Zombie Beach Party

Westworld (1973)--Yul Brynner

Hi. Ed Ramsey from Delos. If there's anyone who doesn't know
what Delos is, well, as we've always said: Delos is the vacation
of the future,today. At Delos, you get your choice of the vacation
you want. There's Medieval World, Roman World and,
of course, Westworld.

It is part of the general pattern of misguided policy that our country
is now geared to an arms economy which was bred in an artificially
induced psychosis of war hysteria and nurtured upon an incessant
propaganda of fear
--Douglas MacArthur
_____________

The U.S. has a new product which has taken the place of the auto industry in the American economy: The terrorism-related security business (''Anti-terrorism Revives Town''):

In the burst of anti-terrorism spending that followed Sept. 11, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology bought the once-dying town (Playas) four years ago, using a $5 million Homeland Security Department grant

The university now owns and operates the place, offering instruction to the Pentagon, Homeland Security, the FBI, National Guard units and state and local police departments from around the country.

Hardly anyone actually lives in Playas. It is like a movie set, with authentically furnished homes [with actual doors you can kick down] that exist solely for training purposes.

So it seems that federal money and unrealistic terror threat analysis propel a new industry.

''All (residents) were given the option to stay, and about 50 are still here. But they were relocated to a few streets on the town's south side. Most of them are now on the university payroll as police officers, security guards, landscapers, custodians and other maintenance workers.''

Add this to the preexisting War on Drugs and we have a new cash cow--phony security.

''Florida law-enforcement officers, hoping to attract more federal dollars to combat drugs and crime, recently arrested 739 people in Florida as part of a week-long statewide drug sweep (''Drug Bust Nets Cocaine, Guns.'')

If tourism fails, line up at the feed bucket of reliable federal dollars. Bear in mind those federal dollars have America as the leader of the free world--in terms of the highest percentage of its citizens incarcerated.

To fuel the hysteria that we're at war, we're told ''Plot to Attack N.J. Base Thwarted'':

''Six foreign-born Muslims were arrested and accused Tuesday of plotting to attack Fort Dix and slaughter scores of U.S. soldiers — a scheme the FBI says was foiled when the men asked a store clerk to copy a video of them firing assault weapons and screaming about jihad.''

It's always the little things in life that will trip you up.

''Authorities said there was no direct evidence connecting the men to any international terror organizations such as al-Qaida. But several of them said they were ready to kill and die 'in the name of Allah,' according to court papers.''

Well, at least that. I mean, it's not like they were yelling, ''Onward, Christian Soldiers,'' or anything.

''Investigators said they infiltrated the group with two informants well over a year ago...'' Two informants, six conspirators, so 25% of the group were FBI informants. When there are large numbers of informants within a group, one must speculate about the efficiency of the conspirators.

Actual threats will not admit persons into their group without criminal/terrorist bona fides. If the FBI can infiltrate them and a video clerk can out them, rest assured they are are not a strategic threat.

Real terror cells are not infiltrated. These reports play well in Peoria, and justify $100's of billions being expended for our safety. What a sick joke.

Of course, if things follow the paradigm of Playas, Homeland security will have nought but a bunch of ghost towns to patrol anyway. Playas is reminiscent of several ersatz communities in Florida, like Celebration or Seaside, only more depressed. Perfectly manicured lawns, streets arrayed in perfect plats, except they lack a soul. People do inhabit the houses, but it may as well be Playas, for all it's worth.

Maybe Homeland Security can join forces with our woefully underfunded State Park system which currently caretakes our old ghost towns. They will share the same function of overseeing a long-ago subdued populace.

--Jim and Lisa