Comments on A quick 'What If ' post about terrorism

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Blanche
Sorry for any confusion, Blanche.  I didn't live in London, and we didn't have many bombs in Scotland - at least outside of Glasgow and the surrounding steelworks and ship-building yards - but we did have the sandbags, blackouts, anti-aircraft guns, poison gas masks, ration cards, fear and stubbornness.

posted by johnmacnab on August 19, 2006 at 3:52 PM | link to this | reply

I'm quite sure that it was something that I said, JohnMcnab,

It was definitely meant for me, and not you.  The exchange sort of dribbled onto another blog of mine. Never mind. It's not important.

Well, the gel cap story is only the synopsis, John. I'm fairly sure you could work it into something.  And, my apologies for any unintended slights there, if you went through the London bombings in WWII, then you certainly don't need any pep talks from me. 

posted by Blanche. on August 19, 2006 at 2:49 PM | link to this | reply

FactorFiction
Thank about it this way, FactorFiction.  It will probably never, ever, happen.

posted by johnmacnab on August 19, 2006 at 2:47 PM | link to this | reply

Blanche

You had me co sonfused, there, Blanche.  Perhaps it was womething you said?  I don't let my fertile imagination stop me from leaving the house either, Blanche, especially when it is so hot - remind me to get air-conditioning one day. 

Just like when I was a youngster during WWll.  I didn't let the fear of bombs or the blackout stop me from playing with my pals.  As far as the novel idea goes, you already know the denouement, so there is no point in writing it now.

posted by johnmacnab on August 19, 2006 at 2:46 PM | link to this | reply

Factorfiction, try "lalalalalla" as well for effect. You scare easily.

posted by Blanche. on August 19, 2006 at 11:36 AM | link to this | reply

fingers in ears...

...ooooh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so PROUDLY WE HAILED...."

you're scaring me here...

posted by FactorFiction on August 19, 2006 at 11:33 AM | link to this | reply

no it shouldn't, lol, time for me to back away from the keyboard!

posted by Blanche. on August 19, 2006 at 11:24 AM | link to this | reply

that should read,"womething women have lived with".

posted by Blanche. on August 19, 2006 at 11:24 AM | link to this | reply

JohnMcnab, you should be writing thrillers, you've got more new plot twists

and what-ifs.  I feel about the terrorist threat now the same way I feel about the threat of rape, which is something have lived with, since, well, who knows since when. It doesn't stop me from leaving the house.

I'm serious, you could work that whole gel-cap thing into a novel.  Put your imagination to work in some other way than scaring the bejeesus out of you,and stopping you from traveling.  The Allah Squad will always be among us, I guess, and so will the ever-encroaching government to "protect" us. from them. Gee, I feel so much safer already. 

posted by Blanche. on August 19, 2006 at 11:23 AM | link to this | reply

colbor1
Very, colbor.

posted by johnmacnab on August 19, 2006 at 11:08 AM | link to this | reply

Scary!

posted by colbor1 on August 19, 2006 at 4:11 AM | link to this | reply

jacenta
The thing is, jacenta, that our great grand parents probably thought the same.  I have no doubt that our offspring will solve the problems as they arise.

posted by johnmacnab on August 18, 2006 at 2:30 PM | link to this | reply

DarrkeThoughts
That's a frightening piece of information, DarrkeThoughts, to be able to look up the recipe for an 'A' bomb?   'Take a dash of this and a shake of that, swirl it gently until just before you think it is going to explo..............oops, too late.'

posted by johnmacnab on August 18, 2006 at 2:29 PM | link to this | reply

mneme

Thank you mneme.  While I was writing the post I was thinking about not giving people ideas, but then I realized that if I could think of it, so could they, and probably already had. 

I'm lucky.  I moved to where my family already is - well - on the same continent at least.

posted by johnmacnab on August 18, 2006 at 2:26 PM | link to this | reply

johnmcnab
Disturbing indeed.  I can't help but wonder what this world be like for my precious grandchildren.

posted by jacentaOld on August 18, 2006 at 1:21 PM | link to this | reply

fourcats
It is unsettling, fourcats, Isn't it.  I read that article too and shook my head, but then what is a terrorist supposed to look like?

posted by johnmacnab on August 18, 2006 at 10:12 AM | link to this | reply

Whacky
Sounds about right, Whacky.  You'll fall right down into the centre of hell.

posted by johnmacnab on August 18, 2006 at 10:08 AM | link to this | reply

I think I read a book like that...
20 years ago.  So I wouldn't worry about giving them ideas...the ideas are already out there. I'm suprised they haven't gotten a nuke already though.  Seems I heard you can find out how to make one online or at least at the local library.  The world will be ruled by those of us (I hope it's us) who survive the next world war.

posted by DarrkeThoughts on August 18, 2006 at 7:44 AM | link to this | reply

hi johnmcnab

My first thought on reading this was "don't give them any ideas." My second was a movie I've seen, where people became human bombs.  I don't remember the name of it or how they became explosive, so to speak - either by swallowing something or through a virus, but you get the drift.  Lastly, like you I've been thinking that we are heading for an apocalyptic world, where it will be so dangerous to travel that people will simply stay where they are.  - I am not at all surprised to find people like you and ariel70 thinking along similar lines as I do; sometimes I simply shake my head and wonder where it is all headed.  And if the worst were to happen, I would like to be in my own country and have my children with me,not spreading their wings in foreign lands and certainly not 12,000 miles away where I am not.  (I have to move.)  I guess it shows that there are limits to globalization, in spite of whatever science fiction may suggest.  Thank you for a thoughtful and provocative post.

 

posted by mneme on August 18, 2006 at 3:44 AM | link to this | reply

a gentleman in his eighties was just stopped at the bc/washington state

border the other day because the guards were getting a radiation reading from him.  he was aghast when they took him to the side, surrounded him and started drilling him with questions.  do i look like a terrorist to you?, he asked.  turns out, he had just been to the hospital the day before for some treatment for one thing or another and that the doctor was supposed to supply him with a letter stating that he had been exposed to radiation.

your gel cap idea is very unsettling.

posted by fourcats on August 17, 2006 at 10:49 PM | link to this | reply

Back to "the world is flat! If you go beyond the fence you fall off!


posted by Whacky on August 17, 2006 at 10:18 PM | link to this | reply

kingmi
I love it, kingmi, and I think your brother had the right idea.

posted by johnmacnab on August 17, 2006 at 7:24 PM | link to this | reply

johnmcnab, Lol, remember how we responded to those who intentionally flew
Their planes into our navy in 1945?

Also about your slow-release anti-terror gelcap, my brother thinks we sent the wrong army into Iraq. He would've sent the Orkin army!

posted by kingmi on August 17, 2006 at 4:37 PM | link to this | reply