--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge…" description: "\"Today Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge lowered the terror alert from orange to yellow. Does anybody need 16 miles of duct tape?\" — Craig Kilborn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfe/craig-kilborn-7141_chiefs_today-homeland-security-chief-tom-ridge_1251308.jpg" --- # Today Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge lowered the terror… ![“Today Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge lowered the terror alert from orange to yellow. Does anybody need 16 miles of duct tape?” quote by Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfe/craig-kilborn-7141_chiefs_today-homeland-security-chief-tom-ridge_1251308.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfe/craig-kilborn-7141_chiefs_today-homeland-security-chief-tom-ridge_1251308.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfe/craig-kilborn-7141_chiefs_today-homeland-security-chief-tom-ridge_1251308.jpg) > “Today Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge lowered the terror alert from orange to yellow. Does anybody need 16 miles of duct tape?” [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A trivial solution is offered for a serious problem, highlighting absurdity. **In simple terms:** Sometimes fixes are overly simplistic. Key Takeaway Seek proportional responses to threats. Themes security absurdity government humor Mood critical ironic Type satire commentary When to use this quote - emergency response - budget allocation - public communication Key Concepts policy risk assessment overreaction Questions to Reflect On - Is the suggested solution truly effective? - What are the real costs of such measures? A Different Perspective Simple fixes may ignore underlying complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alert/) [Alert Orange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alert-orange-3945076/) [Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Duct tape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duct-tape/) [Homeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeland/) [Homeland security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeland-security/) [Lowered Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lowered-terror-3945077/) [Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miles/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Orange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orange/) [Ridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridges/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Tape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tape/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Terror Alert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror-alert-582488/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Toms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toms/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/) ## Related quotes > [Public service announcement: In case of a terrorist attack, bottled water and duct tape are not going to do a damn thing. So do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a-terrorist-attack-bottled/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Martha Stewart is getting out of prison so today the terror alert was raised from orange to pesto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/martha-stewart-is-getting-out-of-prison-so-today-the-terror-alert-was/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Osama's dead. Why is the terror alert elevated or imminent? Why not chill? Can't I just fly, keep my shoes on and avoid X-ray-fueled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/osama-s-dead-why-is-the-terror-alert-elevated-or-imminent-why-not/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [As the bill requires, any terror alert system must give people and organizations some indication about what steps they must take to improve their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/as-the-bill-requires-any-terror-alert-system-must-give-people-and/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [Tom Ridge now says we don't have to run out and put plastic sheets all over the house. Great, tell that to my dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/tom-ridge-now-says-we-don-t-have-to-run-out-and-put-plastic-sheets/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [I don't believe it is in the state's interest to industrialize our ridge lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-believe-it-is-in-the-state-s-interest-to-industrialize-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the tradition of Black Hawk Down, Malcolm MacPherson vividly brings to life this harrowing story of courage, pathos, and war at its grittiest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-winik/in-the-tradition-of-black-hawk-down-malcolm-macpherson-vividly-brings/) [Jay Winik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-winik/) > [There was a place in the Hills, on the first ridge in the Game Reserve, that I myself at the time when I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isak-dinesen/there-was-a-place-in-the-hills-on-the-first-ridge-in-the-game-reserve/) [Isak Dinesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isak-dinesen/) > [On the ridge where the great artist moves forward, every step is an adventure, an extreme risk. In that risk, however, and only there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/on-the-ridge-where-the-great-artist-moves-forward-every-step-is-an/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The gloomy recess of an ecclesiastical library is like a harbor, into which a far-traveling curiosity has sailed with its freight, and cast anchor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/the-gloomy-recess-of-an-ecclesiastical-library-is-like-a-harbor-into/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [May your trails be dim, lonesome, stony, narrow, winding and only slightly uphill. May the wind bring rain for the slickrock potholes fourteen miles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/may-your-trails-be-dim-lonesome-stony-narrow-winding-and-only/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Poetry is like walking along a little, tiny, narrow ridge up on a precipice. You never know the next step, whether there's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-jacobsen/poetry-is-like-walking-along-a-little-tiny-narrow-ridge-up-on-a/) [Josephine Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-jacobsen/) > [He lowered the window, and looked out at the rising sun. There was a ridge of ploughed land, with a plough upon it where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/he-lowered-the-window-and-looked-out-at-the-rising-sun-there-was-a/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The ascent of any route begins, in dreams at least, the autumn before. Our minds ring, involuntarily, with the alluring names of mountains, aiguilles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/the-ascent-of-any-route-begins-in-dreams-at-least-the-autumn-before/) [Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/) ## More by Craig Kilborn > [Bryant Gumbel is thrilled about his CBS deal and can't wait to start alienating the staff of an entirely new network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/bryant-gumbel-is-thrilled-about-his-cbs-deal-and-can-t-wait-to-start/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he's running for governor. 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Today he declared victory in the 'War on Jobs.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/president-bush-is-trying-to-put-a-positive-spin-on-the-latest-bad/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [Hillary Clinton has finished writing her book where she says her marriage couldn't be stronger, and Bill just finished his book titled 'Chicks I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/hillary-clinton-has-finished-writing-her-book-where-she-says-her/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [The places I've worked in the past, I always stayed three years and moved on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/the-places-i-ve-worked-in-the-past-i-always-stayed-three-years-and/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [I'm going to miss my best friends - my cameras.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/i-m-going-to-miss-my-best-friends-my-cameras/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [George W. Bush even stopped in Pennsylvania to try his hand at the lotto and gave up when he could only think of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/george-w-bush-even-stopped-in-pennsylvania-to-try-his-hand-at-the/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [Senator Hillary Clinton is attacking President Bush for breaking his campaign promise to cut carbon dioxide emissions, saying a promise made, a promise broken.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/senator-hillary-clinton-is-attacking-president-bush-for-breaking-his/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [People here in Los Angeles are disgusted now about a sex scandal involving Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently for seven years, he carried on a sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/people-here-in-los-angeles-are-disgusted-now-about-a-sex-scandal/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [With Iraq plunging into chaos and gas prices at record highs President Bush took time out this weekend for a ride on his bicycle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/with-iraq-plunging-into-chaos-and-gas-prices-at-record-highs/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [There are 300,000 new jobs and Bush said he's confused, 'Can I take credit for good news that I didn't even make up?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/there-are-300-000-new-jobs-and-bush-said-he-s-confused-can-i-take/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [President Bush has delivered a new resolution to the U.N. saying that Saddam has failed to cooperate with U.N. resolutions, freeing us to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/president-bush-has-delivered-a-new-resolution-to-the-u-n-saying-that/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [However, frat-boy humor is funny and it always will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/however-frat-boy-humor-is-funny-and-it-always-will-be/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [I learned at an early age that using the third person will push some buttons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/i-learned-at-an-early-age-that-using-the-third-person-will-push-some/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [Larry Flynt, running for governor of California. His goal - change our state bird to the spread eagle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/larry-flynt-running-for-governor-of-california-his-goal-change-our/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) [Explore all 94 Craig Kilborn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) ## More Alert quotes > [You will not get a Google alert when you fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/you-will-not-get-a-google-alert-when-you-fall-in-love/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [NBC News found that FEMA has redrawn maps even for properties that have repeatedly filed claims for flood losses from previous storms. At least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/nbc-news-found-that-fema-has-redrawn-maps-even-for-properties-that/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. It's getting safer to do so, but I do have to be fairly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-ride-my-bike-almost-every-day-here-in-new-york-it-s-getting-safer/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“Those who have been in trouble themselves are alert to it in others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/those-who-have-been-in-trouble-themselves-are-alert-to-it-in-others/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Nothing is worth reading that does not require an alert mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/nothing-is-worth-reading-that-does-not-require-an-alert-mind/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [There is, to be sure, sometimes only a small difference between being alert to possible danger and allowing oneself to become terrified to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/there-is-to-be-sure-sometimes-only-a-small-difference-between-being/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [...He palmed up the life Alert. Death Alert was more like it: Help, I haven't fallen and I'm standing up-can you come and rectify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/he-palmed-up-the-life-alert-death-alert-was-more-like-it-help-i-haven/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“Leaders don't venture without vision. They don't pray without plans. They don't climb without clues. They are always prepared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-don-t-venture-without-vision-they-don-t-pray-without-plans/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“If you are presently facing significant challenges in your life, trust in the Lord! Be an aggressive responder who lives with alert expectancy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-blackaby/if-you-are-presently-facing-significant-challenges-in-your-life-trust/) [Richard Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-blackaby/) > [I like to see the people awake and alert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-like-to-see-the-people-awake-and-alert/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“When the risk level becomes too high in the presence of armed police officers, you need to start shouting as loud as you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-the-risk-level-becomes-too-high-in-the-presence-of-armed-police/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Alert fatigue is the single biggest problem we have right now…We need to be more intelligent about our alerts or we’ll all go insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kim/alert-fatigue-is-the-single-biggest-problem-we-have-right-now-we-need/) [Gene Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kim/) > [It's a dangerous world, man. You've gotta keep your eyes and ears peeled and be on the alert all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinnie-paul/it-s-a-dangerous-world-man-you-ve-gotta-keep-your-eyes-and-ears/) [Vinnie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinnie-paul/) > [To the man whose senses are alive and alert there is not even the need to stir from one's threshold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/to-the-man-whose-senses-are-alive-and-alert-there-is-not-even-the/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Everyone self-Googles. And, I have, of course, the Google alert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/everyone-self-googles-and-i-have-of-course-the-google-alert/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) [Browse all 117 Alert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alert/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Today Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge lowered the terror alert from orange to yellow. 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