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

[LynneSin]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/washington/12assets.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1152676800&en=6b0502da91a3d945&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin

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

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.

[rosesaylavee]

1. Terra Terra Terra Terra (drums beating in background)

I just don't buy this... sorry. What criteria are they using? Homeland Security staffer's favorite hangouts when they go home? And, important question here, are most of the staffers from Indiana?

[LynneSin]

2. Perhaps we found Dick Cheney's "Undisclosed Location"

What I don't get is how New Jersey is TWENTY-FOUR!!

No wonder Corzine can't get that budget balanced - he's got to come up with a shitload of money to NJ homeland security for all the ports and their unfortunately location of being between NYC and Philadelphia

[rosesaylavee]

3. Oh, that's right

those pesky ports... It's only been 5 years - give them time to secure those and be a little more patient, ok? Maybe think about moving to Indiana?

:sarcasm:

[JHB]

4. Time for another War on Terra (Haute)...

We'll "shock and awe" the Terra-ists with old Steve Martin bits, and they'll greet us with rubber chickens and arrow-through-the-head hats!

Just don't wear plaid.

:evilgrin:

[rosesaylavee]

5. That's IT!

Terra Haute - silly me for not seeing it before...

Weeelllll, excuuuuuse me!

:rofl:

[BlueJazz]

6. Great..Just Great. I had made important plans to go to ...

.. the "Amish Country Popcorn factory" today but if a pack of Terrorist are gonna' be there...well..Fuck it.

[LynneSin]

7. Perhaps you should consider the Statue of Liberty or Grand Central Station

Nobody wants to bomb those places, especially a train station that is a major hub to our commuter trains. I mean who would think terrorists would target something like that

[sinkingfeeling]

8. DHS is the most worthless organization in our government excluding

the White House and Congress! So far, it's been a total waste of money, but taxpayers in Indiana probably don't care if DHS employes a fleet of limos to take all the important people to a petting zoo.

[lectrobyte]

9. Now the cat's out of the bag. It was all part of DHS's cunning plan

to lure the ter'ists to Indiana, where any non-white non-Republican non-Jesus-fearing face would be immediately detected and arrested for loitering or somesuch.

[LynneSin]

10. I think it was to lure tourists

I mean somehow Indiana has more attractions that warrent protection than New York

[lectrobyte]

11. Indy 500. What else? Indiana is not what I think of when I think of

tourism destinations. I'm not saying I wouldn't go there on vacation, just saying I don't know why I would.

[LynneSin]

12. Well according to homeland security there are about 8000+ reasons

Come on - don't you want to visit the Amish Popcorn factory?

[lectrobyte]

14. Amish popcorn does sound pretty cool, but I tend to think your

typical terrorist is not targeting Indiana. Unless they are after so-called "soft targets" that we keep getting terror-enema'ized on, and those are everywhere. Fear. Fear. 911. Again and again. When are we all going to quote Boris Karloff and ask: Is *that* what I was afraid of?

[TahitiNut]

13. Nebraska and Indiana aren't even on the US border.

Typical reichbot conservatives - sucking on the sow's teat and kicking the piglets aside.

:puke:

Does either state even have Customs and Immigration processing? Any "international" airports? :eyes:

[LynneSin]

15. You can call your airport "International" with just one flight

You just need a flight to Canada or Jamaica and you're then International