Are you terrified yet?

[dsrtao]

http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/history/editorial_0844.shtm

The US is on Yellow Alert!

Yellow means Elevated, in case you've forgotten. It's forgivable if you have, because we have been on Yellow Alert since January 9, 2004.
Certain exceptions were made for mass transit systems, which have flickered to Orange from time to time, and the airlines have been on Orange Alert continuously since August 2006. The airlines occasionally went to Red before that, generally after someone else got bombed.

The Useless Color (Explanation) Security Alert System has never gone below Yellow.

Maybe someone should stop drinking so much coffee? And lay off the paranoia-enhancers?

Comments

[the-nita.livejournal.com]

Isn't the whole point of the Alert system to make sure people stay scared?

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

And we have not had a major terrorist attack (unless you want to argue Fort Hood) since the system went into place.

That tells me it's working.

Logic? Me?

No thanks.

[dsrtao]

There hasn't been a human killed by a shark in any state that I've ever lived in, while I was there. There have been humans killed by sharks in states I've visited, but not while I was there. Therefore I am an effective ward against death by shark.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

I expect it's a CYA thing.

[seawasp]

I say go back to the old way of security. This one just annoys people and accomplishes nothing.

[kayshapero]

Ah, but the purpose of security theatre is not to create actual security, it's to make it clear that Someone is Doing Something.

"When in danger, when in doubt
Run in circles, scream and shout"

[polydad.livejournal.com]

I think you miss the point. What the colors alert us to is how batshit crazy the government is at the moment.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Janet Napolitano was on Colbert not long ago, and amongst the things she deprecated was the value of the color code system. She said they are working on something better.

When, oh when?

When I think of DHS, I think of the old comment in Puddinhead Wilson (Mark Twain) about putting out a fire:

But water was preferable to fire, and still the stampede from the windows continued, and still the pitiless drenching assailed it until the building was empty; then the fireboys mounted to the hall and flooded it with water enough to annihilate forty times as much fire as there was there; for a village fire company does not often get a chance to show off, and so when it does get a chance, it makes the most of it. Such citizens of that village as were of a thoughtful and judicious temperament did not insure against fire; they insured against the fire company.