# Just how the hell can you have a terror alert level anyway? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 4, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236 "2004-08-04T02:28:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/1 "2004-08-04T02:28:23Z")
My first pit thread and a rather lame little rant, but I must get it out after reading [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269258) thread. The idea that the chance of terror attacks can fluctuate from one day to the next is just ridiculous. Predicting the actions of terrorists isn’t the same as predicting the weather, people! You can’t just raise your so called “terror level” based on rumors and assumptions (which is all they have to go by anyway). An increased risk for New York you say? Why don’t you just make a damn map of the whole country with your little color system? [weather guy Tom Ridge] And as you can see by the movement of this red level area here, the chance of terror attack will be high in the D.C. area at this time tomorrow. Better duck and cover. [/weather guy Tom Ridge] Idiocy…Well, at least I feel better now. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/2 "2004-08-04T02:48:17Z")
I agree, they’re completely meaningless, PR bullshit, at least insofar as the whole color scheme goes. What are you supposed to do different;y for a yelow alert than an orange alert? At most, I could see maybe a binary system where either there’s an alert or there isn’t. Even that’s kind of pointless for anyone but law enforcement. I think that, at best, it’s a PR gimmick with a bit of CYA built in (if something happens they can claim that they warned us), and that at worst it’s a more cynical device which serves to create an artificial sense of tension and reliance on Bush to protect us. Ridge’s comment about “our leader” watching over us was almost insulting in its political transparency. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/3 "2004-08-04T02:52:30Z")
[Regulators Investigating Insider Trading in Terror Futures Market](http://www.dailyhog.com/Insider_Futures.htm) > [@](#): > > **Washington, DC** - In yet another financial scandal involving insider trading, it was announced today that the Commodities Futures Trading Commission is investigating possible insider trading on the Pentagon’s short-lived “terror futures” market. The regulator’s suspicions were aroused by what appeared to be an unusual amount of money being bet on long-shot opportunities through the Grand Cayman… ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/4 "2004-08-04T05:10:08Z")
How can you know how terrified you are supposed to be without the color coded chart? You might erroneously be at ‘red’ terror, and wet your pants, when the forecast only called for ‘orange’ terror, and you might have gotten away with only a little spotting? Clearly this is a great public service. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/5 "2004-08-04T05:19:41Z")
Actually, when you consider that readiness and security levels are linked to the terror alert color, it’s the nicest thing you can for terrorists: One glance at the color and they know when the best (least security, most surprise) time to strike is… Of course, that assumes that it actually _is_ linked to meaningful security measures… ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/6 "2004-08-04T05:43:57Z")
From satirewire: [FBI to issue 5 day terror forecasts](http://www.satirewire.com/news/feb02/forecast.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/7 "2004-08-04T10:50:48Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I agree, they’re completely meaningless, PR bullshit, at least insofar as the whole color scheme goes. What are you supposed to do different;y for a yelow alert than an orange alert? At most, I could see maybe a binary system where either there’s an alert or there isn’t. Even that’s kind of pointless for anyone but law enforcement. > > I think that, at best, it’s a PR gimmick with a bit of CYA built in (if something happens they can claim that they warned us), and that at worst it’s a more cynical device which serves to create an artificial sense of tension and reliance on Bush to protect us. Ridge’s comment about “our leader” watching over us was almost insulting in its political transparency. Rather like John Edwards’ incessant fawning and slobbering over Kerry, doncha think? He’s a leader! He da man! By the way, do you have a link to something with Kerry stating that he intends to eliminate the meaningless terror alerts? It would be a comfort to know that he has no intention of using Bush’s PR gimmicks. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/8 "2004-08-04T21:00:27Z")
If I were a terrorist, I’d convince my fellow terrorists to strike when the terror level is low, just to fuck with their minds. Personally, they should call the fucker an attack warning indicator, or a Radical Islamic Fundamentalist Attack Alert indicator (RIFAA), because I’ve about had it with ‘terrorists’ as an enemy. Could someone just come out and name the fucking enemy and be done with it? We are so fucking PC that we can’t even call out our enemy!? So, our little warning scale has to have some lame-o name like ‘terror level’. Hey, the fuckers we are at war with are Radical Islamic Fundamentilists. We should have an enemy to fight, it’d maybe help our focus. Maybe a North Korean Little Fucking Dictator-O-Meter could help us watch the progression of weapons grade nuclear fuel they’ve salvaged, too. ---
**Author:** ![High\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8797f3/32.png) [@High\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/High_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/9 "2004-08-04T22:30:36Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > At most, I could see maybe a binary system where either there’s an alert or there isn’t. When you’re watching CNN and you see a report about intelligence that suggests terrorists are planning to hit major targets in the next few days; and banks, schools, grocery stores, public transportation depots are closing in your neighborhood…assume the terror alert has been raised (or is “on”). If your watching CNN and see a report on a samaritan protecting a duck and it’s hatchlings while they cross a busy street in Bend, Oregon…assume the terror alert is low (or is “off”). Hence your desired binary terror alert system. > [@](#): > > What are you supposed to do different;y for a yelow alert than an orange alert? > **[The U. S. Government](https://www.thoughtco.com/us-government-4133021)** > > Learn about the form and functions of the US government with detailed articles, extensive study guides, homework helpers, and clear, unbiased analysis of politics and policy. This is want they want you to do or state that you should do. What you want to do or actually do is, of course, your decision. But what can you do, in a practical sense, from yellow to orange and beyond? Pray \*harder \* you don’t get destroyed, by a bombing terrorist, shopping for Carl Buddig meats in your favorite local grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/10 "2004-08-04T22:40:33Z")
> [@High Cheese](#): > > But what can you do, in a practical sense, from yellow to orange and beyond? Pray \*harder \* you don’t get destroyed, by a bombing terrorist, shopping for Carl Buddig meats in your favorite local grocery store. I think if it’s yellow you jog to the voting both to vote for Bush, Orange is full on sprint, and red is dive out the window and do a stuntman roll. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-the-hell-can-you-have-a-terror-alert-level-anyway/258236/11 "2004-08-04T22:42:42Z")
\*booth