1: They've been doing this for a couple of years now. I think the locals are aware the Marines are practicing. If some yokel were to think the Ruskies had landed, then we've highlighted a candidate for gene pool removal.

Ahh, the jackassness of Carty "Let's move all the deaf people out by the airport...they won't care!" Finkbeiner.

Perhaps if the people saw what it is the Marines do, they would be thankful they only practice in this country and don't have to do it for real.

I can't wait for the followup story.

I thought politicians liked to do that. Keeps the sheep pliable, you see.

Homeland security did a terrorism exercise at Kent State (yes, THAT Kent State) last year. It went off without a hitch. In fact, people were lining up to be volunteer "victims", each with a part with a card that told them things like "don't listen to the police, no matter where they tell you to go" and "keep screaming that your eyeballs are burning."

I was covering the event for a local paper. I got thrown out by the SWAT team for being in a zone I wasn't supposed to be in :)

It was a blast!

If we could do it in Kent, god knows they could do it in Toledo.

Oh for Christsakes!

It's Toledo!! The Marines could call in airstikes and it would be an inprovement.

Well, of course we wouldn't want to frighten the citizens. That's Dubya's job.

well shiat - if they want combat patrol experience have them ride shotgun with the philadelphia city cops.

Stupid liberal Ohio.

UNC_Samurai: If some yokel were to think the Ruskies had landed, then we've highlighted a candidate for gene pool removal.

Okay, I laughed. :)

But seriously, unless they've been advertising this FTX for a few days on every medium available (newspapers, tv, radio, websites, etc.), a few people could start a riot or, even worse, a lynch mob looking for turrists. This is why they have fake cities at Fts. Knox, Benning, and other bases, so they don't have to do this crap in real cities, where an asthmatic person could die from exposure to CS or an old person could have a heart attack when they hear automatic gunfire down the block. There are all kinds of hazards to civilians who are not in as good of health as your average service member.

The only time they should really be doing this kind of thing in densely populated areas, imho, is to drill with the local first responders.

Tunk87: It's Toledo!! The Marines could call in airstikes and it would be an inprovement.

Aw, fark it. When you're right, you're right. :)

UNC_Samurai: 1: They've been doing this for a couple of years now. I think the locals are aware the Marines are practicing. If some yokel were to think the Ruskies had landed, then we've highlighted a candidate for gene pool removal.

I have lived in Toledo my whole life. They have done this several times before. Its more of "WTF?" situation than a frightening. It's kind of badass to be going home from a concert in downtown and see the guys all camo'd up running around.

Quite simply, Carty is an old dumbass and wants everything and everybody of his lawn

Sleeping Monkey: Stupid liberal Ohio.

Yes, because we aren't responsible for putting Bush in office twice or anything.

Mudhens ARE a particularly stupid bird

Didn't RTFA - how long did the mayor live?

In other news, people from Toledo are pansies.

Mayor Douchenozzle is scared of practicing soldiers...

I'd hate to think what would happen in Toledo if a
car backfired...

/asshat

I have been on exercises in real towns before. When I was stationed in Camp Pendleton, I was part of Urban Warrior, which happened in Monterey, CA back in 1999. When I was in Camp LeJeune in 2001, with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, we trained in a town called, Warsaw, NC. The Marines have been doing this for years, because it provides a more realistic training environment.

Personally, I think that if the Mayor of Toledo doesn't like it, this shows he also doesn't like other federal programs or funding. consider this sort of thing paying for the money you get, because I'm willing to bet a place like Toledo gets way more federal money than it pays back in taxes.

Busload of marines tell Ohio mayor to fark off.

This is after they took the exercise from Boston.

I live in Toledo.

This is the same mayor that called the Chief of the Fire Department (an African American)..KING KONG, during a meeting.

The same mayor that suggested that deaf people move out near the air-port.

The same mayor that spent $9,999.99 of taxpayer money for a new shower for his office. The reason it wasn't a round number like $10,000.00....is because any expenditure over $10K or over...required approval of city council.

Ah, Toledo. Michigan, you guys can have it back, no hard feelings.

NotoriousW.O.PAhh, the jackassness of Carty "Let's move all the deaf people out by the airport...they won't care!" Finkbeiner.

What? I think that's a great idea!

LarryBird33: The same mayor that spent $9,999.99 of taxpayer money for a new shower for his office. The reason it wasn't a round number like $10,000.00....is because any expenditure over $10K or over...required approval of city council.

Dude, I work for the government (kicks, replies, etc)

That shiat happens ALL THE TIME. I do it myself.

Well, not on office showers, but it saves me loads of paperwork if a vendor comes in under $15K, so I get lots of $14999.99 quotes.

Well at least the made it public. When Delta Force does it.. they say nothing, swoop in right next to residential areas with helicopters, machine gun fire, and flashbangs.

It is a scary as hell way to wake up at 3 in the morning.

Don't make me get all Berkeley on your ass.

Sleeping Monkey: Stupid liberal Ohio.

LOLkilgorn: Mayor Douchenozzle is scared of practicing soldiers...

I'd hate to think what would happen in Toledo if a
car backfired...

/asshat



would like a word with you

Damn, I was hoping this would be an article about Sandusky so I could make a snarky comment about how bad the place sucks and why I moved outta there.

Meh, it's Toledo (50 miles away). Same crap, bigger pile.

Do mayors have the authority to do this? Is he like the king of Toledo City-State?

Below the article was a link for 'Free Ann Coulter E-mail.' Glancing at it I only saw the words 'Free Ann Coulter.' I got really excited thinking someone had locked her up or something.... Then reality struck. *sigh*

NeauxFear: This is why they have fake cities at Fts. Knox, Benning, and other bases, so they don't have to do this crap in real cities, where an asthmatic person could die from exposure to CS or an old person could have a heart attack when they hear automatic gunfire down the block. There are all kinds of hazards to civilians who are not in as good of health as your average service member.

And a lot more of them here too. I would be willing to bet however they are reservists doing their weekend drill (As am I, well on active duty now on cooldown from Iraq), and a lot of units arent fortunate enough to have these facilities nearby. Trust me this training is NEEEDED, when i was called up I barely had any urban combat experience and that was all I did over there.

Vote QUIMBY!

as a liberal fella i concur this mayor is a moran

/if they want combat experience tell them to come to rural maine during the weed harvest. go to bat with the woodsmen see how that goes.

Mr_Smartypants: Do mayors have the authority to do this? Is he like the king of Toledo City-State?

He's gonna start another civil war. The potato shall rise again.

Just how much do you parents have to hate you to name you Carty Finkbeiner. At least he's living up to the douchebag status that his name would imply.

/maybe it's time for him to retire to the city of Berkely

I'm betting this is due to him having rough childhood being saddled with the name Carty Finkbeiner. Let's give him a wedgie.

"Who said that? Who the fark said that? Who's the slimy little communist shiat, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant? Nobody, huh? The fairy farking godmother said it. Out-farking-standing. I will PT you all until you farking die. I'll PT you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk."

/FMJ FTW
//I can't wait to see what the filter does to that...

I said to my wife before I even RTFA, that it was Toledo, and the mayor was Carty Finkbeiner.

/glad am living in Cinci now
//our mayor was voted best dressed by GQ

I immediatly knew it was Carty, just by reading the headline. I can not even begin to tell you what a Sh*t bag this guy is. He once beat the hell out of a vendor at the erie street market(a open air market downtown), as mayor! in public view!

Elmo Jones: "Who said that? Who the fark said that? Who's the slimy little communist shiat, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant? Nobody, huh? The fairy farking godmother said it. Out-farking-standing. I will PT you all until you farking die. I'll PT you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk."

"Sir, I said it, sir!"

Sleeping Monkey: Stupid liberal Ohio.

You ever been to Ohio? The entire state is red, except for Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown.

I wonder how the mayor possibly could not have known that the Mariens were coming to town to do this. There's permits to get, people to notify, obesiances to be made, etc. whenever things like this are done.

/the police already knew? Sounds like they don't like the mayor very much, else he might have been notified...

I didn't know Toledo was the sister city to Berkeley. Damn hippies are everywhere these days.

/off my lawn, Marines

dustman81: Sleeping Monkey: Stupid liberal Ohio.

You ever been to Ohio? The entire state is red, except for Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown.

It's true.

TheRameres: /glad am living in Cinci now
//our mayor was voted best dressed by GQ

Cincinnati: Our mayors are a lot cooler than yours.

As an ex-soldier of the Marine Core, I'm getting a convincing kick out these replies.

TexasIsBetter: And a lot more of them here too. I would be willing to bet however they are reservists doing their weekend drill (As am I, well on active duty now on cooldown from Iraq), and a lot of units arent fortunate enough to have these facilities nearby. Trust me this training is NEEEDED, when i was called up I barely had any urban combat experience and that was all I did over there.

No doubt. I was 82d, so I sympathize. They were reservists from Grand Rapids, I think. I'm just saying I can understand where the mayor is coming from. However, if there is an old industrial complex (no pun intended), that would be a much better place to do this kind of thing. That's how they do it around here, anyway. I have no problem with civilians volunteering to be the mock victims of an attack (again, that's how they do it here) but there could be some serious problems (see above post) if they just decide to storm a neighborhood, unbeknownst to anyone but first responders.

Dammit, Elmo beat me to it.

Anyway, here's an amusing version of it: Link (new window)

AlanSmithee, you make me laugh

As a sailor, I know I should claim that "Mariens" is not a mis-spelling, it's the name we give to the girlish lads in camo. Alas, it is not so.