Hungary tests warning plan with Lord of the Rings - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

blantyr · 05-18-2011, 05:56 AM

A little oddity from the Boston Globe...

Quote:

BUDAPEST, Hungary—Hungary's disaster management agency is testing the country's emergency broadcast system with warnings of severe storms in Middle-earth, the fictional setting of J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings."

Messages broadcast Wednesday mostly on state radio and television are warning Hungarians about floods and catastrophic weather in Gondor, Rohan, Rivendell, Helm's Deep and other locations inhabited by Hobbits, Orcs, Elves, Ents and Dwarves.

Officials say they chose Tolkien's fantasy world because they don't want to alarm people by mentioning real locations in the test and want to gauge how effectively the emergency messages reach Hungary's youth.

Kuruharan · 05-18-2011, 06:53 AM

Is it a good thing or a bad thing that my initial reaction to this was to laugh?

I hope they started the broadcasts with FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE! AWAKE!

Thinlómien · 05-18-2011, 07:01 AM

Awesome.

Galadriel55 · 05-18-2011, 05:35 PM

Why Tolkien?

Does that mean that many people have not read his books? Because if people have, then they'd find some pattern in the alarms, and figure out that something is not right.

On the other hand, there's Tolkien on the news!

Legate of Amon Lanc · 05-20-2011, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Why Tolkien?

Does that mean that many people have not read his books? Because if people have, then they'd find some pattern in the alarms, and figure out that something is not right.

I think the exact opposite, the point is that people will notice it and that way they could check whether the system works in delivering the message to people or not.

Kuruharan · 05-20-2011, 07:27 AM

It would be interesting to find out the results of the test.

05-18-2011, 06:53 AM	#2
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	Is it a good thing or a bad thing that my initial reaction to this was to laugh? I hope they started the broadcasts with FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE! AWAKE! __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

05-18-2011, 07:01 AM	#3
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	Awesome. __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

05-18-2011, 05:35 PM	#4
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,492	Why Tolkien? Does that mean that many people have not read his books? Because if people have, then they'd find some pattern in the alarms, and figure out that something is not right. On the other hand, there's Tolkien on the news! __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

05-20-2011, 07:27 AM	#6
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	It would be interesting to find out the results of the test. __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...