Orange You Glad We Have Alerts?

Well, we're on Orange Alert here in Illinois. I'm not sure I knew the state had its own color coded alert levels.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday said the state's mass transit systems are on heightened alert following the London bombings, but that no known threat exists.

Yes, no new threats exist so let's panic and raise alert levels for no reason.

Blagojevich said the state threat level has been raised to Orange, the second highest preparation level after terrorists targeted London's mass transit system.

"It is important for all of us to continue on with our daily lives and go about our business," Blagojevich said. "Anything less means the terrorists win a small victory."

Well, the governor is right about that so why the Orange Alert. And what happens if the state level gets out of sink with the national alert level. I see a clash of colors that would be wholly unappealing. Talk about a victory for terrorists. But really, what does it mean if the country is on Yellow Alert and Illinois is on Orange Alert? Just how afraid am I really supposed to be?

And has Mayor Davlin imposed a color code alert system? Is he color blind? I'd like to see one in Springfield. Then when the national alert level is Red, the state White and the city Blue we will have shown the terrorists our true colors. And these colors don't run...just change based on the political needs of the keepers of the colors.

UPDATE: From a worker at the state:

About the color alert system - the state has had it in place for quite some time now. Most state buildings post the color of the alert for the day in the building and it used to be on the website as well. However, I can't seem to find it on the website today.