How YOU can be a good citizen

shanek · 12th February 2003, 07:46 AM

Here's how you can be a good citizen and help fight the War on Terror, courtesy the Department of Homeland Security (does that name scare anyone else, or am I the only one who's read The Handmaid's Tale?):

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=36

"Provide Tips and Leads about Suspicious Activity"; or, as a poster my avatar once encountered said, "Be a government informer! Betray your family and friends! Fabulous prizes to be won!" (Yes, they offer monetary rewards.)

"Travel Safety: Know Before You Go"; where you have to justify all of your out-of-country purchases before returning to the US. Personal property means nothing.

"Travel Safety: Permitted and Prohibited Items"; because you could kill a pilot with that nail file. It'd only take an hour or so...

"Travel in Safety"; because it's not like the intrusive security scans are doing any good.

"Citizen Safety: Protect Yourself!" But, fer gosh sakes, whatever you do, don't use a weapon for defense!

"Check the current threat level." "The Current Threat Level: Orange, or High Condition. A High Condition is declared when there is a high risk of terrorist attacks." Or when the President needs to justify a futile war and the Attorney General needs another excuse to take away more of our rights with Patriot Act II: The Sequel (or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Big Brother).

The Department of Homeland Security: Because those who would give up their liberty for safety, are all right by us!

Vorticity · 12th February 2003, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shanek
...the Department of Homeland Security (does that name scare anyone else, or am I the only one who's read The Handmaid's Tale?)

Don't forget our new "Information Awareness Office", with the world's creepiest logo:

Graham · 12th February 2003, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vorticity

Don't forget our new "Information Awareness Office", with the world's creepiest logo:

That is scary.

Hey, a little off topic, I heard that that eye-on-top-of-a-pyramid was a freemason thing.

Does anyone know off-hand if that's true or, if not, what it's really supposed to be?

Graham

Occasional Chemist · 12th February 2003, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Graham
Does anyone know off-hand if that's true or, if not, what it's really supposed to be?

An Alan Parsons Project album cover?

Occasional Chemist · 12th February 2003, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shanek

"Travel Safety: Permitted and Prohibited Items"; because you could kill a pilot with that nail file. It'd only take an hour or so...

Just remember that

Quote:

If you bring a prohibited item to the checkpoint, you may be criminally and/or civilly prosecuted [...] This is because bringing a prohibited item to a security checkpoint - even accidentally - is illegal.

"Put down that pair of pliers or I'll fire!"

Look at their list. Any "tool" except a jeweler's screwdriver is on the prohibeted as carry-on list. Even a normal pair of scissors (though child's safety scissors seem to be okay).

BTW - nail files specifically are allowed. Sorry, shanek.

Richard G · 12th February 2003, 08:51 AM

It's stange that they never mention arming oneself. That would be the first thing I would encourage everyone to do. If you don't have a CCW liscense, get one, and carry often. [thats always]

An armed citizenry is the best frontline defense against terroism.

shecky · 12th February 2003, 09:08 AM

I just watched "Brazil" again last night. Director's cut.

I was especially amused by all the propaganda posters that can be seen in the background. DHS seems to have used these as a template.

shanek · 12th February 2003, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Occasional Chemist
BTW - nail files specifically are allowed. Sorry, shanek.

Oops. I was thinking of nail trimmers. I need an egg-on-face smiley...

Lemastre · 12th February 2003, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Graham

Hey, a little off topic, I heard that that eye-on-top-of-a-pyramid was a freemason thing.
Does anyone know off-hand if that's true or, if not, what it's really supposed to be?

The eye on the pyramid is an ancient symbol adopted by the Masons and used by others, including the designers of American money. The Masons claim its meaning on our currency differs some from the significance they ascribe to it.

Richard G · 12th February 2003, 03:39 PM

It's the eye of God. [pyramid]

12th February 2003, 07:46 AM	#1
shanek by Charles M. Schulz Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 15,990	How YOU can be a good citizen Here's how you can be a good citizen and help fight the War on Terror, courtesy the Department of Homeland Security (does that name scare anyone else, or am I the only one who's read The Handmaid's Tale?): http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=36 "Provide Tips and Leads about Suspicious Activity"; or, as a poster my avatar once encountered said, "Be a government informer! Betray your family and friends! Fabulous prizes to be won!" (Yes, they offer monetary rewards.) "Travel Safety: Know Before You Go"; where you have to justify all of your out-of-country purchases before returning to the US. Personal property means nothing. "Travel Safety: Permitted and Prohibited Items"; because you could kill a pilot with that nail file. It'd only take an hour or so... "Travel in Safety"; because it's not like the intrusive security scans are doing any good. "Citizen Safety: Protect Yourself!" But, fer gosh sakes, whatever you do, don't use a weapon for defense! "Check the current threat level." "The Current Threat Level: Orange, or High Condition. A High Condition is declared when there is a high risk of terrorist attacks." Or when the President needs to justify a futile war and the Attorney General needs another excuse to take away more of our rights with Patriot Act II: The Sequel (or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Big Brother). The Department of Homeland Security: Because those who would give up their liberty for safety, are all right by us!
	__________________ "James Randi is awesome!" —Ian Bernard, primary host of Free Talk Live "It really does take people like Penn & Teller or James Randi to be able to see through these deceptions, and so those are perhaps the people we should be paying the most attention to." —Harry Browne, 4/10/2004 I know there is a lesson to be learned here somewhere, but I don't know what it is.

12th February 2003, 07:59 AM	#2
Vorticity Fluid Mechanic Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Los Alamos, NM Posts: 2,649	Re: How YOU can be a good citizen Quote: Originally posted by shanek *...the Department of Homeland Security (does that name scare anyone else, or am I the only one who's read The Handmaid's Tale?)* Don't forget our new "Information Awareness Office", with the world's creepiest logo:
	__________________ Free lunch. Final wisdom. Total coverage. http://stopsylvia.com

12th February 2003, 08:12 AM	#3
Graham Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1,465	Re: Re: How YOU can be a good citizen Quote: Originally posted by Vorticity Don't forget our new "Information Awareness Office", with the world's creepiest logo: That is scary. Hey, a little off topic, I heard that that eye-on-top-of-a-pyramid was a freemason thing. Does anyone know off-hand if that's true or, if not, what it's really supposed to be? Graham
Graham Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1,465

12th February 2003, 08:16 AM	#4
Occasional Chemist Muse Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 513	Re: Re: Re: How YOU can be a good citizen Quote: Originally posted by Graham Does anyone know off-hand if that's true or, if not, what it's really supposed to be? An Alan Parsons Project album cover?
Occasional Chemist Muse Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 513	__________________ Warning: Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock' (2) in /usr/local/apache/htdocs/vbulletin/admin/db_mysql.php on line 38

12th February 2003, 08:30 AM	#5
Occasional Chemist Muse Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 513	Re: How YOU can be a good citizen Quote: Originally posted by shanek "Travel Safety: Permitted and Prohibited Items"; because you could kill a pilot with that nail file. It'd only take an hour or so... Just remember that Quote: If you bring a prohibited item to the checkpoint, you may be criminally and/or civilly prosecuted [...] This is because bringing a prohibited item to a security checkpoint - even accidentally - is illegal. "Put down that pair of pliers or I'll fire!" Look at their list. Any "tool" except a jeweler's screwdriver is on the prohibeted as carry-on list. Even a normal pair of scissors (though child's safety scissors seem to be okay). BTW - nail files specifically are allowed. Sorry, shanek.
Occasional Chemist Muse Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 513	__________________ Warning: Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock' (2) in /usr/local/apache/htdocs/vbulletin/admin/db_mysql.php on line 38

12th February 2003, 08:51 AM	#6
Richard G Muse Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 940	It's stange that they never mention arming oneself. That would be the first thing I would encourage everyone to do. If you don't have a CCW liscense, get one, and carry often. [thats always] An armed citizenry is the best frontline defense against terroism.
Richard G Muse Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 940

12th February 2003, 09:08 AM	#7
shecky Master Poster Join Date: May 2002 Location: Home of the Homeless Posts: 2,190	I just watched "Brazil" again last night. Director's cut. I was especially amused by all the propaganda posters that can be seen in the background. DHS seems to have used these as a template.

12th February 2003, 09:18 AM	#8
shanek by Charles M. Schulz Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 15,990	Re: Re: How YOU can be a good citizen Quote: Originally posted by Occasional Chemist BTW - nail files specifically are allowed. Sorry, shanek. Oops. I was thinking of nail trimmers. I need an egg-on-face smiley...
	__________________ "James Randi is awesome!" —Ian Bernard, primary host of Free Talk Live "It really does take people like Penn & Teller or James Randi to be able to see through these deceptions, and so those are perhaps the people we should be paying the most attention to." —Harry Browne, 4/10/2004 I know there is a lesson to be learned here somewhere, but I don't know what it is.

12th February 2003, 01:27 PM	#9
Lemastre Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 381	Re: Re: Re: How YOU can be a good citizen Quote: Originally posted by Graham Hey, a little off topic, I heard that that eye-on-top-of-a-pyramid was a freemason thing. Does anyone know off-hand if that's true or, if not, what it's really supposed to be? The eye on the pyramid is an ancient symbol adopted by the Masons and used by others, including the designers of American money. The Masons claim its meaning on our currency differs some from the significance they ascribe to it.
Lemastre Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 381

12th February 2003, 03:39 PM	#10
Richard G Muse Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 940	It's the eye of God. [pyramid]
Richard G Muse Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 940