# WTF?  I don't believe the PSA I just saw!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-i-dont-believe-the-psa-i-just-saw/480868>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [January 12, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-i-dont-believe-the-psa-i-just-saw/480868 "2009-01-12T03:15:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 6

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-i-dont-believe-the-psa-i-just-saw/480868/101 "2009-01-17T15:15:18Z")

</div>

> [@Mr.Moto](#):
>
> Again, for all that it is ridiculed, duck and cover is pretty good advice. It remains the standard shelter-in-place rule for earthquakes and tornadoes, with some modifications. And a second’s thought would show that it has utility against explosive attacks from whatever source.
> 
> Let’s remember that a good portion of the fatalities and even more of the injuries in the Oklahoma City bombing were from flying glass. And while that likely couldn’t have been prevented in that case, it could have been different had advance warning of the bomb been obtained.

You do have a point there. I suppose Duck and Cover has a bad name because of its association with Global Thermonuclear Warfare, wherein the technique seems pretty pointless.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-i-dont-believe-the-psa-i-just-saw/480868/102 "2009-01-19T01:29:59Z")

</div>

> [@Koxinga](#):
>
> Dude, we heard you the first time.

You may hear it a few more times, too. Then again, maybe you won’t.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-i-dont-believe-the-psa-i-just-saw/480868/103 "2009-01-20T13:38:45Z")

</div>

> [@Polycarp](#):
>
> To leave off with the Texas-, **RR** -, and **QED** -bashing, may I suggest that there are no doubt areas where such a plan might be valuable as a just-in-case. Two of “my boys” and the bio-mother of one of them live in homes within a couple of miles of the HQ of a major army base – to have the kids know what to do in the admittedly unlikely event the base is a target for a terrorist attack, is a reasonable precaution for the parents and grandparent to take.
> 
> In the case of places like Houston, Miami, Wilmington (NC), New Orleans, San Francisco, San Jose, etc., a short “what to do in emergency” in the form of a sequence of steps the kids can remember to take in case of disaster, man-made or natural, makes sense. And a PSA reminding parents and other caregivers that it’s a good idea, seems a sensible use of mandated PSA time. It’s not something I’d ever want to see mandated, but it makes sense as a volunteer use of resources.

In all the years since I ran across this board, I’ve never disagreed with you. But, IMHO, Texas deserves all the bashing it can receive and I hope to never miss an opportunity to bash the place. Sorry, but YMMV.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-i-dont-believe-the-psa-i-just-saw/480868.md?page=5)