# High alert again? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 4, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779 "2001-12-04T04:05:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/1 "2001-12-04T04:05:34Z")
I’m sorry US government, but how many times do you think you can put your nation on “high alert” following receipt of “credible information”? How many times can you tell your citizens to expect “something bad” to happen within the next few days and then when it doesn’t happen expect them to take your warnings seriously next time? Are you US people getting sick and tired of this “crying wolf” syndrome your government seems to be locked into? ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/2 "2001-12-04T06:34:15Z")
They’re just doing what they have to. Besides, even if we thought something bad was REALLY going to happen, what would we do? Duck and cover? -Loopus (I would trust the government a lot more if it wasn’t run by politicians.) ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/3 "2001-12-04T06:34:54Z")
Must be time for another round of civil rights limitations. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/4 "2001-12-04T08:21:29Z")
I’m not getting tired of this at all. I prefer getting a heads-up that there is even a _slight_ chance that there might be another attack on America. So far, these warnings haven’t affected me adversely at all. When they do, then I might get upset, depending on the circumstances. Getting a false alarm in the interests of our safety is a lot better than getting no alarm whatsoever. [sub]I won’t even go into the fact that the US government _is_ capable of discovering stuff before it happens. You know, that whole Millennium bomb plot that they foiled?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/5 "2001-12-04T08:26:30Z")
Yeah, but my mother is so ‘alert’ that she jumps out of her skin when the phone rings. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/6 "2001-12-04T08:36:32Z")
**spooje** , that sounds more like excessive paranoia, not necessarily being alert. (Unless that’s what you mean by the ‘’…) ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/7 "2001-12-04T21:44:05Z")
I wonder if other countries are putting out these high alerts. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/8 "2001-12-04T22:35:28Z")
I agree that it’s getting a bit tiresome, but I can understand why they’re doing it. If something actually did happen, and it turned out that the FBI (or whatever) had some inkling of it and DIDN’T issue a warning, people would be screaming for their heads. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/9 "2001-12-05T00:27:59Z")
What, are you kidding? I work four blocks from the White House. I to be _prepared_, and I will have only so much true advanced warning. Imagine if I were to catch the news one day to see my next-block neigbor, Ted Koppel, languidly reporting from a fleeing helicopter that a big-ass nuke is armed and counting down over at Shrub’s pad. Only fifteen minutes to go, and the nuke defusing team is twenty minutes away. I have to _do something_. Fortunately, thanks to high alert status, I’m already _prepared_, and I can follow this simple procedure: [ul][li]Remove cigar from briefcase and light.[/li] [li]Remove expensive bottle of tequila from briefcase and drink.[/li] [li]Remove carefully rolled Nicaraguan tobacco blunt from briefcase and smoke. (I will need to have already practiced an intricate alternating puff and inhale scheme in order to avoid getting a lungful of cigar smoke.)[/li] [li]Disrobe.[/li] [li]Stagger into street, grab first babe running by in panic, commence apocalyptic drunken monkey sex.[/ul][/li] Remember, _forewarned is forearmed_. I cannot be expected to put on a final display of pathetic, mindless hedonism without these warnings. Hey–_hey you!_ Don’t touch my briefcase, man. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/10 "2001-12-05T01:54:30Z")
Dude, **Sofa** , did you steal my “Pre-Nuke Plan” sheet or what?? ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/11 "2001-12-05T02:41:17Z")
Heh, I think we all have the same plan in case of that eventuality. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/12 "2001-12-05T02:58:43Z")
Sounds good, 'cept my blunt ain’t tobacco. [sub]It was also purchased with the tax “rebate.” Thanks, George![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-alert-again/96779/13 "2001-12-05T16:44:39Z")
And by the way, I’m currently running a small training service, whereby the situation is accurately simulated and defensive procedures are reviewed and put into practice. Ladies, I cannot stress how important it is to practice apocalyptic drunken monkey sex _before_ the actual event occurs. As it is my duty as an American to do whatever possible which will help my country in this time of need, I’m proud to announce that my personal training service is now available to all women of the female persuasion. Proud to be an American, Sofa King (And just to clarify–it’s only the _wrapper_ of those blunts that is Nicaraguan tobacco.)