[hoagy62]

Yes, they’re testing the EAS that day. It’ll be the first nation-wide test of an emergency system since the 1950’s. HOWEVER...they aren’t “shutting off” the networks by any stretch of the imagination.

For three, that’s right...just three...minutes, they will activate the EAS from the White House using the exact same activation codes they’d use if the President wanted to speak to the American people during a national emergency. They want to see how well (or not) the system works. EVERY station will be required to broadcast the message, and those that don’t will be asked by the FCC to explain why they didn’t.

On this test, we will NOT hear or see Barry the Boob. This will be audio only...no slide or visual will be used. For some inexplicable reason, there is no standard visual to use in a national emergency (Why not?). This means some TV and cable systems will show a blank screen during the test. (I can just see some little old grandma out there in the Midwest who doesn’t realize what’s happening and dropping dead of a heart attack, thinking Doomsday is upon us.)

Like I’ve said before, there hasn’t ever been a nation-wide test of the system. Now, you could say we sort-of had one in 1971 when the idiot operator at NORAD sent the wrong message during a weekly test. If you look at the results of what happened, then the system failed miserably. Over half the country would not have known if we were under attack. This is a way for the FCC to gauge how (and if) the system will work and to take steps to fix what doesn’t.

Now, something I didn’t know...the EAS is basically a last-ditch effort to get a Presidential message out to the people, just in case the President couldn’t use the networks to talk to us.

There are some who will view this as a way for Barry the Boob to prepare to put us under martial law, but I don’t look at it as something so sinister. It really is a good idea to do this...just to make sure it works. And if in some future time he does use it to do just that, then you can say “I told you so”.

[trumandogz]

Yeah, but what if that during the few minutes of this test, that the White House broadcasts a subliminal message that instructs all people to immediately report to their nearest NPR affiliate or Apple Store where they will have the Apple iObama chip emplaned in their heads?

And once all the Apple iObama chips are activated by agents of Obama on Election Day, all will be programmed to vote for Obama.

[funfan]

Thank you for the explanation :)

[af_vet_rr]

Like I’ve said before, there hasn’t ever been a nation-wide test of the system. Now, you could say we sort-of had one in 1971 when the idiot operator at NORAD sent the wrong message during a weekly test. If you look at the results of what happened, then the system failed miserably. Over half the country would not have known if we were under attack. This is a way for the FCC to gauge how (and if) the system will work and to take steps to fix what doesn’t.

Something similar happened a few times since then, on a smaller scale though. I think the last mishap was in 2007 somewhere in the North with something FEMA related.

They nearly activated the nation-wide EAS alert with the 9/11 attacks, but the person in charge of EAS at the time made the decision not to, based on their view that every news/local station was already covering it.

I have a theory that the coverage was only part of the reason why we didn't get the full EAS treatment in 2001 - imagine if they activated it in 2001 and it didn't work fully. Heads would roll.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Thanks. I had a feeling people were going off half-cocked.

After all, aren’t we all well aware of the “old” EBS system disrupting our cartoons every week sometime?

[Shadowstrike]

My question would be this. What sort of subliminal message will they be braodcasting instead of the regular signal. Ok, you can stop laughing now. I know, I know it sounds totally whacko to even think this, but I've had to rethink alot of what I've known in my life, and I do not trust this.

[lentulusgracchus]

It really is a good idea to do this...just to make sure it works. And if in some future time he does use it to do just that, then you can say “I told you so”.

Do you promise to BLOAT this weekend, just so we won't be quite so sorry if we do have to say "we told you so"?

[wastedyears]

What happened in 1971? I’m only 26.