Predictions, anyone?

[AmyLEnsor]

What long term (or short term) ramifications do you see coming out of this terrorist attack? I can't claim to be very foresighted and am still trying to comprehend the magnitude of it all.

My husband has already talked to his father about how he predicts the stock market will react. He's also predicted that 6 months from now, ER will have an episode where an airplane crashes into the Sears tower.

[erik_kosberg]

<pure_speculation>
Much higher levels of security in all major cities. Many of what we now think of as “basic civil liberties” will come under scrutiny, some will be curtailed (in effect, another victory for the terrorists). Several attacks against Muslim or Arab targets in the U.S. by jingoists. The stock market in general takes a shock but security-related stocks do quite well.
</pure_speculation>

[AmyLEnsor]

I guess heightened airport security is a given, at least for awhile. I remember after the WTC was bombed years ago things were tighter. I was pulled over for driving to Dulles airport without official aiport business. I remember when they used to make you boot up your computer when you went through security. I haven't had to do that the last couple of years I've flown. Not that it matters, since the computer could easily boot but there could be plenty of dangerous stuff in the expansion bays or hollowed out power packs and so on. And then there are those cell phone guns. Oh well, time will tell.

[poseidon]

This is, of course, predicting that the Palestinian organization that claimed responsiblity this morning is actually responsible:

The Palestinian organization did probably the worst single thing for promoting their cause. They have, with their actions, exterminated their own people.

I can see, with the help of Israel and probably very little vocal opposition from many Arab nations, turning the Palestinian-controlled territories in Israel to glass, and having even more security in Jerusalem itself, this time not only by Israeli troops, but by United States troops as well (aside from any UN troops that would shove their noses there).

I would predict that, unfortunately, many mosques throughout the United States would suffer acts of vandalism by very angry vigilantes.

I would predict that Ben Ladin will be caught and killed so that he doesn't have to stand trial. He will either kill himself or one of his henchmen will do it for him.

I would predict that nothing will ever be built, aside from a memorial, on the site of the World Trade Center.

[eplovejoy]

Predicting that it was those damn foregners raises an obvious question: Didn't we learn anything from Timothy McVeigh?

Apparently some of us haven't learned to at least learn how to spell the names of those at whom we point fingers.

By the way, bin Ladin is not Palestinian. He's Saudi Arabian.

[Redlass]

I have a horrible fear about the hatred that is going to pour out from this.

Let's say it was a domestic group (which is possibly more likely than a foreign group given how much insider information they seem to have had). Anyone who has ever said a sympathetic word about the guilty group may find themselves targets of attack--even if they have long since cut any ties with the organization.

We are a nation of justice. We are better than the terrorists. We must deliver justice--not revenge--even unto the black-hearted monsters that perpetrated this so that we do not turn into them.

I'm in full sympathy with the man on the New York Street who wanted to kill someone. We can't help but feel that way. But we mustn't act that way. We must be very sure of guilt before we take severe action--action that will never be forgotten and will deter any future acts. But we must not start a holy war by attacking those who are innocent of this deed.

We must show that we are a better and stronger nation than our enemies--be they domestic or foreign--think we are.

[poseidon]

Originally posted by eplovejoy
Predicting that it was those damn foregners raises an obvious question: Didn't we learn anything from Timothy McVeigh?

Apparently some of us haven't learned to at least learn how to spell the names of those at whom we point fingers.

By the way, bin Ladin is not Palestinian. He's Saudi Arabian.

I know who he is. My point is that as probably the most high-profile terrorist in the world today, he will be on a huntdown list whether or not he took part of it.

Someone called the Democratic Front for Palestine (or something similar to that) claimed responsibility. So I'm not jumping to any conclusions, just reporting what's happened.

[erik_kosberg]

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine has since denied any involvement. And now “a U.S. official” speaking on “condition of anonymity” is saying that Osama bin Laden “may have been responsible”. Who will be the suspected culprit tomorrow or the next day? Until some real proof starts to emerge, I’m not jumping to any conclusions.

[Mrsfitts]

Originally posted by tipu


Sales and rentals of ID4 reach unprecedented peaks.

What I learned from ID4:

* Americans can fly alien ships
* Morse Code works in any kind of disaster
* All countries will pull together and forget their differences
* Area 51 will be a popular place to visit
* The Vice President and Joint Chiefs of staff will die
* The First Lady will ignore the president and die
* Nobody will get hurt from the flak of a downed alien craft
* Divorced couples will get back together
* Prayer becomes popular again with Americans
* Alcoholics can become fighter pilots if they take out the enemy
* Data looks weird with long hair.

[MrsNormanMaine[$]]

George W. Bush's popularity takes a nose dive after his bolt into the Nebraska rabbit hole when he should be out leading the country.

MNM

[AmyLEnsor]

Originally posted by eplovejoy
Predicting that it was those damn foregners raises an obvious question: Didn't we learn anything from Timothy McVeigh

I think we have learned something from Timothy McVeigh. Most people I've talked to have raised the idea of a militia type group being responsible, but almost immediately dismissed it. Somehow they don't see well organized enough, rich enough or smart enough to pull something like this off. But we can't rule anything out at this point, I will grant you that.

[AmyLEnsor]

Originally posted by tipu


Sales and rentals of ID4 reach unprecedented peaks.

Do you think any special effects guys are watching and saying, "Wow, so that's what it looks like!" ?

I was thinking that their would probably a grocery store run, but I wasn't even thinking of a bank run. Makes me wish we kept some of that ready Y2K cash on hand. Oh well, our earthquake kit is pretty well stocked.

My thoughts today have been along the lines of thank goodness I'm not in Manhattan right now-I can't imagine the nightmare that must be. On the other hand, being there at the site will give people quite a story to pass down to their offspring. One of my neighbors was supposed to be in NY right now, but he sent one of his employees instead. She was a few blocks away when the whole thing happened and had to walk 6 miles in her high heels to get out of the area. I predict a lot of sore feet in the next few days.

[Mrsfitts]

Originally posted by AmyLEnsor


I was thinking that their would probably a grocery store run, but I wasn't even thinking of a bank run. Makes me wish we kept some of that ready Y2K cash on hand. Oh well, our earthquake kit is pretty well stocked.

We have all the stuff from the Y2K and Earthquake preparedness (1989 wasn't that long ago... not nearly long enough for us to forget)

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/010911/n11203056_1.html
I predict that the terrorists managed to mess the worlds monetary functions for a long time to come.

[poseidon]

Originally posted by MrsNormanMaine
George W. Bush's popularity takes a nose dive after his bolt into the Nebraska rabbit hole when he should be out leading the country.

MNM

Actually I think that most of the country understands the need to protect the President and most of our elected officials -- we've been taught this enough in school and watched enough movies to understand this.

Would the American people dislike the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and other vital papers if they knew that they got dropped into a special vault in case of war, threat of war, terrorism, etc.?

The President is speaking tonight. He's doing what the American public expect from any President.

On a side note, my bank was open today. I cashed an expense check.

Jeff

[nicholmere]

Originally posted by eplovejoy
Predicting that it was those damn foregners raises an obvious question: Didn't we learn anything from Timothy McVeigh?..

That is what I keep thinking. I remember being shocked as I watched the coverage of that bombing. The CNN reporters seemed almost desperate to have a witness say that the they saw suspicious people with 'dark' skin that were Middle Eastern looking.

[Mrsfitts]

That BIGOTS will come crawling out of the dark recesses like maggots -feasting merrily on the skins of the innocent.

Oh wait, that's Deja Vu, Past Experience, What's happening already.

[dlbrantley]

Nostradomus predicted:

Out of the country of Greater Arabia
Shall be born a strong master of Mohammed...
He will enter Europe wearing a blue turban.
He will be the terror of mankind.
Never more horror.

In the year 1999 and seven months
From the sky will come the great King of Terror.
He will bring back to life the King of the Mongols;
Before and after war reigns.

The war will last seven and twenty years. (Guentte)

The sky will burn at forty-five degrees.
Fire approaches the great new city.

By fire he will destroy their city,
A cold and cruel heart,
Blood will pour,
Mercy to none.

****

It has long been thought that the city he spoke of could only be NYC as it's the closest to the 45 degree latitude.

Believe in him or not but he's been eerily accurate on some of his predictions considering what time he lived in.

[AmyLEnsor]

I'm just wondering if any insurance companies will go bankrupt.

[pageclot[$]]

I imagine bankruptcy is the least of their problems. In looking for a list of tenants of the WTC, I found several companies that have moved to the WTC in the last few years, including one risk management company that took over 7 floors, with 1400 staff, consolidating their staff into one location from several throughout the city.

Some companies may never recover from the loss of so many key staff, plus the difficulties of recovering from the loss of so much in the way of records and data infrastructure. They may not want to recover.

p

[nobody_knows]

I predict:

The world economy will be seriously shaken.

People will think thrice before putting up such huge targets again.

This will become the latest excuse for bigotry and intolerance, when it should be the incident that brings people together.

Americans will never again feel as safe and invincible as they did before September 11, 2001.

I hope:

That cooler heads will prevail in Washington.

That we can avoid a war, and specifically, a nuclear war.

That we can somehow learn to be more tolerant of others, to put ourselves in others' shoes and try to understand why our natural arrogance upsets so many people around the world.

[evmori]

Originally posted by MrsNormanMaine
George W. Bush's popularity takes a nose dive after his bolt into the Nebraska rabbit hole when he should be out leading the country.

MNM

He was doing his job, just from a safe place. If you noticed, he kept moving. Makes him harder to hit. His popularity will take a nosedive if he does nothing. It's too soon to tell.

[kuuleimomi]

Originally posted by evmori

His popularity will take a nosedive if he does nothing. It's too soon to tell.

Exactly, it's too soon to tell, but his popularity will take a nosedive if he does something really stupid as opposed to "if he does nothing". Trust me, concentrating on nation rather than revenge may seem like "nothing" but it works for now.

Finn