What exactly are you supposed to do differently in a day with a severe rating?

severely rant 

I hope not. It's bad enough listening to "The current National Threat Level is..." whenever I happen to be at the airport.

I can't imagine they'll choose a more meaningful replacement.

What are we supposed 'to get' from that system? "Things ain't good" or, "You aren't in Wonderland" would convey the same meaning. 

Are we supposed to get into a combat crouch? Crawl 60/60? Scope out the surroundings for Al Qa'ida disguised as Girl Scouts?

Maybe it's just to prod our fear and make us more malleable, and obedient.

In any case, if we have never been told what the levels actually mean and what the suspected threat is, it's far less informative than the "Walk/Don't Walk" on the corner.

You have to wonder. The Israelis live under more immediate threat, and I just can't see the Naval Commandos surfacing to check their tweets.

That tweet system is more compatible with a College notifying about a nut loose with a weapon. 

1) Not in a million years.

2) Last I heard, it was duct tape yourself inside your house.  Seriously.  Now if a person wants to do that, I wholeheartedly support his or her right to do so.  I also support anyone's right to curl up into a little ball underneath a school desk in the event of a nuclear blast.  Have fun.

Considering I stopped looking at my Twitter feed when I realized I just couldn't keep up with all the constant useless tweets of the majority of those on my list, I can't imagine how anyone will notice what could be considered a very important tweet in between all the crap that shows up on Twitter. Facebook is not as bad but the problem is still the same.

This would be the equivalent of putting front page news on page 42 of a 60  page newspaper.

I liked seeing those OLD OLD films about how they told kids to go underneath their desk or fall to the ground while out side in a Nuclear war..

that's as bad as putting a warning on Child's cough medicine.

“Do not drive a car or operate Machinery after taking this Medication.”

(We could do a lot to reduce the rate of accidents if we could just get Those 5-year-olds with head colds out from behind the wheel...)

Having been in that situation within the last year, text messages (for those subscribed to the college text alert system) were a much more effective and secure method. Facebook/twitter were mainly used for people discussing it and sharing pictures of Armored Personnel Carriers with SWAT teams pouring out of them.

Reply #7
DisturbedComputer

Member No.2,676,520
Karma+82
April 8, 2011 3:34:42 PM from WinCustomize Forums


Quoting DaveRI,
reply 5
I also support anyone's right to curl up into a little ball underneath a school desk in the event of a nuclear blast. Have fun.




I liked seeing those OLD OLD films about how they told kids to go underneath their desk or fall to the ground while out side in a Nuclear war..

that's as bad as putting a warning on Child's cough medicine.

“Do not drive a car or operate Machinery after taking this Medication.”

(We could do a lot to reduce the rate of accidents if we could just get Those 5-year-olds with head colds out from behind the wheel...)



not so funny, I WAS one of those kids.....

So was I. Growing up in the fifties and sixties during the height of the cold war was no joke. Especially when a Cuban fanatic parks a few nuclear tipped ballistic missiles ninety miles from home turf. Scary shit.

As was I.... but, what DaveRI was referring to was the absurdity of thinking one wouls be protected in any degree by hiding under the desk... how absurd that picture and the absurdity of DHS telling you "stay at home and seal your windows and doors as hermetically as you can".

Why not, "Wrap yourself in a white sheet and walk calmly towards the nearest cemetary. When there, remove all sharp objects from your shirt pocket and bend over and kiss your ass good bye."? 

Tuck your head between your legs. Yes ... absurd is right. As though a desk or anything else for that matter that isn't 6 feet thick, underground with an additional 6 inches of lead shielding is going to protect from one of them. Remember some years ago the US gov actually tested a device that was more or less harmless to equipment such as tanks, artillery and such but destroyed anything organic. The Neutron bomb. Absurd. Want another one. Back in the 70's the Soviet Union designed and built an earthquake machine. Basically a rocket engine strapped to a hardened rig and pointed downward. When the Iron Curtain fell good ole Uncle Sam bought the device and now the US has an earthquake machine. Upgraded of course.

Exactly.

Yes as a wee lad I spent my share of time in a ball under my desk too.   Can't say that I've ever duct taped myself in though.  Like I said though, if it makes a person feel better, go for it.

That sounds like a James Bond movie.  How bizarre.

Bizarre, but true. Nikola Tessla also patented an earthquake machine:

and so did The Acme Co. :  

But perhaps the best known one is the one we have in WC Oz branch:

Yep.... "Old Faithful" himself, starkers.