# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/41 "2003-08-14T22:36:48Z")
This is nothing new. The last major blackout was in '77 I think. Then there was one that blacked out the entire northeast and parts of Canada in 1965. It will happen again sometime I’m sure. ---
**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, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/42 "2003-08-14T22:38:13Z")
No radio here, and globeandmail and the star are both down now (too much traffic maybe). I’m checking the GTAA web site and… flight LH470 from frankfurt is still on time and in bound. It’s got another 45 minutes…I’m keeping my fingers crossed. ---
**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, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/43 "2003-08-14T22:38:28Z")
Isn’t this fun? Finally found out about my wife: I had to call my parents, who called her parents and found out that she had contacted them, and told them she was at a client outside of the city this afternoon. I have no idea why I can’t get in touch with her or why she can’t get in touch with me, but we can get in touch with other people. Weird. ---
**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, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/44 "2003-08-14T22:38:38Z")
[We predicted this: energy expert (CBC)](http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/08/14/energyexpert_030814) ---
**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, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/45 "2003-08-14T22:40:47Z")
I’m listening to the traffic report…not good. Looks like I’m taking the round-about method of going home. I just hope my gas holds out, there’s a gas station up the street with a reported 20 cars parked around it. They are all out of gas and can’t go anywhere… ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/46 "2003-08-14T23:10:25Z")
stephi is also in Ottawa, and so is Curious\_Canuck and LadyDisco. I’m sure all is well, just… warm… And yeah, matt, you were right. I’m in Minnesota right now 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/47 "2003-08-14T23:47:39Z")
It’s almost 8:00 p.m. in NYC and I’m looking at the pictures of NYC from across the river–it’s so creepy to see that skyline with no lights. ---
**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, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/48 "2003-08-14T23:48:20Z")
Well, at least my girlfriend managed to let me know she was all right… _phew_ I hope the power comes back soon… ---
**Author:** ![MrSarcasticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MrSarcasticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSarcasticus)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/49 "2003-08-15T00:04:24Z")
So what are the odds on NYC being looted silly tonight? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/50 "2003-08-15T01:03:39Z")
[Substantially lowered:](http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/14/power.outage/index.html) > [@](#): > > Bloomberg mobilized 40,000 police officers and the entire fire department overnight to maintain order. As of late afternoon, no reports of looting or other disturbances had been reported. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/51 "2003-08-15T01:08:04Z")
The power seems to be going back on in some places. Power was out at our place outside Woodstock, Ontario and has now gone back on as of 850 EST. It was a bit of a hassle, we get our water from a well which requires an electric pump. The cause seems to be a fire at a plant in the Northeastern US. I think the radio said New Jersey, but I don’t rightly remember. It was a domino effect after that. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/52 "2003-08-15T02:04:04Z")
Awwww crap. My dad works for the NY Transit Authority, and he’s generally one of the people who has to be on the scene if there’s a major problem. I don’t think he’s getting any sleep tonight… ---
**Author:** ![Special\_Agent\_Jazz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@Special\_Agent\_Jazz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Special_Agent_Jazz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/53 "2003-08-15T12:30:10Z")
I’m in Toronto, we’re in darkness and I’m running off my brother’s emergency generator. Needless to say, I’m not impressed with the heat. Neither is the dog who is hiding down here with me in the basement. My father was lucky not to be stuck in the subway trains, he got a ride home from downtown Toronto. My sister’s bf though, had to walk from downtown up to where I live (which is 40 minutes drive!) My best friend tried repeatedly to call me last night, our phone lines were dead. They are still kind of dead actually. She was extremely worried. Nice to have someone worried like that. 🙂 She was just freaked when she kept getting some odd busy signals. ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/54 "2003-08-15T12:45:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by avabeth \* > \*\* And I can’t get hold of a friend in Kalamazoo to see if she has power. > > \*\* Kalamazoo did not have power yesterday, along with Lansing and Detroit. On my way to work this morning I heard that parts of Lansing were starting to come back on. We got a power surge yesterday but stayed on. I’m so glad - I went without power for almost 5 days last winter and I don’t want to go through that experience again in the summer. The reports all say people seem to be staying calm and helping each other, that’s good to see. ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/55 "2003-08-15T13:04:59Z")
Power’s finally back up here (north o’ 7, Ontario). Worst part was, none of the gas stations were opened, and I almost ended up stuck out of gas, 70 kms away from home. All in all it ended up being a really nice night, wasn’t too warm, most of the people in the neighbourhood ended up swimmining in the river, stars were gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![Special\_Agent\_Jazz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@Special\_Agent\_Jazz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Special_Agent_Jazz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/56 "2003-08-15T13:12:29Z")
Oh man, Magayuk! I heard alot of people got stuck out of gas in the middle of the highway. Blech. I was suppose to go out and ride my horse and decided not to, it was way too dangerous and pointless to go out there. However, nice to hear that there is no reports of looting or all that but 100 miners are trapped in mines and two people are reported dead. No idea where though. I’m happy as a clam talking with my best friend on-line now. Hee-hee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Spooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spooky)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/57 "2003-08-15T13:14:08Z")
Glad to see some of the Midwestern, Northeastern, and Ontarian Dopers straggling in this morning. My guess is we won’t hear from many more Dopers until Monday. Hope everyone is ok. How many of you think that perhaps this energy failure is “cyber-terrorism”? Could a hacker have the ability to cause such a widespread outage? I’m very curious to hear opinions. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/58 "2003-08-15T14:15:00Z")
I’d love to get hold of my dad in NY, but given that as of right now there is no subway service in NY as far as I can tell, I think he’s a tad busy (and probably underground, so I doubt I can get him by cell phone, if those are even up and running). Anyone heard from friends or family in NYC? ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/59 "2003-08-15T14:20:18Z")
Eva, the cell phones here are still pretty screwed up. It seems most places in the city have power back, although it was long coming for some of us (my sister on LI had power back at 2 AM, it didn’t come back on here until almost 8 AM). Subway service isn’t expected to get back to normal for 6 to 8 hours AFTER all power has been restored, so I think your dad will be busy for quite a while yet. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230/60 "2003-08-15T14:33:21Z")
Ottawan checking in. Power came on in my neighborhood at 11:20 last night. It went out again a couple of times overnight. It’s on now (apparently 50% of the city) but we’re told to expect rolling blackouts. How can they be garaunteeing no terrorist involvement when they don’t seem to know what happened? I’m not jumping to conclusions but the gov’t should resist the sweeping statements. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-terrorist-attack-right-now/195230.md?page=4)