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07/13/2005 Archived Entry: ""

Brad and I have just returned from a whirlwind trip to the States, during which I spoke at a gathering in New York City and at an IHS conference in Arlington, VA. For those who are interested in an account of the NYC talk, it was written up in the New York Sun.

Being in the States was a strange and disheartening experience...tho' the two speaking gigs went well and both were enjoyable. Part of the "strangeness" was driving through hurricane Cindy that dumped hours worth of heavy rain onto our windshield as we battled our way down the road. The drive from NYC to DC was particularly brutal. (And, yes, I am still driving everywhere as I refuse to give my money to airlines that treat me like a criminal rather than like a customer.) The most disheartening part was the Orange Alert that came (and stayed) in the wake of the London bombings. I was literally shocked to see a picture on the front page of the Washington Post that showed a soldier with an automatic weapon patrolling a subway car in D.C. , with passengers recoiling at the sight of him. Apparently, armed patrols of subway cars have been going on in NYC for some while and, now, it is going to be instituted in other major cities. There was no information re: a bombing or threat to the US transportation system but the administration wanted a show of force in reaction to London. Moreover, the sheer number of magnetic plastic ribbons that read "Support Our Troops" on the back of cars was staggering. You hardly ever see one up here but they are ubiquitous South of the border. I could run on and on....and, perhaps, I should for the health of McBlog, which has been suffering from extreme neglect of late. But too many other pressing items in my life are suffering from the same condition. So...more later.