# New terrorist attack right now? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 14, 2003, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230 "2003-08-14T20:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/21 "2003-08-14T21:38:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Burnt Sugar \* > \*\*Hands up who thinks SDMB will be empty tonight! \*\* I don’t know about that, I came here as soon as I heard about it. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/22 "2003-08-14T21:41:06Z")
You know, now that you mention it, the boards _do_ seem to be running a bit faster this afternoon. I guess we now know who’s responsible for all those frivolous daytime searches. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/23 "2003-08-14T21:42:12Z")
Not that we’d know any better down here than y’all would up there, but [this article](http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/2048534) Bloomberg says [quote] “It may be well into the evening before power comes back on,” Bloomberg told CNN. He said smoke from a Consolidated Edison Inc. plant in the city was due to the plant’s automatic shutdown, not to a fire, as had been reported. He said, “I can tell you 100 percent sure that there is no evidence as of this moment whatsoever of any terrorism.” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/24 "2003-08-14T21:42:57Z")
Dammit. Fortunately, I’m out in central NJ today, but the power’s definitely off at home – the answering machine isn’t picking up. And I can’t get my wife’s cell phone. I hope she isn’t in an elevator somewhere. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/25 "2003-08-14T21:44:11Z")
Whoa, the hamsters should zip along pretty speedy then. It sounds like Allegheny County (Pittsburgh area) is safe so far…but it’s still fucking creepy. I’m praying it won’t go out-this house is so fucking HOT! ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/26 "2003-08-14T21:44:45Z")
ConEdison is an absolutely terrible power company. I endured more lengthy outages in suburban Detroit during the two summers I lived there than I’ve gone through the entire rest of my life. They should be stripped of their power monopoly and replaced with someone who can do the job. As far as I’m concerned, this just seals it. BTW, dad just got off work and called on his cell from Delaware, no problems there, so hopefully this thing has spread as far as it’s going to. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/27 "2003-08-14T21:47:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*Yeah, that’s what the Channel 5 news in DC is saying, too, but DAMN if the video of masses of people walking in NYC doesn’t remind me of 9/11. \*\* I had to turn the news off. I couldn’t watch that, seeing as I was in that mass last time. I just heard from my boyfriend who’s in Canton, 30 minutes south of Cleveland. He’s got power, but his parents, who live 4 miles north of him, don’t. My roommate left me a voice mail, but I can’t seem to get hold of him (He lives in Brooklyn). And I can’t get hold of a friend in Kalamazoo to see if she has power. Gotta admit, I still have a squidgy feeling in my stomach - even though everyone keeps saying it’s not terrorism. Ava ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/28 "2003-08-14T21:52:15Z")
Everything seems to be okay in Montreal, though I have prepared for an outage if there is one. (Ventilating the house in case we can’t use the fans, finding my candles and lighter, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/29 "2003-08-14T21:53:45Z")
CBC is reporting that Toronto hospitals are on generators and not reporting any problems. In Ontario, Hamilton, London, and Timmins are out too. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/30 "2003-08-14T21:55:38Z")
Toronto officials are warning people not to flush their toilets and to conserve waters as the pumps aren’t working. ---
**Author:** ![Mearl\_Dox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Mearl\_Dox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mearl_Dox)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/31 "2003-08-14T21:57:26Z")
My girlfriend is in Toronto, and she should be heading back from classes… now. Crap. _worries_ ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/32 "2003-08-14T22:00:28Z")
Phones seem to be working, FWIW. A guy managed to ICQ me on a laptop and modem. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/33 "2003-08-14T22:01:05Z")
This can’t be a terrorist attack because Tom Ridge isn’t all over the airways telling us its a threat to the homeland. ---
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/34 "2003-08-14T22:05:35Z")
Just talked to my parents after trying my dad’s cell for an hour (they’re in Ottawa). Apparently traffic is slow as crap, but no other problems so far. Of course…the fridge and freezer are out, and their house is watered by an electric pump, so it might get worse before it gets better. Apparently it was about 40 C on their back deck, so it’ll be bloody warm, too. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/35 "2003-08-14T22:12:25Z")
I was just listening to the report of this on the news here in Baltimore, when i heard one of the most moronic statements ever from a reporter. He was talking about the power outage, and said that airports had switched to back-up generators and that all the air traffic control towers were working fine. Then he said (and this is as close to a verbatim quote as i can remember) > [@](#): > > The airplanes themselves are not affected _per se_. They have their own power. No fucking shit? You mean they don’t fly around the world attached to huge extension cords? What a fucking brain surgeon. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/36 "2003-08-14T22:18:18Z")
Apparently Bell Canada has requested people stay off the phone lines to conserve power. Cell sites are spotty (at my building (the HQ of my company) our cell towers are on in-bound only mode). Gas stations, subways, lights, everything is down except hospitals and the airport (both off generators). Looks like I’m camping at work tonight, at least we have power for our computers (we’re all sitting in the dark). I was hoping northern ontario wasn’t affected but I’ve confirmed Sudbury and surrounding areas are down. Traffic is all to hell so I ain’t getting home anytime soon. And my GF’s mom is on a flight from germany and should be on the ground in 1 hour. Gonna be real fun trying to pick her up with my GF and get organized without cell phones. Did I mention we’re all slowly melting in here? 2000 computers and no AC = sauna. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/37 "2003-08-14T22:29:44Z")
> [@](#): > > And my GF’s mom is on a flight from germany and should be on the ground in 1 hour. Gonna be real fun trying to pick her up with my GF and get organized without cell phones. I wouldn’t count on it. Pearson is shut down. She may have been redirected to Montreal. I’ll stay on my e-mail. If you need her to be taken in, let me know. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/38 "2003-08-14T22:31:26Z")
OH! if you’re on right now, turn on CBC radio, they’re about to discuss airplane cancellations. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/39 "2003-08-14T22:34:56Z")
Oh, moronic statements, I can do that! I think it was [CNN.com](http://CNN.com) that said that power was out in “Toronto and Ontario.” Really? Both of them? Amazing. I hear power is still on in Los Angeles and California, though. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/40 "2003-08-14T22:36:44Z")
> [@](#): > > I wouldn’t count on it. Pearson is shut down. Whoops, CBC website says some planes are being allowed to land. So she might be coming in, she might not be, she might be delayed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230.md?page=3)