tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post1079130349447503699..comments2023-12-22T15:54:02.289-08:00Comments on Consider The Source: Is Terrorism an Olympic Event?mikeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13057701313718589322noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-30347118921719961342012-07-21T15:47:49.264-07:002012-07-21T15:47:49.264-07:00I don't mess with that stuff. I leave it up t...I don't mess with that stuff. I leave it up to Google's admins. They know better than I...mikeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13057701313718589322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-85103146342971862652012-07-21T14:51:25.806-07:002012-07-21T14:51:25.806-07:00hey now, when did mikey add the threaded comments?...hey now, when did mikey add the threaded comments?zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-46447470830825798762012-07-21T01:41:00.008-07:002012-07-21T01:41:00.008-07:00Hey, I don't think anyone's out to get me....Hey, I don't think anyone's out to get me. I'm just collateral damage in the capitalist free fire zone.M. Bouffanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519088858760760560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-28854541929832548862012-07-20T23:32:44.267-07:002012-07-20T23:32:44.267-07:00following the lead of E. Costello so many years ag...following the lead of E. Costello so many years ago, I am trying to be amused.<br /><br />Sometimes I fail, but I feel that is more the fault of modern society.<br /><br />I keep trying, because Zombies Always Try.zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-19246754919394846992012-07-20T23:31:15.309-07:002012-07-20T23:31:15.309-07:00I am amused at the idea of something so whacky tha...I am amused at the idea of something so whacky that Bouffant would label it as "paranoid"zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-54333632418889054122012-07-20T20:40:10.880-07:002012-07-20T20:40:10.880-07:00Ah, found the Atlantic thing. Pretty grim, but pla...Ah, found the <i>Atlantic</i> thing. <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/01/ten-years-later/3659/" rel="nofollow">Pretty grim</a>, but plausible.M. Bouffanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519088858760760560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-29711562084538769332012-07-20T20:28:56.330-07:002012-07-20T20:28:56.330-07:00Aircraft are both easy to control (No cops/DHS at ...Aircraft are both easy to control (No cops/DHS at 30,000 ft. if there's no air marshal aboard) & have plenty of potential victims aboard. And they are flying bombs.<br /><br />The Olympics are a good target because the whole world is watching, or at least a shit-pile of journalists & cameras will be there. Also, striking at the decadent developed world & their hoor women running track in shorts, yada.<br /><br />I read this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Final-Jihad-Worst-Finally/dp/0964704811" rel="nofollow">piece of paranoia</a> while wage-slaving at the late & unlamented Borders. It outlines plenty of crap that a few hundred people could accomplish that would screw lots of things up.<br /><br />Also a lengthy article in, I think, <i>The Atlantic</i>, by some guy from (formerly?) the gov't. in 2002 or 2003 that laid out all sorts of relatively petty stuff (Shooting up shopping malls, blowing up chemical plants, <i>&c.</i>) that would lead to plenty of trouble & over-reaction. Yet none of them seem to have been acted on by the ebil-doers.<br /><br />Gawd knows what actually motivates people who would do such things, but I suspect they aren't really willing to do the leg-work for anything less than destroying large symbolic things, or offing thousands in one action. "Sure, I'll die for the cause if a grand symbol is destroyed, or 10,000 die, but I'm not committing suicide by cop just to kill a few Yankee pigs in the mall."<br /><br />And the sorts of smaller-scale but often simultaneous attacks described may just require more crazed killers than exist, or at least more than can be gotten into the United Snakes & financed while they prepare themselves.<br /><br />I do have a vague memory of people in non-Euro nations we don't really like being shocked & horrified by 11 Sep't. 2001 & expressing sympathy, before Bush screwed it all up. Terrorists may be counting on that reaction even after they do smash up a "cuddly" target & all are outraged. <br /><br />And let's be honest: The WTC destruction had an immediate effect on the economy & the airline biz, Bush then threw blood & treasure down the Iraqi/Afghan rabbit-holes, got reëlected & proceeded to let the economy go to hell. Score one for AQ.M. Bouffanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519088858760760560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-3043073820133986162012-07-20T11:26:15.293-07:002012-07-20T11:26:15.293-07:00Ahh. Yes, I agree with both premises - terrorists...Ahh. Yes, I agree with both premises - terrorists utilize a bizarre targeting regamine and there are VERY few terrorists. The fact that they either don't realize how effective some garden variety shootings and bombs would be or they cannot find a way to accomplish attacks like that means that, yes, we have massively overstated the threat.<br /><br />The point about the TSA is a great one. If I ever went anywhere (except to the bathroom), and thus had any personal experience with 'em, I'd write something about them. But essentially they are the result of the combination of a political need to be seen doing SOMETHING (so-called "Security Theater") and the inherent difficulty of the team on defense. The defense has to defend the entire perimeter 100% of the time and can never make any mistakes. The attacker can study, plan, innovate and choose the time and place of the attack. Defense will always have the appearance of being big, slow and cumbersome, because, well, that's exactly what it is...mikeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13057701313718589322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-21005541719279012112012-07-20T11:20:46.825-07:002012-07-20T11:20:46.825-07:00Is Terrorism an Olympic Event?
judging by the pu...<i>Is Terrorism an Olympic Event? </i><br /><br />judging by the purported terrorist suspects the FBI is trapping lately, I would say SPECIAL Olympics, but that would be denigrating to the Special Olympians.zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-6165103698372515832012-07-20T11:19:28.257-07:002012-07-20T11:19:28.257-07:00well, exactly mikey (although I larf a bit at the ...well, exactly mikey (although I larf a bit at the juxtaposition of 'laserlike' and 'TSA').<br /><br />The fact that there are not a helluva lot more shootings in titty bars and movie theaters kind of shows one of two things (possibly both): Terrists are remarkably stupid, thinking the only viable target is an airplane, and that there are really very very very very few actual terrorists.<br /><br />As another aside, one would think that the fact the TSA is NEVER responsible for actually catching a terrorist (most often it's plain old cops) would indicate that they are a pretty useless agency, but the fever-pitch terror that the Republicans and news corps like to keep us in will not allow that discussion to even begin.zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-32783975131674981562012-07-20T10:29:04.242-07:002012-07-20T10:29:04.242-07:00Heck, mikey, anybody can shoot up a movie theater....Heck, mikey, anybody can shoot up a movie theater.<br />~ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©https://www.blogger.com/profile/06252371815131259831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-11056362061620884992012-07-20T10:12:12.873-07:002012-07-20T10:12:12.873-07:00But the laser focus on air travel as the primary t...But the laser focus on air travel as the primary terror target proves that opportunity is not even considered in the process...mikeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13057701313718589322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537045684820674531.post-49664094776971282222012-07-20T09:27:11.572-07:002012-07-20T09:27:11.572-07:00from what I've been able to determine, targeti...from what I've been able to determine, targeting is pretty much entirely about opportunity.<br /><br />it is an opportunity to sponge of the public teat for terrorism theater, though, so any imaginary threat will be blown completely out of proportion.<br /><br />Meanwhile, in Americuh, any random whackaloon can murder a dozen people at any random event.<br /><br />"... the terrorists would simply start bombing other places that are crowded. Porn shops, crack houses, titty bars, and gangbangs. You know, entertainment venues."zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.com