This page reports news I heard from US media channels - public television and newspapers. These news refer to either events happened in the US, deliberate inventions made up by the media, and security measures taken by the US government. In my opinion, all these items are examples of unjustified fear and terror spreaded nation-wide. I'll try to update this page regularly.

February 8th, 2003

The federal government raised the national terrorism alert from code-yellow to code-orange ("high").

10 February 2003

The sound of sirens may soon become a regular event for residents in the Alameda County, CA. The first alarm test run last week in San Leandro, Alameda, Oakland, and UC Berkeley. (I heard it distinctly from my home in Buena Vista Ave., San Leandro.) The alarms were originally designed to warn of fire danger, but the Oakland city council, soon after the 9-11 attacks, approved a plan to expand the system from 9 to 27 siren towers to cover the entire city. [source: SF Chronicle]

Sirens are not the only reflections of a war feeling around the country. Biological weapons attack drills recently took place in Alexandria, VA. Moreover, last week federal officials used airplanes to dump egg whites and "other materials" over the town of Grisby, Oklahoma, as a mock biological attack.

Question: is this making people feel secure?

[Feb. 12 update: check this out too.]

11 February 2003

h 6:30 AM

The news continue to repeat the increased terror alert from yellow to orange that happened a couple of days ago. Why do they keep on doing that?

h 6:50 AM

Ho da poco acceso la TV per sentire le news. Ne hanno appena data una assurda riguardo all'avvistamento di una piccola imbarcazione che si aggirava "sospetta" lungo la baia di San Francisco vicino a Treasure Island, molto vicina al lato est del Bay Bridge (uno dei ponti principali e più lunghi della baia) intorno alle 3:30AM. La giornalista diceva che non c'erano motivi per la piccola imbarcazione, che girava a fari spenti, di essere lì in quel momento. Le ricerche sono in corso da parte della polizia e la guardia costiera, ma non è stato ancora possibile rintracciare questa piccola imbarcazione. Nonostante girasse a fari spenti, si sa che la barca era una "zodiac", ed era guidata da un uomo solitario. Dopo 15 minuti lo stesso canale ripropone la notizia, con le stesse immagine.
Dopo un quarto d'ora circa, sulla abc sono collegati da 5 minuti con il Crisis Response Center a Washington DC. Sono dentro un laboratorio pieno di monitor. La giornalista dallo studio abc chiede all'inviato al CRC: "dicci cosa sono quegli schermi dietro di te" e lui risponde "well, I'm very excited about that..." e spiega che con quei monitor visualizzano i possibili punti di provenienza di un attacco chimico, e le vie di diffusione dell'attacco chimico. L'inviato si muoveva nel laboratorio - dove non c'erano altri individui eccetto lui - ma ogni volta che la camera si fermava, notavo che era sempre inquadrato il monitor con la raffigurazione dei livelli di allerta. Non so se avete presente la schermata di cui parlo, ma è una schermata PowerPoint-like: su uno schermo blu scuro sfumato, ci sono 5 grosse barre orizzontali di 5 colori diversi indicanti i 5 livelli di allerta. L'arancione è ora evidenziato. Questa schermata non contiene informazioni, e sicuramente non ha alcun tipo di valore in un centro specializzato di monitoring. Eppure ho contato almeno 2 di quelle schermate nella stessa stanza.

h 7:30 AM

Su Channel 2 hanno ridato la notizia della barca. Il titolo della notizia era "Security Scare".

h 8:00 AM

Channel 2 ripropone la notizia della barca ("Security Scare").

h 8:30 AM

Channel 2 continua a ripetere che non ci sono ancora notizie sulla piccola imbarcazione che viaggiava stanotte vicino al Bay Bridge.

[Feb 12 update: read the suspiciour boater story in this article by the Examiner]

circa h 1:00 PM

NY police has been ordered to give attention on "improvised weapons", such as fire estinguishers, bottles, or any item that could contain chemical weapons.

h 3:30 PM

The Departement of Homeland Security is promoting exceptional, unjustified security measures against chemical, biological, radiological attacks. These measures include:

• - buying duct tapes to shield doors and windows against a possible chemical biological attack;
• - buying plastic sheeting to protect things, food, etc.;
• - buying gas masks;
• - preparing special ``terror preparation kits'', with provisions and supplies, a battery powered radio, flashlights, a pair of scissors, a manual can opener, spare batteries, blankets, a change of clothes, an extra set of car keys, and cash;
• - designating and adapting an apartment room as a shelter, using the duct tape and heavy plastic sheeting to seal it.

On KQED there's a debate going on right now. A corporate man is asked if he think these measures are likely to scare people out instead of making them feeling safer. He responds he'd prefer people to be prepared: people have to be prepared so not to be in the same situation of 9/11, where every American was unprepared.

As on the news title said, "security wins over freedom". And life is changing.

Evening

In San Jose a simulation of a terroristic attack was done. The simulation took place in a school, in a Columbine style situation. Students were told to act phisycally and psychologically injured, as policemen burst into the school to rescue them.

February 12, 2003

h 8:30 AM

A suspicious white truck has been stopped outside of New York City and pulled over by the police for inspections, in relation to the increased security alert. No reasons have been given about why the truck was suspicious.

February 13, 2003

Noone talks about the suspicious small boat that was cruising around the Bay Bridge February 11th at 3AM any longer. This mistery will remain unsolved.

February 14, 2003

1.

A group of House Republicans, known as The House Policy Committee, urged that the US government be allowed to initiate pre-emptive nuclear attacks against hostile nations with caches of biological or chemical nations. It also called upon the government to speed up preparations for resumption of underground testing.

2.

Alameda County sheriff's officers are doing random car inspections. This is the newest security measure implemented by the Transportation Security Administration in response to the elevated orange terror alert. Officers are looking for explosives and other suspicious devices. They'll check trunks, inside and underneath vehicles. The random inspections will go on indefinitely.

3.

Noone talks anymore about the suspicious white truck that was cruising around the Bay Bridge February 12th at 3AM. This mistery will remain unsolved.

February 16, 2003

h 10:00 PM

Tonight, when reporting on the antiwar protest in San Francisco, the media (KTVU, channel 5) concentrated more on the little incidents and pro-war opinions than the peaceful anti-war sentiments.

h 10:20 PM

We have a new virus. It's the "Norwalk virus". Strangely, I didn't know of its existance: anyway, thanks to television, now I am now fully aware that my life is endangered by a new, quickly spreading, invincible threat. Yes, invincible: because there's no treatment for the Norwalk virus. This "Norwalk virus" is spreading widely in the SF Bay Area, from the ships that come in from the wide ocean. Soon, however, it'll spread all over the US and take over the country. The main consequences of the terrible Norwalk virus are diarrhea and vomit. As a prevention, the media advice to wash your hands often, and in case you get it, drink plenty of fluids - to wipe it out. A few facts from the KTVU website:

• Infected people usually recover in 2 to 3 days without serious or long-term health effects.
• Norwalk virus infection is caused by the Norwalk virus.
• The virus was first identified in 1972 after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in Norwalk, Ohio.
• Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses are found worldwide.
• Anyone can get Norwalk virus infection, but it may be more common in adults and older children.

Nevertheless, the media are pushing it.

February 17, 2003

Hundreds of people in Chicago packed into a club on the city's South Side stampeded down a stairwell after security guards broke up a fight and sprayed pepper gas. A lawyer for the club suggested someone might have shouted a warning about a terrorist attack. In the resulting panic, 21 people died and 57 were injured. It was one of deadliest stampedes in recent memory.

February 20, 2003

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has ordered police at US airports to randomly select vehicles arriving on entrance roads for searches. Those who refuse to comply are barred from proceeding to the terminal, but may leave the airport un-inspected. License plates are recorded to prevent those who decline inspection from re-entering. TSA attorneys refused to be specific about search procedures. The mandate will end when the code-orange alert is lowered.

February 21, 2003

Lor informed me about the new government web site ready.gov from the Department of Homeland Security. This web site confirms and explains the absurd code-orange safety measures promoted since February 11th.

Wednesday, March 19, 2003

An unjustified, unauthorised, US-led war in Iraq has commenced. Beside being completely "real" (and so unqualified to appear in this page), this fact has major consequences also on the way it affects media broadcast programs.