Protect New York, but Don't Blame Omaha

I am so out of the loop on homeland security funding, it's laughable.

For three years of my life I nearly lived and breathed it. I knew all about drug stockpiling and carried an emergency "go kit" in the trunk of my car. I knew the protocols for the SNS (strategic national stockpile), formerly know as the NPS (national pharmaceutical stockpile). I knew the wind speed at which the bridges were closed and the city was split in two and which hospital on the far side of the river was staffed up to become a second level 1 trauma center for that half. I could message all the emergency rooms at once and keep track of ambulance diversions. I knew ICS, HEICS, NIMS and a dozen other acronyms. I worked hurricanes, local, regional, state and national drills and planned/staffed local drills. I nearly lived and breathed it.

Here in Texas, they find the whole "secure building" thing laughable. I still take it all very seriously. I guess you have a completely different perspective coming from a state that got both anthrax and a 9/11 plane. That's what got me thinking about Bob Kerrey's comments about New York and Nebraska. I'm wondering how Virginia fared in the homeland security funding.

Yes, Washington is a target, we can all agree on that. But, it seems that in those quaint little brainwashing schools where they teach little Muslim boys that there is more glory in killing oneself along with a sizable number of infidels, instead of, say, reaching the old age of 25, they really don't spend a whole lot of time on U.S. geography. At least 9 out of 10 times, when they mean to hit Washington, they hit Virginia. (Why never Maryland, which is within equal proximity??? You tell me!!)

But seriously, let's be honest. When it comes to good national targets, you're looking at Virginia anyway. Pentagon? VA. Quantico/FBI? VA. Langley/CIA? VA. North Atlantic Fleet/Norfolk? VA. Super secret Presidential Bunker? VA. (I could tell you where, but then I'd have to kill you.) Defense Intelligence Agency? VA. Any mail going to any federal office? VA. The oldest permanent U.S. settlement? VA. (okay, so that one was just a joke and really a rather lousy target since at this point it's nothing more than an archaeological site with two people living there ~ permanent settlement, my butt.) Mile long outlet mall? VA. (Scary part of that one? It's apparently one of the biggest tourist attractions in Washington. Sad commentary on our country. "Honey, do you want to go to the Smithsonian?" "Only if we have time after we go to the IKEA at Potomac Mills!") Headquarters of Gannett and USA Today? VA. Reagan (gag) National Airport? VA. 'nuff said.