Thought for the day...

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,330
We had the special BAT-PHONE with the FO button.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autovon
AUTOVON included four message precedence levels: Routine, Priority, Immediate and Flash, and had an additional capability called Flash Override.[3] These levels were activated using the buttons in an additional column of the keypad, which produced the dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals A, B, C, and D:

  • A (697/1633 Hz): Flash Override (FO)
  • B (770/1633 Hz): Flash (F)
  • C (852/1633 Hz): Immediate (I)
  • D (941/1633 Hz): Priority (P)
Flash Override was not designated as a precedence level, but a capability designed to allow the President of the United States or other National Command Authority to preempt any other traffic in the network in an emergency.
We could call The Flash but the President could tell us to F--- Off, he needed to talk to The Flash.

Flash and Flash Override is embedded in the Internet.

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We ran CRITICOM at the station in the Keys (Legacy of the Cuban Missile Crisis). It's the only thing that can override the Presidents FO in an emergency.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticomm
The Critical Intelligence Communications network, or CRITICOMM, is designed to flash to the American President and a handful of other senior officials intelligence alerts and warnings of the highest priority—an imminent coup in a Middle East sheikdom, for example, or the assassination of a world leader, or the sinking of a Soviet sub. It is the goal of NSA to have such a CRITIC message on the President's desk within ten minutes of the event. An example of a CRITIC message being sent is the USSS Pueblo that was captured by North Korea. CTO2 Don McClarren, who was on the ship at the time, notified the Comms Center in Kamiseya, Japan of the attack. After being received by the Comms Center, the message was passed to CTO3 Paul Allen USNSG who then transmitted it using a Teletype Model 33.
 
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cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,777
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Compared to Danish, French number names feel like a leisurely stroll through a well-marked park. Take the number 92 in modern Danish: 'tooghalvfems'—literally, “two and ninety.” That might sound manageable until you ask why “ninety” is 'halvfems,' which translates to “half to five.”

In fact, 'halvfems' is a contraction of 'halvfemsindstyve,' meaning 4.5 × 20. The term 'halvfemte' denotes “half short of five,” or 4.5, while the implicit 'sinds-tyve' means “times 20.”

And the complexity doesn’t end there. Here’s how Danish forms its multiples of ten using this vigesimal (base-20) logic:
* 50: "halvtreds" from 'halvtredje' (three half short = 2.5) × 20 = 50
* 60: "tres" from 'tre' (3) × 20 = 60
* 70: "halvfjerds" from 'halvfjerdsindstyve,' where 'halvfjerds' is “half short of four” = 3.5 × 20 = 70
* 80: "firs" from 'fire' (4) × 20 = 80, and
* 90: "halvfems" from 'halvfemte' (“half short of five” = 4.5) × 20 = 90

Historically, Danish used a simpler system—for instance, 'nyutiughu' (“nine tens”)—until around 1300, when base-20 logic began to take hold, likely spreading from western Denmark.
Curiously, French shares this quirk: quatre-vingt (80), quatre-vingt-dix (90)—both structured around twenties. This base-20 system appears in several Indo-European languages and may trace back to pre-Celtic traditions.
So, the next time you complain about saying "quatre-vingt-dix-sept," just remember—it could be "syvoghalvfems."
 

joeyd999

Joined Jun 6, 2011
6,322
The trade-off is worth the danger. I remember having a 'real' icebox as a kid. Lots of people died young from eating bad food back then. Today, they die young from eating too much good food.
I don't disagree.

My "slightly worrying" comment is only in regard to the nature of the durable C-F bonds, and the low concentrations required to be potentially harmful due their structures mimicking natural biological molecules.

I could imagine a long-term effect "dirty bomb" being created from these (relatively common and normally harmless) materials.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,330
I don't disagree.

My "slightly worrying" comment is only in regard to the nature of the durable C-F bonds, and the low concentrations required to be potentially harmful due their structures mimicking natural biological molecules.

I could imagine a long-term effect "dirty bomb" being created from these (relatively common and normally harmless) materials.
My mom is still kicking at 90+ after using every new plastic cooking device ever invented since the 50's. I think the effect is real but it's a minor factor for most of us that were born in dirt, ate dirty and lived in dirt most of our early lives.

It's much like COVID, the egg-heads thought that poor dirty Africa was going to be a blood-bath of COVID related death. It turns out the people there are so resistance to such a minor virus, it quickly mutated into much less harmful version (to increase infection rates while also lowered the chances for illness) that effectively ended the pandemic for the rest of the weaker world.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,330
Another idiot that wants the US to save him for being an idiot. I know, it's required even for fools in need.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/15/asia/indonesia-american-basketball-arrested-drugs-intl-hnk
An American basketball player for the Indonesian league was arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to the country, police said Thursday.
...
Under Indonesia’s anti-drug laws, Shaw faces up to life sentence or death penalty if found guilty, Sipayung said.


The arrest followed a tip from the airport’s customs that reported Shaw had received a suspicious airway package from Thailand, Sipayung said. Cannabis has been decriminalized in Thailand since November 2024. Under Indonesia’s anti-drug laws, Shaw faces up to life sentence or death penalty if found guilty, Sipayung said.

A video circulating on social media purportedly showed Shaw, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, resisting as he’s being pushed away by police and shouting “Help … help!” when he was about to be arrested.
Let's see, a American basketball player receives a package from package from Thailand (a well known drug supplying, hot-pot-spot, cool place, been there).
What could lead them to investigate. :rolleyes:

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joeyd999

Joined Jun 6, 2011
6,322
Another idiot that wants the US to save him for being an idiot. I know, it's required even for fools in need.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/15/asia/indonesia-american-basketball-arrested-drugs-intl-hnk


Let's see, a American basketball player receives a package from package from Thailand (a well known drug supplying, hot-pot-spot, cool place, been there).
What could lead them to investigate. :rolleyes:
There is one easy way to ensure that you are not in violation of any illicit drug laws anywhere you go.
 
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