about_this_thing_update dB I am reminded of an Ani Difranco lyric: "Every tool is a weapon, if you hold it right". Look at the Y2K bug. That was mostly a set-up. Mindless crap that was designed to make people paranoid by thinking that the technology upon which they relied would crap out. It wasn't very effective, but some people were really worried and millions of dollars were wasted. Damn near everything we have created in the last 500 years can be used as a weapon if you can just work out how to use it. You say you want protection from this kind of thing, how would you go about doing that? How would you ensure for CERTAIN that the airways and planes will never be used like this again without getting rid of them completely? This act was done by people used to adversity and using whever is at their disposal. so desperate are they, that they'll even use just knives and sticks to take on the marines if they had to. You can hurt them, and they'll only come back stronger. Kill them, and someone will take their place. I'm still thinking. by the looks of it, this may take a while. 010911 ... silentbob Good point. 010911 ... kingsuperspecial the idea that getting ride of the airplanes will stop the terrorist is of course totally foolish. It's like thinking that banning guns will stop crime. Even the idea of locking up the criminals, or killing the terrorist, is treating the symptom, not the cause. what do you know about the cause? what are you doing to treat it? think about that as you ponder this event and it's effect on yourself and the world. remember, your mind and actions are an small part of the collective human soul, and right now we as a species do not look all that worthy of any compassion from the powers that be. 010911 what's it to you? who go blather from