ClumsyMonkey.net

<b>Beginning at Noon on Monday, May 12th, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of State, in cooperation with Federal, State, local and Canadian partners, will undergo a five-day full-scale exercise and simulation of how the Nation would respond in the event of a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attack.

The exercise consists of simulated attacks in the Chicago and Seattle Metropolitan areas.  The State of Washington, King County, and the City of Seattle will respond to a hypothetical explosion containing radioactive materials. 

They plan to make this as realistic as possible, which may include an actual detonation/explosion to announce the start of the exercise, at noon on Monday. Following the explosion, emergency teams will perform triage, etc. and actually transport up to 200 "victims" to downtown hospitals.  They expect the actual explosion and first responder activity to be completed by 3:00. </b>

Now, I'm known to be a bit out of the loop, but I hadn't heard about this until I got the email at work today. I <i>hope</i> they publicize the <i>hell</i> out of this <i>stupid</i> idea before Monday, or else can you say "mass hysteria"? I think so!

I think the thing that bothers me the most is they're <i>actually</i> going to <i>explode</i> something. Say it with me: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! "I know, we'll make this fake emergency seem more real by finding something to blow up!" Look, Mr. Whoever's-Stupid-Idea-This-Was, we <i>all</i> know what explosions look like. We've grown up with disaster movies; we saw the 9-11 footage. Why the HELL do you feel the need to blow something up? So we'll all say, "Oh, so <i>that's</i> what it'll look like when they nuke the fuck out of us! Lots of fire! I'd'a never thunk!"

Oh, this steams me. It really does. Don't think I'm against preparedness, but how likely is it that when and if a <i>real</i> disaster comes up, that it'll be anything at ALL like our sterile fake one that we tell everyone about and mark off roads for? No FUCKING way. The NY firefighters never trained for "what to do in the case of hijacked planes crashing into buildings", but they managed to do the best that could be expected of them...

And a WEEK of this shit? The email went on to talk about traffic blockages, HAZMAT suits, the fucking works. Ooooooh, I'm pissed. I'm FUCKING pissed.

i hope this is a stupid ass e-mail and not actually true. this hysteria has gotten out of control.

It has to be fake. I don't think the government is that stupid, is it?

Yeah, I would have thought so too. But I work at the Social Security Administration, and the email was from my boss.

So... unless the government's playing some sort of practical JOKE...

GOD, I'm sick of America.

Nope, it's real:

http://www.topoff2media.net/washington.htm

http://www.fema.gov/nwz03/nwz03_topoff2.shtm

*sigh*

the public has to be notified, they can't have this shit going on when the public doesn't have a clue.

This is a crock. Wasn't the point of Homeland Security to alleviate the fears of the people?

No shit. That's why I'm so pissed. That, and exploding shit for the hell of it.

Best of luck to you and yours Aerin.

Wow. I think someone up in defense is getting sick of sitting on their asses and they want to show off how cool it would be if stuff blew up some more! Boom! Yay!

wow..........uh........nope i'm not even going to begin on this one

More on this from The Washington Post. There is much in the article that I take objection to, most notably the casual attitude of it all - like the public isn't going to notice stuff exploding and traffic being blocked off and police, firefighters, and ambulences rushing everywherre in a "mock frenzy".

I could go on, but I think the article speaks for itself.

now if this whole exercise is as big as you say, then yes, it is over the top. But if they are just going over procedures and such then it might not be so bad. I heard on the radio this morning where they simulated a rollercoaster rescue. If it is as simple as something like that then it should be fine. However, if they shut down the whole city and have red lights and sirens going off throughout the city then it could be trouble. I'm not entirely convinced that they are detonating something. And I believe that any individuals involved would be volunteers.

i suppose but that doesn't sound like you every day practice procedure

Yeah, at Selfrige Air Base by my house, they had a practice session in case an airplane crashed. They had college students in make-up acting like they were hurt and everything. It's nothing that major.

Actually, I think this has the right idea...

meh that seems like Paranoid Consipiracy Theory Writing, i may be anti-war but i reconize con. theories when i see them, i just think it's massive stupidity on the governments part not a terrorist attack

Pssst. The article (and I) are being sarcastic!

my bad......but you never know, there are always a few people that are really that way