The Decibel Tolls

While, yes, The Decibel Tolls is a music blog, sometimes I like to write about and share my other interests. No jumping the shark here, dudes. I figure that if you listen to the type of jams we post, you’re probably into weird, fringe, interesting media all around. So now that Art Bell is very occasionally returning to Coast to Coast AM to show everyone how it’s done right, someone needs to start recording, archiving, and making available these shows in MP3 format. I nominate myself.

If you’re not familiar with the program, read my Halloween article and get acquainted. If you like what you hear though, I’m not sure you’d want to turn on the program on any given night. George Noory and team are total dweebs. And they screen calls, which the lack thereof is what made the original C2C program famous. Art provided a forum for anyone to come and discuss their ideas. However, he still makes you prove your highly fringe theory or will calmly tease substance out of your nebulous statement. This makes for entertaining radio. George, on the other hand, totally believes whatever you say (for example, Art remained skeptical about the guests’ estimate of a 90% fatality rate after an EMP attack, whereas George would say “aw geez whiz, 90%, that’s terrible”). Also, there’s something viscerally creepy in Art’s smoky voice in the night that adds an air of mystique and solemness to the program. George sounds like a children’s show voiceover. Not to bash the latter too much, but let’s call a spade a spade, ya know? Hence, it’s always a real treat when the originator comes back to the mic.

Anyway, Art was back late Friday night for an AWESOME show. Here’s the recap from the C2C website: “Art Bell spoke with Prof. William Forstchen for the entire program about how an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack by a rogue nation could disable America’s power grid and communications infrastructure, and lead to an inconceivably high death toll.

Forstchen provided details on Starfish Prime, a high-altitude nuclear test conducted by the U.S. in 1962, which increased our awareness of the serious repercussions of EMP. The detonation took place high above the Pacific Ocean yet caused significant electrical damage several hundred miles away in Hawaii, he said.

Major solar flares can also produce EMP, Forstchen added, noting the Carrington Event of 1859, the most powerful solar storm in recorded history. If such a storm hit our planet today, over 80% of the electrical generating systems in the Eastern U.S. would still be offline four years later, he estimated.

Forstchen pointed out that North Korea or Iran could easily place an EMP-calibrated weapon within range of America and blow out the entire U.S. power grid. A 2004 Congressional Study projected a stunning 90% fatality rate from such an attack, he remarked, explaining that it would cause an almost immediate shortage of potable water, food and medical supplies, and eventually lead to a economic and societal collapse.

“We can stop this before it happens,” Forstchen said, agreeing with Art’s assessment that America should preemptively strike any country preparing to launch an EMP attack against it. Forstchen also proposed the U.S. harden its infrastructure and begin stockpiling replacement parts to rebuild it.”

Yeah man, it’s some shit. Below is the entire program, with the commercials, bumpers, and after-break catch-up removed, recorded from the crystal-clear 50,000 watt signal of WHAS. For those that were indeed listening, when Dr. Forstchen was discussing Faraday cages, did anyone else make an immediate LOST connection (the character Daniel Faraday, the electromagnetic force from the DHARMA Swan station, etc.)? Heavy on all fronts.

MP3 :::
Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell – 11.27.09 – Part 1
Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell – 11.27.09 – Part 2