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Sensor Networks for NBC Threats
Nerdsville writes "Planet Analog have an article describing research into a nationwide sensor network that could provide a real-time early-warning system for chemical, biological and nuclear threats across the US.
Researchers plan to use microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanotechnology to create accurate biological and chemical sensors. Linked in an Internet-like peer-to-peer network spanning wireless, wired and satellite links."
a real-time early-warning system for chemical, biological and nuclear threats
Next time they should order the words the same as in the acronym (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) so those of us who are not terrorism experts can stop wondering why the peacock network poses such a threat to our well being.
Terrorist will use use something else that governments aren't looking for. For example the US was ready for an invasion by planes missiles etc... but on Sept. 11, the terrorists used something nobody expected.
I think the different governments should spend more money on trying to understand the causes of terrorism, and try to eliminate it at the source (which one could argue they already do with the war on terrorism).
You'll notice the article only mentions airborne threat... What about water ?
I can see it now: the 10 o'clock news reports that we've had the 3rd false nuclear threat, as sensors read a 69.69% jump in radiation levels at 4:20 this afternoon.... yeah, right!
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I have to post this as AC because the american audience here will murder my karma! American christian fundamentalists have the same insane beliefs, and bloodlust for infidels. As do Israeli Jewish fundamentalists. The only difference is that Islamic militaries are considered terrorists by americans, and american and israeli terrorists are considered millitaries by americans. It is all perspective. And yes Israeli soldiers and American soldiers quite often kill civillians without apology. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not defending terrorist actions(on any side) , I am quite against all these warlard puritans and zealots.
The worst and third worst terrorist attacks in recent American history were carried out by radical Islamic fundamentalists, yes. The second and fourth worst ... well, I don't think Timothy McVeigh or Eric Rudolph had spent much time listening to the imams. Pretty much all fundamentalism is bad, mmmkay?
The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
You want to know what the next terrorist will be like? Read up about the DC sniper case a few months back. Now imagine 20 snipers armed with rifles, and RPGs fanning out accross the nation. Yeah, eventually they'll be found and shot (martyred), but the terror it would cause both before and after (how do you know there aren't more?) would be immeasurable. How can you prevent it from happening? Well you can't, but that won't stop your leaders from turning the US into a police state because of it.
I didn't realize that abortion clinic bombings were carried out by Islamic fundamentalists. Did they also organize the Oklahoma City bombing?
Terrorists come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (the purple ones are tasty). Unless that is recognized and dealt with this so called "War on Terrorism" is going to be just another buzzword-laden travesty of what it should be, much like the "War on Drugs".
It is very important to understand the cause of the problem so that in trying to solve it, we dont create a larger one. My gut feeling based on my reading is that, unfortunately, the seeds of a larger problem have already been planted.