TECH: Emergency Text Messaing

No more just for finding out where you are drinking tonight or getting "FREE" ring tones, text messaging will soon become part of the FCC's emergency alert system. The top 4 carriers(ATT, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint) have all said they will take part in the system. Seeing as everyone now has cell phones, this does seem like a good idea to get emergency alerts out to as many people as quickly as possible. The alerts will be used for 3 different events according to the FCC and cell-phone users will have the ability to opt out. The 3 events are:

• Terrorist attacks or other threats/events dangering Americans
• Severe weather; tornadoes, hurricanes, etc
• Amber alerts

I have found out the formats that will be used in the actual message. Some examples include, "OMG, alkayda is here!", "run, hrcane is coming", "msing kid, if fnd plz rtrn", and lastly "LOL, Dems sux." Not exactly sure how it would be implemented in terms of location, but anything that is done by the government and knowing where I am does scare me a little...I mean, I LUV USA!