Newsfilter For Terrorism Junkies

October 13, 2007 9:54 AM

The Global Incident Map is an interactive map displaying "terrorism events and other suspicious activities" happening at this very moment (updated every 5 minutes) all around the world. Click on the various icons for "event details" or scroll down for "announcements, alerts and breaking news." Via.
posted by amyms (28 comments total)

There's something happening right next to me!
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 10:01 AM on October 13, 2007

Wow, that thing is an eye sore.
posted by absalom at 10:07 AM on October 13, 2007

paranoiapr0n
posted by signal at 10:28 AM on October 13, 2007

I have this theory of why our government's intelligence so often seems to fail. And it goes a little something like this: The way that analysts and programmers have decided to organize data, huge amounts of data, is not useful for real world purposes. Somewhere along the way someone decided they just need lots of information and lots of computers crunching numbers and some guy magically looking at it all will make sense of it and problem solved.

I bet intelligence people look at stuff similar to the Global Incident Map and try to ascertain what's going to happen next.
posted by PHINC at 10:34 AM on October 13, 2007

I'm always on that map -- because I'm so hot I'm a nuclear incident.
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:45 AM on October 13, 2007 [1 favorite]

This and similar stuff previously discussed a little here. Not crying double. Just saying, "Look! More terror!"
posted by thinman at 10:45 AM on October 13, 2007

Previously.
posted by Rhomboid at 10:46 AM on October 13, 2007

Why limit it to terrorism? Put every single goddamn crime in the world on there and watch it really light up!
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:55 AM on October 13, 2007

And Bill O'Reilly just got some new desktop wallpaper.
posted by Keith Talent at 11:03 AM on October 13, 2007

This needs to be mashed up with a map of kitten and puppy births and unexpected views of rainbows to provide the necessary balance.
posted by Abiezer at 11:04 AM on October 13, 2007

Can I buy a pixel?
posted by davebush at 11:08 AM on October 13, 2007

Mostly suspicious activity, little terrorism.

Russia and China seem peaceful. I guess socialism is good for something.
posted by b1tr0t at 11:22 AM on October 13, 2007

TERRORNOIA!

http://www.globalincidentmap.com/eventdetail.php?ID=5289

Description: "package was found outside the post office at Las Vegas Boulevard and Carson Street"
posted by fandango_matt at 11:24 AM on October 13, 2007

Oh my god! Mr. T is in India! And in Istanbul!
posted by TheNewWazoo at 11:25 AM on October 13, 2007

In real time.*

* "Real time" for these purposes is defined as when someone gets around to filing a wire service report on it.
posted by smackfu at 11:28 AM on October 13, 2007

Amyms, thanks for posting this - I was really interested and bookmarked it. At risk of showing my laziness, what is the source?
posted by frumious bandersnatch at 11:28 AM on October 13, 2007

b1tr0t - Russia and China seem peaceful. I guess socialism is good for something.

Well, it has to be reported for it to show up on the map, no?

Somehow, this map reminds me of computer games circa the early '90's.
posted by porpoise at 12:32 PM on October 13, 2007

This site has been around for a while, and has been maintaining a very high standard of absolute bullshit for all of that time.

There is, as I write this, a "biohazard" symbol flashing on Australia. Apparently some white powder was found in an envelope at a post office, six days ago. Since there's been no followup report, I think we can conclude it wasn't anything toxic, or even illegal.

But wait! There's an explosion symbol in Kansas!

("People are putting acid inside soda bottles and throwing them around the neighborhoods." Report two days old.)

Another biohazard symbol, this time in Florida!

(Someone mailed a letter containing white powder to a Hooters restaurant, three days ago.)

An airport symbol in California!!

(Bomb threats at Oakland International. No bomb existed. Report three days old.)

A biohazard symbol in the UK!

(Another friggin' parcel with harmless "white powder". Report four days old.)

But how about all of the scary icons in Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan and Israel?!

(OK, those are all real. Hurrah.)

Back in March when this site was young, it had a "nuclear" icon flashing right in the middle of the USA... because someone stole a soil moisture meter that had a couple of grains of radioactive material in it.
posted by dansdata at 12:34 PM on October 13, 2007

Nice. Ratcheting up the fear in real-time.
posted by doublesix at 12:49 PM on October 13, 2007

Somehow, this map reminds me of computer games circa the early '90's.

It is kind of like Civilization, except without the civilized part.
posted by b1tr0t at 2:40 PM on October 13, 2007

If I ever go crazy and decide to engage in terroristic activities, I'm totally going to use in my planing stages.

Take that, Irony.
posted by quin at 4:09 PM on October 13, 2007

paranoiapr0n

That's a perfect summary. I should have used that as my post title.
posted by amyms at 4:22 PM on October 13, 2007

Terror porn, anyone?
posted by zardoz at 6:48 PM on October 13, 2007

That's kind of a cool idea, but wow that's ugly and badly done. I kind of want to do it the right way now.
posted by blacklite at 8:53 PM on October 13, 2007

Thankfully, the kind of people that this would scare the bejeezus out of only know how to use the internet to forward urban legends and look for flashing angel clip art.
posted by Legomancer at 9:34 PM on October 13, 2007

it should be illegal to lie.
posted by mr_book at 10:34 PM on October 13, 2007

It should also be illegal to do the things I get away with in the name of National Security.

Thankfully they haven't realized that my 'badge' is actually nothing more than an expired credit card and a hunk of polished rebar I found, all duct-taped together.

So, I'll be in your base, harmin' your dudes for some time to come.
posted by quin at 11:16 PM on October 13, 2007

"Bayside Hooters Reopens After Powder Scare"

Whew.
posted by funkbrain at 11:01 AM on October 14, 2007 [1 favorite]