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National Terror Alerts Go Colorblind
Terror in the U.S. no longer sees any color.
After nearly a decade, the sun has finally set on the Department of Homeland Security's rainbow of terror color-coded alert system. In the near future, terror as we've feared it will no longer be expressed in terms of the more shocking shades in the spectrum as the department's brand new National Terror Advisory System (NTAS) public guide (pdf) is introduced. "We've been 'orange' since 2006," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, introducing the new system Wednesday morning.
There are two classifications of terror alerts according to the NTAS:
Imminent Threat Alert - Warns of a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the United States.
Elevated Threat Alert - Warns of a credible terrorist threat against the United States.
The revised system currently states there is "no imminent threat." The government will seed any updates via Facebook and Twitter and has also launched a widget for all to further spread the colorless calm.
It's all at dhs.gov/alerts. Please remove your shoes before entering.
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