Two simple, intelligent and cost effective uses of technology to ensure public safety: the Kuwaiti government is sending war-related alerts to its population via text (SMS) messages on their cell phones, and Israel has the "silent channel", a radio station that is continually mute until urgent information is being broadcast, allowing residents to leave their radio on but silent while they sleep or work, while still ready to receive alerts.
As one of the most technologically sophisticated nations on earth, why hasn't the US started implementing things like this? I live in New York... if there was an attack, would someone have the sense to send text SMS broadcasts to the cell phones nearly everyone here carries as a way to quickly spread disaster information?
(Interestingly, the Israeli "silent channel" was institute during the first Gulf War, when it was discovered that much of the country was afraid to go to sleep for fear of missing warnings of an imminent attack.)
