# Warning, the terrorists could be using information! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 30, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666 "2003-12-30T01:13:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/21 "2003-12-30T04:24:50Z")
From the FBI memo Be especially on the lookout for Black males reading almanacs, because, you know, only militant Negros read. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/22 "2003-12-30T04:35:18Z")
WE’RE ALL MARKED, PEOPLE!!! The FBI dudes will be by shortly to arrest us for possesion of a deadly weapon, our brains! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nanoda \* > \*\*Anyways, who cares if [raw onions cure insomnia](http://www.almanac.com/) anyhow? \*\* Onions keep me safe from spotted lizards! ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/23 "2003-12-30T04:49:04Z")
Everyone in the office today forwarded this to my immediate supervisor, who has an Encyclopedia Brittanica Almanac on his desk right now. It was given to him as a holiday gift by _his_ supervisor, our section head. They’re all terrorists. I knew it. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/24 "2003-12-30T05:15:23Z")
I´m truly amazed how you can withstand all the scaremongering you´re put through; my hat´s off to my american friends. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/25 "2003-12-30T05:56:00Z")
But what have you got in your hat, **Ale**? Is that an… _ **almanac???** _ ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/26 "2003-12-30T06:45:10Z")
I still laughed at the comments of the publisher of the Farmer’s Almanac in the Yahoo AP story: > [@](#): > > “While we doubt that our editorial content would be of particular interest to people who would wish to do us harm, we will certainly cooperate to the fullest with national authorities at any level they deem appropriate,” publisher John Pierce said. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/27 "2003-12-30T08:00:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > WE’RE ALL MARKED, PEOPLE!!! The FBI dudes will be by shortly to arrest us for possesion of a deadly weapon, our brains! George W. Bush wants to bring us down to his level? ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/28 "2003-12-30T11:15:48Z")
Well, considering the class of terrorist most feared at the moment is the kind who plan to immitiate previous unsuccesful attempts slavishly rather than exploit one of the other gaping security holes, terrorists with _information_ **is** scary! (Making fun of (1) terrorists who are this stupid and (2) people who assume _all_ terrorists are) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/29 "2003-12-30T11:39:41Z")
Reminds me of shortly after 9/11, while I was riding the commuter train to work and reading a book. A fellow passenger became _alarmed_ because the book I was reading was an operations manual for an airplane and reported me to the conductor. I’ll give the conductor credit - she was very polite and did a lot of eye-rolling at the Hysterical Passenger. Why, yes, ladies, I _am_ reading a book on a particular model of airplane because I am a pilot and I am planning to fly this weekend and wanted to review a few things… Apparently, “I am a pilot” was the wrong thing to say in front of Hysterical Passenger… :rolleyes: Good thing I didn’t mention the air navigation map I had of Chicago in my backpack, or my pocket knife… This has been going on for _over two fucking years_ people! Wake up! The Chicken-Littles are convinced _everyone_ is a danger. Haven’t changed my reading habits one damn bit - and don’t intend to, either. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/30 "2003-12-30T13:22:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vibrotronica \* > \*\*I was just visiting the Pit to start a thread on this very thing. > > If you know things, the terrorists have already won. > > Next: FBI monitoring of Pub Quiz. “Some smarty smart smart might be helping the terrorists! Good citizens don’t want to know the largest city in South Dakota!” > > Sweet mother of fuck… \*\* they’d have to arrest the winning table for knowing too much. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/31 "2003-12-30T13:33:30Z")
I suddenly have the urge to go out and buy almanacs by the stack. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/32 "2003-12-30T13:48:23Z")
And whle you’re at it, be sure your car’s glove compartment has maps. Lots of maps. With cities shown plainly on them! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/33 "2003-12-30T15:00:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shoshana \* > \*\*Thank god I decided against the almanac and bought a bird book instead. \*\* Yeah? But what sort of bomb can a Swallow carry, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/34 "2003-12-30T15:10:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*Yeah? But what sort of bomb can a Swallow carry, anyway? \*\* Is that an African or a European swallow? [sub](Oh, come on, you know somebody had to!)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/35 "2003-12-30T15:12:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skillet38 \* > \*\*all they’re saying is, if a cop pulls over someone suspicious and notices an almanac with US icons circled in red and a jug of napalm in the trunk, put 2 and 2 together. \*\* If the police officers in your area so stupid they need a memo to do this, you’ve got bigger problems than an almanac totin’ terrorist. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/36 "2003-12-30T15:16:29Z")
African swallows are non-migratory. ---
**Author:** ![MrMyth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19b73/32.png) [@MrMyth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMyth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/37 "2003-12-30T15:33:17Z")
Depends. Is it unladen? Or Bin Laden? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/38 "2003-12-30T15:52:16Z")
> [@](#): > > The FBI said information typically found in almanacs that could be useful for terrorists includes profiles of cities and states and information about waterways, bridges, dams, reservoirs, tunnels, buildings and landmarks. It said this information is often accompanied by photographs and maps. I really hope the terrorists are as stupid as the people who are supposedly protecting us. I honestly think the majority of the solutions they come up with are wasted resources. The terrorists have proven they’re patient, rather thorough and aren’t afraid to die. If they want to attack again, they will, and they’ll succeed. I wouldn’t be surprised if someday we hear about a few sleeper cells waking and strapping bombs to their chests and start heading to the malls. It’s relatively easy to do, causes quite a bit of destruction physically and to the economy, and is very damaging to morale (think how the DC snipers affected people). ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/39 "2003-12-30T16:01:37Z")
Seriously, I had an almanac in the back seat of my car for a year or so when I was studying for one of my unsuccessful attempts to get on Jeopardy!. If it was still there and I was pulled over, would that be considered probable cause to search my car now? ---
**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:** [December 30, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666/40 "2003-12-30T17:33:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeadlyAccurate \* > \*\*I really hope the terrorists are as stupid as the people who are supposedly protecting us. \*\* The FBI and CIA are seeming more and more like Inspector Gadget: high-tech, but very stupid. All they need to do is find a little girl with a supercomputer and a talking dog, and they’ll be able to stop Al-Qaeda once and for all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-the-terrorists-could-be-using-information/221666.md?page=3)