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Mitigating hostility when the terrorist threat increases
I came across this news announcement. It’s an occupational hazard for journos. But this one caught my eye. It was about a new product – or more specifically, a ‘hostile vehicle mitigation product’.
I immediately thought of the press release I got from Europol on Thursday, where the latest statistics:
Hostile Vehicle Mitigation product?
source: EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report
…show how the total number of terrorist attacks and related arrests in the EU significantly increased in 2012, in contrast to previous years. This and other findings in the report describe a threat from terrorism that remains strong and varied in Europe.
This new hostile vehicle mitigation product is probably related, I conjectured – some new unmanned remote-controlled robot able to locate under-chassis bombs, remove and defuse them; or perhaps the latest drone able to locate, track and take out suspicious vehicles with a single targeted strike.
No. It’s a bollard. A hostile vehicle mitigation product is a strategically placed bollard.
Clearly I need to upgrade my automatic overhype detection, filtration, isolation and elimination system – the delete button.
David Cameron has just won the next election
He has promised the people an in-out referendum on Europe after the next election. Miliband, however, says, “My position is no – we don’t want an in out referendum.”
Cameron wins hands down, and will win the election on this basis alone.
The real fun will start after the election when Cameron has to find some way to break or manipulate or delay that promise – which he inevitably will. Filed under ‘all politicians are liars’.
China lets slip the true purpose of the European Union
From Radio 4 satire many years ago:
John Major: Who won the bloody war anyway?
Helmut Kohl: Who said it’s over?
Well it is now!
The packaging from a carry case for the PS Vita
This is from a Chinese-made PS Vita carry case. Hint: check the flags and languages…
Hat tip to Daniel Gyenesse.
