rude (wild) awakening

Today getting off the subway, I got fairly freaked out. I saw at least eight policemen -- three with assault gear and rifles, one of them with a K9 unit (dog) and the others with standard Glocks. NYC is once again under alert (at least not martial law).

U.S. Issues Europe Travel Alert as Intel Shows Terror Plot Targeting Paris, Berlin Landmarks
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/03/administration-issues-travel-alert-americans-europe-terror-threat/

For a second, I felt what people in Israel might feel -- the constant threat and need for brute fire power for self-defense. Well it seems like it's going to be several days of dire paranoia.