Summary: Another day, another info op run against us. Thermite is bad; bigger budgets for HomeLand Security are good. It’s easy for them because we’re so fearful and gullible. When that changes America will change, and meaningful reform becomes possible. {1st of 2 posts today.}
Follow the narrative of fear
It started with a routine TSA bulletin, 16 December 2014: “Attn Intelligence Customer”, explaining that thermite (discovered 1893) is dangerous when exploded on airplanes. The first page was released by The Intercept, who says it was marked “secret”. Like the thousands of such memos produced daily by our vast public and private “security” machinery, this normally would have quickly been forgotten. It served its purpose, generating fodder to keep these legions of bureaucrats employed (a flood of more memos, interdepartmental memos, meetings, seminars, follow-up memos).
But an immediate threat arose that required re-purposing this memo. In response to a rising tide of criticism. Congress threatens to cut the Homeland Security budget. So they deploy their most powerful weapon: leaks to the press. So we read in The Intercept of 25 February: “Exclusive: TSA Issues Secret Warning on ‘Catastrophic’ Threat to Aviation“. Opening:
The Transportation Security Administration said it is unlikely to detect and unable to extinguish what an FBI report called “the greatest potential incendiary threat to aviation,” according to a classified document obtained by The Intercept. Yet despite that warning, sources said TSA is not adequately preparing to respond to the threat.
The next day Fox News, a loyal ally of the security services, repeats and amplifies with “TSA: incendiary device a ‘catastrophic’ threat to passenger planes“. Fox & Friends Weekend tells the story for the masses with picture: “TSA Warns of ‘Catastrophic’ New Threat to Aviation“!
And so Americans’ fears are boosted for another day.
What does this mean?
This is a terrifying warning! Only the most severe threat could prompt this. Such as what’s happening in Congress right now, as they go to DEFCON 2 over this threat to their budget.
How many scores of these warnings have we heard since 9/11? They justify the vast bureaucracy — civil servants, contractors, and the countless associated security departments in private industry that mirror and support them. But the cost is high, as their repeated cries of “WOLF” inevitably deaden our awareness of danger, and responsiveness to the eventual real warning.
Let’s take a step back and see what we have become; let’s see ourselves through the eyes of our forefathers. Pavlov’s dogs would be embarrassed to be trained as the American public has been conditioned since 9/11. Government officials ring a bell; we wet our pants. Perhaps someday we will laugh at these repeated exaggerated warnings. On that day we will have stepped back onto the path to self-respect and perhaps even to self-government.
You can take that first step. Every American can be a leader in these things.
Why did TSA leak to The Intercept …
…not Fox News? Because the entire news media is becoming like Fox News (the WaPo is an extreme example of evolution from Left to Right).
@FabiusMaximus01 Intercept’s writers for the story: Winter, a formerly Fox & NY Post and Weinberger, a former DoD contractor (now editor).
— U.S. Dept. of Fear (@FearDept) March 1, 2015
For More Information
See all posts about the rising tide of fear in America, making us even easier to rule. Also see the posts about information and disinformation.
I doubt that this issue has undergone appropriate real-world testing. This requires purchase of a modern passenger airliner, together with a reasonable quantity (1/2 ton) of thermite. to be placed in the luggage compartment. Our company (papers to be filed tomorrow) proposes to do such a test for TSA in a cost effective and timely manner. Americans deserve the safest possible air transport system.
I haven’t worked out how to do all this safely, but subcontractors will figure that out.
Hans,
While I too would like to be given millions to test this, a more interesting question is “so what?” There is as yet to practical method to detect thermite, or mitigate the effects of a thermite explosion.
If someone managed to sneak “half a ton” of thermite onboard and detonated… would there be an airplane left to extinguish?
AMERICANS are stupid. Next story, please.
Breton
epagbreton,
I’m from Argentina, and Argentina is in America, did you mean Usaians are stupid?
Breton,
“AMERICANS are stupid.”
I am always astonished at the broad statements people so confidently make. As my grandmother said, when you point at someone — 3 fingers point back at you.
“You can take that first step. Every American can be a leader in these things.”
Don’t tread on me starts filing rust…
Xavier,
“Don’t tread on me starts filing rust…”
That’s a mixed meaphor, but essentially correct (unfortunately). The Gadsden Flag: “The flag is named after American general and statesman Christopher Gadsden, who designed it in 1775 during the American Revolution. It was also used by the Continental Marines as an early motto flag…”
The snake is said to be a dimensionally shifting element, according to Bunker. Far but Close.
Excuse me, spacially warping, now dimentionally shifting, Far but Close
Spacial Warping: “Spatial warping overcomes the limitations of physical range for both defensive and offensive purposes.
Both spatial contraction and expansion principles can be used to warp four-dimensional space (see Figure 3). Spatial contraction takes two distant points in time and space and brings them together. This principle provides the underlying basis of telemedicine. A military doctor separated by thousands of kilometers from a wounded Blue soldier is able to directly interact with that soldier and, if Battlespace need be, conduct surgery. Spatial expansion takes two immediate points in time and space and distances them from one another. The principle can be understood by thinking about a Black warrior in civilian garb. This combatant can be standing five meters from a Blue soldier but, for all intents and purposes, could be standing thousands of kilometers away because he or she has exited four-dimensional battlespace via stealth-maskin”
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB233.pdf
If a snake could actually do that, nobody would step on them.
Anyway, does mean the half ton of thermite I bought over ebay will have to be shipped by truck?
You dont need a ton of thermite, inso far as I understand, theoretically half a pound of thermite can melt a railroad rail…
“Y Dale Alegria Alegria A Mi Corazon..”
#CFK
I suggest in provision, that we could…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APmUWC8S1_M
Take The Power Back
“In the right light, study becomes insight
But the system that dissed us
Teaches us to read and right
So called facts are fraud
They want us to allege and pledge
And bow down to their God
Lost the culture, the culture lost
Spun our minds and through time
Ignorance has taken over
Yo, we gotta take the power back!
Bam! Here’s the plan
Motherfuck Uncle Sam
Step back, I know who I am
Raise up your ear, I’ll drop the style and clear
It’s the beats and the lyrics they fear
The rage is relentless
We need a movement with a quickness
You are the witness of change
And to counteract
We gotta take the power back
Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back
The present curriculum
I put my fist in ’em
Eurocentric every last one of ’em
See right through the red, white and blue disguise
With lecture I puncture the structure of lies
Installed in our minds and attempting
To hold us back
We’ve got to take it back
Holes in our spirit causin’ tears and fears
One-sided stories for years and years and years
I’m inferior? Who’s inferior?
Yeah, we need to check the interior
Of the system that cares about only one culture
And that is why
We gotta take the power back
Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back
Hey yo check, we’re gonna have to break it, break it,
break it down
Aw shit!
Ugh!
And like this Ugh!
Come on, yeah! Bring it back the other way!
The teacher stands in front of the class
But the lesson plan he can’t recall
The student’s eyes don’t perceive the lies
Bouncing off every fucking wall
His composure is well kept
I guess he fears playing the fool
The complacent students sit and listen to some of that
Bullshit that he learned in school
Europe ain’t my rope to swing on
Can’t learn a thing from it
Yet we hang from it
Gotta get it, gotta get it together then
Like the motherfuckin’ weathermen
To expose and close the doors on those who try
To strangle and mangle the truth
‘Cause the circle of hatred continues unless we react
We gotta take the power back
Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back
No more lies
Ugh!
Yeah!
Take it back y’all
Take it back, a-take it back
A-take it back y’all, come on!
Take it back y’all
Take it back, a-take it back
A-take it back y’all, come on!
Ugh!
Yeah!
Read more: Rage Against The Machine – Take The Power Back Lyrics | MetroLyrics
“
““In the right light, study becomes insight
But the system that dissed us
Teaches us to read and right
So called facts are fraud”
Well, fear has always been a means of control. Some governments make the population afraid of them, some are smarter,and make the population afraid of others
Greta,
Yes. But these things are not constants of history, but vary. It’s the change in such factors that create the pageant of history. Magnitudes matter.
My point here is that we are not what we were, but we can be again.
That these changes all have historical precedents is not relevant, any more than telling parents with sick children that everybody dies eventually.
Fear in this context is the fear of the man that has done a lot of harm, he sees it coming everywhere, a special kind of paranoia, or perceptiveness. When a society fears itself to collapse, consistently, an innherent knowledge of it being in the process of collapsing is involved.
“I’m inferior? Who’s inferior?
Yeah, we need to check the interior
Of the system that cares about only one culture
And that is why
We gotta take the power back””
Greata,
I assume you are deliberately missing the point, relaying stuff from Xavier (banned for flagrant troll behavior). Please stay on topic.
The point being, I don’t think you can be back where you were, the context has changed, the forest is on fire… but then again, I have always been very pessimistic