BS: DC Terrorist Attack (not really, but what if?)

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack (not really, but what
From: Ron Davies
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 09:11 PM

Yes, the title was hyperbole--before it was made certified safe for consumption. I never claimed it was not. And it's the first time there's been anything but rigid truth in advertising in any Mudcat title.   Or perhaps not.

A couple of things.

1)   I keep telling Jan: assume nothing.   Don't assume positive, don't assume negative.   Check for yourself.   It's good advice for everybody.

2)   As Mudcatters may be aware, one of the main goals is to get somebody to actually read a thread--to pique their curiosity.   First step is a title that will catch the attention, in the competitive marketplace of ideas which is Mudcat.   

3)   Maybe I could have said "Fire on Metro".   Maybe if I'd been more alert I'd have done that. I throw myself on the mercy of the court, on the basis that I'd just recently come back from the Getaway, having stayed up singing and playing til 5 on Saturday morning--(I did think that was crazy even at the time), til almost 5 AM Sunday, and til 6 Monday.   Then I drove home, since I had to get stuff accomplished Monday (in theory, at any rate). So Tuesday I still had a sleep deficit.

By the way, Greg, I love you too.

But seriously, come on out to the Getaway next year.

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Greg F.
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 04:52 PM

Apparently Ron can say "hyperbole"- or rather shout it.

Curious thread title from a "Simple Seeker After Truth"

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 11:53 AM

Ron-

Consider asking to change the title of this thread. There was , in fact, no terrorist attack. I certainly assumed the worst.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: SINSULL
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 09:46 PM

Or skewering him with a crochet hook.

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: SINSULL
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 09:46 PM

Oh dear. I have visions of someone asking Kendall "Is that bag yours?" and Jacqui slamming him with her handbag.

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 09:36 PM

The bridges, railroads, highways, streets, sewers, and the rest of the US infrastructure is decaying. It's as if the prevailing notion is "build it and forget it". If you don't maintain what you've built as it is needed (and even to prevent problems!) you'll pay in the future with far, far more money to rebuild it -- not to mention the lives that can be snuffed out by such negligence.

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 06:19 PM

They, in fact, did a BIG repair project several years ago on those wires that were shorting out under Georgetown and causing various accumulated gases to pop off manhole covers.

(But it was sure interesting when it WAS a serious problem)

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Ron Davies
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 06:13 PM

And the Georgetown manhole covers do not in fact sail into the air on a regular basis. It has happened. It is not a common occurrence. Can you say "hyperbole"?

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Ron Davies
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 06:06 PM

Thanks, Villan. It was Jan who was on the train. I thought I'd have to go pick her up. I volunteered to do it. But her sang-froid is impressive.   She just waited in a coffeehouse and took the Red Line back again when it re-opened. But she's pretty disgusted--and has back and neck problems which are aggravated by this sort of thing, especially the jerking around and the fact she had to stand up the whole way going downtown.   She's talking about taking a taxi next time to get to downtown DC. We don't have that kind of spare cash--and you would hope the cumulative disasters would result in better maintenance. Otherwise Metro can expect to be sued bigtime.   Which is probably happening already as a result of the deadly accident earlier this year--also on the Red Line.

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Rasener
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 04:48 PM

I bet you needed the toilet Ron :-)

Glad things turned out OK

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Ron Davies
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 02:38 PM

What I'm far more concerned with than terrorism is the--more and more likely--possibility of burdensome regulations--for instance, all bags being checked just to enter the subway system.   There are enough factors already to consider when using the subway--including Big Sister--it's a female voice-- forever telling us to ask fellow passengers: "Is that bag yours?".   We don't need or want compulsory anti-terrorist measures like the bag-checking.    And I would hope Metro does not in fact want to push more of us to use cars.

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Stringsinger
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 02:17 PM

More hysteria and panic for nothing. More likely to be hit by a flood or thunderstorm.

The "Terrorist" bogeyman is a right-wing ploy to make people afraid enough to want to support war.

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: gnu
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 01:00 PM

WHEW!

Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:46 PM

Residents don't bat an eye when ever the Georgetown man hole covers start exploding and sail high into the air. It happens on a regular basis.

Subject: BS: DC Terrorist Attack
From: Ron Davies
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:22 PM

That's what some people probably thought.

Just what this "capital city" needed for its already jangled nerves.

Jan was on the subway. I was late --still at home.   She called from the Red Line (where else?, the same one where 9 people, as I recall, were killed in a crash earlier this year--and the same one I take Mon through Fri. She told me there was a problem:   

Big boom in her car and several cars behind. Lifted the cars off their tracks. First car on fire. Corridor of her car full of smoke. Screaming from the first car. The train did get to Meto Center.   Everybody evacuated.

She was quite calm when she called.   She agreed that it must be some sort of malfunction--again. Terrorists would do more than lift the train off the rail.

This time it turns out, per Washington Post online:   "a collector shoe, which sends power from the third rail to the train, fell off a train, causing a fire under the lead car of a six-car train."



No terrorists will ever have to attack DC. It will grind to a halt just from speculation arising from our collapsing infrastructure and transportation system.