# question for anyone watching *24*



## Guest (Mar 8, 2005)

I know there are some 24 fans here... could someone explain to me why the flashlights still worked after the pulse bomb went off?

thanks. I love that show!


----------



## gimpy34 (Aug 10, 2004)

could someone tell me what happened on last night's episode? I've been watching it regularly but I was doing a full system recovery of my computer and spent most of that hour yelling at the computer rather than paying attention to 24. I know Driscoll was grieving over her daughter or whatever, and that British dude and Bauer were in a car together.


----------



## Guest (Mar 8, 2005)

http://www.fox.com/24/episodes/guide.html

The owners of the weapons firm that was contracted by the gov't set off a pulse bomb while Jack and the British guy were trying to recover data (wiping out everything they wanted to hide, basically that Marwan had been working for them). So nothing electrical was working-- but the flashlights were still working. I couldn't figure it out.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

bare in mind the show "24" takes many liberties with actual reality. For instance, why is it that when the universe is on the verge of collapse, they only send Jack and maybe one other guy to handle things? And somehow they manage to fix things up..........
Anyhoo, a flashlight is a closed system (no power lines, etc), one which does not involve any actual electrical generation (the power was created somewhere else, and stored in a battery), and has no connection to any other power source via wires, plug-ins, etc. It still seems to me an EMP device would somehow disable a flashlight, but I suppose it's possible it wouldn't. 
I think someone here should design and build such a device, line up a bunch of flashlights, set that puppy off and see if Mr. EverReady Bunny keeps on going and going and going.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

then why would cars not work and the helicoptor crash, but the flashlights be okay? maybe they'll explain in the next episode.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

automobiles (including helicopters) generate electricity. They are their own little power plants. The fan belt spins around, making the belts turn the little doohickey in the generator - which creates electricity. If the battery in the flashlight theory holds - you would be able to start your car after an EMP event, but it would soon stop running because the generator would not be able to keep the battery charged. 
(disclaimer - this is all based on memory from classes in school, which took place.........a few years ago)


----------



## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

I'd be interested to know who would win in a fight, Jack or James Bond. Thoughts please.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

LOL...great question.

I think Mr. Bond would win (although personally I adore Jack) because he is not emotionally involved in his quest. His dispassion allows for greater acuity - Jack CARES too much, is too "human" and therefore, his Achilles' heels would be much easier to target.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

depends on which one had a flashlight that worked.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

sc said:


> If the battery in the flashlight theory holds - you would be able to start your car after an EMP event, but it would soon stop running because the generator would not be able to keep the battery charged.


At the risk of sounding really lame... then why didn't the cell phones or laptops work?

I think Jack would win, because Kiefer can't be replaced with another actor... and Jack has more friends who pop in at the last second to save his butt.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

The best part of an EMP? The "Compton Effect". Anyway, theoretically a flashlight could still theoretically work if there was no battery in it when the pulse was detonated, because it was an incomplete circuit (not entirely sure about this)...and would work once you put the battery in it. Maybe.


----------



## Guest (Mar 10, 2005)

I also didn't get the printout thing... wouldn't 1 MB of an encypted file be a few thousand pages printed out...? and somehow they print out a few pages and that's enough?


----------



## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Probably right Janine. But more importantly, does Jack get as many women in the sack as James Bond, inbetween saving the universe ? And someone so huffily British as James Bond would never develop a heroin habit. It's just not in out character, dammit !!!! 2 - 0 to James ! :mrgreen:

Ooooh...James...


----------



## Guest (Mar 10, 2005)

Jack always seems to have lots of whiskers. Too scratchy. I'd sleep with a younger Sean Connery in a second though............ 
Make it 3 for Mr. Bond.

So long as the cell phone was off during the actual EMP blast - it would be fine. You just wouldn't be able to use it because the transmitting stations/bounce towers would be disabled. A laptop, again, if off during the event should also still work.


----------



## Guest (Mar 10, 2005)

Um, right SC. That jibes with my understanding of a pulse blast. It overloads a circuit with electromagnetic energy. Theoretically not all circuits that were off could be overloaded (?). Unfortunately, I'm no expert so my understanding is seriously limited.


----------



## Guest (Mar 15, 2005)

ok they did explain it... "all electrical devices wiped out except for the smallest battery-operated devices." and at least Jack looked perplexed that only one page of the encrypted file was printed out.

Anyone have a theory what's going on? I think this might be a scheme by the Sec of Defense to knock out the order of power so that he will be president. I think the Sec of Defense is 5th or 6th in line.


----------



## Guest (Mar 15, 2005)

AND I've been suspicious of Audrey since the first episode. I think she'll turn out to be this seasons's Nina!


----------



## Guest (Mar 15, 2005)

Aha! I was right, sort of. Battery operated was key. "Small" doesn't mean much, since any battery operated device (not directly attached to a generator) is relatively small. I still think had the flashlight been on during the blast it would have been knocked out of service too.

The show is becoming more and more unbelievable though. They talked of......waiting for the effects of the EMP device to subside.... It was a burst of electromagnetic energy for crying out loud. It's not as if there would be a lingering "fog" or anything. Any effect would be essentially instantaneous. The way they showed the lights going out in the skyscrapers.....slowly, one at a time. It would be more like - poof, lights out. 
Also, why would anyone in their right mind want to work at CTU? Jeez, none of those people get along. Particularly the women folk. And how realistic is that, in the middle of a disaster, the one computer lady with the dark hair and cool scar on her lip (not very good with names, sorry) would be worried about personnel issues? .....I want two pay grade raises, my record cleared, etc. 
Since the show seems to be degenerating into a simple soap opera, here's what I think will happen: check out Secretary Heller. Bossy, argumentative, wears a ton of make-up? I think it will turn out that he is actually Secretary HellerINA. A woman. And Jack's long lost mother. Which then of course means that Jack and Audrey are really brother and sister. Ewe. Although since Audrey seems to be the only woman character who can get along with anybody else on the show.......maybe it will turn out that she is actually a guy? Oh no! That means she/he and Jack are actually BROTHERS. Gack. Anyway, eventually Secretary Hellerina will eventually become President, as he is fourth in line behind the Vice-president, Speaker of the House, and Martha Stewart.

Just guessing, but like the battery theory, I bet I'm right.....


----------

