[OT] Hope: An update from Canada

1) They are sealing/have sealed off the US 
Canada border (highways and tunnels - though 
the porousness of the border is still there I'm 
sure - it's a darn big border). 

2) Canada is taking incoming flights and 
diverted flights, but has grounded all domestic 
and international departures indefinitely. Only 
military, rescue, and police traffic. I suspect 
NORAD has asserted some control here. 
Apparently all fighter jets in North America are 
on alert. 

3) Several larger harbours up here and all 
Canadian military bases are on heightened alert. 
Many urban centers, large buildings, and 
national sites of importance are secured and/or 
evacuated. 

4) BC (and I'm sure other provinces) have 
called in police and cancelled holidays. 

5) Victims of the tragedies are being taken to 
Toronto and Ottawa for some treatment. 

6) This one is important: 
There are some ways for Canadians to help: 

Contact the Red Cross who are, I believe, taking 
donations of money if not supplies. 

Contact Canadian Blood Services who will 
probably need blood badly - if only to replace 
the quantity I suspect is being diverted to the 
United States (especially New York). 1-888-2-
DONATE. Be patient with backlog on the 
phones. 

7) I understand that many folks are either in or 
near the affected areas and feel strongly about 
this. I understand also there are many different 
views. I appeal to all for.... not calm.... but for 
us to keep in mind that any attribution for the 
cause of this horror is at present only 
speculative (if you have proof, you should be 
talking to the FBI/President). So let us keep our 
rage, our anger, and our desire for justice or 
revenge outside this list - though the feelings 
are legitemate, it is not the forum. 10K+ 
people have probably lost their lives today - I 
don't know about anyone else, but that is 
probably more people than I've met in my 
whole life. That blows my sense of scale. I can 
barely concretize this horrid situation, and I 
know I certainly can't do much about it except 
refrain from spouting off about how much I'd 
like to pull the villains toe nails out with pliers.... 
so please.... do what our esteemed list-admin 
recommends. Shock, information/news, 
sympathies.... I think everyone expects some of 
this OT posting for a while. But leave the rest 
for later days, and other forums. 

Now I'm off to find a place to donate some 
blood.... don't just be angry, get out and help if 
you can. 

Tomb. 
-----------------------------------------------------------
Thomas Barclay
Instructor, CST 6304 (TCP/IP programming for the Internet)
kaladorn@fox.nstn.ca 
http://fox.nstn.ca/~kaladorn/CST6304