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DHS Ponders "Improving" Terrorism Alert System
An anonymous reader writes "The DHS's color-coded terrorism risk warning system has often been criticized on a number of grounds. However, it seems that at last DHS has taken note of these criticisms and is finally planning to fix one of its problems. Which one? Well, since the two lowest levels have never been used in the history of the program, the solution is obvious: just get rid of them! In the new system, the lowest level would be yellow, 'guarded,' representing 'A constant state of vigilance to protect against a terrorist attack.' While it's nice that they're at least no longer maintaining a pretense of it being for anything other than fear-mongering, I don't think this was the kind of change most people were hoping for."
It worked for the Prisoner. Why scrap it?
'A constant state of vigilance to protect against a terrorist attack.'
But this should make all the Young Libertarians on Slashdot delirious with delight. Isn't the price of freedom supposed to be eternal vigilance?
It would be "fear-mongering" if there were NO possiblity of a terrorist attack.
That does NOT mean DHS is less fucked up than a football bat.
Let's just declare martial law and get it over with.
Ed R.Zahurak
You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.
If we let down our guard then the terrorists win.
There may be no "I" in team, but there's also no "F" in way.
Green - Dangerous minorities in the area. Lock the doors.
Yellow - asians are messing with our computers again. Use Linux.
Orange - Mexican drug gang wars are spilling over in to the United States. Wear Kevlar.
Red - Socialist President. Abandon the country.
These terror alert levels write themselves.
"Purple alert! Purple alert!"
"What's a purple alert?"
"Well, it's like not as bad as a red alert, but a bit worse than a blue alert -- sort of a mauve alert."
- Lister and Holly
Yeah, yellow is pretty much the constant. So, people are typically going "okay, it's a normal day, carry on then". If it's orange (I've flown once during orange) then there's a bit of tension in the air. Makes for a more unpleasant airport experience, but it also tends to make people more aware of their surroundings.
So sure, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. You SHOULD always be aware of what's around you and remain alert. It's not rocket science.
Sent from your iPad.
... Obama would just get rid of the alert system entirely. It was developed by GW Bush, and therefore is just fundamentally wrong. It just creates panic anyways ... it servers no real purpose ... nobody is going to hide in their bunkers or join a local militia if we go to the highest terrorist alert level, are they?
This system provides no real benefit to the American populace other than to instill fear.
I don't stop what I'm doing because for some reason or another, the day has been ranked a "red" terrorist day.
Really, all it does (besides instilling fear) is give news sources something to talk about briefly.
Why not take it all the way and reduce it to one level:
"Be afraid, be very afraid. There will soon be a terrorist attack. Support your masters in whatever they want to do."
For historical reasons I recommend a brownish-grey as the colour.
In this respect, not much seems to have changed.
From scarped cliff or quarried stone she cries "A thousand types are gone, I care for nothing, no not one."
Take note that if they go to three colors, the current Blue would be the new Yellow - that is to say "A general risk of terrorist attack". Methinks the summary's a bit off.
Ignoring the fear that it was probably _designed_ to instill in the population and potentially the global population... It's just a pointless system.
If this system is at all meant for the general population, it's failed. When I go out on vacation, or planning on visiting a major city and/or landmark, I never even think of the Alert colors.
I understand that it may potentially only be for government agencies, especially law enforcement, but even then does saying we're at yellow, or orange, or even red _really_ give them direction? I'm assuming even if there are general rules in place to "do x and y when at color z" they only get rudimentary things done. Say, bringing in more personnel or putting more people on standby status. Even the agencies need to know _what_ to look for and in what fashion the event is predicted to take place.
Really, beyond fear, I can't see the point in the system at all. If there is something to report to the public, report it. If there is something to report to government agencies, I bet there are a bunch of better ways, already in use, to alert the proper acronyms of the who, what, when, where, and why.
Government WANK alert system. Whereby the wankiness of a government is scaled by public opinions, and if the scale hits a certain point, everyone in public office at that time is tossed out at once, and we elect a whole new batch?
We can have a National Referendum day in 60 days from the time the WANK alert is triggered. 15 days to register to run, 15 days to organize campaigns, and 30 days to run. If people campaign before the official campaign limit, they are automatically excluded from the ballot.
And nobody can run if they have ever held elected office before.
I'm sick to death of Damned Professional Politicians. Lets get some amateurs in and see if they can do better.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
Regardless of the color code you only have three security modes, oppressed, more oppressed, and tyranny. Anyone else who tells you otherwise is a martyr.
Green = "Go ahead, let your guard down, see what happens" Yellow = "There is a new budget up for vote, and if you don't give DHS more money the terrorists win" Red = "Imminent threat, only direct intervention by Steven Segal can prevent global disaster" Black = "We told you this would happen if you didn't give DHS more money"
You wouldn't be locked to any predefined colors and you could be as specific as you wanted to be.
Those "threat levels" dont mean anything anymore because we are numb to them. The harassment that you get through security is really just an illusion: if you feel like you are inconvenienced and your stuff is being searched, then you feel safe. I remember going through security 3 times on one trip...getting to my hotel and pulling out the power brick from my briefcase only to have my pocket knife come out with it. I didnt intentionally bring it...but...holy crap on a crap cracker...I made it through security with that! There are other stories as well, but its all about the illusion - people feeling safe and people feeling like the govt is doing something. Truth is that if one of these jackholes really wants to do something terroristy - then they will find a way. I hate that it will happen...but it will...and I am sure we will get more inconvenienced over it.
1331461 is only semiprime *sigh* Alas - I am just short of 1337.
Having a childish, Star Trek based "Terror Alert System" only plays into the hands of terrorists by giving them goals. Furthermore, it lets them know if we're on to something. I'm not big on government secrecy, but if they're investigating an attack on the country I'd prefer that they take care of the problem and then tell everyone. Letting the terrorists know we're on to them by raising the "terror level" is just absurd.
"From the depths of my skeptical and rationalist soul, I ask the Lord to protect me from California touchie-feeliedom."
Sirens and klaxons on every corner that run continuously during times of safety to remind us to remain ever vigilant.
The sirens will only be turned off during times of actual attacks.
Here
Color Code Fuchsia Security Status ("Relatively High").
Color Code Magenta Security Status ("A Tad Higher Than Relatively High, but Not Totally High.")
Color Code Security Status Mauve ("Calm, but Tense").
Color Code Security Status Key Lime ("Partly Cloudy").
Color Code Security Status Maroon ("Dark Brownish Red").
Color Code Security Status Peach ("Viewer Discretion Advised").
Color Code Security Status Burnt Umber ("Medium Rare").
Color Code Security Status Tangerine ("Uh-Oh").
Color Code Security Status Jalapeno ("Everyone Down!").
Color Code Security Status Traffic Cone Orange ("Yipes!").
Best Slashdot Co
By keeping the threat level at Orange (High) for as long as they have DHS has done two things:
1) Desensitized the rating system to the point that it's meaningless.
2) Left a lot of people thinking, "You mean after all these years and billions of $s we haven't been able to reduce the threat?"
That's not exactly true. DHS Sets Security Alert Level To Green For 8 Seconds
I think it's pretty telling how most people now call the warning system just a 'fear-mongering device'. Who would have thunk it... the sheep actually don't want to know when the wolf is coming, they just want the sheppard to protect them so they can go about their merry way.
I always thought the public should be the last to know about actual threats to them because telling them will just incite fear and panic, but it astonishes me that even the public seems to agree now.
When was your flight? I don't think anyone even pays attention to this anymore, do they?
I think they should rename yellow to "lets face it, the world never WAS safe, and never will be. Learn to accept it."
If it's orange (I've flown once during orange) then there's a bit of tension in the air. Makes for a more unpleasant airport experience, but it also tends to make people more aware of their surroundings.
I've never flown in not-orange ever since they came up with the system. I'm not some business traveler, but I fly between three and six times a year round-trip to various places around the country, and I always hear the same recording of some guy saying "The current threat level is orange". And I don't think anyone has so much as batted an eye. From San Francisco to Denver to freaking JFK Intl., I've never seen people act more alert and suspicious after that announcement.
Like this B.S. threat level is so well correlated with actual terrorist plotting that, if you're worried about terrorists, it's safe to lower your guard during a "yellow" threat level. Please! People are going to react the same way to "suspicious" things they see in an airport, and they're going to pay just as much attention either way. Nobody cares about the threat level, for one because it never changes, for two because it doesn't make any sense to do anything different -- if you're paranoid about terrorists and care to be alert on the 1-in-a-billion chance you personally spot terrorist activity, you will be just as much so during "yellow" as "orange". And if you're like me, and not worried much at all about terrorists, you're going to keep a vague eye out but you're still not going to give a shit how scared TSA says you should be.
The Terror Alert is useless bullshit.
The enemies of Democracy are
Dept. of *
Yep yep. I interpret the terror alert color to only indicate one thing: how long the line will be at the security checkpoint. And it's for purely psychological reasons: higher danger levels make us desire a greater inconvenience in order to feel safe.
To wit: if the color was green, nobody would care if they just whisked everybody through without searching purses, confiscating water bottles, and making us take off our shoes.
FATMOUSE + YOU = FATMOUSE
Law enforcement use a similar color code system. Officers must always maintain the "always alert" (on guard) awareness level of vigilance. The only reason to have codes below this is for training and discipline purposes. If an officer lets their guard down and drops below the "always alert" level, the safety of the officer and/or citizens can be jeopardized. So, on a public spectrum, I agree with the change that the public only need to know our code awareness level from "Guarded" on up.
Let's just get rid of authoritarian government and get it over with.
You may want to expand these obscure acronyms before plastering them all over the place.
I thought you were referring to a furniture store of some kind.
That's funny, The Onion just ran a story on this very topic: http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/dhs_sets_security_alert?utm_source=b-section
Maybe the only proper way to run these alert levels is to take a clue from the efficiency experts. This is from memory since I can't find a good link but the story is something like this:
a. A factory wanted to determine the effect of lighting on productivity
b. They increased lighting and productivity increased. Yay!
c. Just to be sure, though, they decreased the lighting level and were surprised when productivity increased. Qua?
d. Conclusion sometime people change their behavior just because something changed.
If actually know there's a potential threat raise the threat level and announce "The threat level was raised to orange". If the threat continues then lower the threat level for a day or so and then raise it again. Etc. etc. Once the threat has passed revert to a baseline threat level and leave it there.
Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
It's not useless. It's simply a symbol of control, and a way to keep people cowed. They haven't taken it to red, they're reserving that for when they need a shot of mindless patriotism to get something illegal taken care of, so they can claim it was done to "prevent terrorism".
My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
Look, it's a department whose sole purpose is defending the homeland. How is it fear mongering to stay on "a constant state of vigilance". And when would they ever go less than that, realistically? Do we want a Department of Homeland Defense whose alertness to terrorism status is "Not paying attention.", which is what is less than "vigilant".
To claim their stupid status level is fear mongering is similar to claiming that your local police department is fear mongering by warning that you should stay "constantly vigilant against crime". Fear mongering belongs to the media, who broadcast it as some sort of earth shattering news. The level is just a CYA for DHS so that if something gets blown up they can tell congress how vigilant they were, ... 'and the baddies must have been really clever cause gosh we've been staying alert. See how red the meter was?'
Anyone who is reduced to an active state of fear because the silly meter changes colors is not suited for public life and should probably retreat to some manner of convent where they get no news from the outside world.
more dangerous than cunning terrorists.
Hope is the currency of fools
Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
It's not useless. It's simply a symbol of control, and a way to keep people cowed.
Yeah, I meant useless from our point of view (which the OP seemed to suggest wasn't the case), not useless from its creator's point of view. I think we all know the use of the Be Scared Alert for them, long before Tom Ridge spilled the beans.
The enemies of Democracy are
Green/"Normal" - no particular reason to be antsy, equivalent to a normal day on a military starship. Still, don't be complacent.
Yellow/"Elevated" - equivalent to Yellow Alert
Red/"High" - equivalent to Red Alert, one step short of martial law
Of course, all 3 levels should be used in a per-industry or per-location basis. For example, if there is a specific threat on a specific seaport, then that seaport might to elevated or high for the duration of the threat and the rest of the country remain at normal.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
We've always been at War with EastEurasia
The DHS was/is not even necessary, and is just another bureaucracy clogging up things even more.
Those who trade freedom for security get neither. The more you allow government to protect you the more power you allow them to throw you in a dungeon and throw away the key. No Trial, No Rights, No more Liberty.
You either put the handcuffs on the government or they put them on you.
I work at an airport, and they pipe a "The Homeland Security Advisory System is Level Orange. Please be aware of the increased threat and report any unattended baggage or suspicious behavior to the nearest airport employee, law enforcement officer, or TSA personnel." message through the PA system every 10 minutes or so.
They've been doing it ever since I started working there 3 years ago, and it hasn't changed once. Everyone knows it's a joke; what's the point of a system that always remains at a high alert level all the time?
I'm tempted to start asking security folks if they're being more alert due to the increased threat.
You know what? Among conservatives, "Patriotic" has lost its original meaning of loving one's country. It has become the codeword for their own type of "Politically Correct."
I preferred Ron White's system. It's simple, self-descriptive, and has only 2 levels. Level 1: Find a helmet. Level 2: Put on the damn helmet.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
In a highly anticipated move, Congress today determined that all DEFCON levels above 1 are unneeded and will be scrapped.
"Well, we're at war 24/7 as it is, the system should reflect that," stated a representative.
Defence contractors were unable to comment, though one did make a side remark that he was too busy counting his money.
they have so far! its informative and effectively communicates the urgency of the matter.
if they build a new one, maybe they can make it one that changes states/colors? so that way we know when there isn't alot of terrorism threat.
Good people go to bed earlier.
Get rid of the DHS.
They have done NOTHING but shit on America.
Should we as people should be made aware of the status anyway? That in itself instigate fear among people. With fear come crime, hate crime, stress, disease, etc..
There is an ELEVATED risk of the Department of Homeland Security being morons. A constant state of vigilance is advised to guard against erosion of civil liberties and constitutional rights.
Personally, I'm just happy to see the change because it means no more putting blue in between yellow and green. That always bugged me, as a slightly OCD person who used to sort things in rainbow order, from crayons to the Skittles I was eating.
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
Actually, I was talking about the terms as used in the Star Trek tv-show universe.
I wish I could give you +5 for the use of humor to derail a subthread.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
I like this version better:
Green - Dangerous minorities which are little and from Zatox in the area. Lock the doors.
Yellow (Dog) - asians^H^H^H^H^H^H Democrats are messing with our computers again. Use Linux.
Orange - Mexican drug gang^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Ukranian political wars are spilling over in to the United States. Wear Kevlar.
Red - Socialist President. Abandon the country.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
This alert system was a joke from the time is was developed. It's not funny anymore. Plesae stop it. We've been tickled so much we're going to throw up.
Put a smile on my face every time.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
Free Martian Whores!
D'oh. Yep, that'd be a read fail on my part.
You've flown once in the last three years then?
All flights have been Orange since August 10, 2006. The suspects in the plot that caused it to be raised to orange have been apprehended, tried for non-terrorism crimes, tried for terrorist plotting (hung jury), and retried (convicted). The alert level has remained unchanged.
You should not be any more alert than normal, because Orange is normal. You can remain "alert" (for what?) if you like, but it's silly to say you should do anything different because of an alert level that isn't ever different.
He didn't say "out in the country where there are varmints." He said, "...if I were taking a walk around my state's capital square." Under normal circumstances there is no reason for an "apparent civilian," as he said, to be carrying a rifle around in the middle of a city.
But you couldn't read that far. You saw that something was being said that wasn't quite ardently gun-worshipping, you saw red and your knee started jerking violently, and you had to spew your self-righteous propoganda. MORON!
Hint: The biggest dangers to Americans have nothing to do with terrorism.
you had me at #!
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=949467&cid=24827149
"While it's nice that they're at least no longer maintaining a pretense of it being for anything other than fear-mongering, I don't think this was the kind of change most people were hoping for."
Congratulations, you just discovered that we live in an oligarchy!!!
Guess it doesn't matter one hill of bean or another WHO you vote for because whatever choice you choose it is either a Turd Sandwich or a Giant Douche.
Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
Seems sensible to be over-cautious with gov power.
Governments in the 20th century were a leading cause of non-natural deaths: 150-200M intentional deaths of their own citizens. Add in the deaths caused by starting wars, e.g. 25M in WWI and 50M in WWII, big numbers.
If anyone thinks their own country couldn't start putting people in a gulag, recall that Germany in 1925 was one of the most civilized countries in the world, and that rabbis were concerned that the Jewish religion would die out because 25% of all Jews were marrying outside of the religion. Jews were completely integrated into the society, dominated law, medicine and universities.
There are lots of psychology studies showing how easy it is to convert ordinary people into torturers, no ideology required.
And maybe they should rename orange to "Still not as dangerous as your drive to the airport is going to be."
I don't remember having a terror alert color syst...oh, yeeaahhhhhh... The media got bored of it, so I forgot.
It's caled Perpetual war
Oceania (commonly called the US and Britain) is at war with Terrorism. Oceania has always been at war with Terrorism.
This system is at least more specific than the original scale (What's the difference between "General" and "Elevated", anyway?). While "A state of constant vigilance" is probably the worst wording you could use, making me think of Beneath a Steel Sky and its mantra of "Be vigilant", the rest of the scale is specific about what it means. Here's my take on what the wording means.
Yellow: Normal. Don't panic, just look for suspicious guys leaving boxes with wires sticking out around the airport.
Orange: There's some credible evidence of a terrorist attack. Expect tighter screening.
Red: We are under attack or are about to be attacked. Expect a spontaneous celebration of "No-liquids day" at the airport.
This terror scale goes up to eleven...
Green - "whew, republicans control every branch of government"
Yellow - "so called 'hackers' are posting documents proving government corruption to wikileaks"
orange - "anonymous is posting on 4chan"
red - "you have been killed by a government death panel"
VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
OK I invented a three color system that will be self obvious to citizens:
The underwear code
1. WHITE - Everything is cool, nothing to worry about.
2. YELLOW - Mild threat, possible fear. Light panic.
3. BROWN - Uh Oh! Something gonna blow up!!!
Ignorance is peace. Freedom is hell. Control is love.
not sure which is the really scary one - but that is the whole idea isn't it?
http://www.zefrank.com/redalert/index_better.html
My favourite.
"...the colors corresponded to the skin colour taht the terrorists would most likely be on a given day."
"And I remember an intern at the time that said "wouldn't it be problem if you printed it out on a piece of paper and it was a white terrorist?"
" A white terrorist...'"
JB
Forgetting about the Security Theatre side of the threat level for a moment. I always thought it would be best if the threat level was related to something that people could get a real grasp of. For example:
Risk of being injured or killed today by terrorists is the same as:
And we know we really need to be on guard when the terror threat reaches: "Automobile Accident" or "Smoking". Fortunately, I think we'll probably find we haven't actually reached "Socks" level yet. Of course we'll never have such a system since it was clearly inform the public.