Fear, Fear, Fear, Fear, Fear: Indiana has 8,591 "potential terror targets"

[Human Torch]

President Bush waves after arriving on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, July 11, 2006, in Washington. Bush was returning from a trip to Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

U.S. Terror Targets: Petting Zoo and Flea Market?

By ERIC LIPTON
Published: July 12, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/washington/12assets.html

WASHINGTON, July 11 — It reads like a tally of terrorist targets that a child might have written: Old MacDonald’s Petting Zoo, the Amish Country Popcorn factory, the Mule Day Parade, the Sweetwater Flea Market and an unspecified “Beach at End of a Street.”

But the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, in a report released Tuesday, found that the list was not child’s play: all these “unusual or out-of-place” sites “whose criticality is not readily apparent” are inexplicably included in the federal antiterrorism database.

The National Asset Database, as it is known, is so flawed, the inspector general found, that as of January, Indiana, with 8,591 potential terrorist targets, had 50 percent more listed sites than New York (5,687) and more than twice as many as California (3,212), ranking the state the most target-rich place in the nation.

The database is used by the Homeland Security Department to help divvy up the hundreds of millions of dollars in antiterrorism grants each year, including the program announced in May that cut money to New York City and Washington by 40 percent, while significantly increasing spending for cities including Louisville, Ky., and Omaha. “We don’t find it embarrassing,” said the department’s deputy press secretary, Jarrod Agen. “The list is a valuable tool.”

[liam_laddie]

1. Packing the list

Isn't it obvious that HSA people in each state were adding everything they
could to their state's list so as to collect more funds to distribute to the
rethugli-con companies who receive the contracts? I expect that the
highest, most absurd totals are all in reich-wing-controlled states...

[RagAss]

2. hahahahhhaaa.....Indiana indeed........

[eviltwin2525]

3. OK, here's the solution:

ENCOURAGE everybody to pack the list with petting zoos and unspecified beaches-at-the-ends-of-roads. Then score it like golf, on the assumption that if you're not so needy and self-conscious that you engage in packing, you must really have the real deal.

[LSK]

4. Govt officials consider ban on crowds larger than 10 people

Citing it could be a possible terrorist threat.

:sarcasm:

[blue sky at night]

5. Albert Einstein said........

one of the most important decisions we make for ourselves is if we view the Universe as Hostile. Guess how all of these hapless folks voted on that question! Love or Fear, the only two choices folks.

[prolesunited]

6. No, Indiana has Mitch Daniels as governor

You know, Bush's former budget guru. :eyes: Indiana has so many terror targets so that Bush can funnel money to Daniels, who is the first GOP governor the state has had in years.

And he just announced he balanced the budget -- all it took was cutting services to the poor and selling a toll road to a foreign company. Can you imagine selling a state's *public* infrastructure to another country? Technically, it's a lease but it lasts for like the next 75 years.

[michaelvail]

7. Fearmongering

The British government in an attempt to keep their population in a constant state of psychosis unveiled their terror alert system. United States citizens will not be the only people to be manipulated by a deplorable system which is based on ‘cracker jack’ intelligence. There will be a gnashing of teeth because the Max Headroom talking heads over the water will be playing it up, and their superb acting skills will be worthy of an Academy nomination.

http://www.thought-criminal.org/2006/07/11/britain-adopts-us-fearmongering-threat-system/

[rucky]

13. Actually, It's money-mongering

the "analysis" is a smokescreen for misappropriating Homeland Security $$$$

[kurth]

8. They forgot garage sales and backyard BBQs

[gr8dane_daddy]

9. Hey guys, it could happen...

Didn't a neighboring state recently have a code red on the HS Terror Alert? :sarcasm:

[lildreamer316]

10. That's it, I'm done.

INDIANA???
A PETTING ZOO???
"BEACH AT THE END OF A STREET"????

[radfringe]

11. BEWARE of scuba diving hamsters

[rucky]

12. I can just see Al-Qeada sitting around a US Map...

"Soooo, what is this Sweetwater Indiana?"