Very well stated.
Scott
Team Ropingthewind
>From: "Brian - Team A.I." <teamai@cox.net>
>Reply-To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
>To: <listserv@azgeocaching.com>
>Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Box game brings out bomb squad
>Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 11:40:47 -0700
>
>I posted this on the gc.com forums in a thread about a similar situation in
>which a Disneyland cache (micro) was discovered just before an attraction
>reopened, resulting in a delay while it was investigated:
>
>...society has been conditioned to a state of hypervigilant paranoia,
>resulting in stupid scenarios like ammo cans being blown up under a rock
>pile. It wouldn't matter if the ammo can was clear plexiglass, with nothing
>more than a fully translucent logbook that made it clear the object being
>looked at is nothing more than an object, and not an explosive device.
>Someone would still freak out over it, and thousands of dollars would be
>wasted. Heck, there could be a blanket understanding/approval by law
>enforcement for a specific type of cache container that we were allowed to
>use, and yet someone would still call and we'd find TBs blown sky high by
>disruptors.
>
>Maybe it's just me, but I don't take everything I see as a
>surgically-altered Osama, and freak out everytime I see someone breathe.
>
>But following that officer's logic, hikers are candidates for the Bataan
>Death March, mountain bikers are Hells Angels and rock climbers are
>suicidal...well, that may actually be the case but still. ;)
>
>I understand that bombs and explosives are real. In seconds, I could have
>a recipe for ammonia, nitrogen or hydrogen tri-iodide, by doing a simple
>Google search. But the mere presence of that information doesn't mean it
>exists or that authorities need to be called to investigate. That being
>said, a box, ammo can or Rubbermaid container stashed under a bush isn't
>always cause to just go off the deep end and call out so many resources.
>In all honesty, most of them stand around waiting for something to happen
>while a select few do the real grunt work.
>
>In my position, I have seen liberties disrupted. Whenever the Terror Alert
>Wheel O' Color stops on Orange, operations at work are quite overtly
>affected. Should we ever go to Red, I'll be walking into a heavily armed
>prison when I get to work each day. But in everyday life, I can't say that
>the changes have been so clear. It's my sheer disagreement with the
>removal of our civil liberties in the name of protecting us from a faceless
>enemy that is the issue. As with something such as gun control, the only
>people affected are the ones with the right to have them. There are enough
>enemies of the United States that we could make up quite a few people from
>every conceivable nationailty, race, or color. Some would be the model of
>what the Aryan Nation hope to make this world, while others would be model
>Black Panther recruits. Still, we would have at least some who prefer
>sushi over pizza and the Qu'ran to the KJV Bible.
>
>I don't think that we should just sit back, drink beer and become
>complacent to the goings on in this world, but too little is being done to
>protect the country from the outside, at our expense. A porous Mexican
>border has been used to smuggle al Qaida members into the country (I've
>read the intelligence to confirm this), and still lacking security measures
>at international ports of entry have allowed even more to get through.
>Just 2 nights ago, I received calls about a semi carrying UDAs. Keep in
>mind that this was a double trailer semi with people stacked
>shoulder-to-shoulder. Conceivably, there could have been upwards of 500
>people between them. Who is to say that 3 or 4 of them weren't radical
>fundamentalists from a group who disagrees with what the US is, and want to
>drive a bomb-laden car into a major metropolitan mall?
>
><Conspiracy Theory Moment>
>Not too long ago, I heard rumblings that the Joint Chiefs 10+ years ago
>contemplated allowing a terrorist attack on US soil, with the hopes that it
>would soften the public opinion on increased military spending. This, if I
>recall correctly, wasn't too long before the first WTC bombing, which would
>have been considered only marginally successful by measuring public
>opinion. Oklahoma City was another significant blow, but apparently not
>enough. It wasn't until the Twin Towers finally fell that everybody was
>gung-ho military, chanting "kill 'em all" in response to the atrocity, and
>demanding that we carpet bomb someone, something, somewhere. Since a good
>conspiracy is an unprovable one...I do find it odd, however, that several
>years before 9/11, a foreign leader (Pakistan, I think) offered up Osama to
>the US, who flatly refused. Oops.
></Conspiracy Theory Moment>
>
>Now I don't spend every waking moment looking over my shoulder, but I'm
>aware of what goes on around me. The day I start putting surveillance
>cameras around my home to start watching anyone of 'arab' descent, or that
>just looks mean, is the day I drive off a cliff and fuggedaboutit, because
>I've already gone over the edge. There's too much paranoia, and not enough
>protection in the right places.
>
>
>Brian
>Team A.I.
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
> From: Ken Henson
> To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
> Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 10:18 AM
> Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Box game brings out bomb squad
>
>
>
> On Saturday, March 27, 2004, at 09:22 AM, RopingThe Wind wrote:
>
>
> Oh yea. Now I have heard it all! :( You have gots to be kidding
>me!!?!??
>
>
> ...
>
>
> Anyways, I'm not trying to be sarcastic here or anything... but, I
>think it is truly rediculous that many people live their life this way. I
>dont worry about the small stuff. Someday something will do me in. But, I
>am not worrying about when that day will come. I am just trying to live my
>life and enjoy it the best I can.
>
> ... What is up with the comment about the 'star trek' games anyways!?
>Is he suggesting that we should not be able to go out and enjoy the
>outdoors and basically live life?!
>
> Scott
> Team Ropingthewind
>
>
>
>
>==========================================================================
>
> One more point of view. Seems like bombs and explosives are real.
> - Ken
>
>
>http://www.asuwebdevil.com/news/2004/03/26/News/Explosive.Shakes.Asu.Facility-642444.shtml
>
> Explosive shakes ASU facility
>
> Bomb units investigate incident involving trash can
> By Tim Taylor
> Published: Friday, March 26, 2004
>
> A device exploded in a trash can near the ASU Research Park
>approximately 1:20 a.m. Thursday, sparking bomb units from the Tempe Police
>Department to investigate.
>
> A security guard on duty at the park, located between Warner and Elliot
>roads on Price Road, said he heard "a loud explosion" and went to
>investigate, according to Tempe police Sgt. Dan Masters.
>
> The guard discovered that the cement receptacle on Price Road near a bus
>stop had been damaged. There were no injuries.
>
> He began picking up the pieces because he thought the receptacle had
>been hit by a vehicle. He then realized that an explosive was involved and
>called 911, Masters said.
>
> Bomb technicians determined that an explosive device placed in the trash
>barrel had been detonated. The technicians will be analyzing the evidence
>with help from the National Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
>Explosives.
>
> Authorities do not know the motive of the detonation, and no threats
>have been received.
>
> There is no evidence linking this incident with last Friday's bomb scare
>on the ASU Main campus, where three residence halls were evacuated because
>of a suspicious device in Parking Structure 5.
>
> The research park celebrated its 20th anniversary of operations on
>Wednesday.
>
> ==============================================================
>
> Would have been interesting if Geocache had been in or around this
>object. Just
> something to think about. - Ken
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