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View Full Version : Hungary tests warning plan with Lord of the Rings

blantyr
05-18-2011, 05:56 AM
A little oddity from the Boston Globe... (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/05/18/hungary_tests_warning_plan_with_lord_of_the_rings/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+Boston+Globe+--+National+News)

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. :D
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! :D
Legate of Amon Lanc
05-20-2011, 01:29 AM
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.
The Squatter of Amon Rûdh
05-28-2011, 07:06 AM
The result is that alpine holidays in the White Mountains are set to decline.
Kuruharan
05-30-2011, 07:40 PM
Well...confound it all, there go my vacation plans!
TheGreatElvenWarrior
05-30-2011, 08:55 PM
Why this is wonderful. Why can't they do this test everywhere?

Fear! Fire! Foes! Awake! Indeed. :D
narfforc
05-31-2011, 04:50 AM
I think I might go to Hungary for my holidays....