbitrarily yank permits it does not like.

The amendment was added after a standoff on the House floor during a procedural vote, where conservatives opposed to renewable energy demanded concessions for their votes.

“That provision codifies a broken permitting status quo,” said Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., who supports permitting reform but opposed the SPEED Act.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle in the Senate to craft a bipartisan product that can become law.”

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