November 10, 2001

10:34 PM

Desperate, clueless people scrambling to keep us safe?Or cynical manipulation of public fear and superstition, keeping the pea hopping from shell to shell while the real machinations go on behind the scenes? Either way, the government seems to be doing their part to see that we don't forget that we're supposed to be terrorized.
posted by rushmc (16 comments total)

A sports stadium may be a target...egad, Brain, that's brilliant!!
posted by rushmc at 10:35 PM on November 10, 2001

"Cynical manipulation of public fear and superstition, keeping the pea hopping from shell to shell while the real machinations go on behind the scenes?"

Ahh-yup.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:15 PM on November 10, 2001

"Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control. Go back to bed, we've got it all figured out. Here. Here's American Gladiators. Here's 56 fucking channels of it. Go back to bed and congratulate yourself on living in the land of the free. You are free...to do as we tell you. You are free...to do as we tell you."

Bill Hicks, Revelations 1992
posted by Optamystic at 11:39 PM on November 10, 2001

Oh, Saint Bill makes my heart sing.
posted by solistrato at 11:48 PM on November 10, 2001

I dont see this at all as big government making sure youre terrorized. Its a non-event to me. Eventually any stuck investigation will consult a psychic, for better or worse. We can coin that Skallas's law.

Aren't they supposed to be remote viewers? From the stadium reference sounds like they're predicting the future as well.
posted by skallas at 12:45 AM on November 11, 2001

Prudence Calabrese, whose Transdimensional Systems 14 remote viewers, confirmed that the FBI had asked the company to predict likely targets of future terrorist attacks.
"Our reports suggest a sports stadium could be a likely target," she said.

Wow, it takes 14 remote viewers to suggest that? Come home, John Frankenheimer, all is forgiven.

The FBI and CIA refused to comment but confirmed investigators have been told to "think out of the box".

Am I the only one to get Tourette's every time I hear that expression? Perhaps the money would have been better spent on a cliché-checker.

Fwiw, I too think that there's a connection between scaring the public and assuring that important extra little bit of compliance in cutting back on individual liberties. As for psychics, I rate them just under Islamic fundamentalists in terms of state security policy. So it's an unholy alliance whichever way you look at it. And further, dispiriting proof that the FBI and CIA still don't know jackshit about practically anything related to practically everything under the sun.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:21 AM on November 11, 2001

I notice none of the psychics said squat before the WTC attack.
posted by RavinDave at 4:28 AM on November 11, 2001

Here's my prediction: the psychics won't be very useful. I am sure they are also being used to fight the War on Drugs. Isn't it great that money is being spent on the moral equivalent of Uri Geller while millions of American children don't have health care or access to good education.
posted by tranquileye at 5:49 AM on November 11, 2001

Osama, you are hereby on notice. Miss Cleo and Dionne Warwick will be on your case lickety split.
posted by MAYORBOB at 5:51 AM on November 11, 2001

Optamystic: *sigh* Bill Hicks is dead, and Carrot Top is in my face every fifteen fucking minutes.

There are insidious forces at work, and they are psychopathic, sadistic assholes, every last one of them. I'm certain of it.

Dammit, where's my Zoloft?
posted by tpoh.org at 6:11 AM on November 11, 2001

I am remote viewing future guests on the Art Bell Show right now.
posted by y2karl at 7:48 AM on November 11, 2001

"FBI and CIA still don't know jackshit about practically anything related to practically everything under the sun.' golly, i can worry now as miguel has the whole sbang worked out. GO RE-READ YOUR SUN-TZU.
posted by clavdivs at 8:16 AM on November 11, 2001

"send in Kenny Kingston"
posted by clavdivs at 8:17 AM on November 11, 2001

Its a non-event to me.

Yes, but some of us don't like paying for it, as tranquileye points out.

Psychics working with the spooks, pray-ins in Congress, Bush bonding with Putin over crosses...and we have the nerve to call the enemy superstitious fanatics?!?

I wonder if Dick Cheney is wearing his lucky pants....
posted by rushmc at 9:06 AM on November 11, 2001

Yes, but some of us don't like paying for it, as tranquileye points out.


I'm pretty curious if you had all the information on expenditures how insignificant this would be? Perhaps the objections are purely based on the working assumption that remote viewers are just con men.
posted by skallas at 9:37 PM on November 11, 2001

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but my objection is on BOTH counts.
posted by rushmc at 10:07 PM on November 11, 2001