TERROR DRILLS The U.S. government is practicing for a terror attack. Growing up in Southern California, I was constantly bombarded by the threat of the Big One. The giant earthquake, waiting to unleash its fury at anytime, that would end human civilization in California. (Still waiting on that one, by the way). Public schools would have Earthquake Drills. Basically, a bell would ring, you'd have to duck under your desk for a few minutes, then you'd be evacuated to the playground to sit around in a circle for a few hours, pretending your principal was checking the school for survivors. Sometimes they would go really big and choose random students to "act hurt" and hide in the classrooms just to make it difficult on our school's leaders.

As a kid, I found the whole idea absurd and I did not hesitate to mention this to friends and teachers.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/mar2005/nf20050315_2103_db093.htm