Security is sexy
Posted: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 11:01 AM by Will Femia
"Here's a handy ranking of the various dangers confronting America, based on the number of mortalities in each category throughout the 11-year period spanning 1995 through 2005."
The idea is that if you're afraid of being killed by something, that fear should be based on your likelihood of that happening. The likelihood of being killed by terrorism, based on the research this page has done, is low.
Speaking of not being terrified by terror, "How did we survive Ari Fleischer's reign of terror?" Christopher Hitchens picks apart the people who argue that Ari Fleischer's line about "Americans ... need to watch what they say, watch what they do" was at threat or had a chilling effect on speech in America.
Speaking of watch-what-you-do-or-else, Greg Palast is in legal peril for filming an Exxon plant in the course of shooting a piece about Katrina survivors. Looks like there's a lot of back story here, but regardless of what Fleischer meant, Americans do have to watch what they do.
Speaking of post 9/11 security, Commuter Click: Some Reflections on What, if Anything, “Are We Safer?” Might Mean
Security themed fashion photos from Italian Vogue. NOTE: I'd consider this safe for work, but it does have a certain sexiness to it that might make you self conscious at work. Certainly the sexiness in contrast with the security context is what makes the shots so compelling.
As long as I've got a 9/11 related string running, here's what I clicked from the popular links related to the day:
What's coming to be called "the Revver video" is a half hour long home video shot from an upper story window of an apartment in Battery Park City, adjacent to the World Trade Center site. I didn't watch the whole thing through, but it's a pretty amazing perspective. Most of the link text I've seen mentions that this has never been seen before on TV. I believe this is true, but only because I've never seen it. Conspiracy theorists will be frustrated that she doesn't catch the second plane's approach.
I didn't see it at the time, but a lot of people are linking to the video of Jon Stewart's return to air following the attacks. He can barely keep it together.
What I do remember well from that time is David Letterman's return. I thought it was positively heroic at the time. It's interesting to see him singing the praises of Giuliani given the criticism the former mayor has been receiving lately.
OK, funner links in the next post.
