cross-posted from: https://lemmy.today/post/28977252

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has warned the National Weather Service of possible attacks from an armed conspiracy group targeting Doppler radar stations, according to a report from CNN. The group, Veterans on Patrol, is going after government radars because it believes they’re being used as “weather weapons.”

CNN learned of the possible attacks through NOAA emails warning NWS staff that Veterans on Patrol was planning to conduct “penetration drills on NEXRAD sites to identify weaknesses,” with the ultimate goal of destroying NEXRAD. Despite its cooler-than-average name, the NWS uses NEXRAD or “Next Generation Weather Radar” for a fairly mundane purpose: detecting precipitation in the atmosphere. NEXRAD plays a vital role in locating thunderstorms and tornados, making it easier to evacuate vulnerable communities before disaster strikes.

Archive link: https://archive.is/GVsgP

  • Zier
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    22 hours ago

    Wait until they hear about the 6G anal probes.

  • @CrayonDevourer@lemmy.world
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    257 hours ago

    My brother is one of these idiots, I dunno how they got him. He’s not part of the militia group but dipshit thinks a local radio tower that just went up is part of the weather control system…

    • WesDym
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      45 hours ago

      @CrayonDevourer It’s a combination of “I don’t understand this fully and immediately myself” (without appreciating one’s own vast ignorance about MOST things), with happening to catch something spoken or written that’s wrong, but SOUNDS sensible (also due to that same ignorance), and thinking, “That sounds reasonable, and it harmonizes with my feelings, so it’s probably right.”

      It’s a child’s grasp of reality. But also typical of far too many legal adults.

      • billwashere
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        12 hours ago

        I can’t imagine how scary it must be to not understand how most things work honestly.

        I guess George Carlin said it best….

        Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

        • WesDym
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          22 hours ago

          @billwashere I realized sometime back that actual intelligence isn’t very relevant to good reasoning. It comes down to good thinking HABITS, which nearly anyone can develop with enough effort and practice. But it doesn’t come naturally for most people, and instead must be taught and learned. And the later in life you learn those skills, the more you have to UNlearn to do it.

          • billwashere
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            11 hour ago

            But critical thinking and intelligence have to be 2 fruits on the same tree, right? I can’t think of a single person I’ve ever met that had one and not the other. I can understand that critical thinking skills can be taught, but I’d argue that that skill creates more intelligence or at the very least awareness.

            And I can testify that bad habits are very hard to unlearn.

            • WesDym
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              153 minutes ago

              @billwashere More specifically, I come from a realm of scientists and academics, and I’ve by now seen MANY highly intelligent, very well-educated people who have demonstrated astonishing stupidity.

              At the same time, I’ve also personally known people with clinically diagnosed neurological deficiency who can nevertheless reason very well, even very wisely.

              What you’re staying is true in broad statistics, but it’s not a rule.

            • WesDym
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              155 minutes ago

              @billwashere I used to believe that, but no longer do. I’ve seen too much evidence against it.

              I’m now certain that any self-capable person can develop and have good thinking habits. They might need help in with information or education, and some guidance in basic logic. But I’m certain by now that rational thought is not dependent on superior or even average native (neurological) intelligence.

              They’re uncommon, but folks like the Sllingblade guy really do exist. I’ve known them.

  • @LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    An armed militarized group planning potential attacks on a federal government entity… Why would the FBI not be picking every one of those idiots up?

    • @turmacar@lemmy.world
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      46 hours ago

      “Vet” covers everyone from Air Force Tower Controllers to Navy Seals to the guy in charge of records in a basement in Alaska and more.

      For 4 years active duty and 4 years reserve most people are involved in logistics or records, and few of those have to know anything about radar.

      • Tomtits
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        16 hours ago

        I did not know that.

        I presumed it meant you’d been on the front lines, or seen combat.

        • Sinthesis
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          25 hours ago

          You’re not far off as it is the second definition of the word. “Vietnam vet” “Gulf war vet” etc.

    • Sundray
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      3 hours ago

      Your children are no match for the government’s transifier ray!