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On The Tip Of My Tongue — Why Now?
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On The Tip Of My Tongue

There’s a word for what CNN is reporting: FBI warns of uncorroborated threat to malls

WASHINGTON (CNN) — In what one FBI spokesman described as “almost an annual ritual,” the bureau has obtained uncorroborated intelligence indicating al Qaeda would like to strike shopping malls during the holiday shopping season, two law enforcement sources said Thursday.

Those sources confirmed there is intelligence dating back to August that al Qaeda would like to attack malls in Los Angeles, California, and Chicago, Illinois.

The FBI’s information is contained in an intelligence report and is intended for law enforcement and intelligence partners.

“There is no information to state this is a credible threat,” FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said in a statement.

The information is being shared “for situational awareness,” he said, and the FBI is reminding people to “remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to authorities.”

A spokesman for the FBI’s Chicago field office, Ross Rice, stressed the intelligence came “from an uncorroborated source and it’s non-specific.”

Gossip? Rumor? Yes, but something a bit more Anglo-Saxon, earthy, Trumanesque. Something that it meaningful to all Americans, urban and rural. Something that harkens back to our roots as settlers in a new land, wearing high boots. It will come to me.

17 comments

1 Cookie Jill { 11.08.07 at 10:26 pm }

This is only driving the insurance sky high for those stores in malls…forcing many smaller “non chain stores” out of business due to the rising costs of doing business.

2 Bryan { 11.08.07 at 10:33 pm }

These people don’t think of consequences, Jill. Not only is this going to up insurance rates, many mall will go into “security” mode and annoy people at the time of year they need them to shop until they drop. It should be a big boon for ‘Net stores and catalog sales because there is so much time left for shipping.

3 whig { 11.09.07 at 12:10 am }

The word you are looking for, “terrorism” perhaps?

4 whig { 11.09.07 at 12:11 am }

Bryan, I disagree that they don’t think of consequences, I think they intend to turn this country into a police state and making the malls into security zones like airports would only be the next step.

5 whig { 11.09.07 at 12:22 am }

(The actual word, presumably, was “Bullshit.”)

6 fallenmonk { 11.09.07 at 6:19 am }

The word you are looking for is .
fnord

7 Bryan { 11.09.07 at 11:13 am }

Bullshit was my thought, but fnord is more accurate. They want people to be in a permanent state of low-grade fear to make them pliable.

8 Steve Bates { 11.09.07 at 4:41 pm }

I believe if that’s what I had on the tip of my tongue, I’d brush and floss promptly. 😈

9 Badtux { 11.09.07 at 5:01 pm }

In other news, I wish I had a billion dollars.

But behaving as if I were a billionaire would probably be a bad idea on your part, given that, while I ain’t starvin’, I’m never going to have a million bucks, much less a billion bucks, unless the printing presses go into full Weimar Republic mode and we end up with the dollar being worth more as recycling pulp than as currency…

10 whig { 11.09.07 at 5:32 pm }

I don’t see any fnord.

11 Bryan { 11.09.07 at 10:32 pm }

With cats there should always be a convenient litter box within spitting distance, Steve.

Ain’t that the truth, Badtux. Acting like everything on the OBL wish list is going to happen only increases his influence and spreads the terror. I think Osama owes the Bush-Cheney team some medals for their work on his behalf.

Good, Whig, it means you’re sane, but worry about all of those who do see it and vote.

12 whig { 11.10.07 at 12:47 am }

You may be the first person to pronounce me sane on the basis of not seeing fnords. Does that mean I can be certain they will not eat me?

13 Bryan { 11.10.07 at 3:43 pm }

If they aren’t there they can’t eat you.

14 whig { 11.10.07 at 7:41 pm }

Well if you can’t see them either, they must not exist.

15 whig { 11.10.07 at 7:42 pm }

Or at least they won’t eat you.

16 Bryan { 11.10.07 at 11:23 pm }

It’s not that I ignore possible threats or future problems, but if you don’t concentrate on the here and now, you may not have a present, much less a future.

17 whig { 11.11.07 at 11:56 pm }

There’s way too much seriousness going on here, Bryan. Have you read Illuminatus! or other works by Robert Anton Wilson?