They are telling the citizens to be alert.


THEN WHAT?

Let's say you go onto the subway and the next stop some surly looking
guy steps on with a bulging backpack. He has a strange look in his eye.

"Never happens," you say ......

OH YEAH?

So what do you do? How do you help combat terrorism?

This is a question. I do not know the answer.

Joel

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When I went to London two years back, I saw reports on the news complaining about how bad the service was on The Tube. Yet I found it rather reliable and efficient for getting around the city. It may just not compare favorably to public transportaion in other European cities. The UK is better prepared to deal with terrorist attacks since they had IRA bombings for over three decades, in my opinion. One thing that struck me is that all the Londoners I've seen interviewed generally have said that there is no reason for them not to go to work on The Tube today and they plan to keep moving on with their lives. I often wonder how we'd react here. The sad thing though is not if it will happen in this country, but when and where.

But that's just the thing about the UK - they are a "business as usual" people. Look at their history, just in the 20th - 21st centuries; they won't be intimidated - they've (or at least their parents/grandparents have told them stories to feel as if) seen worse. The headlines from the London papers this morning are remarkable.

I stayed up last night to watch all the news shows and the "late" BBC World news report - they showed many visibly shaken people - but the reporters who were camped at the Tube stations around 4/5am BST reported London's intentions to have the transit system up and running by today, but that Kings Cross station would probably not be open (maybe?). Because today is Friday, they reported, many commuters were chosing to make it a long weekend, but that many were also planning to make the trip back into London to show that these senseless acts will not alter their lives.

Perhaps it's the "stiff upper lip" or the kidney pie or the ale -

The commentators on the different programs had many different theories on how/why this happened and suggestions on how the UK and other "targeted" countries should respond. But they all (one a former IRA terrorist turned politician) said that (at least the public's) carrying on with "business as usual" is a blow to the psyche of those who would cause terror.

What also unimaginable is that anyone survived being on the top of that bus; that alone is a triumph of human spirit.

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"I gave it some thought, and here's what I decided: My favorite Matsui is still Matt Suhey." - Bill Simmons, ESPN the Magazine