There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

$98K for an underwear-clad robot?! $257K for an armored truck? Are we sure this isn't a satirical piece?

SD zombie event = run-of-the-mill boondoggle, vacation dressed up as work so someone else can pay. Outrage +2 for use of public funds, ho hum. Real bfd here is large scale distribution of paramilitary equipment to rural police and sheriffs, where it is used in WoD since there is no WoT in Bumblefark.

Apos: $98K for an underwear-clad robot?! $257K for an armored truck? Are we sure this isn't a satirical piece?

That was an underwater robot, not underwear. The question I have is: Does that get you a robot capable of functioning and maneuvering under water, or does it get you a robot that can only function under water (like an R/C sub)? I'd like any robots I purchase for the purpose of disarming bombs to be able to do so in just about any environment.

Heffaloo: Apos: $98K for an underwear-clad robot?! $257K for an armored truck? Are we sure this isn't a satirical piece?

That was an underwater robot, not underwear. The question I have is: Does that get you a robot capable of functioning and maneuvering under water, or does it get you a robot that can only function under water (like an R/C sub)? I'd like any robots I purchase for the purpose of disarming bombs to be able to do so in just about any environment.

Or perhaps they meant 'underwater' in the sense of owing more for it than it's worth?

Heffaloo: Apos: $98K for an underwear-clad robot?! $257K for an armored truck? Are we sure this isn't a satirical piece?

That was an underwater robot, not underwear. The question I have is: Does that get you a robot capable of functioning and maneuvering under water, or does it get you a robot that can only function under water (like an R/C sub)? I'd like any robots I purchase for the purpose of disarming bombs to be able to do so in just about any environment.

Oops......My incredulity at the expenditure obscured my vision for a minute. Thanks.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

See, guys, it's not that bad. They're just dressing up people so the military can practice mowing down US citizens angry for being abandoned in the wake of a massive disaster...

Glad my tax money is being put to good use. If we ever lose the zombie apocalypse, Imma gonna eat the brains of the morans that failed their training.

Well, when you flood the trough with some rich, greasy slop, you're gonna attract pigs.

Remember, folks, the "party of small government" was all about establishing the DHS.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

I always though even the title, "Homeland Security", was kinda skeevy. Conjures up images of jackboots and dying for the motherland.

RidgeRunner5: See, guys, it's not that bad. They're just dressing up people so the military can practice mowing down US citizens angry for being abandoned in the wake of a massive disaster...

Damnit, it removed the quoted section...

"The shows performed this past Halloween were intended "to challenge authorities as they respond to extreme medical situations where people become crazed and violent, creating widespread fear and disorder," according to Brad Baker, president of conference organizer HALO Corp."

fun and creative way to let train your personnel for worst case scenarios and get the public interested in disaster preparation.

what a waste. we could have killed some syrians with that money.

Who owns the resort, and which congress person are they friends with?

Clearly we need to raise taxes to keep the Gov funded!

/Am I doing it right?

Phony_Soldier: Clearly we need to raise taxes to keep the Gov funded!

/Am I doing it right?

Trolling? Not really. Go home and get your shine box.

theorellior: MaudlinMutantMollusk: There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

I always though even the title, "Homeland Security", was kinda skeevy. Conjures up images of jackboots and dying for the motherland.

Yeah... that always creeped me out a little, too

If only there had been some way that a fully GOP controlled government could have not given a blank check to that agency to have prevented it and therefore been truly Fiscally Conservative and not full of it.

I don't have a problem with the robot. It's probably supposed to be used to search for bodies or evidence in the water rather than risk divers. In that way, it's probably cheaper than paying divers.

Those trucks though. Those are just police departments having a dick waiving contest with their neighbors.

theorellior: Phony_Soldier: Clearly we need to raise taxes to keep the Gov funded!

/Am I doing it right?

Trolling? Not really. Go home and get your shine box.

I'll try harder next time.

/Seriously though, gov waste is a huge problem.

" zombie homeland security programs are sucking the life out of the Department of Homeland Security"

I believe he means the Department of Homeland Security. Disband it, return the Secret Service to Treasury and let the FBI and CIA get back to business.

I for one am incredibly surprised that Coburn, one of my horrible state's senators and author of that stupid list of government "waste" that's 99% non-wasteful, said he's willing to raise taxes on the wealthy in an attempt to avoid the fiscal cliff. It'll pretty much ensure that, in the heart of the teapartiest state in the country, he'll not only lose his job next time around, he'll also probably have his head cut off by roving mobs of Islamic Christian fundamentals.

reillan: I for one am incredibly surprised that Coburn, one of my horrible state's senators and author of that stupid list of government "waste" that's 99% non-wasteful, said he's willing to raise taxes on the wealthy in an attempt to avoid the fiscal cliff. It'll pretty much ensure that, in the heart of the teapartiest state in the country, he'll not only lose his job next time around, he'll also probably have his head cut off by roving mobs of Islamic Christian fundamentals.

What's sad, and I mean really sad, is that of our two senators, Coburn is the rational one.

4tehsnowflakes: SD zombie event = run-of-the-mill boondoggle, vacation dressed up as work so someone else can pay. Outrage +2 for use of public funds, ho hum. Real bfd here is large scale distribution of paramilitary equipment to rural police and sheriffs, where it is used in WoD since there is no WoT in Bumblefark.

When I first saw the zombie thing I thought it was on the private sector's tab. They were using it for advertising or something. Most times people have a "training session" vacation there are at least some educational benefits. Going for headshots is a fairly bad way to take down the average evil do-er. Next they'll train what to do if a psychologically deranged man messes with the cosmetic industry to kill women by making them laugh to death.

PS paradise point is IN San Diego, not off the coast, not outside of. In the freakin city.

Hey, when you're a department in search of a mission, zombies are as good as anything else.

/Did DHS fix that whole CIA doesn't talk to FBI problem? I didn't think so.

...at a posh California resort. The Department of Homeland Security let first responders use urban security grants to pay the five-day event's $1,000 admittance fee...

Wow, $200 a day - that's some serious Holiday Inn level poshiness.

Zombies do not exist in real life.

Don't they know that?

theorellior: Well, when you flood the trough with some rich, greasy slop, you're gonna attract pigs.

Remember, folks, the "party of small government" was all about establishing the DHS.

and suddenly that makes it okay to continue?

The odds that someone who went to one of these things will use the skills learned is infinitely higher than the odds that the TSA will ever stop a terrorist.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: theorellior: MaudlinMutantMollusk: There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

I always though even the title, "Homeland Security", was kinda skeevy. Conjures up images of jackboots and dying for the motherland.

Yeah... that always creeped me out a little, too

FTA: Department of Homeland Security Spokesman Matthew Chandler said the agency "fundamentally disagrees" with the report's position on the value of homeland security grants.NO U!

FTFM

"to challenge authorities as they respond to extreme medical situations where people become crazed and violent, creating widespread fear and disorder,"

So from the results of the exercise we all get gunned down at the hospital. Note to self....

Either this is really good because the more money they spend on Zombies, the less they spend farking with us
or really bad since they may be learning more effective crowd control.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: theorellior: MaudlinMutantMollusk: There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

I always though even the title, "Homeland Security", was kinda skeevy. Conjures up images of jackboots and dying for the motherland.

Yeah... that always creeped me out a little, too

"When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."

I was prepared to make fun of Coburn for saying something stupid, but he's actually making sense this time.

I'm sure it'll pass.

Doesn't everyone know that Zombie Programs fall under USDA and state wildlife and natural resource management agencies?
Missouri knows they do.

BMFPitt: The odds that someone who went to one of these things will use the skills learned is infinitely higher than the odds that the TSA will ever stop a terrorist.

Of course, infinity times zero is still zero.

4tehsnowflakes: Real bfd here is large scale distribution of paramilitary equipment to rural police and sheriffs, where it is used in WoD since there is no WoT in Bumblefark. 

/Kansas City uses their APC to do no-knocks on drug houses

I don't think the Department for the Awesome Security of the Glorious Homeland is actually saying they think there's going to be a zombie apocalypse.

They're probably just trying to make disaster preparedness "fun."

Although, the guy who organized the conference is president of HALO Corp. (their caps, not mine).

Holy shiat, it's not gonna be a zombie apocalypse, it's gonna be an alien invasion!

theorellior: Well, when you flood the trough with some rich, greasy slop, you're gonna attract pigs.

Remember, folks, the "party of small government" was all about establishing the DHS.

I think the current GOP party line is that Obama used the Magic Time Machine again to go back to 2002 and create it.

NightOwl2255: reillan: I for one am incredibly surprised that Coburn, one of my horrible state's senators and author of that stupid list of government "waste" that's 99% non-wasteful, said he's willing to raise taxes on the wealthy in an attempt to avoid the fiscal cliff. It'll pretty much ensure that, in the heart of the teapartiest state in the country, he'll not only lose his job next time around, he'll also probably have his head cut off by roving mobs of Islamic Christian fundamentals.

What's sad, and I mean really sad, is that of our two senators, Coburn is the rational one.

haha, yeah. Coburn is at least sane 25% of the time, which is at least 24000 times more often than Inhofe.

The federal government wastes money? Since when?

Phony_Soldier: theorellior: Phony_Soldier: Clearly we need to raise taxes to keep the Gov funded!

/Am I doing it right?

Trolling? Not really. Go home and get your shine box.

I'll try harder next time.

/Seriously though, gov military waste is a huge problem.

ButterMule: The federal government wastes money? Since when?

Guess how I know you've never worked for a large company.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

Kill DHS, retask the FBI to handle the CT/investigative stuff, Broaden NSA to handle security stuff, and done

Kit Fister: MaudlinMutantMollusk: There shouldn't even BE a DHS budget

/nor should there be a DHS

Kill DHS, retask the FBI to handle the CT/investigative stuff, Broaden NSA to handle security stuff, and done

I'd say yeah, kill the DHS as an administrative entity, and expand the FBI's counter-terrorism prerogative, but the NSA should remain a pure crypto/sigint organization, that's all they do.

Return the Coast Guard to the Department of Transportation.

Disband the TSA and return airline screening to the private sector while you're at it.

All remaining DHS functions should be more like a bureau/agency-level organization within the Dept. of Justice, not a cabinet level department. Homeland Security Agency or something like that.

Dialectic: Zombies do not exist in real life.

Don't they know that?

As a horror device though they are supposed to represent the fear of the ignorant unwashed masses. Pretty much a perfect foil for training in riot control techniques

Princess Ryans Knickers: If only there had been some way that a fully GOP controlled government could have not given a blank check to that agency to have prevented it and therefore been truly Fiscally Conservative and not full of it.

If there only had been some way that a fully DNC controlled government could not have expanded every facet of the organization.

//It doesn't matter that the other side did something bad if your side makes it even worse.