"We'll Have the National Guard

"We'll Have the National Guard There in 30 Minutes, or the Pizza is Free" - At the behest of the Department of Homeland Security, each state's governor now has a secure phone line for emergency notifications.

Good idea, right? Sure. But they never bet on North Dakota's invincible bucolicism:

The new emergency telephone in Gov. John Hoeven's office rang three times in its first week, but it wasn't news of a disaster or terrorist attack.

One caller had a wrong number. The other two were telemarketers.

"It was a guy trying to sell him two pizzas on special," Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple said. "We're trying to figure out what kind of a disaster is taking place, and it's some guy trying to give the governor a two-for-one."

When I was a kid - probably six or so - I remember my grandparents (who lived in North Dakota's capital, Bismarck) taking me on a tour of the capitol building. As we got off the elevator at the 20th floor (then as now, the capitol - a skyscraper, and the only non-domed capitol in the nation - was the tallest building in the state), we walked...

...straight into the office of Governor Bill Guy. He shook my hand, and gave me a souvenir brochure about the capitol that I think I still have somewhere.

I'd like to think my home state is still that informal - but I'd doubt it.

(Via USS Clueless)

Posted by Mitch at March 9, 2003 04:20 PM