So at the end of the day yesterday, CIA honcho Leon Panetta, and Dennis C. Blair, the director of national intelligence, told the Senate Intelligence Committee that al Qaeda was basically ready to roll. Or are they? Let's take a look at what they said, so that we can be more and or less frightened.

• Panetta: "The biggest threat is not so much that we face an attack like 9/11. It is that al Qaeda is adapting its methods in ways that oftentimes make it difficult to detect."

1. "Is not so much." So it is "some much"?

2. What exactly is "like" 9/11?

3. What are these methods?

4. Oftentimes?

• And, from their report, however: "First, we have been warning since 9/11 that al-Qa'ida, al-Qa'ida-associated groups, and al- Qa'ida inspired terrorists remain committed to striking the United States and US interests. What is different is that we have names and faces to go with that warning."

1. So... it's difficult to detect? But now you have names and faces?

• And also, how does this go with the AP report? They say: "The terrorist organization is deploying operatives to the United States to carry out new attacks from inside the country, including 'clean' recruits with a negligible trail of terrorist contacts, CIA Director Leon Panetta said."

1. So... you do not have names and faces.

• Blair: "Al Qaeda maintains its intent to attack the homeland-preferably with a large-scale operation that would cause mass casualties, harm the U.S. economy or both."

1. So, yes, a large-scale operation then? Not "not so much"?

2. I like the idea of casting al Qaeda as an organization with "preferences." It's like they have a white board and some really boring meetings. "Well, we'd prefer to cripple the U.S. economy this year, but we'll also think outside the box on just seriously annoying a large group of people."

• From the report: "Targets that have been the focus of more than one al-Qa'ida plot include aviation, financial institutions in New York City, and government targets in Washington, D.C. Other targets al- Qa'ida has considered include the Metro system in Washington D.C., bridges, gas infrastructure, reservoirs, residential complexes, and public venues for large gatherings."

1. SUPERBOWL????

• Blair: "Malicious cyberactivity is occurring on an unprecedented scale with extraordinary sophistication." And: something-something "cyber-Pearl Harbor."

1. ???

2. You mean like in Live Free or Die Hard???

Looks like the answer is, at least in part, to bypass the quote cherry-picking media, and learn for yourself. Here is their report. [PDF file]