Warning, Warning! You're in DANGER!

Kitsune · 12-21-2003, 11:09 PM

The Security Flavor for today is ORANGE.

Planes might be used as weapons.
People might die in terrorist attacks.
Your own family could be in the crosshairs.
The United States itself is in imminent danger!

...but, please, don't cancel your travel plans and enjoy your holidays!

Why in the hell do they even bother with this? What good does this do other than make people edgy and paranoid?

Wolf! Wolf!

Nothing But Net · 12-21-2003, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kitsune
What good does this do other than make people edgy and paranoid?

Nothing, except make those of us who are edgy and paranoid anyway feel better about ourselves.

wolf · 12-22-2003, 12:41 AM

My pager went off at around 1400 hrs (EST, in case you needed to know) with a text message from PEMA indicating that the threat level had been raised.

I did what I always do. I checked to see that my sidearm was loaded ... not much else one can do under the circumstances. You all have plenty of duct tape and bottle water already don't you? If not, it makes a fine xmas gift ... It wasn't until several hours later that I heard the dire warnings on the radio.

Friend of mine did have some prophetic dreams regarding a WMD (dirty bomb, if you're curious) attack on a city in the mountains ... I'm mentioning it here just in case she was really tuned in, so that I have something to point ot skeptics about ... see, see ... I'm not backpedalling and making something up. It was in actual electronic print on 12/22/03 ...

Griff · 12-22-2003, 06:05 AM

We had a "words that make us uncomfortable" thread a little while ago. I'd like to add Homeland to my list.

Happy Monkey · 12-22-2003, 07:52 AM

Edgy and paranoid people might not be worried by the Pentagon starting it's own "news" network.

vsp · 12-22-2003, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wolf
Friend of mine did have some prophetic dreams regarding a WMD (dirty bomb, if you're curious) attack on a city in the mountains ... I'm mentioning it here just in case she was really tuned in, so that I have something to point ot skeptics about ... see, see ... I'm not backpedalling and making something up. It was in actual electronic print on 12/22/03 ...

Bah. If there is a dirty bomb attack, Philadelphia is a much more plausible target.

(There's water nearby, for the bomb-on-a-tramp-steamer theorists. Big city == higher body count. Nearby nuclear plant. Lots of historical sites rich with symbolic value. For the high-octane "stage an event to rev up America for war" conspiracy theorists, it's even more attractive; removing Philly would tilt Pennsylvania's electoral votes rightward, and who wouldn't want to go after Them Dirty Terrorists Who Melted The Liberty Bell?")

Of course, since I live twenty miles from Philly, none of the above is particularly _comforting_ to think about...

Undertoad · 12-22-2003, 09:32 AM

When you consider that it's halfway between NYC and DC with none of the heavy security of those towns, yet it's the "birthplace of the nation", and they would attack where security is light,...

...if Philly was hit we'd all say we "obviously should have seen it coming."

vsp · 12-22-2003, 10:11 AM

Hey, being the Voice of Doom about these things isn't easy. If you're wrong, people think you're a loony; if you're right, you glow in the dark.

As for the practical effects of the Orange alert, I bow to Red Dwarf:

Rimmer: I'm upgrading this from a Blue Alert to a Red Alert.
Kryten: Are you sure, sir?
Rimmer: Yes, I'm sure. Now do it!
Kryten: But sir... this does mean that I'll have to change the bulb.

OnyxCougar · 12-22-2003, 10:18 AM

OMG I LOVE RED DWARF!!!

I have the entire series on Disc (downloaded over 3 months over Napster of all places) + The Smegups A to Zed (hosted by Patrick Stewart) and The US Pilot of Red Dwarf, which sucks such dick as you CANNOT imagine the taste of the pusfilled, gangrenous excrement ejaculated forth from it.

But I think of that part Every Time they change the threat level. Good Call, vsp.

elSicomoro · 12-22-2003, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vsp
If there is a dirty bomb attack, Philadelphia is a much more plausible target.

Philadelphia already looks like a dirty bomb hit it...

Oh! That's not what you meant...

I'm kinda glad I'm not around the corner from the Liberty Bell anymore...now I just use the busiest commuter rail station in the area...

insoluble · 12-22-2003, 08:20 PM

AGGAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH
orange? shit!
noooooooooo!

wolf · 12-23-2003, 12:42 AM

Yes, orange alert. The big white bubble thing is going to be chasing you again.

insoluble · 12-23-2003, 03:02 PM

funny factoid - we had to do mark 1 training (Atropine and Pralidoxime autoinjector kits for nerve gas) and I forget the exact statistic, but we were told that in Desert Storm there were 0 reported cases of nerve gas poisoning and something like 900 reported cases of atropine overdose. Keep up the healthy paranoia everyone!

Kitsune · 12-23-2003, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wolf
I did what I always do. I checked to see that my sidearm was loaded ... not much else one can do under the circumstances. You all have plenty of duct tape and bottle water already don't you? If not, it makes a fine xmas gift ...

Make sure you tape up that safe room real good! At least "duck and cover" in the 50s made you feel more secure and you didn't have the option of suffocating to death.

I'll be honest in my opinion over these terror alerts and suggested precautions -- I think they're bullshit. The only decent thing they've advocated so far is the three days of water and food that everyone should have. (Or, at least, I say this because I live on the coast.) Be vigilant? Please -- the only thing the average citizen is going to be able to point out is that they saw an Arab on the way to work who might have been giving people the evil eye as he was waiting for the light to change.

The biggest terrorist threats that ever affected this country were ones we probably never knew about. When NEST had to scan the Superdome before the superbowl, the public was not notified of Charles Bishop's (kid who crashed the plane into the Nation's Bank building in Tampa) suicide note and the threat it contained. Telling the public that something might happen, that there is a non-specific threat, or that you might want to be a little more cautious driving over bridges for the next week is just silly. It doesn't do any good.

Bob R · 12-23-2003, 06:32 PM

Bob

12-21-2003, 11:09 PM	#1
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	Warning, Warning! You're in DANGER! The Security Flavor for today is ORANGE. Planes might be used as weapons. People might die in terrorist attacks. Your own family could be in the crosshairs. The United States itself is in imminent danger! ...but, please, don't cancel your travel plans and enjoy your holidays! Why in the hell do they even bother with this? What good does this do other than make people edgy and paranoid? Wolf! Wolf!

12-22-2003, 12:41 AM	#3
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	My pager went off at around 1400 hrs (EST, in case you needed to know) with a text message from PEMA indicating that the threat level had been raised. I did what I always do. I checked to see that my sidearm was loaded ... not much else one can do under the circumstances. You all have plenty of duct tape and bottle water already don't you? If not, it makes a fine xmas gift ... It wasn't until several hours later that I heard the dire warnings on the radio. Friend of mine did have some prophetic dreams regarding a WMD (dirty bomb, if you're curious) attack on a city in the mountains ... I'm mentioning it here just in case she was really tuned in, so that I have something to point ot skeptics about ... see, see ... I'm not backpedalling and making something up. It was in actual electronic print on 12/22/03 ... __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

12-22-2003, 07:52 AM	#5
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Edgy and paranoid people might not be worried by the Pentagon starting it's own "news" network. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

12-23-2003, 12:42 AM	#12
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Yes, orange alert. The big white bubble thing is going to be chasing you again. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

12-23-2003, 06:32 PM	#15
Bob R Pithy Euphemist Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 19	Bob __________________ I am, what I am

12-22-2003, 06:05 AM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	We had a "words that make us uncomfortable" thread a little while ago. I'd like to add Homeland to my list.

12-22-2003, 09:32 AM	#7
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	When you consider that it's halfway between NYC and DC with none of the heavy security of those towns, yet it's the "birthplace of the nation", and they would attack where security is light,... ...if Philly was hit we'd all say we "obviously should have seen it coming."

12-22-2003, 10:11 AM	#8
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	Hey, being the Voice of Doom about these things isn't easy. If you're wrong, people think you're a loony; if you're right, you glow in the dark. As for the practical effects of the Orange alert, I bow to Red Dwarf: Rimmer: I'm upgrading this from a Blue Alert to a Red Alert. Kryten: Are you sure, sir? Rimmer: Yes, I'm sure. Now do it! Kryten: But sir... this does mean that I'll have to change the bulb.

12-22-2003, 10:18 AM	#9
OnyxCougar Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingdom of Atlantia Posts: 2,979	OMG I LOVE RED DWARF!!! I have the entire series on Disc (downloaded over 3 months over Napster of all places) + The Smegups A to Zed (hosted by Patrick Stewart) and The US Pilot of Red Dwarf, which sucks such dick as you CANNOT imagine the taste of the pusfilled, gangrenous excrement ejaculated forth from it. But I think of that part Every Time they change the threat level. Good Call, vsp.

12-22-2003, 08:20 PM	#11
insoluble developmentally disabled rear end headwear Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: syracuse, ny Posts: 207	AGGAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH orange? shit! noooooooooo!

12-23-2003, 03:02 PM	#13
insoluble developmentally disabled rear end headwear Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: syracuse, ny Posts: 207	funny factoid - we had to do mark 1 training (Atropine and Pralidoxime autoinjector kits for nerve gas) and I forget the exact statistic, but we were told that in Desert Storm there were 0 reported cases of nerve gas poisoning and something like 900 reported cases of atropine overdose. Keep up the healthy paranoia everyone!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)