This is an interesting game - Al Queda makes pronouncements and we react to them... but does Al Queda have the ability to deliver anything but threats? I think we need that proposed exchange to trade futures on predictions of terrorism.

They're changing the color to cyan-yellow-aqua, of CYA for short.

Sigh. "Or", not "of".

Did we run this by the UN first?

/Dean, Clark, etc......

Chanuka, Christmas, Malls, etc.
Certainly a "good" juxtaposition of factors for targetting densely packed crowds.
It won't keep wife & I from doing some shopping this evening but I will be.....observant.

time to surrender I guess /France

These terrorists are pretty lame. Just bring it.

Then we can get on to the business of eliminating your sh*tty little countries and sowing the ruins with salt.

</tired of stupid terrorist crap>

There's a Tom Ridge Press Conference, live now on ABC and the cable nets.

OT -- Claims that Hussein instructed insurgents

With that, he used a word-of-mouth system of couriers to carry his instructions back to Baathist cells that helped him guide the anti-coalition insurgency, said U.S. intelligence officers with the 4th Infantry Division, which captured Saddam.

This is despite what the Lefties claimed immediately after Saddam's capture-- that there was no way he was in control of anything. Wrong again, losers.

Remember this the next time the LLL whinge about any military action during Ramadan.

if we get attacked again like on 9-11 or worse i'll be all for the bigel option

"With that, he used a word-of-mouth system of couriers to carry his instructions back to Baathist cells that helped him guide the anti-coalition insurgency..."

Thereby, Saddam gives up any claim to protections under the Geneva Conventions.

#9 Let's Roll

I have my doubts that he was directing specific attacks. He probably gave encouragement, and gave vague advice ('attack the Iraqi police', 'hit convoys', etc). But with ~20 attacks per day, I doubt he was organising them.

That said, he was the motivation behind most of the attacks. Which is enough for me.

#9

Sorry, bad link. Try this one instead.

There's also this interesting bit, BTW:

Before two of Mr. Hussein's sons, Uday and Qusay, merciless enforcers of his terror in the years of power, were killed by American forces in a shootout in the northern city of Mosul on July 22, American intelligence officers say, they almost certainly met their father periodically at the safe houses, plotting stratagems before separating to avoid standing out.

What are you guys talking about? If there's a nuclear attack or some sort of chem/bio attack with mass casualties, then we might "eliminate" a country. Anything short of that, not a chance.

Scuse me, I'm running off to a busy mall because I've got some shopping to do.

F yourselves, RoP.

#15 NC

And even then, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are untouchable.

Colt--Absolutely right. And speaking of Pakistan . . . .

I don't like the sound of this one...is anyone as scared as I am....I think are starting to think that all these warnings are sort of like when the boy cries WOLF too many times and no one responds when when the wolf finally comes.

How do you think this attack is going to pan out?

Dirty bomb
Car Bomb
Mini Nuke
Various ammounts of suicide bombers that will blow themselves up in cities around the country in unison....using GPS units and Cell phones.

I think that these FUCKERS are cooking something bad...and we have to stop them.

Let me know what you guys think about what is going to happen...

Andrew B.

OT -- Heh heh

Smashing down doors, troops went house to house in Fallujah, a center of resistance west of Baghdad, early Sunday. Troops of the Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment blockaded Rawah, near the western border with Syria, for a sweep dubbed Operation Santa Claws, the U.S. Army told Associated Press Television News.

#18 NC

{Sigh}

We aren't shooting ourselves in the foot, so much as in the face.

#19 Andrew B.

I don't know whether to suspect 1 big attack (dirty bomb) or a rash of suicide attacks (maybe using women like the attacks in Russia). Either way, their chatter can't help their odds.

My gut says suicide bombers - maybe aimed at churches and/or malls.

#18 NC

From Pakistan to Iran to Libya. Great

What do you mean Churches...try synagogues first.

Trust me they hate me more than you....I'm jewish.

Never underestimate the power of a person gripped with anti-semitism....an American they can hate, but a Jew to them is like a BLACK PLAGUE.

Andrew B.

Snug in our little Blue Ridge Mountain town, not much worry here about the Colors of Terrorism.

George Roland Wills is showing his new film about the ghost of Robert E. Lee visiting Avenel House down at the Central Library today at 4:00. I dont think the 100 or so people will stay away. My daughter Camille-Renee is making her Film Debut as Emalyssa. We'll have coffee and tea. Y'all come.

Chances are, any nuclear weapon detonated in a Western city will have been built with assistance from our ally Pakistan, paid for by our ally Saudi Arabia and delievered by our peace partners, the Palestinians.

WOTMA.

One of these days they are bound to be right. I was flipping between Fox and CNN on TV, and one of them said DHS mentioned they have intel the jihadis still want to use aircraft. If that is true, I'm not too concerned about another 9-11 style attack ( although I wouldn't want to be on the particular plane the jihadis might target, if they have explosives, they will probably take the plane down when it becomes obvious the passengers won't go for a suicide ride). New York City still seems like what the Feds are most worried about, and a stolen cargo jet won't get that far without detection.

Truck bombers are still what scare me the most.

BTW, does anybody really think we'll do anything to Saudi if a truck bomb kills a thousand people in New York? As far as Pakistan goes, besides the fact that Musharaf probably really is kind of on our side (as much as his Islamic people/military will let him) there is the inconvenient fact of nuclear weapons already on missiles/aircraft. Air strikes there would just put the hardcore jihadis in power, and we're stretched a little thin now to occupy the country. I think the best course of action there is to support Musharaf, and hope there isn't a coup.

Syria or Iran should be our next targets, with the hopes Saudi will see the handwriting on the wall and clean their own mess up before we do it for them.

#27 Ed Moran

My aunt is flying from Boston to Heathrow tonight. If anything happens to her flight, I'm going 'freelance'.

#22 Eric Sivula
"My gut says suicide bombers - maybe aimed at churches and/or malls."

My head says the same.
Let's not forget what the word "terrorism" means. Inflicting nightmarish fear into as many people as possible with the least amount of expenditure of capital & effort.
Anywhere from 3 to 10 or so suicide bombers in well placed locations across the US would drive everybody out of public places for awhile.
The Christmas shopping season is the very brief period of time that major retailers rely on to get their bottom lines into the black.
So they'd get their fear factor with national economic disruption as a bonus.
Cost: A few grand for explosives and a few drones who are eminently disposable.

The problem for them, however, will be the after effects of such an operation. How many Americans presently identify at the gut level with the victims of suicide attacks in Israel the way LGFers do?
Those numbers would increase dramatically & cause a tectonic shift towards the "Bigel" position.
Not that we would or should do anything that drastic but many would be more attuned to any actions smacking of revenge.

In any case....does anybody still not understand the ancient Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times."?

I want to see someone simultaneously complain about the government telling us about every terrorist threat via this color system, as well as complain that the government "knew" about the 9/11 threat but did nothing.

My two cents:
given the September Eleven attacks, every person with any knowledge about terrorism knows there will be a second attack, a third, etc.
The point is what we do to dismantle the terrorist organization in the meanwhile, not the number of attacks that these bastards can carry on (OR NOT).
The problem here is to define 'the terrorist organization'.
If it is al qaeda and others like that, they are toast. If it is something much deeper and larger...we better see it before we see what they can actually do.

Orange Alert means the following at the ranch:

Mrs. Cowboy Bob now takes her .38 with her - everywhere (I've always got my .45)

I telecommute when possible, to avoid going downtown in a large city (a bonus, anyway)

I perform racial profiling, and watch Arabic-looking people more carefully (how horribly anti-PC, huh?)

I do a check on groceries, and make sure we don't run low on important stuff.

I always have duct tape anyway, because you can fix anything with it.

I pray (because I always do anyway)

Life goes on

I guess based on my diluted fractional Jewishness, my Chanukkah ends today.

Thats ok, though, as a Christian I have Christmas. ( If I was part Russian Orthodox, I'd also have January 6, but I'm not. If I were Acadien, I'd have January 6 to Ash Wednesday, but I'm not that either).

Not the happiest season, my best friends mother died last weekend unexpectedly, she had a cast removed the previous week from a broken ankle, and blood clots travelled to her lungs, and my wife's uncle's common-law wife went in for minor surgery last week, stopped breathing in recovery, and now they plan to disconnect her from the respirator tomorrow ( I'm guessing a December 26 funeral). She has a teenage son six months from graduation. He is staying with his pastor now. He is Protestant, and has already decided he'd like to study to be a minister, but his dad is already dead, and now he is losing his mom.

It was one thing when my grandmother died in July, she was 99, and in failing health, and lasted longer than we expected, and it was her time, but now two people with no warning, and two funerals within a week either side of Christmas.

OT: Canadian Quietly Gives $500,000 To Families of Canadian & US War Dead
[Link: cnews.canoe.ca...]

#24 Andrew B.

I do not underestimate [bigoted word] Anti-Semitism, however I suspect that Al-Qaeda wants to punish America for supporting Israel. They do that more effectively by targetting Christians over Jews. Unless they think that targetting synagogues will get the Zionist Overlords of America to stop backing Israel......

With respect to the Islamist nutjobs, I place little faith in my ability to predict their actions, since I use logic, and they use syphilus rotted brains.

They will strike where they can.

Living in a port city lined with refineries, I always worry about something blowing up there.

But, werent there rumors of them hitting the Vatican or at least religious buildings in Rome?

It could be anywhere.. or no where at all. I feel bad for the public servants (police and such) having to work OT during the holidays .. and hopefully, nothing will happen.

What kinda worried me was Tom Ridge saying "the holidays and beyond". Makes me think this Orange alert may last a while.

If the jihadis were looking to disrupt Christmas sales, they are a little late.

I think somebody posted a link to some web site that said Al Q was promising something for groundhog day, which happens to be the Eid al Something ( commemorates Ibrahim (the borrowed prophet) not sacrificing Ishmael (the wrong son).

My condolences, Ed.

Ptah,

Thanks.

Merry Christmas LGFers. Can someone kindly tell me what the "Bigel" position is. Thank you.

Bigel aka "Sampson Option".

If any military attack against Israel appears as if it will succeed, or any WMD is deployed against Israel, not only does Israel retaliate with nuclear weapons against aggressive Islamic states, but also targets various European nations for supporting antisemitism through the centuries.

He is regarded by some LGF-ers as just a touch extreme, although he posts a lot of good stuff.

Ed Moran, sorry you're going through a hard time, especially now, around Christmas.

#33 Ed Moran:1/8th Jewish (paternally) for Channukah 12/21/2003 11:45AM PST

i can sympathise with you i just lost my dad suddenly the day after thanksgiving

ZB

Thanks.

It makes you think about the families with soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Israelites, who face unexpected death on a regular basis.

Pure speculation, but I wonder if Gahdaffy started behaving because he wants to make sure Libya is NOT wiped off the Earth for an attack in America he knows is coming.

#33 Ed Moran - I am sorry to hear about the sadness in your life. God Bless you.

See y'all later.

How do you think this attack is going to pan out?

In about a billion dead muslims. If they attack us again, then I will fully support the rounding up of every last muslim in the country for the duration of ther war to defeat the shitty blood cult AKA Islam.

#45
"Pure speculation, but I wonder if Gahdaffy started behaving because he wants to make sure Libya is NOT wiped off the Earth for an attack in America he knows is coming. "

I had the same unhappy thought. . .

The malls and churches are certainly possible targets, but that's more in line with what the Pali's do, not Al Queda. They go for more hi value targets that represent the institutions of America.

My guess remains as is was a couple of days after 9/11. That is that there will be simultaneous Stinger/SA-7 MPAD missile shots against several airliners during takeoff/climbout on a given day (practice shot was the DHL in Baghdad). That would not only strike terror into any airline passenger, but would also impact the economy in enormous ways since airline travel would be crippled again.

admidst the shoppers of sunday

heavy plainclothes and uniform police security around the synagogue in brookline mass.

no parking allowed any where near the synagogue including the entire side street

cars with flashing lights, cops in orange, armed.

lots of shoppers nearby shopping up a storm

boston was stung by fact that two planes on 9/11 flew out of logan and the highjackers pased through the security of the notoriously corrupt and patronage ridden Metropolitan Transit Authority.

changes were made

admnistrative as well as on the floor.

there are duo of state troopers in logan that go around and randomly profile waiting customers.

one cop has a handheld networked palm pilot and punches in the license number of the passenger

another stands off with an machine gun with two clips of ammo taped to the side

the is nothing pc about it, they pic whoever they want

they are publicizing it too, in big spreads in the boston globe and tv. when i saw them this summer, the tv station had cameras read to do a special.

my sources tell me that here are only 12 state troopers trained in use of this machine gun

orange?
i've never lived with anything less than orange. i think its now red in nyc

Ed Moran
jimmytheclaw

You have my prayers and sympathy-- my mom died at the end of September. It wasn't unexpected (she had Alzheimer's), but it will still be a sad Christmas without her. I can certainly understand what both of you are feeling. Please take care of yourselves and your families, and God bless.

And our home grown islamists continue to hate us as much as ever. Check out the Friday comments on this blog:

[Link: hijabified.blogspot.com...]

"To this day there isn't a shred of evidence that Muslims did it. The US and Israel were the ones that most profited by this terrorist attack. They bombed Muslim countries, steal their wealth and use a small percentage to rebuild the Muslim country and steal the wealth for themselves. These are the terrorists.

May Allah (SW) destroy the kuffar that have invaded our lands, make their wives widows, cause humiliation and embarassment to these people, and make Islam supreme."

#45:

Pure speculation, but I wonder if Gahdaffy started behaving because he wants to make sure Libya is NOT wiped off the Earth for an attack in America he knows is coming.

I'm not too worried about that...we had been in high-level talks with Libya for the past 8-9 months or so, so this wasn't out of the blue. I do think, though, that Ghadaffi is trying to get on the right side of things, finally. (At least I hope that's what it is.)

#50 sammy small -There was also the missile attempt at Israeli airplane in Kenya.

The Harder Hunt For Bin Laden (Newsweek) [Link: msnbc.msn.com...]

I perform racial profiling, and watch Arabic-looking people more carefully (how horribly anti-PC, huh?)

Nope Cowboy Bob, I do it too. I also make explosion noises when I see a hijab at the mall.

The problem is that bombers will dress "Western" on "Martyr Day".

Internment/deportation camps...I get a guilty twinge when I like the idea. When I look at my little girls it goes away.

I saw two fresh faced Army Pfcs today at lunch. I had to shake their hands and thank them.

If I was an Islamist 'marketing' jihadi - I'd read western blogs to see which targets were the most scary to the populace - and then attack them. On that basis - I'm not posting my list of potential targets. Of course with the media regularly reporting " 'X" IS COMPLETELY VULNERABLE TO TERRORISTS - THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING" (DETAILED MAP OF TARGET ON PAGE 3) ...

Ed Moran- I hope your doing better soon. May the peace of the one true God (His name is not Allah!) come to you in your time of loss.

Lock and load, people.

I wish everybody a safe, alert, and well-provisioned holiday. Tactical load if necessary! :)

I don't expect any problems personally. I'll be down in Portland OR, citadel of the Loony Left, myself...

If anybody wants to have a weekend LGF convention with Spanish coffee at Huber's just e-mail me. Bridgeport is option #2.

It's a win-win for the LLL...

No attack --- Never was any danger. Bush lied. Just something to keep the sheep stirred up and under control. Bush lied. Attacking Iraq and capturing Saddam didn't make us any safer since there never was any danger. Bush lied.

Attack happens --- Bush wasn't able to protect us from danger. Bush lied. Attacking Iraq and capturing Saddam didn't make us any safer since there another devestating attack. Bush lied. Of course, Bush knew about the attack beforehand. Bush lied.

Oh, and did they forget to mention that Bush lied.

This is the kind of stuff that's been showing up lately:

[Link: mir-zaynen-do.org...]

Linked to from an Islamist site and posted on a 'throw-away' geocities account, it's part of the instructions for making a cyanide gas bomb.

File under "coming attractions."

Trust me they hate me more than you....I'm jewish.

Me too. In a way it is worse for me because my family successfully hid this fact for four generations and I only found out after I converted and married a Jew. I think about my kids a lot. Should I have done this to them? Returning I mean?

Then again, Judaism represents the monotheistic religion that is based on enlightment and tolerance and for all its drawbacks, Judaism is all about common sense good living and individual rights and obligations. I'm proud to be a Jew both by choice and by birth and it was the right choice for my children and I. We are the chosen people because we require and demand tolerance and social justice and that's why we're the first to start dying when intolerance and fascism rears its ugly head. We're never the last to die though. One good thing I learned here on LGF is Jews aren't alone in this fight. We have a lot of really good people who defend us not just because they are the target next and they know it, but they defend us simply because it is the right thing to do. The way Christianity had matured into something wonderful in North America for the whole world to emulate absolutely amazes me some days. And I see the hand of God in the fact that the first plane hit early so the tower was nearly empty and in the thousands of lives that were saved. God is on our side too.

Last night I was out in the movie theatre watching Lord of the Rings with my kids and the mall was packed and the theatre was packed, full of these happy shoppers and all this bustle and I thought plenty of times what a prime target this would be for a suicide bomber. I stayed anyway. Wasn't it Golda Myer who said something about never negotiating with terrorism? No negotiation with them. I live my life the way I live my life and if I have to die for being a Jew so be it. It's worth it. Try thinking that way and maybe you'll feel a lot less fear.

I got home from the theatre and Raid on Entebbe was playing on the history channel. It was the part in the movie where the plane is flying into the sunrise and the men start singing this song in Hebrew. I am so glad I am a Jew.

My husband greeted me by saying that he saw a CBC (CBC!?!) reporter interviewing the Palestinian prime minister and she kept asking him over and over again what steps he had taken to stop terrorism until he'd got upset and stopped talking to her. The jig is up. The tide is turning. We are starting to win this war.

My first thought when I saw the Pentagon on fire was that someone had just whacked a hornet's nest with a big stick and that was a really really really stupid thing to do and they were going to be SO sorry they had done that. That thought stands.

Now off to fry more latkes. I have 16 people coming for dinner.

(Ed, I'm sorry about your loss. I can identify. Our congregation lost a matriarch yesterday. She stood in as grandmother for my daughter at her bat mitzvah and took one of the aliyot reserved for family because we had none to do it for us. She was 90+, elderly and had been ill but we shall surely miss her. My condolences on your loss.)

#44 Ed Moran:1/8th Jewish (paternally) for channukah
"It makes you think about the families with soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Israelites, who face unexpected death on a regular basis."

The bastards want to blow us apart.
Instead, they're bringing us all closer together.
They obviously don't understand the concept of "critical mass".

Sorry about the sadness raining on your holidays, Ed.
Knowing you only from your posts, I'm quite sure you'll be a rock for others to hold on to.

Chappy 1/8 Chanukah!

Ed:

Your insight is an inspiration to many here...I know that doesn't mean much during hard times; but, among many things, you are the storm master....Godspeed to you, your family and friends.

Dear Mr. Fantasy play us a tune, something to make us all happy.
Do anything to take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar, make us happy.

You are the one who makes us feel glad
Doin’ that you break down in tears.
Please don't be sad to take up the straight life you had
We wouldn't have known you all these years.

I don't know what else to say.
G-d bless us, please!

#64 Judith
The song they were singing at the end of the movie.
I loved that song for years even before I knew the lyrics.

President Bush needs to go on the air ***right now*** and say that if there is a September 11 scale terrorist attack on the United States, there ***will be*** regime change in Syria, Iraq and, ***most important***, SAUDI ARABIA.

He needs to tell the American people ***and the world *** that this is not a threat, IT IS A PROMISE. We will not negotiate afterwards, we will turn a deaf ear to all entreaties, we will ignore promises.

I predict that, if we attacked again, the official policy of the United States will be to declare that "radical" Islam is at war with our country, and that adherents of that religion who are not publicly and vocally with us are Islamic radicals and thus are fair game.

Not enough troops, you say? At a time of our choosing, nuke air bursts high over major cities for EMP effect (not to mention the effect of 10s of millions of Arabs and Persians simultaneously sh-tting their robes). Air interdiction of air, sea and land trade routes. We can also seize their foreign assets (by force if necessary).

Would anyone back us? I don't know and wouldn't care. Would anyone defy us? ***Let them try***.

Don't tread on US.

D. Edgren

...if we are attacked again...

Sorry.

D. Edgren

#70 D. Edgren (the Merciless Infidel) 12/21/2003 03:43PM PST

i would also add not a mosque or shrine left standing including the one on solomons temple and not a dro of oil can leave their shitholes let them eat sand and drink oil

woops i left out the moonrock of mecca permanantly sealed in a sea of glass

/channeling bigel

Rosh Chodesh / New Moon Festival of the Biblical month of Tevet:
Wednesday, December 24
The first crescent after New Moon is visible on this night 30 to 45 minutes after sunset. Look low in the southwest. Brilliant Venus aids the search for this captivating sight. Forty-five minutes after sunset the planet hangs 14 degrees (1 1/2 fists) above due southwest. The Moon rests 4 degrees off the horizon, 11 degrees below and slightly right of Venus.
Judaism and Christianity are looking for the same Messiah. Islam doesn't matter. Let 'em spew their hatred far and wide. It's Jews and Christians who inherit the earth.

The Clinton View of Iraq-al Qaeda Ties (12/29/03 issue)
[Link: www.weeklystandard.com...]

#70
"not to mention the effect of 10s of millions of Arabs and Persians simultaneously sh-tting their robes"

NOT to mention the hundreds of millions around the rest of the world that would also lose bowel control. Just imagine European reaction. heh. Almost makes it sound like a good idea.

I think the risk of an attack is higher than previously because of Saddams capture. This is a real blow to OBL et al. We have had major victory after victory and they haven't been able to accomplish squat. They can blow up some people eating their tomato bisque or getting some shut-eye but this has moved their agenda nowhere. At this point they probably figure they must do one or both of the following

1) Show that they are still a force to recon with.

2) Give Dean a boost.

The best way to do this is a big attack on the US.

I still think odds are better than even that nothing happens on US soil but not as good as with previous warnings.

They have to try to do something, we are crippling the worldwide terror networks and their supporters. My theory:
1) A major overseas attack on an embassy and/or ally using cargo plane or the like. This would prove that our defenses are improving as Al-Qaeda really wants to attack us at home.

2) A series of homocide bombings on soft targets. Al-Qaeda doesn't want this senario, it wants to save its domestic operatives for something bigger, but if we are putting to much pressure on them, they will do what they have to to cause death and destruction.

3) A major attack on US soil. Possible, but I hope unlikely. If it does happen, we need to go to congress and DECLARE war on a series of groups and countries--and then follow thru.

I just spent a bigt chunk of time writing my own comment on the elevated alert level on my own blog.

It's not a terribly nice commentary.

What would be nice would be if the lot of them would just grow up, stop worshipping the loony-god, and get a life.

Les

A NYC museum was evacuated today after a bomb scare. Nothing in the news about it.

This one's got me nervous, too. How about New Year's Eve, where there are going to be half a million people in Times Square, and Shoshana Johnson is going to drop the ball? Nobody gets frisked - the cops can check bags, but they aren't going to find the explosive belts under layers of winter clothing.

Also a perfect time to blow up a major bridge or tunnel.

Or bring down a packed airplane taking off from JFK or LaGuardia.

Or attack the subways with cyanide gas.

I can think of any number of scenarios. Unfortunately.

I am on the verge of telling my son to stay in Boston.

#81 Amy
"I am on the verge of telling my son to stay in Boston."

Heck! My son lives in Boston & I wish he'd get the hell out of beantown & get his butt back to our one traffic light town.

I posted this on Friday, on a similar thread. Abu Radley liked it....do you mind if I post it again.....

I read somewhere that as Jews were herded into the gas chambers, some had the courage and presence of mind to thank God that they were not Nazi murderers. In the same spirit, I want to thank God that I am an American citizen who is mainly worried about how I'm going to get 5 days worth of work done in 3 next week, then I'm going to try to spread some holiday cheer to my relatives, rather than some scheming lurking deadly assassin trying to destroy all this.

Happy Holidays everyone.

If they didn't do something big, their actions might not be noticed.
[Link: www.cnn.com...]

But Oakland had 108 killings, a 28.6-percent jump. Across the bay, San Francisco's figure was unchanged at 62 homicides.

In Los Angeles, the most populous city, crime was up 1.8 percent overall and there were 653 homicides, a jump of 11.1 percent.

Many recent killings in Los Angeles have been linked to gang violence. Police Chief William J. Bratton, a former New York police commissioner, has said he would make fighting gangs a priority.

"Every day our kids are going to school, stepping over dead bodies," said LaWanda Hawkins, 47, of the San Pedro port area of Los Angeles. Her nonprofit group, Justice for Murdered Children, seeks to reduce the number of killings.

Hawkins argued that there is a "culture of violence" in some poor areas of the city, in part because overworked police have failed to solve killings.

While nowhere near the totals of the 1980s and early 1990s, Los Angeles' number was far higher than New York, which has more than twice the population.

The number of homicides in New York City dropped to 580 for the year 2002, the lowest figure in 39 years.

Of course New York City had those special "Hercules" anti-terror police patroling, which might hve cut down on
other crimes as well.

These jihad wackos have made a huge mistake attacking a nation where "soccer moms" drive 4 by 4's with skidplates and gun racks.

Kind of OT:

I tried to post the following on General Clark's website in response to his comments, reported elsewhere, about those who would question his patriotism (he would "punch them out.").

General Clark:

So you want to punch someone out who questions your patriotism or commitment to your country. You can start with me- General. I think your positions on the global issues confronting our nation today are craven and crass, and reflect the thinking of a former military member who is either a complete opportunist, or who has fallen, REALLY HARD, on his head.

I served my country for 22 years, first as a draftee, then as a NCO after I re-upped, then as an OCS-trained company grade officer, then in my last years as a field grade officer. I was proud to serve, and proud of my commander-in-chief, at least until President Clinton, whose foreign policy seemed calculated for nothing more than to obscure his latest sexual escapade.

You are in bad company, General, whether you recognize it or not (Joe Lieberman and, maybe, Dick Gephardt excepted). You can't "out-left" these people. You are making yourself out to be nothing more than a joke, and your words bring vast discredit on the military of which you claim to be so proud.

Will history remember you as a soldier or as a loser? My guess is on the latter.

It wouldn't post (for some unexplained reason). Wonder why???

D. Edgren

Ok, just got the details, the MET was the museum that had the bomb scare. It happened between 2:30 and 3:00 this afternoon. Museum goers were all herded into a back room like sardines and held there for a while before being released through a small exit - not very comforting to the people trapped inside. NYPD had 5th Ave blocked off for several blocks in front of the museum. Still haven't seen anything on the news yet, maybe never will.

freedomsound (#86)

Do you know somebody who was there? I was watching Fox earlier and one of the reporters asked about the rumours circulating about a female suicide bomber in New York. The police commissioner said that there was nothing to that story but I wonder ...

#87 zulubaby

Yes, my sister and her husband were there. Museum visitors weren't informed as to the exact nature of the threat (whether it was a package left unattended, threatening phone call, or something else) so I don't really know if the female suicide bomber rumor played into it or not.

freedomsound (#88)

Feh. That must have been frightening. Nothing on the news about it at all. Unbelievable.

Local news is coming on now, I'll let you know if they report on the incident. Somehow I doubt it though.

Okay, I'll check back here in a little bit.

Hmmmm. No big deal. Last time it was orange it may as well have been green.

But the last time it was green.........two towers and a pentagon went down for the count.

Colors. Hrrrumph.

#80   freedomsound  

A NYC museum was evacuated today after a bomb scare. Nothing in the news about it.

Do you have any more info?

Orange is so yesterday. I'd prefer a nice peach.

#69 Evariste's Zaide sez:

#64 Judith

The song they were singing at the end of the movie.

I had to laugh when your link described the lyrics as "public domain."

I was not aware that King David copyrighted the first verse of the 133d Psalm, but even if he did I suppose that the copyright expired long ago. Ditto for the Zohar, which has a remarkable exegesis on this text.

Well, the entire first half of the broadcast was devoted to the elevated threat level and all the ways the city is preparing to deal with any attack. But nothing on the incident today at the MET.

I suppose it really isn't news worthy in today's environment, since it was only a false alarm and not an actual attack. And of course they don't want to scare people off from visiting these sites.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program....

So nothing, which was as expected. Thanks, freedomsound.

I personally despise shopping malls, so I wouldnt be that upset if they were all shut down out of paranoia...but people all over the country would probably go into shock....which is a sad commentary on our culture....

oh yes and the whining about the impact to the economy, etc,etc......

#93 QueenEsther

A few (very few) more details in #86. No big deal I guess.

thanks for the update, freedomsound.
I checked the NYTimes and NYPost websites... couldn't find anything there either. Guess they don't feel it's 'fit to print'. Arghh!

To this list:

December 7th
November 22nd
September 11th

I can't even process the idea of having to add:

December 25th

The Is-lame-o's had all better say an extra 6th prayer
tomorrow that it doesn't happen, for their own sake.

What I hate even worse than a terrorist threat is the media reaction when the real thing happens.

locutus They bitch now that things are bad...just wait if something happens.

evariste's zaide -

Yeah, but Boston is small potatoes (and a lot safer) compared to New York. Not as many Jews there and not as many symbols to attack, unless you want to count the North Church.

66/55/45

And I'd hoped his reaction had something to do with:
my army isn't as good as Saddam's was... and my best side just wouldn't be shown at a lice inspection.

Re: the Met Museum

I was there last night as I am most Saturday nights (glad I didn't decide to go today instead) and I noticed something funny. I was walking toward some side stairs after going through Cypriot art and I noticed the section "Islamic Art" with its mosque-like doorway. There was a folding screen blocking the entrance and a sign reading "Islamic Art wing closed until 2007 for renovation".

It was a funny sight, but also gave me a chill, thinking ahead to what we would face between now and then. Let's hope we make it unscathed. I look forward to seeing the new Islamic art section; the old one was getting shabby and it follows the glorious renovations that have already taken place in that wing on the Greek sections, so I'm sure it will be wonderful. It saddens me that the great tradition of arts and crafts from the Islamic world is now so clouded by wahhabism and violence. I wish this renovation would be symbolic of a renovation inside the Islamic world. It's the right time of year to hope for the best. Unfortunately it becomes more and more difficult.

I wouldn't worry about it personally. My chances of winning the lottery are greater than they are of dying by terrorism.

If it's going to happen, it will happen. There's nothing you can do about it except eyeball the occassional [bigoted word], but what's that going to accomplish?

Of course, if I was living in NY or LA, I might skip town for the day....

Though their bluster and threats appear to be inversely proportional to their continually eroding capabilities, I will be skipping Christmas Mass at the Vatican. An unscheduled landing at the spiritual leader of the crusaders house? Seems to fit with targeting philosophy, fairly soft, prior unsuccessful attempt, and misjudged outcome. I’ll go long.

Hope W called the Clown Prince to tell him his dog is barking.

Hope everybody has their eyes pealed on this one.

I was wondering if this threat was connected at all to the post last month ( was it last month already? ) about all good moslems leaving the NY, DC, and LA areas? Does anyone know if there has been a huge movement of them out of these areas?

it seems that

[Link: www.homelandsecurityus.com...]

and

[Link: www.stevequayle.com...]

are pretty specific about the threats this time.

Man Arrested with razor blades and a hacksaw at Miami Int'l Airport

The blades and the hacksaw were hidden in his shoes. He claimes he forgot they were there when he went to the airport. He was traveling with his wife and children.

What's wrong with this picture?

sigh,, hang tight, guys.
be strong , dont get freaked out, and just worry about enjoying the holidays and your families,, being scared gives htem a victory. period.
we live in a consant, exhausting state of terror here in Israel.. I have a philosophy which gets me out of the house, on the bus, into the mall with the kids, and to the cofee shops and resteraunts...
if its going to happen , it will,, no amount of fretting will stop it, hiding under the bed wont stop it, ,, call it a bit of fatalism, on my part.
enjoy life!!!!!!!
its Hanukah and Christmas, and any other holidays people may be celebrating. live, dont be scared.

from a beloved Hanukah song, about a holiday which celebrates light, and life, miracles , and beating the bullies,,AGAIN
"col achod who orr catan
ve culanu orr eitan"
loose translation.....

"each of us is a little light
but together we are a light of strength"
hag semeach, happy holidays and fourth candle of hannukkah, and keep smiling!
from cold windy jerusalem lizzy

ps,, for anyone feeling really soppy and mushy, here is a lovely song
[Link: www.hebrewsongs.com...]
which has just been re-done for an israeli tv series which translates to something like " the yuppies"( ha borganim,), their version is more cynical, but the song always gets mushy me crying,, especailly the part about kids.
sorry for being soppy. off to the dentist with the kids, and after to see a movie.
lila tov!

V the K (#111)

McIntyre, who was traveling with his wife and children, told authorities he forgot the blades were in his shoe ...

Oh sure.

#111: Well, his name is "David McIntyre," which does not set off jihadi alarm bells, but you never know. I'd be interested in knowing if Mr. McIntyre recently changed his name.

Re: the Met, here's what I found about it online

[Link: www.nydailynews.com...]

and

[Link: rutlandherald.nybor.com...]

One tactic the scum may be using is making noise like they will attack just to get us to waste resources going to a higher level. (I do hate using the word 'scum' to describe Al Queda since it drags down the reputation of scum.)

Multiple false alarms to Cry Wolf, over time, will get us to ignore the problems. I also read today that the cost difference between yellow and orange levels is about $1 billion per week. That's money that returns no value to the economy. I do realize the insurance value, but that money would be better spent reducing the deficit.

#116 QueenEsther

Thanks QueenEsther...

A shoebox-sized package left on the museum steps at Fifth Avenue near 82nd Street about 3 p.m. by a woman who fled when bystanders tried to call her back - a reaction that seemed to confirm danger - forced the evacuation of more than 5,000 people from the Met, said Harold Holzer, a spokesman.

I look at it as a good thing that people are being more observant.

Old Tom Ridge, what a kidder!!! Raising the national fret level just before Christmas!!! Guess he got made because someone stole his Brilliantine and made him work while MonkeyBoy43 was out of town!?!?!?!

#118 freedomsound
I agree.

... package left...by a woman who fled when bystanders tried to call her back - a reaction that seemed to confirm danger - forced the evacuation...

While I think that everyone should just move along with their lives (despite the terror warnings), I'd also like it if people would clue in a little better on how to behave in public, in general.

For instance, I don't care to watch the Today Show/Good Morning America these days... Do we really have to hear the audience screaming and shrieking outside the studio each and every time they return from a commercial break? WTF are the producers thinking? I'd like to see them phase that out -- it gets on my nerves even when the terror level is "normal".

The meme i'm hearing now from the Dems is "how did saddam's capture make us safer? dean was right".