Comments on Breaking news: New York

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mayb
I think the mayor in New York is doing a great job of putting people on guard. I've seen and heard several reporters say the feds are claiming this is highly doubtful (the sources are unreliable), however I don't think it's too much to make everybody pay attention to their surroundings in a joint effort to protect their city during possible threats.

posted by Joe_Love on October 8, 2005 at 7:17 AM | link to this | reply

I've always worked on the premise to "pack heavy".
But I'm re-evaluating that now.

posted by majroj on October 7, 2005 at 12:19 PM | link to this | reply

majroj, and MayB--or when your job forces you to bring paperwork home, or you're working on a research project for school, or you just have a lot of books to bring to and from classes.

posted by SilverMoon7 on October 7, 2005 at 1:14 AM | link to this | reply

It seems to me like it was just a matter of time.  Americans are new to this kind of thing, and it's a scary prospect to live with.  With all the bombings the Londonites have had to endure over the years, I wonder if it's really something you get used to, or if there's a kind of shelving of awareness going on.  Not really denial, but simply putting the knowledge of the possibility away on a shelf, because there's really little else to be done.

posted by SilverMoon7 on October 7, 2005 at 1:11 AM | link to this | reply

john mcnab, it's always the case that the honest guy who presents himself at the security counters gets the grief while the one who means trouble slips through. I guess in Japan there are fewer foreigners for the authorities to pester

posted by Azur on October 6, 2005 at 9:51 PM | link to this | reply

poetjpb, ooh I wouldn't like that

posted by Azur on October 6, 2005 at 9:48 PM | link to this | reply

Hemlocker, a suicide bomber can soon switch to roll-on luggage too

posted by Azur on October 6, 2005 at 9:47 PM | link to this | reply

Majroj, that works in theory except when you go anywhere with small children.

posted by Azur on October 6, 2005 at 9:47 PM | link to this | reply

MedusaNextDoor, it's a risk but it should be kept in perspective too. In a big city the odds are far more against it happening to an individual than to them

posted by Azur on October 6, 2005 at 9:45 PM | link to this | reply

poetJB, we had that rule at one of our jail facilities.

What a joke. Just wrap the contraband in a newspaper.

The vast majority of what gets hauled home from work in a backpack or briefcase makes a wasted trip. Outlaw them on subways and busses. Put lockers at work and (gasp) school.

posted by majroj on October 6, 2005 at 5:38 PM | link to this | reply

Hi MayB.....Subways are scary enough....
and to be possibly trapped in one where an act of terrorism goes on, that is indeed a tragedy waiting to happen. Good post, by the way. I no longer live in NYC, but a lot of my friends still do and I fear for their safety. Impossible to protect an area that heavily populated.

posted by MedusaNextDoor on October 6, 2005 at 5:18 PM | link to this | reply

such a sad world we now live in
I think all backpacks should now have to be see through

posted by poetjpb on October 6, 2005 at 5:06 PM | link to this | reply

MayB
Soon everybody will be carrying big leather briefcases or rolling luggage.  Hemlocker

posted by Hemlocker on October 6, 2005 at 4:34 PM | link to this | reply

MayB
A friend of ours who was born in Egypt but is a Canadian citizen has a business which necessitates him shuttling across the US/Canadian border.  He has had to stop going to the US as it takes him hours for questioning.  He is thinking of immigrating to Japan.

posted by johnmacnab on October 6, 2005 at 3:58 PM | link to this | reply

Oh my

posted by Bel_ on October 6, 2005 at 3:31 PM | link to this | reply

Jojostar, don't fret. It helps that the alert has gone out

posted by Azur on October 6, 2005 at 3:28 PM | link to this | reply

CunningLinguist, I know. That's what I thought about London

posted by Azur on October 6, 2005 at 3:26 PM | link to this | reply

Cosy's going there
I don't know what foing is

posted by jojostar on October 6, 2005 at 3:25 PM | link to this | reply

OMG! Cosy's foing there!
I kept thinking the whole time I was visiting NY that I couldn't believe there wasn't any security in the subways.

posted by jojostar on October 6, 2005 at 3:24 PM | link to this | reply

Not so Great Expectations
Sounds terrible to say, but I wonder what took them so long.  Seems inevitable.

posted by CunningLinguist on October 6, 2005 at 3:23 PM | link to this | reply