DON'T PANIC!

Another day, another terrorist attack. At least that's what I was expecting this past week, as news reports rolled out with info on the string of recent attempted (or 'successful') car bomb attacks. The only "moderately successful" attack of the past week happened at Scotland's Glasgow airport - and it involved driving a flaming Jeep into the front doors of the terminal. Sparking fears once again that our air travel system is going to bear the brunt of attacks from 'Islamic Terrorists'. At least that's what the global corporate media seem to be drilling into our skulls in the sort of rote pageantry usually reserved for American Idol finals and the sort.

This all reminded me of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy which I'm currently re-reading. It didn't just ring bells because of the obvious implications for sarcastic commentary and disbelief at the ridiculousness of this "threat" we're all supposed to fear... (early reports of Asian men running flaming from the Jeep and being forcibly 'subdued' by brutish Scots in full security get-up made me laugh, and maybe a little horny) If this is the best they can throw at us, let 'em. I still have the sinking feeling that this is just a government orchestrated scare tactic, mixed up with some heavily-placed name dropping for the Jeep brand, which has seen rapidly declining sales over the past couple years. This type of global branding will be a shot in the arm for gas guzzlers everywhere. Who would refuse a car with the power to smash through airport doors while on fire! Gosh! I can already see the commercials.

Getting back to THHGTTG, I think everyone could use a refresher course on this classically ridiculous tale. Not only does it chronicle the turmoil that arises from having your entire home planet destroyed by aliens looking to build an intergalactic off-ramp - but if offers up some simple, human advice on dealing with the unexpected, the unpredictable and the dangerous. Simply DON'T PANIC. Rushing off to grab your gun, locking up brown people to assuage your fear... these aren't tactics that garner results. Although they've certainly been used to garner votes in the US and UK.

Those of us with experience in reality tend to find all the bluster of red-faced politicians pretty tiring, especially when reflecting on news that 'Republicans Are Falling Behind in the Terror-Scare Rhetoric' that seems to have obscured all the vote rigging and chicanery during the last two election cycles. Is it proof that Americans are finally chilling down? Maybe people realized that the fastest way from Point-A to Point-B is not to FREAK OUT in between. I can only hope that a bit of common sense has arisen in our poor reptilian brains. All the confusion and terror that can be garnered by a worldwide media conglomerate is no match for the man with his feet firmly planted in reality.