I just wanted to let you know that I am not afraid.

[TheMightyFavog]

All of you by now know of the incidents we had here in London. I was dispatched by my boss to the Piccadilly Circus area to get sound and interviews. (By the time I got there the police had taken the car away.) Suffice it to say, as an intern for the radio division of a major press agency I had a busy day.

I just wanted to let all of you know, I am not afraid.

I am not afraid to walk this city's streets.

I am not afraid to see this city's numerous and wonderful museums.

I am not afraid to travel on the Tube, the trains, the busses or taxis.

I am not afraid to go to the theatre and take in the rich and wonderful tradition that is the West End.

I am not afraid to spend a day walking through the beautiful parks, majestic grean oises in a desert of concrete.

I am not afraid to work in this city, covering the important and interesting stories for the folks back in the United States.

This city's seen its share of violence from Zeppilins and Gothas, to the Luftwaffe and V1 and V2s, to the IRA, to Al-Quaida. This city has met each of these challenges and pulled through. I am proud to be living and working in such a city. This city's emergency services are some of the best in the whole world, and their actions on this day are to be commended, especaiily the ambulance crew who detected the suspicious Mercedes in Haymarket. That crew, and the police officer who disarmed the device by hand are to be commended, and their names should be heralded with all the other Londoners who have earned the term "hero".

All in all, it's been a very busy, tough, and rewarding day for me. I think I have earned this little day trip to Portsmouth and the HMS Victory that I'm taking tomorrow.

That's all I have to say.

[lost-in-nj]

1. Stay safe....

Have courage but use caution when you
go on stories like that......

We need you here.....

Relieved for you guys that the outcome
was a good one.....


:hi:


lost

[TheMightyFavog]

4. You should have seen it.

Sattelite vans, TV crews, print journalists and displaced workers everyeherre.

Many of the workers almost treated it like a party. many were in quite good spirits, actually, espeacilly those who had been given the entire day off. I had at least four people who were begging me to be interviewed.

[EnviroBat]

2. I love London. when I was there in 2000, I felt completely comfortable.

Some of the nicest people I've ever met. One of the biggest cities in the world, and I felt like I belonged there. Keep your chin up. Don't let them scare you down like they've tried to do to us...

:hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear JonothanChance!

Good for you!

You are the reason that the terrorists are not winning!

I salute you!

:patriot:















Sorry it's the wrong flag, but you get the idea...

[Zywiec]

5. Who said you should be afraid?

I've never modified my behaviour for any reason. On 9/12/01 I was suppose to fly to Poland and brought my luggage to work that day ready to fly out. Unfortunately they shut down the airports.

I believe the old addage that you should never change your routine for this non-sense.

[TheMightyFavog]

6. Sky News, I guess.

What's the U.S. press take on this? Are they drumming up the old fear machine?

[Critters2]

7. Yes. They're letting us know that there have been no

security-related changes in anything, but always with that strongly implied "yet...". I'll bet the airports are fun today!

[TheMightyFavog]

8. I went to Waterloo Station to buy train tickets for my day trip to Portsmouth tomorrow...

I saw Uniformed Police standing guard in the tube stations (Especailly Camden Town) and the usual London Underground reminders to keep your personal belongings with you at all times. (Although there were more of those announcements then usual, I will admit.)

[Zywiec]

9. Just remember to Mind the Gap n/t

[T_i_B]

14. Actually, not that many people over here it seems!

Which is just as well as the moment you become afraid is the moment the terrorists win.

I was in London myself on Thursday and saw nothing out of the ordinary, other then spotting Alan Sugar's Rolls Royce (which probably means I've been watching too many episodes of "The Apprentice"!)

[Hugin]

10. Good for you!

:thumbsup:

[rug]

11. I'd be terrified of the food.

[TheMightyFavog]

13. The food is not at all bad here.

I love Pie and chips. Fish and Chips with mushy peas is wonderful, especailly with a pint of Fuller's. There's curries. Ye gods, curries. I love them. Especailly the ones hot enough to make you have a good sweat going down, not to mention making going to the loo a more fun experience.

Traditiona British cuisine is not that bad. A ploughman's lunch, a simple salad, bread, cheese, and Branston Pickle is wonderful, even for an admitted carnivore such as myself. Full English breakfasts, even though they be greasy as all hell, are very filling and stick with you.

Pasties, those lovely meals from cornwall. An absolute delight!

Bangers and Mash. So simple even I could make it. Sausages, Mashed Potatoes, and gravy. bad for you, but very satisfying.

[MorningGlow]

12. Nor should you

Be afraid, that is. This manufactured fear is complete bullshit. Our governments' main goal with all this is to keep us paralyzed and dependent on them, like an abusive spouse. Don't fall for it.

Enjoy your beautiful city (I've been twice and love it so) and all it has to offer and don't let the bastids get to ya!
:hi:

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. Heh, I saw your Thursday "yesterday was insane" thread

and on Friday thought "Jonathan ain't seen nuttin yet!" Good to hear you're carrying on undeterred.

I guess you've had the 2 extremes - a long planned big news story, and a sudden one. Enjoy Portsmouth (though I guess you've already gone today), and good luck with the next week's news!

(And sorry about the weather ...)

[TheMightyFavog]

16. Don't remind me about the weather.

It rained all bloody day in Portsmouth.

Did have fun, toured the Victgory and Warrior, and saw the Ark Royal.

[sarge43]

17. Wonderful tribute to a wonderful city, Jonathan.

The people of London have defended their beloved city for over two thousand years. They have faced down invasions, plagues, fires, civil wars and blitzes. Through it all they made a city so full of riches it would take at least two lifetimes to explore them all.

He who is tired of London is tired of life. Samuel Johnson

Stay frosty, Jonathan and check in once in awhile.

[greatauntoftriplets]

18. Good for you, although I saw on the news that they've raised the threat level to critical.

I was in Britain in either 1992 or 1993 (actually, I was there both years) when there was an IRA bombing in the East End. Can't remember which year it happened. It happened on a Saturday, so I had done Portobello Road and then Knightsbridge (the requisite visit to Harrod's). But just the day before, I had taken the bus and gone through the East End and been past the area where the bombing took place.

As soon as I knew it was a reasonable hour in Chicago, I called home to assure everyone that I was fine and had been miles away from the bombing. The timeframe was such that the bombing had not made the morning newspaper, and no one had watched any news yet so they were totally unaware that anything had happened.

But everyone was happy to learn that I was just fine. It must have been 1993, because I was heading up to Scotland and the security at Euston Station was hair trigger. A baggage inspector got annoyed with me because it took me time to open all the compartments on my garment bag. Not fast enough for him. :eyes: He got VERY impatient.

Maybe it was because he saw a very Irish name on an American passport.