The Twilight Zone - Updated for 2018 | Eastern North Carolina Now

The Twilight Zone - Updated for 2018

"You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone!"



  • First Stop: December 7, 1941, early morning Washington DC. There is every indication that the Japanese will attack Pearl Harbor.Immediate notification should be made to the military commanders of that island to warn them of the possibility of the impending attack. Unfortunately, due to the bureaucracy that existed in even in 1941 the warning was delayed until after the attack.

  • Next stop: January 13, 2018 An technology glitch or human error sent out a false report of incoming missile alert was sent via various text and smartphone alerts. While the message caused concern on social media, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency quickly responded on Twitter, saying, "NO missile threat to Hawaii."

  • "BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL" the emergency alert read.

       The result of this error was that we are now on a search to find out how it happened. That, of course is a proper review.  However, may people have been traumatized by the mistaken alert.  There are numerous solutions being offered by the news media that we should institute a bureaucracy to handle search alerts in the future to prevent the possibility of a false alert. We all know that a false alert is probably worse than an actual alert. Hell it could be worse than a real attack. It might make people think what they would do in their last 3 minutes on earth. Another question is what do you say to those people who don't have a Smart Phone, Facebook or Twitter account and never knew there was a false report sent out? It is just not fair that they did not get traumatized too. That alone could traumatize one into mortal fear wondering what everyone is running around.

       For the record, I also was taught in grammar school to get under the desk in the event of a nuclear attack alarm indicating an attack from the Ruskies.  We even had two separate alarms: One for fire and one for nuclear attack. We actually rehearsed what to do in both cases.

       As a lowly soldier many years ago, I have often heard the shout "Incoming" while in the field which warned of a possible mortar attack. As I recall every soldier had the authority to shout out the warning. While at base-camp on stand down, I have heard the "Incoming Sirens" that indicated the same. In both cases, I took cover except in the field I had to dig a hole first. Yes even before eating your last can of C-ration Beans and Franks you dug your hole every night. See Tom and I below in our temporary home which is only partially finished.

       I guess the difference was that if it turned out to be a false alarm, I was damn glad that someone had the inclination to sound the alarm out of an abundance of caution.  I survived the occasional false alarm.

       I survived those real alarms as well and turned out to be a normally adjusted adult (???).  Well, that may be an exaggeration, but I grew up without too may emotional scars from hiding under my desk, or jumping in a foxhole.  While we never had a nuclear attack while I was in grammar school, I did have quite a few actual mortar or missile attacks and I never thought that the alarm was the cause of my emotional scars. I will admit that I was a bit jumpy for about six months when a car backfired, but by golly I got over that too.

       I do have some sympathy for those who were traumatized by the erroneous report. Hell it could have been a real attack. How is one to know if the alarm is real or false.  Maybe it is best to just assume it is real and then you would be able to celebrate surviving it like I have for the last fifty years. The boy scouts used to have a motto about being prepared, but I think they have abandoned that to make place for 'feeling prepared'.


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Comments

( January 16th, 2018 @ 8:46 am )
 
Just a quick point of clarification. I received a private message asking what the guy was doing out front . Despite what it looked like, he is on guard duty while we dug in. In keeping with the necessary vigilance due in a hostile environment, we always posted a guard to warn of possible enemy contact. For the record, he had the sole authority to sound the alarm if he sensed danger.

( January 15th, 2018 @ 1:15 pm )
 
There is no doubt that Jim was a great songwriter but to me Operator was made by his lead guitar man Maury Muheleisen who probably could work the fretboard of a guitar better than any contemporary. And of course it was so smooth it seemed simple, that is until you try to reproduce it on your guitar.

With Jim laying down the rhythm track it makes Maury's playing all that more melodic.

There are several YouTube tutorials on the lead portion of Operator if you care to take a swing at it.

Of course the words almost make me feel like own my best friend stole my girl. That never happened but I will admit that I may have dialed an old girlfriend's number a few times from a phone booth after a night of liquid enlightenment.

Here is today's lesson in frustration.

beaufortcountynow.com
( January 15th, 2018 @ 11:34 am )
 
I love that song, B.T., from the late great Jim Croce.

And "Operator":; what a poignant mass of memories.
( January 15th, 2018 @ 8:15 am )
 
I think Ted is partially correct and Stan's comment sent me to my online dictionary to refresh my memory on Sensei. Defending an enclosed body of water with only one exit or entrance does present a very difficult military dilemma. It is further complicated when you have all your ships lined up in a row and side by side which invites a closer look by potential enemies.

But putting military tactics aside, something in the Japanese perception of America told them it had a good chance of success if they continued to pretend to negotiate while preparing for the attack. Here we are 71 years later playing that same tune again.
I prefer the Jim Croce tenet over the Rodney King "Can't we all get along" chant.

You don't tug on superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old lone ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim ( as in Jim Mattis)
( January 15th, 2018 @ 7:49 am )
 
"The signpost up ahead" clearly states that this is a Bobby Tony post, so let's all have a little fun and learn something. Thank-you Sensei Bobby Tony.

On a more serious note: I reckon it is good to know these things now, so corrections can be made. No state should be in control of Defense specific emergency protocols.
With the Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor, I am shocked that this was not corrected.

Since many Liberals feel that this huge mistake was the President's, maybe they will withhold their resistance movement long enough for him to protect the country.
( January 15th, 2018 @ 7:32 am )
 
There is no way to defend Hawaii. Navy advised that in 1940.



To Love the Winter, Too Vietnam War, War, Small History, In the Past, Body & Soul Which children's books do you remember?

HbAD0

 
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