Top 10 Most Expensive Military Aircrafts

As the military technology advances, these most expensive military aircraft in the world were created. For the need of more powerful means of defense, flying military technology are developed. Even creating a highly cost military equipment is not debatable by some people as it’s wasting government’s money, but the show must go on. Here’s the Top 10 most expensive military aircraft ever made in the world.

1. B-2 Spirit
The B-2 bomber was so costly that Congress cut its initial 1987 purchase order from 132 to 21. (A 2008 crash leaves the current number at 20.) The B-2 is hard to detect via infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual or radar signals. This stealth capability makes it able to attack enemy targets with less fear of retaliation. In use since 1993, the B-2 has been deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cost:
about $2.4 billion

2. F-22 Raptor
F-22 Raptor is a stealth fighter aircraft made by the United States. It was originally envisioned as air superiority fighter for use against Soviet aircraft, but the aircraft is equipped for ground attack, electronic warfare and signals intelligence. This aircraft through a long development period, is named the prototype YF-22, three years before it was officially adopted F/A-22 named, and finally given the name of the F-22A when used on the official start in December 2005. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is the prime contractor is responsible for the majority of the airframe, weapons, and assembling the F-22. Then his partner, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems provides the wings, avionics equipment, and pilot and maintenance training.

 Cost:

about $350 million

3. C17A Globemaster III

C-17 Globemaster III is a military transport aircraft of the United States are manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and operated by the United States Air Force, Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force. This aircraft has been also selected by the Canadian Military and planned for delivery in 2007. NATO is also planning to order this type of transport aircraft.
C-17 takes the form of the same name from two heavy transport aircraft of its predecessor the C-74 Globemaster and C-124 Globemaster II.

Cost:

about $328 million

 

   

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General Use Abbreviations

GPRS

(General Packet Radio Service)

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FM

(Frequency Modulation)

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AM

(Amplitude Modulation)

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Â

IP

(Internet Protocol)

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TCP/IP

(Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol)

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ISP

(Internet Service Provider)

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VHF

(Very High Frequency)

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UHF

(Ultra High Frequency)

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LCD

(Liquid-Crystal Display)

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MPEG

(Moving Pictures Experts Group)

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MP3

(MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3)

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RAM

(Random Access Memory)

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WAN

(Wide Area Network)

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LAN

(Local Area Network)

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3D

(3 Dimensional)

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3G

(3rd Generation)

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CD

(Compact Disc)

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DVD

(Digital Versatile/Video Disc)

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DVDR

(Recordable DVD)

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DVDW

(Rewriteable DVD)

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SMS

(Short Messaging Service)

********* MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) *********

IT

(Information Technology)

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FAQ

(Frequently Asked Questions)

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DSL

(Digital Subscriber Line)

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IPO

(Initial Public Offerings)

????????

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FBI

(Federal Bureau of Investigation)

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CIA

(Central Intelligence Agency)

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S.W.A.T

(Special Weapons and Tactics)

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GMC

(General Motors Corporation)

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BMW

(Bavarian Motor Works)

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HP

( Hewlett-Packard)

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WWW

(World Wide Web)

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HTTP

(HyperText Transfer Protocol)

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URL

(Uniform resource Locator)

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HTML

(HyperText Markup Language)

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WAP

(Wireless Application Protocol)

*********

PDF

(Portable Document Format)

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MIDI

(Musical Instruament Digital Interface)

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3 GP or 3GPP

(3rd Generation Partnership Project)

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AMR

(Adaptive Multi-Rate)

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USB

(Universal Serial Bus)

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IQ

(Intelligence Quotient)

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MSN

(MicroSoft Network)

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CNN

(Cable News Network)

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BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation)

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NBA

(National Basketball Association)

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FIFA

(in french, Federation Internationale de Football Association)

(in english, International Federation of Association Football)

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UEFA

(Union of European Football Association)

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NASA

(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

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OPEC

(Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

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UN

(United Nations)

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LNB

(Low Noise Block converter)

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Famous Islamic Names for Girls (A - Z, with Description) |

A

Abia - Great
Abida - Worshipper
Abir, Abeer - Fragrance
Ablah, Abla' - Perfectly formed
Abra - Example, lesson
A'dab - Hope and need
Adara - Virgin
Adiba - Cultured, polite
Adila, Adilah, Adeela - Equal
Adiva - Pleasant, gentle
Afaf - Chaste, virtuous, decent, pure
Afifah - Chaste
Afra' - White
Ahd - Pledge, knowledge
Ahlam - Witty; one who has pleasant dreams; imaginative
A'idah, Aida - Visiting, returning; reward
Ain - Eye, thus "precious"
Aini - Spring, flower, source, choice
A'ishah, Aisha, Ayishah - Living, prosperous, youngest wife of the Prophet (pbuh)
Akilah - Intelligent, logical, one who reasons
Alhena - A ring; (A star in the constellation Gemini)
Alima - Wise
Alimah - Skilled in music or dance
Aliyyah, Aliah, A'lia - Exaulted, noble, highest social standing
Almas - Diamond
Aludra - Virgin
Alzubra - (A star in the constellation Leo)
Amal, A'mal, Amala - Hopes, aspirations
Amani - Wishes, aspirations
Amatullah - Female servant of Allah
Amber - Jewel
Aminah, Ameena - Trustworthy, faithful
Amineh - Faithful
Amirah, Ameera - Princess, leader
Amtullah - Female servant of Allah
Anan - Clouds
Anbar - Perfume, ambergris
Anisah - Close, intimate, good friend
Anwar - Rays of light
Ara - Opinions
Areebah - Witty, smart
Arub - Loving to her husband
Asima - Protector
Asiya - One who tends to the weak, one who heals
Asma' - Excellent, precious; daughter of Abu Bakr
Atifa - Affection, sympathy
Atiya - Gift
Ayah - Sign; distinct
Azhar - Flowers, blossoms
Azizah, Azeeza - Esteemed, precious, cherished
Azzah - Young, female gazelle

B

Badi'a - Unprecedented, admirable, unique
Badra - Full moon
Badriyyah - Resembling the full moon
Bahira, Baheera - Dazzling, brilliant
Bahiya - Beautiful, radiant
Balqis - Name of the Queen of Sheba
Banan - Delicate, finger tips
Baraka - White one
Bari'ah - Excelling
Barika - Bloom, be successful
Bashirah, Basheera - Bringer of good tidings, joy
Basimah, Baseema - Smiling
Basmah - A smile
Batul, Batool - Ascetic virgin
Bilqis - Queen of Sheeba
Bushra - Good Omen
Buthaynah, Buthayna - Of beautiful and tender body

C

Cala - Castle
Cantara - Small bridge

D

Dahab - Gold
Dalal - Treated or touched in a kind and loving way
Duha, Dhuha - Forenoon

F

Fadilah, Fadheela - Virtuous, outstanding, superior, cultured and refined
Fadwa - Name derived from self-sacrifice
Faizah - Victorious, winner
Falak - Star
Farah - Joy
Faridah, Fareeda - Unique, matchless, precious pearl or gem
Farihah, Fareeha - Happy, joyful, cheerful, glad
Fatimah, Fatima - Accustom; Daughter of the Prophet (pbuh)
Fatin or Fatinah - Captivating, alluring, enchanting
Fawziyyah, Fawziya, Fazia - Successful, victorious
Fellah - Arabian jasmine
Firyal - Name
Firdaws, Firdoos - Highest garden in Paradise

G

Ghadah - Beautiful
Ghaliyah - Fragrant
Ghaniyah - Pretty girl, beautiful woman, beauty
Ghayda - Young and delicate
Ghusun, Ghusoon - Branches of a tree

H

Habibah - Beloved, sweetheart, darling
Hadiya - Guide to righteousness
Hadiyyah - A gift
Hafsah - Wife of the Prophet (pbuh)
Hafthah - Preserved, protected
Haifa, Hayfa' - Slender, of beautiful body
Halah - Aureole
Halimah, Haleema - Gentle, patient, mild-tempered
Hamidah, Hameeda - Praiseworthy
Hana' - Happiness
Hanan - Mercy
Hanifah, Hanifa, Haneefa - True believer
Haniyyah - Pleased, happy
Hasna' - Beautiful
Hayam - Deliriously in love
Hayat - Life
Hessa - Destiny
Hibah - Gift
Hind - Proper name
Huda, Hooda - Right guidance
Huma - Bird who brings joy
Huriyyah, Hooriya - Angel
Husn - Beauty
Husniyah - Beautiful

I

Ibtihaj - Joy
Ikram - Honor, hospitality, generosity
Ilham - Intuition
Iman - Faith, belief
Imtithal - Polite obedience
In'am - Kindness, benefaction, bestowal
Inas - Sociability
Inaya - Concern; solicitude
Intisar - Triumph
Izdihar - Flourishing, blooming

J

Jala' - Clarity, elucidation
Jamilah, Jameela - Beautiful, graceful, lovely
Janan - Heart, soul
Johara - Jewel
Jumanah - Silver pearl

K

Kalila - Sweetheart, beloved
Kamilah - Perfect
Karida - Untouched
Karimah, Kareema - Generous, noble
Kawthar - River in Paradise
Khadijah, Khadeeja - First wife of the Prophet (pbuh)
Khalidah - Immortal
Khayriyyah, Khairiya - Charitable, good
Khulud, Khulood - Immortality
Kulthum, Kulthoom - Daughter of the Prophet (pbuh)

L

Lama - Darkness of lips
Lamis, Lamees - Soft to the touch
Lamya' - Of dark lips
Latifah, Lateefa - Gentle, kind, pleasant, friendly
Layla, Leila - (Born at) night
Lina, Leena - Tender
Lubabah - The innermost essence
Luloah - A pearl
Lu'lu' - Pearls

M

Madihah, Madeeha - Praiseworthy
Maha - Wild cow, cow-eyes
Ma'isah - Walking with a proud, swinging gait
Maizah - Discerning
Majidah, Majeeda - Glorious
Makarim - Of good and honorable character
Malak - Angel
Malika - Queen
Manal - Attainment, achievement
Manar - Guiding light
Maram - Asperation
Mariam, Maryam - Mother of Jesus (pbuh); Arabic form of "Mary"
Mas'ouda - Happy, lucky, fortunate
Mawiyah - The essence of life
Maymunah - Auspicious, blessed
May - Old Arabic name
Maysa' - To walk with a proud, swinging gait
Maysun, Maysoon - Of beautiful face and body
Mayyadah - To walk with a proud, swinging gait
Mufidah, Mufeeda - Useful
Muhjah - Heart's blood, soul
Muminah - Pious believer
Muna, Mona - Wish, desire
Munirah, Muneera - Illuminating, shedding light
Mushirah, Musheera - Giving counsel, advising
Muslimah - Devout believer

N

Nabihah, Nabeeha - Intelligent
Nabilah, Nabeela - Noble
Nada - Generousity, dew
Nadia - The beginning, first
Nadidah, Nadeeda - Equal, rival
Nadirah - Rare, precious
Nadwah - Councel
Nafisah, Nafeesa - Precious thing, gem
Nahlah - A drink of water
Na'ilah - Acquirer, obtainer, one who succeeds
Na'ima, Na'imah - Comfort, amenity, tranquility, peace
Najah - Success
Najat - Safety
Najibah, Najeeba - Of noble birth
Najiyah - Safe
Najla - Of wide eyes
Najwa - Confidential talk, secret conversation
Najya - Victorious
Nashida - Student
Nashita Energetic, full of life
Nashwa - Fragrance, perfume, that which intoxicates
Nasiha - One who gives valuable advice
Nasira - Victorious, helper
Nathifa - Clean, pure
Nawal - Gift
Nawar - Flower
Nazahah - Purity, righteousness, honesty
Nazihah - Honest
Nazirah - Like, equal, matching
Nibal - Arrows
Nida - Call
Ni'mah - Blessing, loan
Ni'mat - Blessings, loans
Nouf - Highest point on a mountain
Nudar, Nudhar - Gold
Nuha - Intelligence
Numa - Beautiful and pleasant
Nur, Noor - Light

Q

Qubilah - Concord

R

Rabab - White cloud
Rabi'ah - Garden, springtime
Radeyah, Radhiya - Content, satisfied
Radwa, Radhwa - A mountain in Medina
Rafa' - Happiness, prosperity
Raghd - Pleasant
Rahimah - Merciful, compassionate
Ra'idah - Leader
Raja' - Hopeful
Rana - To gaze, look
Rand - Tree of good scent
Raniyah - Gazing
Rasha - Young gazelle
Rashida, Rasheeda - Wise, mature
Rawdah, Rawdha - Garden
Rawiyah - Transmitter of ancient Arabic poetry
Rayya - Sated with drink
Rida - Favored by God
Rihana - Sweet basil
Rim, Reem - Gazelle
Rima, Reema - White antelope
Rukan - Steady, confident
Ruqayyah, Ruqaya - Gentle; Daughter of the Prophet (pbuh)
Ruwaydah - Walking gently

S

Sabah - Morning
Sabirah - Patient
Safa - Clarity, purity, serenity
Safiyyah - Untroubled, serene, pure, best friend
Sahar - Dawn
Sahlah - Smooth, soft, fluent, flowing
Saidah - Happy, fortunate
Saihah - Good, useful
Sakinah, Sakeena - God-inspired peace of mind, tranquility
Salihah - Correct, agreeable
Salimah, Saleema - Peace, flawless, faultless, safe, healthy
Salma - Peaceful
Salwa - Solace; quail
Samah - Generosity
Samar - Evening conversation
Sameh - Forgiver
Samihah, Sameeha - Generous
Samira, Sameera - Entertaining female companion
Samiyah - Elevated, exhalted, lofty
Sana' - Resplendence, brilliance; to gaze or look
Sawsan - Lily of the valley
Shadha - Aromatic
Shadiyah - Singer
Shahrazad - Teller of "Tales of 1,001 Nights"
Sharifah, Shareefa - Noble
Siham - Arrows
Souad or Su'ad
Suha - Name of a star
Suhailah, Suhaylah, Suhayla - Smooth, soft, fluent, flowing
Suhaymah - Small arrow
Suhayr, Suhair - Proper name
Sumayyah, Sumaiya - Proper name

T

Tahirah - Pure, chaste
Takiyah - Pious, righteous
Talibah - Seeker after knowledge
Tarub, Taroob - Merry
Thana' - Thankfulness
Thara' - Wealth
Thurayya - Star

U

Umayma - Little mother

W

Wafa' - Faithfulness
Wafiqah, Wafeeqa - Successful
Wafiyyah, Wafiya - Loyal, faithful
Wahibah - Giver, donor
Wajihah, Wajeeha - Eminent, distinguished
Walidah - Newborn
Warda, Wardah, Wordah - Rose
Widad - Love, friendship
Wijdan - Ecstacy, sentiment
Wisal - Communion in love

Y

Yafiah - High
Yakootah - Emerald
Yamha - Dove
Yaminah - Right and proper
Yasirah - Lenient
Yasmine, Yasmin, Yasmeen - Jasmine
Yumn - Good fortune, success
Yusra - Proper name

Z

Zafirah - Victorious, successful
Zahirah - Shining, luminous
Zahra' - White
Zahrah - Flower, beauty, star
Zainab, Zaynab - Daughter of the Prophet (pbuh)
Zakiyyah - Pure
Zaynah, Zaina - Beautiful
Zubaidah - Excellent

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Famous Child Names that are preferred, and that are undesirable.

The name given to the child must be meaningful, lovely and good. On the Day of Resurrection, a person will be called by his name and the names of his parents. Therefore, a good name must be selected. (Abu Dawood) Allah, the Exalted, likes best the names Abdullah and Abdur Rahman. (Muslim)

Those names must not be given to the child, that affect his personality or become a cause of ridicule. The Messenger of Allah, (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) always changed names that were derogatory (Tirmizi) The name of one of the daughters of Sayyidna Umar was Asiyah (meaning, disobedient), the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) changed it to Jamilah. (Tirmizi and ibn Majah) Besides, the Noble Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) changed such names as Aziz, Utlah (hardness, thickness), Satan, Hukm, Ghurab (crow), Habab (snake, Satan). (abu Dawood) He also changed the names, Harb (war) into Silm (peace), Muztaja' (one who lies down) into Mumbais (one who is prepared, ready), Banu az-Zania (the product of adultery) into Banu ar-Rushdah (good people) Banu al-Maghwiyah (one who misleads) into Banu ar-Rushdah.

We must not give names that intimate to ill omen or bad character. The grandfather of Sayyidna Sa'id bin al Musayyab presented himself before the Noble Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) asked him his name "Hizn" was the reply (meaning, hard ground, surliness). He said, "Your name is Sahl (easy) . He replied, "How can I change the name given to me by my father?" Sayyidna Sa'id says that from then on hardness of character is found among us. (Bukhari) Sayyidna Yahya bin Sa' id says that Sayyidna Umar asked a person his name. He replied, " Jamrah" (live coals "And the name of your father?" ' Shihab (meteor). "With whom are you connected? He replied, "Harqah" (burning). Sayyidna Umar asked him, "Where do you live?" "Harrat un-Nar" (heat of fire). "Where is it?" "Zat Lazza" (flames of fire). Sayyidna Umar e (Radhiallaho Anho) said to him, "Go home, quickly! The people of your house have perished from burning". It turned out so truly (Malik in Muwatta)

The name selected for the child must be other than a name of Allah; thus, it should not be Ahad, Khaliq or Razzaq. It is permissible, however, to name the child Abdul Ahad, Abdus Samad or any other name of Allah compounded with Abdul.

When Sayyidna Hani came to Madinah with his people, they called him Abu Hakm. The Messenger of Allah, (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam), said, "Only Allah, the Exalted, is Hakm. He alone is the One Who decides. Why do they call you Abu Hakm?" He replied, "If a dispute arises among my community, they ask me to decide between them. Both the parties are happy with my decision". He said, "This is commendable. We must settle the disputes of our folk. Say, do you have any son?" "I have three sons, Sharih, Muslim and Abdullah." "Who is the eldest?" "Sharih is the eldest." The Prophet said, "Your kuniyah (title) is Abu Sharih.( abu Dawood)

According to a hadith, on the Day of Resurrection, the worst of all persons in the eyes of Allah and liable to punishment will be he whom people will call Shahinshah (King) Only Allah, the Exalted, is Shahinshah (meaning, King of the monarchs) and kingdom belongs to Him alone. (Muslim)

We must not give names to our children that indicate good fortune. Suppose the names to be Aflah (successful) Nafe' (profitable), Ribah (beneficial), Yasr (easy). if in a gathering, someone calls out a person by such a name and he is not there, the answer "not here" might imply that this characteristic is lacking in that assembly. Ahadith says: Allah, the Exalted, likes most four phrases subhaan Allah, wal. hamd u lillah, wa la ilaha ill Allah and Allah u akbar.

Do not give your sons the names of Yasar, Najeeh or Aflah. You will ask for them. If they are not there, the person replying would say 'not here'. These are four names; do not refer to me after adding to these names (abu Dawood, Tirmizi)

While naming their children, parents must ensure that the names they select signify servitude to Allah alone and to no false deity. They may not associate or bondage even to the name Nabi. Certain forbidden names include Abdul Uzza, Abdul Ka'bah, and Abdun Nabi. Similarly, parents must not give names to their children that emphasize love and romance. Some of these names are: Hiyam, Beef'a, Nihau, Sosan, Miyadah, Gadah, Ahlam. These mean 'violent love', 'slim waist', 'large bosomed', 'fragrant flower', 'walks swinging to and fro', 'soft and delicate woman', 'dream'. Islam envisages Muslims as a people of remarkable attributes. When parents select vulgar and romantic names, they risk tainting the character of the child.

The Messenger of Allah,(Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) has encouraged his follower (Ummah) to call their children with meaningful names. He has suggested names of the Noble Prophets, (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) Abdullah or Abdur Rahman. This, because they may stay the best of Ummah and fulfil their duty diligently in guiding humanity to Islam and truth. The words of a hadith are: Keep the names of the Noble Prophets,(Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) Allah, the Exalted, loves most the names Abdullah and Abdur Rahman. The most truthful names are Harith and Humam. The most disliked names, and vulgar too, are Harb and Murrah (respectively, war and bitter.

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Top 10 Codes You Aren’t Meant To Know

Stores, hospitals, entertainment venues, and other places where the public are together in large numbers, use secret codes to pass information between store employees. These are meant to be a secret as they don’t want to alarm the non-staff members or alert someone (like a thief) to the fact that they have been noticed. Many stores have their own codes – for example WalMart, but there are a number that are nearly universal in application. This is a list of ten secret codes that may prove useful to you in future, or at least dispel any curiosity you may have if you hear them.

10 Ten Codes

The Ten Codes are a list of codes used by law enforcement officers in the United States. They are available on the Internet which would make them seem inappropriate for this list, but a large number of police departments have tried to have them made illegal for distribution, so they deserve a mention. The codes were developed initially in 1937 and were expanded in 1974. The California Police use a variety of extra codes which predated the ten codes. For example, a 187 (one eighty-seven) means homicide. In the ten codes system, a 10-31 means that a crime is in progress, a 10-27-1 means homicide (the 10 is usually not said when it is a three-number sequence), and a 10-00 (ten double-zero) means “officer down – all patrols respond. Wikipedia has a complete list of the police codes here.

 

9 Professional Codes

In computer support, a variety of codes can be used when referring to a customer. One of these codes has become fairly well known on the internet: PEBKAC (Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair) but there are a variety of others that are lesser known. One of these is used when reporting a fault which has been fixed: “The fault was a PICNIC” (problem in chair – not in computer), or “ID 10 T Error” – ID 10 T is, of course, IDIOT. Let us hope that you never see this noted down on your file when a serviceman is fixing your computer.

 

8 Time Check

Time Check (usually taking a similar form to: “Time check: the time is 12:00″) can be a code in stores for a bomb alert. It alerts the staff to follow the bomb procedure, which can be to either try to locate any suspicious packages, or to prepare to get the hell out. If you hear a time check in a store, it is probably a good idea to start moving toward the exit. Surprisingly – and shockingly, the majority of stores that use this code actually expect their staff to search for the bomb – certainly an aspect of the job that the majority of teenaged checkout operators weren’t expecting when they signed up I am sure.

 

7 Code 10

A code 10 in hospitals can refer to a mass casualty or serious threat (such as a bomb alert), but the majority of people experiencing a code 10 will do so for another far more common reason: a “code 10 authorization” is made by a merchant when he needs to call a credit card company to enquire about your card. This means that he is suspicious of you or your card and doesn’t want you to know it while he gets it checked out. When the credit card company hears that they have a code 10, they will ask a series of yes/no questions to the merchant in order to find out what the situation is. This will often result in the merchant keeping your card if they believe it is safe to do so. This type of call often results in a call to law enforcement.

 

6 Doctor Brown

“Doctor Brown” is a code word often used in hospitals to alert security staff to a threat to personnel. If a nurse or doctor is in danger from a violent patient or non-staff member, they can page Doctor Brown to their location and the security staff will rush to their aid. In some hospitals, code silver is used to refer to a person with a weapon, and code gray can mean a violent person without a weapon. Hospitals have a huge array of various codes to describe all manner of situations. They often differ from hospital to hospital and they are usually not internationally recognized. [Image courtesy of The Adventures of Dr. McNinja]

5 Code Oscar

On a ship, a code oscar means someone has gone overboard. If the ship has to maneuver erratically to handle the situation, it must also send out blasts on the signal so that other ships nearby are aware of the fact that it is about to change its course. It should be noted that ships don’t have an internationally standardized set of PA signals and they can differ from place to place, but this is a fairly commonly used one. Oh – and a code delta can mean that there is a biological hazard – though who knows what that might be on a passenger ship. And finally, Code Alpha often means “medical emergency”.

 

4 Code Bravo

Code Bravo is the code phrase for a general security alert at airports. Unlike most of the codes on this list, the code is meant to cause alarm – but not through knowing what it means: when this alert is raised, all of the security agents will begin to yell “Code Bravo” in order to frighten the passengers – this is supposed to make it easier for the agents to locate the source of the problem without interference from the general public. For those of you who travel on ships from time to time, you may like to know that Code Bravo means “fire” and it is the most serious alert on a ship – if it burns, you either get off or burn with it. Ships also often use sound signals, such as 7 short and 1 long, meaning “man the lifeboats”.

 

3 Inspector Sands

Inspector Sands (or sometimes Mr Sands), is a code for fire in the United Kingdom. Obviously it would not be appropriate for the service staff of a store to announce a fire publicly, so this code is used to alert the appropriate staff to the danger without upsetting customers. The wording differs from place to place and in the Underground network a recorded “Inspector Sands” warning is automatically triggered by smoke detectors. In some shops you will hear the code used in a phrase such as “Will inspector Sands please report to the men’s changing room” if the fire is in the men’s changing room. It was played on a continuous loop through the underground during the July 7, 2005 bombings, and has been incorrectly described as a code word for a bomb – the frequently used code for a bomb in the Underground is “Mr Gravel” – for example, “Mr Gravel is in the foyer”. Mr Sands (or sometimes Mr Johnson) is also used in theaters in the case of fire. You can listen to a recording of the Underground “Inspector Sands” warning here.

 

2 WalMart

WalMart gets its own item on this list because they have a large number of codes that are store specific. Some of their codes should not worry you – for example a code 10 or a code 20 just means that there has been a dry spill or a wet spill – the biggest danger this poses to you is that you might slip over. A code 300 calls for security and a code orange means there has been a chemical spill. But here are the ones you really need to worry about: Code red means there is a fire in the building – get the hell out if you hear this. Worse still, a code blue means there is a bomb in the building. Exit swiftly but don’t run – in case they think you planted it. A code green means there is a hostage situation and a code white means there is an accident. The one you are most likely to hear is a code c which is simply a call for customer service (usually meaning that more cashiers are needed). And finally – the most famous WalMart code… well, it’s so famous it needs its own item:

 

1 Code Adam

Code Adam was invented by Walmart but it is now an internationally recognized alert. It means “missing child”. The code was first coined in 1994 in memory of Adam Walsh, a six-year old, who went missing in a Sears department store in Florida in 1981. Adam was later found murdered. The person making the announcement will state “we have a code Adam,” followed by a description of the missing child. As soon as the alert is heard, security staff will begin to monitor the doors and other exits. If the child is not found within 10 minutes, the police are alerted and a store search begins. Also, if the child is found in the first 10 minutes in the company of an unknown adult, the police must be called and the person detained if it is safe to do so. In 2003, the US Congress passed legislation making a “Code Adam” program compulsory in all federal office buildings. A similar alert is called an AMBER alert, a backronym for “America’s Missing: Broadcasting Emergency Response” but initially named for Amber Hagerman, a 9 year old girl who was abducted and murdered.
Contributor: JFrater

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