Security in Athens

Holy Cow. I'm beginning to think that the Olympics may
finally be creating more problems than they are worth. I
remember those happy bygone days -- when the worst of our
worries was who was taking what drug.

>>>

Missile umbrella to shield Athens Olympiad (Xinhua) Updated:
2004-03-16 09:16

A "missile umbrella" made up of Patriot, Stinger and Hawk
missile batteries will protect Athens in an effort to boost
defense against terrorism during the upcoming Olympic Games
scheduled for Aug. 13-29, local media reported Monday.

The air defense map for the safety of the Olympic Games is
ready, according to the Athens Greek-language newspaper "
Apogevmatini".

The air defense umbrella will be completed with the presence
of Mirage 2000 and F-16 interception fighter jets as well as
the state-of-art single engine turboprop aircraft T-6A Texan
II and flying radar stations.

Similar protection will have other four Greek cities with
Olympic venues. The country will also be protected from
nuclear threat, as the responsible authorities consider any
likelihood.

Security issue has been the top worry for the international
community, although Greek government has earmarked a record
650 million euros (US$820 million) for the Olympic security
budget, three times as much as that for Sydney Olympic
Games, and 50,000 armed personnel, police, coast guards and
emergency servicemen for the Olympics.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
has said that "everything humanly possible is being done"
for the Olympics, but the security concern has been
highlighted following the series of terrorist attacks in
Madrid last Thursday, which killed about 200 people and
injured another 1,400.

"Larry Weisenthal" <runnswim@aol.comnet> wrote in message
news:20040316001532.29687.00001494@mb-m21.aol.com...
> Holy Cow. I'm beginning to think that the Olympics may
> finally be creating
more
> problems than they are worth.

The Olympics have always been more trouble than they were
worth, because people invest them with pilitics.

I remember those happy bygone days -- when the
> worst of our worries was who was taking what drug.
>
> >>>
>
> Missile umbrella to shield Athens Olympiad (Xinhua)
> Updated: 2004-03-16 09:16
>
>
> A "missile umbrella" made up of Patriot, Stinger and
> Hawk missile
batteries
> will protect Athens in an effort to boost defense against
> terrorism during
the
> upcoming Olympic Games scheduled for Aug. 13-29, local
> media reported
Monday.
>

There can be no effective defence against terrorism. It is a
struggle of ideas carried out with weapons. It can not be
defeated with weapons, only ideas.

> The air defense map for the safety of the Olympic Games
> is ready,
according to
> the Athens Greek-language newspaper " Apogevmatini".
>
> The air defense umbrella will be completed with the
> presence of Mirage
2000 and
> F-16 interception fighter jets as well as the state-of-art
> single engine turboprop aircraft T-6A Texan II and flying
> radar stations.
>
> Similar protection will have other four Greek cities with
> Olympic venues.
The
> country will also be protected from nuclear threat, as the
> responsible authorities consider any likelihood.
>
> Security issue has been the top worry for the
> international community,
although
> Greek government has earmarked a record 650 million euros
> (US$820 million)
for
> the Olympic security budget, three times as much as that
> for Sydney
Olympic
> Games, and 50,000 armed personnel, police, coast guards
> and emergency servicemen for the Olympics.
>
> International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
> has said that "everything humanly possible is being done"
> for the Olympics, but the
security
> concern has been highlighted following the series of
> terrorist attacks in Madrid last Thursday, which killed
> about 200 people and injured another
1,400.

The greatest gift the USA could give to the world sporting
community would be to stay away from the Olympics. I regret
that the same is now true of the UK, as we have a US poodle
for a Prime Minister currently. The US Government does not
own the Olympics, but as with everything else in the world,
it acts as if it does. Well Larry......you started it.

On the Today show yesterday, the head of the American
security delegation (in response to a rumour we might
boycott the Games) said that Los Angeles has been designated
as the back-up location for the Games should Athens be
unable to ensure security and/or completion of the
facilities.

Larry Weisenthal left this mess on 16 Mar 2004 05:15:32 GMT
for The Way to clean up:
>
>Holy Cow. I'm beginning to think that the Olympics may
>finally be creating more problems than they are worth. I
>remember those happy bygone days -- when the worst of our
>worries was who was taking what drug.
>
>>>>
>
>Missile umbrella to shield Athens Olympiad (Xinhua)
>Updated: 2004-03-16 09:16
>
>
>A "missile umbrella" made up of Patriot, Stinger and Hawk
>missile batteries will protect Athens in an effort to boost
>defense against terrorism during the upcoming Olympic Games
>scheduled for Aug. 13-29, local media reported Monday.
>
>The air defense map for the safety of the Olympic Games is
>ready, according to the Athens Greek-language newspaper "
>Apogevmatini".
>
>The air defense umbrella will be completed with the
>presence of Mirage 2000 and F-16 interception fighter jets
>as well as the state-of-art single engine turboprop
>aircraft T-6A Texan II and flying radar stations.
>
>Similar protection will have other four Greek cities with
>Olympic venues. The country will also be protected from
>nuclear threat, as the responsible authorities consider any
>likelihood.
>
>Security issue has been the top worry for the international
>community, although Greek government has earmarked a record
>650 million euros (US$820 million) for the Olympic security
>budget, three times as much as that for Sydney Olympic
>Games, and 50,000 armed personnel, police, coast guards and
>emergency servicemen for the Olympics.
>
>International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
>has said that "everything humanly possible is being done"
>for the Olympics, but the security concern has been
>highlighted following the series of terrorist attacks in
>Madrid last Thursday, which killed about 200 people and
>injured another 1,400.
>

Tao te Carl "It takes a village to have an idiot." -
Carl (c) 2003

(Kudos to Cap'n Jim Wyatt for this link) BEFORE you ask a
dumb-ass question
here...http://www.speakeasy.org/~neilco/bart.gif

In article <4056aa97_1@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com>,
duncanheenanRemovetodespam@tiscali.co.uk says...
> The greatest gift the USA could give to the world sporting
> community would be to stay away from the Olympics. I
> regret that the same is now true of the UK, as we have a
> US poodle for a Prime Minister currently. The US
> Government does not own the Olympics, but as with
> everything else in the world, it acts as if it does. Well
> Larry......you started it.

I concur in large part with the concept of battling
terrorists with ideas, but the U.S. deciding not to attend
the Olympics for fear of a terrorist attack would constitute
a failure in the war of ideas. Central to the concept of
using ideas as a weapon is not backing down in the face of
violence. Allowing yourself to be manipulated by violence is
no better than attempting to assert your will by violence.
Besides, I would wager the odds of a terror attack occurring
are hardly effected at all by U.S. participation. Madrid
demonstrated that pretty well, I think.

- Al

> The greatest gift the USA could give to the world sporting
> community would be to stay away from the Olympics. I
> regret that the same is now true of
the
> UK, as we have a US poodle for a Prime Minister
> currently. The US
Government
> does not own the Olympics, but as with everything else in
> the world, it
acts
> as if it does. Well Larry......you started it.

Yeah, in a way as sad as it sounds you may be right. If the
US and UK stayed out of the games, other countries may have
a good time. What a mess
G.W. and your poodle as you put it has made things. They
are doing a terrible job IMHO and are doing more harm
than good. Oh well, oil and money make people do
unthinkable things.

Enjoy, Curt

You're much more likely to die in a street mugging in Los
Angeles than from a terrorist bomb in Athens.

"de Valois" <devalois@nailedandused.com> wrote in message
news:c371ov01brv@drn.newsguy.com...
> On the Today show yesterday, the head of the American
> security delegation
(in
> response to a rumour we might boycott the Games) said that
> Los Angeles has
been
> designated as the back-up location for the Games should
> Athens be unable
to
> ensure security and/or completion of the facilities.
>
> Larry Weisenthal left this mess on 16 Mar 2004 05:15:32
> GMT for The Way to
clean
> up:
> >
> >Holy Cow. I'm beginning to think that the Olympics may
> >finally be
creating more
> >problems than they are worth. I remember those happy
> >bygone days -- when
the
> >worst of our worries was who was taking what drug.
> >
> >>>>
> >
> >Missile umbrella to shield Athens Olympiad (Xinhua)
> >Updated: 2004-03-16 09:16
> >
> >
> >A "missile umbrella" made up of Patriot, Stinger and Hawk
> >missile
batteries
> >will protect Athens in an effort to boost defense against
> >terrorism
during the
> >upcoming Olympic Games scheduled for Aug. 13-29, local
> >media reported
Monday.
> >
> >The air defense map for the safety of the Olympic Games
> >is ready,
according to
> >the Athens Greek-language newspaper " Apogevmatini".
> >
> >The air defense umbrella will be completed with the
> >presence of Mirage
2000 and
> >F-16 interception fighter jets as well as the state-of-
> >art single engine turboprop aircraft T-6A Texan II and
> >flying radar stations.
> >
> >Similar protection will have other four Greek cities with
> >Olympic venues.
The
> >country will also be protected from nuclear threat, as
> >the responsible authorities consider any likelihood.
> >
> >Security issue has been the top worry for the
> >international community,
although
> >Greek government has earmarked a record 650 million euros
> >(US$820
million) for
> >the Olympic security budget, three times as much as that
> >for Sydney
Olympic
> >Games, and 50,000 armed personnel, police, coast guards
> >and emergency servicemen for the Olympics.
> >
> >International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
> >has said that "everything humanly possible is being done"
> >for the Olympics, but the
security
> >concern has been highlighted following the series of
> >terrorist attacks in Madrid last Thursday, which killed
> >about 200 people and injured another
1,400.
> >
>
> Tao te Carl "It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl
> (c) 2003
>
> (Kudos to Cap'n Jim Wyatt for this link) BEFORE you ask a
> dumb-ass
question
> here...http://www.speakeasy.org/~neilco/bart.gif

Heck - in 2001 it was more then 300 times more likely that
an american would die of heart disease then in some little
mishap in september. Heck the numbers say more people died
of heart attacks & what not _the_same_day_ then those at the
world trade center.

--Mike

On Tue, 16 Mar 2004
19:04:35 +0000, Duncan Heenan wrote:

> You're much more likely to die in a street mugging in Los
> Angeles than from a terrorist bomb in Athens.
>
> "de Valois" <devalois@nailedandused.com> wrote in message
> news:c371ov01brv@drn.newsguy.com...
>> On the Today show yesterday, the head of the American
>> security delegation
> (in
>> response to a rumour we might boycott the Games) said
>> that Los Angeles has
> been
>> designated as the back-up location for the Games should
>> Athens be unable
> to
>> ensure security and/or completion of the facilities.
>>
>> Larry Weisenthal left this mess on 16 Mar 2004 05:15:32
>> GMT for The Way to
> clean
>> up:
>> >
>> >Holy Cow. I'm beginning to think that the Olympics may
>> >finally be
> creating more
>> >problems than they are worth. I remember those happy
>> >bygone days -- when
> the
>> >worst of our worries was who was taking what drug.
>> >
>> >>>>
>> >
>> >Missile umbrella to shield Athens Olympiad (Xinhua)
>> >Updated: 2004-03-16 09:16
>> >
>> >
>> >A "missile umbrella" made up of Patriot, Stinger and
>> >Hawk missile
> batteries
>> >will protect Athens in an effort to boost defense
>> >against terrorism
> during the
>> >upcoming Olympic Games scheduled for Aug. 13-29, local
>> >media reported
> Monday.
>> >
>> >The air defense map for the safety of the Olympic Games
>> >is ready,
> according to
>> >the Athens Greek-language newspaper " Apogevmatini".
>> >
>> >The air defense umbrella will be completed with the
>> >presence of Mirage
> 2000 and
>> >F-16 interception fighter jets as well as the state-of-
>> >art single engine turboprop aircraft T-6A Texan II and
>> >flying radar stations.
>> >
>> >Similar protection will have other four Greek cities
>> >with Olympic venues.
> The
>> >country will also be protected from nuclear threat, as
>> >the responsible authorities consider any likelihood.
>> >
>> >Security issue has been the top worry for the
>> >international community,
> although
>> >Greek government has earmarked a record 650 million
>> >euros (US$820
> million) for
>> >the Olympic security budget, three times as much as that
>> >for Sydney
> Olympic
>> >Games, and 50,000 armed personnel, police, coast guards
>> >and emergency servicemen for the Olympics.
>> >
>> >International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
>> >has said that "everything humanly possible is being
>> >done" for the Olympics, but the
> security
>> >concern has been highlighted following the series of
>> >terrorist attacks in Madrid last Thursday, which killed
>> >about 200 people and injured another
> 1,400.
>> >
>>
>> Tao te Carl "It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl
>> (c) 2003
>>
>> (Kudos to Cap'n Jim Wyatt for this link) BEFORE you ask a
>> dumb-ass
> question
>> here...http://www.speakeasy.org/~neilco/bart.gif

In message <pan.2004.03.16.20.22.19.169589@edey.mine.nu>,
Mike Edey <mike@edey.mine.nu> writes
>Heck - in 2001 it was more then 300 times more likely that
>an american would die of heart disease then in some little
>mishap in september. Heck the numbers say more people died
>of heart attacks & what not _the_same_day_ then those at
>the world trade center.

Yes there is a simple rule. Never worry about anything that
you see on the news. To get on the news it must be
sufficiently rare that your chances of being involved are
negligible!

--
Richard Cant

Mike Edey <mike@edey.mine.nu> wrote:

>Heck - in 2001 it was more then 300 times more likely that
>an american would die of heart disease then in some little
>mishap in september. Heck the numbers say more people died
>of heart attacks & what not _the_same_day_ then those at
>the world trade center.

Then we should stop wasting the enormous and increasing
amount of money we are spending on the olympics and spend
it on eliminating heart disease by promoting health and
fitness instead.

martin

On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 23:01:15 +0000, Richard Cant
<Newsdummy@rjccsl.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>In message <pan.2004.03.16.20.22.19.169589@edey.mine.nu>,
>Mike Edey <mike@edey.mine.nu> writes
>>Heck - in 2001 it was more then 300 times more likely that
>>an american would die of heart disease then in some little
>>mishap in september. Heck the numbers say more people died
>>of heart attacks & what not _the_same_day_ then those at
>>the world trade center.
>
>Yes there is a simple rule. Never worry about anything that
>you see on the news. To get on the news it must be
>sufficiently rare that your chances of being involved are
>negligible!

Oh, man that is great. Possibly the truest statement I have
ever heard on the subject of relative risk. Thanks.

No ****. That little fact probably escaped their notice.

Duncan Heenan left this mess on Tue, 16 Mar 2004 19:04:35
-0000 for The Way to clean up:
>
>You're much more likely to die in a street mugging in Los
>Angeles than from a terrorist bomb in Athens.
>
>"de Valois" <devalois@nailedandused.com> wrote in message
>news:c371ov01brv@drn.newsguy.com...
>> On the Today show yesterday, the head of the American
>> security delegation
>(in
>> response to a rumour we might boycott the Games) said
>> that Los Angeles has
>been
>> designated as the back-up location for the Games should
>> Athens be unable
>to
>> ensure security and/or completion of the facilities.
>>
>> Larry Weisenthal left this mess on 16 Mar 2004 05:15:32
>> GMT for The Way to
>clean
>> up:
>> >
>> >Holy Cow. I'm beginning to think that the Olympics may
>> >finally be
>creating more
>> >problems than they are worth. I remember those happy
>> >bygone days -- when
>the
>> >worst of our worries was who was taking what drug.
>> >
>> >>>>
>> >
>> >Missile umbrella to shield Athens Olympiad (Xinhua)
>> >Updated: 2004-03-16 09:16
>> >
>> >
>> >A "missile umbrella" made up of Patriot, Stinger and
>> >Hawk missile
>batteries
>> >will protect Athens in an effort to boost defense
>> >against terrorism
>during the
>> >upcoming Olympic Games scheduled for Aug. 13-29, local
>> >media reported
>Monday.
>> >
>> >The air defense map for the safety of the Olympic Games
>> >is ready,
>according to
>> >the Athens Greek-language newspaper " Apogevmatini".
>> >
>> >The air defense umbrella will be completed with the
>> >presence of Mirage
>2000 and
>> >F-16 interception fighter jets as well as the state-of-
>> >art single engine turboprop aircraft T-6A Texan II and
>> >flying radar stations.
>> >
>> >Similar protection will have other four Greek cities
>> >with Olympic venues.
>The
>> >country will also be protected from nuclear threat, as
>> >the responsible authorities consider any likelihood.
>> >
>> >Security issue has been the top worry for the
>> >international community,
>although
>> >Greek government has earmarked a record 650 million
>> >euros (US$820
>million) for
>> >the Olympic security budget, three times as much as that
>> >for Sydney
>Olympic
>> >Games, and 50,000 armed personnel, police, coast guards
>> >and emergency servicemen for the Olympics.
>> >
>> >International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
>> >has said that "everything humanly possible is being
>> >done" for the Olympics, but the
>security
>> >concern has been highlighted following the series of
>> >terrorist attacks in Madrid last Thursday, which killed
>> >about 200 people and injured another
>1,400.
>> >
>>
>> Tao te Carl "It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl
>> (c) 2003
>>
>> (Kudos to Cap'n Jim Wyatt for this link) BEFORE you ask a
>> dumb-ass
>question
>> here...http://www.speakeasy.org/~neilco/bart.gif
>>
>
>

Tao te Carl "It takes a village to have an idiot." -
Carl (c) 2003

(Kudos to Cap'n Jim Wyatt for this link) BEFORE you ask a
dumb-ass question
here...http://www.speakeasy.org/~neilco/bart.gif

Mike Edey left this mess on Tue, 16 Mar 2004 20:22:21 GMT for The Way to clean
up:
>
>Heck - in 2001 it was more then 300 times more likely that
>an american would die of heart disease then in some little
>mishap in september. Heck the numbers say more people died
>of heart attacks & what not _the_same_day_ then those at
>the world trade center.
>
>--Mike

Not "quite" true. Compiled statistics (I love trolling the
morbidity and mortality reports on the government
websites) indicate only about a 1,000 people died of heart
attacks that were suffered ON September 11. However, if
you expand your comment to include how many people were
admitted to hospitals with heart attacks that day, then
you have a point.

Tao te Carl "It takes a village to have an idiot." -
Carl (c) 2003

(Kudos to Cap'n Jim Wyatt for this link) BEFORE you ask a
dumb-ass question
here...http://www.speakeasy.org/~neilco/bart.gif

"Larry Weisenthal" <runnswim@aol.comnet> wrote in message
news:20040316151549.29635.00001463@mb-m21.aol.com...
> >>You're much more likely to die in a street mugging in
> >>Los Angeles than
from
> a terrorist bomb in Athens.<<
>
> Such random "street muggings" are quite rare. Most LA
> homocides involve
people
> who know each other quarreling with each other, gang
> related attacks on
other
> gang members, or robberies of convenience stores and the
> like. The
University
> of Southern California, the Staples Center (home of two
> NBA teams and one
NHL
> team), the LA Coliseum, and the LA Convention Center are
> all located in
the
> heart of the city, yet violence directed at students,
> convention goers,
and/or
> sports fans is vanishingly rare.

Would you care to compare the actual numbers of momicides in
Los Angeles in, say since September 11th 2001, with the
number of people killed in Athens by Terrorists?

In article <405884f7_1@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com>,
duncanheenanRemovetodespam@tiscali.co.uk says...
> Would you care to compare the actual numbers of momicides
> in Los Angeles in, say since September 11th 2001, with the
> number of people killed in Athens by Terrorists?

Yes, but how many of these moms were prepared in advance
with a Homeland Security Approved rolling pin? :-) Happy St.
Patrick's Day!

- Al

"Larry Weisenthal" <runnswim@aol.comnet> wrote in message
news:20040316151549.29635.00001463@mb-m21.aol.com...
> >>You're much more likely to die in a street mugging in
> >>Los Angeles than
from
> a terrorist bomb in Athens.<<
>
> Such random "street muggings" are quite rare. Most LA
> homocides involve
people
> who know each other quarreling with each other, gang
> related attacks on
other
> gang members, or robberies of convenience stores and the
> like. The
University
> of Southern California, the Staples Center (home of two
> NBA teams and one
NHL
> team), the LA Coliseum, and the LA Convention Center are
> all located in
the
> heart of the city, yet violence directed at students,
> convention goers,
and/or
> sports fans is vanishingly rare.

Would you care to compare the actual numbers of momicides in
Los Angeles in, say since September 11th 2001, with the
number of people killed in Athens by Terrorists?