I’ve come late to the party, but finally started reading Adam Curry‘s weblog via Bloglines.

Today, he announces a new community watch program, after noting that the Dutch government (he lives in Holland) still does not have a terror alert system complete with colors. Our own government provides this useful service; I’m thinking about installing the Muppets one so as to feel simultaneously paranoid and soothed.

Anyway, Adam Curry’s idea was hatched on his morning radio show.

And thus the Terror Information Tracking Service was born. You send an SMS (text message from GSM ) from your cellphone to our special number, we receive that (via email) and read off some of the entries, usually folks report their cururent location is safe.

Basically, Dutch citizens send a text message to a special phone number, indicating whether or not their current location is safe and clear of terrorists or suspicious persons. A script re-directs the messages:

NORFOLK LINE SCHEUENIGEN VEILIG 7:14:34 AM

zoetermeer stadslijn + denhaag cs lijken veilig Groeten van een treinmachinist
7:13:59 AM

coffeeschop purple rain en de pax man met lange witte jurk=20en lange baard vaak gesignaleerd dus ook veilig 7:13:32 AM

ZWEMBAD SURHUISTERVEEN VEILIG 7:13:10 AM

Gouwe aquaduct veilig 7:12:44 AM

Feyenoordstadion veilig 7:12:21 AM

veronica gebouw te a dam veilig Word de hele dag in de gaten gehouden
7:11:45 AM

de koffie is veilig in wormerveer 7:11:20 AM

edah aalten free of terrorism 7:11:00 AM

adam de beeldschermen staan veilig in wamel behalve op mn schoonmoeder na die is altyd op oorlogpad 7:10:26 AM

stel dat osama een sms stuurd dat het veilig is Wat dan7:09:59 AM

shoarma bar jaffa niet veilig! Knoflook saus word met liefde bereid! 7:09:47 AM

VERDACHTE DOOS LANGS MIJ IN BED MAAKT OOK ANGSTIGE GELUIDEN= JACK EINDHOVEN NOORD 7:09:34 AM

photographed undercover suspicious suspect yonder can t understand need terrorists Quit underestimating info from fuckers! Good morning Adam Don
7:09:14 AM

Mijn wc is na kordaat ingrijpen met wc-eend weer veilig verklaard
7:08:54 AM

route lijn 1 in rotterdam is veilig tram bestuurder Walter= is aanwezig
7:08:36 AM

As you can see, for the most part the Dutch infrastructure, including the Philips semiconductor plant, several ferries, somebody’s toilet, a tram line, a train station, and an Internet cafe famous for selling marijuana are quite safe. Scattered sightings of Osama notwithstanding, Holland is a safe little country, but everyone is keeping a sharp lookout for things that are not safe (or possibly, not Dutch).

If this community watch continues, it could spread world-wide. Unfortunately, so far only Dutch radio listeners know the special phone number.

It would be amusing to call it and report that all is well here in Burbclavia.