flapjack...

[samsmamma]

are you and your loved ones ok? heard about the bombs in london. thinking of you and everone over there...

[BensMom]

Yeah. scary stuff! I hope you and your loved ones are ok!

Those terrorists are so evil! Targeting regular people just going about their days. And then bragging about it online.

[beachbaby]

(((thinking of you, mama!)))

[flapjack]

Thanks. All the family is accounted for- one of my neighbours was on the first train, the Liverpool St- Aldgate one, because most of the commuters from here go into Liverpool Street station. He got away with no more than minor cuts and bruises. We've still got a couple of friends who haven't checked in yet, but it looks like everyone is safe and well. We're really counting our blessings.

[snugglebutter]

((((HUGS)))) We're very happy to hear from you!

[Gunter]

Hi Helen! Glad to hear that you and your fam are safe!

I have been listening to the BBC and NPR in the car today. I find the responses of the British people to be interesting. A dad with a young child said he is still riding the tubes today and was surprised London hadn't seen such activity (aka bombs or "terrorist" activity) earlier than now. Someone else in England said that it's an obvious response to the support of the "war on Iraq". Some of the people/leaders in the USA seems sooooo surprised by violent opposition to our international dealings...the awareness of the people inteviewed was an interesting contrast.

[DreamsInDigital]

Oh thank the universe for your safety. I've been thinking about you a lot since I heard about it.

[PicnicBear]

I was unaware of this happening -- what happens when you don't watch TV or read the paper, but I do spend a lot of time on-line. Glad you're OK and I'll have to read what happened. Must be front-page news.

[flapjack]

The big difference between September 11 and yesterday is that we had 25 years or more of the IRA and very frequent bomb scares/ attacks. My boyfriend as a teenager was hurt in the bombings on the Arndale centre in Manchester, and with living in a garrison town, every so often we get a roadblock suddenly go up as a result of a telephone call, abandoned car in the wrong place or a mystery package. It's just been part of life for a long, long time- and most people were expecting some kind of action by Al-Qaeda.
I think it's fair to say that generally, Brits are more aware of international politics than Americans are, simply because we're much more of a multicultural society, and seem to travel internationally more. Plus we have the BBC, which is independently funded, so we get a different kind of news.