The stuff we have here isn't real touristy, Steve.  I imagine if Flying J gets its way their HF tanks would be a target, as would certain railway sites.

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If I were al Qaeda with a limited budget, though, I'd go after the levees north of Kern.

Depends on whether they want to induce terror--the definition of a terrorist act--or do some real damage.  If the former, they'd probably go elsewhere.  If the latter, there are some nifty targets here.

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Either way, they can count on the active support of most of the cable news programs.  One analyst noted that terrorist acts seem to work like viagra on "news networks."  The effects generally last longer than the recommended "four hours," too.

I would think that the terrorist would want to choose a "wow" type of action, which would affect a large number of people. So I believe it would be the larger communties such as NY, Boston, SF, LA, Miami, etc.

Though if the terrorist want to cause major problems, just wait until more fires break out in the west..then go and start more. Or if the nation is in a middle of a heat wave...blow up a couple of powerlines. These would cause problems.

Now why would a strongly conservative fundamentalist group want to attack a strongly conservative fundamentalist town?

Spam code: HOTBD

Let me just preface this by saying, "Yes...I know.  Hell.  Handbasket."

*clears throat*

Of course Bakersfield is a terrorist target...there's oil, fundamentalists, and a drug trade.  I'm surprised we're not attacking ourselves. 

P~~pssttt we are,don't tell anybody! lol

Oldblue...you should have *never* put that in print,now "they" know!!!

I'd say Disneyland, but their security is much better than the Secret Service. I think Alladin's been strip searched three times this week already.

RKH/sagefever, you're not far off.  Look at a railway map of California at how much of the national rail traffic into California passes through the railyard in Bakersfield.  Then consider what percentage of it goes through the Tehachapi Loop tunnel.

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But that's not terrorism, that's an outright attack.  Terrorism implies casualties.

The prevailing winds are from the northwest Bakdoc.  The fallout, unless it's Santa Ana season, would be farther to the southwest desert.  Or San Bernardino maybe?

Next to the Crystal Palace, any terrorist worth his salt would hit Las Vegas if their goal is to panic and disrupt.  If they hit the dam, Vegas would be flooded them dry up..now THAT would cause a panic among a lot of gamblers.

I want the terrorists to attack Porterville. Everyone I've talked to thinks it's a good idea.

Unfortunately, Porterville has no tall buildings to crash a plane into. They'll have to settle for Home Depot.

OldBlue..that would give new meaning to the expression "water hazard."

succinct

Bakersfield was named All American City in 1990.

succinct

Hitting Hoover Dam wouldn't flood Vegas.  The geography and topography would send the flood waters towards Bullhead City and Lake Havasu.    Glenn Canyon Dam (on Lake Powell), however... well, that could maybe make the Bellagio's fountains irrelevant. :)

If they mess with my beloved Kern River Golf Course oldblue, then I want the captured terrorists to have new jobs as yardage markers on the driving range. And ALL range balls will be Rock Flites!

Can  you imagine how north/south traffic through California would come to a stop if the I-5 and Hwy 99 interchange was bombed.  Plus we are have a rail system running through Bakersfield that would be useless.

I think Bakersfield is a viable terrorist target.

If you insist on bombing Porterville, place the bomb in that big Bull that stands on the North side of 65.  What an eyesore!

I remember hearing when I was in school that we were a target on Russia's tactcal strike list, simply because our oil.  Don't know if that is true or not, but it makes sense.  If we went full scale war with someone, I would have to belive it woldn't differ much.