With the terror alert level raised to Code Orange last week, Americans on the East Coast engaged in what they thought was their patriotic duty — buying rolls of duct tape and plastic sheeting. If Osama bin Laden watches television, he probably reveled in the sight of people setting up “defenses” that can barely protect against a Canadian air mass, which dumped a foot of snow upon the area.

But all is not lost. There are plenty of examples to show the world that the terrorists have not won. The county has not changed — we are just as shallow, strange and unsophisticated as ever.

* The Daytona 500. One of driver Rusty Wallace’s sponsors, Miller, promised every paying ticket holder a voucher for a six-pack of beer should Wallace win. Wallace finished 25th, saving everyone from getting drunk on Presidents’ Day.

Even in the severely shortened race, nearly 30 million viewers tuned in to watch cars drive around in circles, with only two spectacular accidents to break the monotony. And for that race, USA Today devoted an entire section under the guise of “sports.” Auto racing has not been a sport, and will never be a sport. Challenging activity, yes. Sport, no.

But here in America, the chance to see cars go around at very high speeds, but with less (maybe equal) drama than any given day on the Los Angeles freeway system, will draw nearly 30 million. NASCAR signifies both Americans’ obsession with cars and speed and the overbearing influence of advertising, which still finds new areas to intrude on today. To deny either of these to the public would be letting the terrorists win.

* “Joe Millionaire” and “The Bachelorette.” Easy targets, yes. Fox and ABC scored smash ratings on these shows. One stars a man living a lie, choosing from among women who allowed themselves to be suckered into the whole thing in the first place, and are practically asking the network to humiliate them in front of millions of people. The other stars the woman who lost the first “Bachelor,” choosing from men practically asking the network to humiliate them in front of millions.

In fact, when Fox ran a clip show last week instead of the series finale, viewers were outraged and some threatened to boycott the real finale. Considering that these people were mad enough to register their complaints about it, I would seriously doubt that many made good on that threat. After all, if viewers boycotted networks because they didn’t show what they thought they’d get, especially on a show with the premise based on deception, then the terrorists would be winning.

The second half of “Joe Millionaire,” which drew 40 million viewers — nearly the audience of last year’s Oscars — handily beat the first half of a “Dateline NBC” investigation on Michael Jackson’s plastic surgery, which brings us to …

* Michael Jackson TV. The interview of Jackson by a British journalist shown on ABC was the highest-rated show last week. That in itself is old news, only a sign of Americans’ insatiable desire for every detail about celebrities’ lives. But then Fox bought the rights to the show’s outtakes — that airs tonight. With NBC’s Monday “investigation,” every major network but CBS had something on the pop star — and that is only because Jackson backed out of an interview with Ed Bradley of “60 Minutes”. NBC President of Entertainment Jeff Zucker said it best to Daily Variety, even though it’s partially his fault: “This is clearly one of the most ridiculous sweeps in modern American TV history.” But if it wasn’t ridiculous, the terrorists would be winning.

Movies. The leading movie each week in 2003 has been “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” “Just Married,” “Kangaroo Jack,” “Darkness Falls,” “The Recruit,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and “Daredevil.” Four of these —”Just Married,” “Kangaroo Jack,” “Darkness Falls” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” — got zero positive reviews from critics listed at movies.go.com. In fact, only “Two Towers” got more positive than negative. “Daredevil” seems to be equally loved and hated; Ebert and Roeper gave it two thumbs up, while USA Today gave it 1 1/2 stars out of 4.

It is possible all the critics are wrong. Critically panned movies do have the chance to be solid box office hits. And that probably needs to happen occasionally. Because if moviegoers only went to movies that critics thought were good, or at least decent, that would be letting the terrorists win.

So, no matter what events on the world stage, the people of the United States refuse to let terrorism change their lives. After all, when Comiskey Park can be bought by the highest bidder — U.S. Cellular, the same company that killed Cedar Rapids’ Five Seasons Center — not a bit has changed.

Jeff Morrison is a junior in journalism and mass communication and political science from Traer. He is the wire editor of the Daily.