We Don't Have to Worry about This

The New York Police Department has run a simulation of a terrorist attack similar to the Mumbai attack three years ago. In this simulation, they took over Macy's:

The police officials were given a fictional scenario that began with President Barack Obama visiting New York for a bill signing. At the same time, convicted Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad was scheduled to appear in a federal court.

The attacks began with bombings in downtown Manhattan "that resulted in 18 dead and dozens injured". The president went ahead with the bill signing at the World Trade Center site, when another bomb went off nearby. He was whisked away.

But the attack was not over.

Six gunmen piled out of a van at Herald Square and opened fire on shoppers and pedestrians. They then entered the Macy's department store and took 26 hostages.

I find that a bit hard to believe. I'm sure that in a real terrorist attack, the rest of us could defend ourselves with candy canes (there must be lots of them in Macy's this time of year):

Skylar Torbett, also a junior, said administrators told him, "They said the candy canes are weapons because you can sharpen them with your mouth and stab people with them." He said neither he nor any of their friend did that.

Set seriousness bit to ON. To paraphrase Richard Mitchell's remarks on anti-intellectualism, hoplophobia only begins with the hating of guns. From there it goes on to the ferreting out of hitherto-unsuspected manifestations of weaponry.