> If disaster comes, you will find that all the myths you once cherished are of no use to you.

This spring I visited Notre Dame in Paris. I saw four soldiers patroling the street, spread out a few meters apart from each other, one finger close to the triger, barrel pointing to the ground. Reminded me of a patrol in a vietnam movie.

A similar scene I saw last year in Italy altough the soldiers were much more relaxed.

In Bern, Switzerland the Christmas market was protected by huge concrete blocks wrapped in gift paper.

This may be all security theatre. Or the times are really changing.

I found "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" a good read (the lessons, not the comment). I depends on us simple citizens to carry and defend civilization and avoid disaster.