Would any British BD-ers like to check in? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lush · 07-08-2005, 02:01 PM

Oof. Oof. Oof.

Thanks, Han. I'm so sorry this touched you personally.

My boyfriend takes the Northern line daily whenever he's in London. I'm so glad that we're currently in the Middle East (we feel safer here, go figure).

Anyone else who would like to check in; I think I speak for everyone when I say that we appreciate hearing that our British BDer's are safe.

Lalaith · 07-09-2005, 07:43 AM

Can't remember if I ever outed myself on here as a Londoner but anyway, just in case I did, I'm here and I'm fine, and so are my nearest and dearest.

And Mr Saucepanman is right of course. Londoners, and London Downers, will carry on as normal, they knew this was coming, and they can take it: London's been through worse before.

Amanaduial the archer · 07-09-2005, 08:05 AM

....they knew this was coming? How so, Lalaith?

Quote:

but most of us jump in our cars without a second thought....

Ohhh, no. Not if you're jumping into a car that my sister's driving you don't. Full scale Vatican blessings and flocks of doves appearing would be needed before I jumped into that car without a second thought...

Lalaith · 07-09-2005, 08:18 AM

The mayor, the chief of police, everyone in authority has been warning us "not if, but when" ever since the Madrid bombings. But as Lush says, this isn't really the venue for discussing it.

**The Saucepan Man** · 07-09-2005, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman

....they knew this was coming? How so, Lalaith?

Common sense really. After New York, Bali, Istanbul and Madrid it was really just a matter of time. It is impossible to prevent such a thing happening sooner or later, whatever measures are put in place. The possibility had certainly crossed my mind many a time as I walked through a busy rushhour Waterloo station.

But, as Mith rightly said, the chances of meeting one's end in a car accident, or even in one's own home, are far higher. So the possibility was not (and will not be) something that unduly concerns me.

Bêthberry · 07-09-2005, 09:24 AM

Further to what Sauce has said: A city that has weathered plague and pestilence, The Great Fire, innumerable other fires, regicide, revolt, uprisings, Guy Fawkes and other stormings of Parliament and authority, public executions as public entertainments, torture in the Tower, and the Blitz knows how to take things in its stride. I've been ever so impressed by the phlegmatic tone of the BBC news reports I've heard compared to the slightly hysterical tone of CNN, Fox, etc.

I was thinking the other day of one benefit of the monarchy as I saw a news clip of the Queen's public statement at one of the hospitals. She is a living witness to the Blitz on London during World War II and as such provides a personal testimony of the city's resilience. No short-term democratic leader can provide that.

Good to hear that all are safe. As I'm sure we are discovering, there were people of just about all nations on those trains and the bus. On the front page of my local newspaper today, there are mobile phone images of one of my countrymen as he escaped from the bowels of the Picadilly line at King's Cross and reports of others who survived.

I'm sure there's something here, about the stoicism of the response, that fits in with Tolkien's Sam and Frodo and Aragorn. And by that I don't mean to imply anything about those who planted the bombs.

Evisse the Blue · 07-09-2005, 11:00 AM

Sorry for going even more off topic, but I wanted to say that earlier today I was thinking exactly along the lines of Bethberry's most recent post on the subject. From what I saw on the news (though I admit this may not prove the most reliable of sources), the way that Londoners have been handling this tragedy gave me a new notion of how phlegmatic they can be. I mean, British people have made an art of 'under-reacting', (if that's even a word) and I discover this makes me even more moved by tragedies happening to them.

On topic: I sure am glad everyone who posted here is alright. I admit I too have been thinking of British BD-ers when I heard of this tragedy, and I was hoping there might be such a thread around (thanks to Lush for that).

Mithalwen · 07-09-2005, 11:05 AM

I think that there is a feeling that if we panic we increase what ever sense of triumph these people have. Ditto if we start to suspect our citizens who happen to have their origins in arabic countries. As the name suggests, terror is their weapon, if we aren't terrified they don't win.

The memories of the Blitz do live on even if second hand. I grew up on my grandmother's horrifice tales of nursing though the Coventry Blitz and my father saying how they would return to school after a raid to find more empty desks...
We are sometimes accused of being a cold people - we aren't - but I think there is a capacity to get on with practical things and save the tears for later.....

On a practical level - I would mention that we must assume that this kind of thing may happen again, and I for one will be making an effort to give blood at the earliest opportunity. Blood stocks are often dangerously low and so I would encourage anyone eligible to think about becoming a donor. I was a regular donor as a student but I am sorry to say I have let it lapse. It doesn't take long and really doesn't hurt. I hope there won't be another terrorist attack but giving an armful will definitely help someone.

Similarly, I plan to update my First Aid Cert....

07-08-2005, 02:01 PM	#1
Lush Fair and Cold Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the big onion Posts: 1,770	Oof. Oof. Oof. Thanks, Han. I'm so sorry this touched you personally. My boyfriend takes the Northern line daily whenever he's in London. I'm so glad that we're currently in the Middle East (we feel safer here, go figure). Anyone else who would like to check in; I think I speak for everyone when I say that we appreciate hearing that our British BDer's are safe. __________________ ~The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories. This is one of mine~

07-09-2005, 07:43 AM	#2
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Can't remember if I ever outed myself on here as a Londoner but anyway, just in case I did, I'm here and I'm fine, and so are my nearest and dearest. And Mr Saucepanman is right of course. Londoners, and London Downers, will carry on as normal, they knew this was coming, and they can take it: London's been through worse before. __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

07-09-2005, 08:18 AM	#4
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	The mayor, the chief of police, everyone in authority has been warning us "not if, but when" ever since the Madrid bombings. But as Lush says, this isn't really the venue for discussing it. __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

07-09-2005, 11:00 AM	#7
Evisse the Blue Brightness of a Blade Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: wherever I may roam Posts: 2,685	Sorry for going even more off topic, but I wanted to say that earlier today I was thinking exactly along the lines of Bethberry's most recent post on the subject. From what I saw on the news (though I admit this may not prove the most reliable of sources), the way that Londoners have been handling this tragedy gave me a new notion of how phlegmatic they can be. I mean, British people have made an art of 'under-reacting', (if that's even a word) and I discover this makes me even more moved by tragedies happening to them. On topic: I sure am glad everyone who posted here is alright. I admit I too have been thinking of British BD-ers when I heard of this tragedy, and I was hoping there might be such a thread around (thanks to Lush for that). __________________ And no one was ill, and everyone was pleased, except those who had to mow the grass.

07-09-2005, 11:05 AM	#8
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	I think that there is a feeling that if we panic we increase what ever sense of triumph these people have. Ditto if we start to suspect our citizens who happen to have their origins in arabic countries. As the name suggests, terror is their weapon, if we aren't terrified they don't win. The memories of the Blitz do live on even if second hand. I grew up on my grandmother's horrifice tales of nursing though the Coventry Blitz and my father saying how they would return to school after a raid to find more empty desks... We are sometimes accused of being a cold people - we aren't - but I think there is a capacity to get on with practical things and save the tears for later..... On a practical level - I would mention that we must assume that this kind of thing may happen again, and I for one will be making an effort to give blood at the earliest opportunity. Blood stocks are often dangerously low and so I would encourage anyone eligible to think about becoming a donor. I was a regular donor as a student but I am sorry to say I have let it lapse. It doesn't take long and really doesn't hurt. I hope there won't be another terrorist attack but giving an armful will definitely help someone. Similarly, I plan to update my First Aid Cert.... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

07-09-2005, 09:24 AM	#6
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Further to what Sauce has said: A city that has weathered plague and pestilence, The Great Fire, innumerable other fires, regicide, revolt, uprisings, Guy Fawkes and other stormings of Parliament and authority, public executions as public entertainments, torture in the Tower, and the Blitz knows how to take things in its stride. I've been ever so impressed by the phlegmatic tone of the BBC news reports I've heard compared to the slightly hysterical tone of CNN, Fox, etc. I was thinking the other day of one benefit of the monarchy as I saw a news clip of the Queen's public statement at one of the hospitals. She is a living witness to the Blitz on London during World War II and as such provides a personal testimony of the city's resilience. No short-term democratic leader can provide that. Good to hear that all are safe. As I'm sure we are discovering, there were people of just about all nations on those trains and the bus. On the front page of my local newspaper today, there are mobile phone images of one of my countrymen as he escaped from the bowels of the Picadilly line at King's Cross and reports of others who survived. I'm sure there's something here, about the stoicism of the response, that fits in with Tolkien's Sam and Frodo and Aragorn. And by that I don't mean to imply anything about those who planted the bombs.