Wyoming Leads the Way in Doomsday Planning

[citizen k]

Texas 'navy' to patrol the Rio Grande

Texas is getting its own navy.
Next month, the state's Department of Public Safety will deploy the first of a fleet of six gunboats on the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between the state and Mexico, CNN affiliate WFAA-TV reports.
The 34-foot-long boats, each powered by three, 300-horsepower outboard engines, will have bulletproof plating and six machine guns apiece, not unlike the river patrol boats the U.S. Navy used during the Vietnam War.
The vessels will be able to operate in as little as 2 feet of water, according to the report, and will work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to combat drug smuggling coming across the Rio Grande.
"They're finding out when those people are coming across, and one of the things they need to be able to do is interdict them on the water," Texas state Rep. Paul Workman told CNN affiliate KVUE-TV when the first of the boats, the JD Davis, was christened in December.
"If you're trying to suppress organized smuggling activity, there's no substitute for putting people on the ground," Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw said at the December ceremony. "The way they're operating right now, you need them on the water as well."
"It sends a message: Don't mess with Texas," Jose Rodriguez, a regional commander of the Texas Department of Safety, told WFAA.
The six boats will be named after Texas state troopers killed in the line of duty. The first was named after Jerry Don Davis, who was shot and killed in 1980. Another, to be commissioned Thursday in Austin, will be named in honor of  trooper David Irvine Rucker, who was killed in 1981, according to The Brownsville Herald.

[The Brain]

I used to think that if I died in a stupid place my soul wouldn't be able to make it to Heaven. But now...?

[MadBurgerMaker]

Texas is getting its own navy.

Yesssssss time to break out the old naval ensign



The flagship is going to need a lot of fixing up though.

[Valmy]

I support all the efforts of the Department for Salut Public to root out traitors whether on land or sea.

[FunkMonk]

Next step is to patrol the Red River with these babies.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Next step is to patrol the Red River with these babies.

[Barrister]

Next step is to patrol the Red River with these babies.

Agreed.  We need to prevent all those dirty North Dakotans from sneaking into Winnipeg.   

[derspiess]

Don't forget Americans, Doomsday Preppers is on at 9pm on Nat Geo. Hilarious show.

I've only seen the commercial, but my favorite is the dude in the oxygen mask (or whatever that is that firefighters use) who is apparently prepping for the supervolcano.

Also, it took me a while to put it all together but a Facebook friend I graduated high school with is definitely a prepper.

[Eddie Teach]

Also, it took me a while to put it all together but a Facebook friend I graduated high school with is definitely a prepper.

Curiosity piqued, what were the clues?

[KRonn]

Massachusetts is all set for the looming naval war in Mid America! We have the Battleship Massachusetts, some cruisers, destroyers and other ships. Plus we have the USS Constitution "Old Ironsides" still commissioned!

[CountDeMoney]

Plus we have the USS Constitution "Old Ironsides" still commissioned!

The USS Constellation will be more than happy to be part of that flotilla.

[KRonn]

Plus we have the USS Constitution "Old Ironsides" still commissioned!

The USS Constellation will be more than happy to be part of that flotilla.

Cool!       Constitution and Constellation - would love to see them sail together again!      I wonder if during any ceremonies/holidays, the two ships have sailed together? Probably not, as I doubt if each ship sails more than their immediate harbors. I'm thinking Constitution went to NYC some years back, for a July 4th or something, but I doubt they'd sail it that far, even if under tow.

[CountDeMoney]

Plus we have the USS Constitution "Old Ironsides" still commissioned!

The USS Constellation will be more than happy to be part of that flotilla.

Cool!       Constitution and Constellation - would love to see them sail together again!      I wonder if during any ceremonies/holidays, the two ships have sailed together? Probably not, as I doubt if each ship sails more than their immediate harbors. I'm thinking Constitution went to NYC some years back, for a July 4th or something, but I doubt they'd sail it that far, even if under tow.

That's something to look into;  if they ever did, it would've been for the July 4th celebration for the Statue of Liberty back in '86.

They just finished a year-long refit of the Constellation, she looks gorgeous now.

[Caliga]

For some reason I think it's totally badass that there are Mexican pirates on the Rio Grande.

shiver me timbers, esse

[Siege]

River patrols?
Somebody is asking for a nasty ambush.

River ambushes are the worst kind, especially when you are the guy in the water.