h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I didn't think you were having a go, its human nature to gossip, even though its also human nature to say we don't gossip!

...the mosque cordon is lifted, it was a false alarm about two suspicious packages

They're talking about a smoking bag at Stockwell this morning though. Everyone on BBC News seems a bit confused.

There has been so many false alarms, but I am glad everyone is being so safety conscious.

one thing is yesterday bombing did was bring chaos and many to some more fear.

Vicki, I think you can say that majority of Muslims are good. sadly their repution is going down. for some who are already on the edge of being recruited as terrrotists might find themself more isolate and join if scouted by terrorist recruiters.

If things like this carry on, though, even that is a concession to terrorism - London can't function if bits of it keep getting shut down. There are still, what, three tube lines closed? And about another five stations, including the whole interchange at Vauxhall (tubes, buses, trains). And lots of streets are still cordoned off.

I've a feeling this is what they were wanting...the terrorists that is.

"A heightened State of Alert" is apparently what London is on...

But we'll get used to it.

I can see what will happen though...exactly the same as Northern Ireland, Afganistan, and Iraq and so-one.

You'll start hearing of things going on all the time, and we will become de-sensitised to it. Sad, but true.

I intend to keep going down here, I can't imagine becoming de-sensitized though, I so hope it won't come to that.

Don't let the B*ST*RDS win!!

Muslims come in all shapes, sizes and colours. There are millions of white muslims (check out eastern europe). Being a muslim does not mean that terrorism is supported.

When BaderMeinhoff were doing their dirty deeds we didn't treat Germans in the way we are treating muslims now. The same with the 'troubles' in Ireland.

I too have prejudices. But throughout my life I have been fortunate enough to meet folk from all backgrounds, colours, relegion etc.
At a time when Libians were 'the scourge of the popular press' I was at college with several. They were just like us, many of them become good freinds. At school I was with Asians, muslims etc, they too were good folk.

It is the actions of the individuals that matter.

Damn right. However with reguards to "The same with the 'troubles' in Ireland." I beg to differ. I have many irish friends, several of whom have had problems with the police because they're Irish. One nearly had his car blown up in a controled explosion, outside our Uni as it's also a military base, because of an administrative error at motability and the fact that his car is Irish

i wish to put in an optimistic note. I live in a very multi racial street in south east London. I am very friendly with people and there is a universal feeling in my street of common rage towards these extremists whom I consider to fascistic. Everyone I talk to about it feels a common bond and determination not to let these bastards destroy our fantastic multi cultural city.

There is a tradition of resiliance against extremists in London, most notably that which occurred during the blitz of WW2 and more recently the IRA. I believe we will get through this without too much cultural destruction. As Ken Livingstone recently said,' we shall not turn on each other like animals'.

I will not these people ever bomb me into cultural or racial hatred.

I'm South African. Racial prejudice was the world I grew up in.
It's a long way back to normality...

A decade after democratisation, generalisations still abound. Over 90% of members in all racial groups in SA don't socialise with other racial groups at all. It appears that we can work together, but can't party together... Our kids can go to school together, play sport together, but the parents can't break bread together. Perhaps our kids kids will be able to...?

Bombings are not meant to bring people together. They are intended to divide people, to create even more distrust, to inflame emotions, to incite prejudice and to create further injustices. They are also meant to exact revenge for real or assumed injury.

The dogs of war were unleashed by going into Afghanistan and Iraq. Anyone anywhere who is extremist enough, intolerant enough, brainwashed enough and suitably guided by evil minds will throw their lives away in an attempt to 'right the wrongs' against their group. Only sober thought and action can make their efforts be in vain.

The first victim of this concept of total warfare is TRUTH. Sanitised news reports from 'imbedded' journalists? Imams inflaming congregations at worship?

Read widely. Think. Read again. Then think again. If it makes your blood boil, think it through yet again. Walk a mile in the other guy's shoes.

We didn't in South Africa in the bad days.
We're trying to do so now.
It's hard, but we're getting there!

The rule of thumb with all news reports, whether tv, radio or paper, is to challenge what you read. Don't be lazy and swallow what has been said.

If it doesn't stand up to your own scrutiny, don't trust it. Remember history is an account of events recorded by the victors.

It isn't wrong to have an opinion, but it is wrong not to challenge your own view from time to time.

I grew up hating the French and Germans. A german lad joined our school and became a good friend. During a french exchange all the lads (self included) fell in love with the french girls. It wasn't until my 20's that I bothered to check out the two countries for myself. I now have many french and some german friends. Indeed the 'big plan' is to retire to France and live as they do, not as an englishman abroad.

Until I met arabs at college, I wasn't keen on them either. Funny how some of the best parties usually involved them though.

People are individuals and should be judged as such. How sorry I feel for the families of these idiots. They will be judged on the actions of thier family and shunned by both sides. And as for the innocent travellers, who doesn't feel thier pain? Idiots like these men do not deserve the protection of the human rights acts, but if we do not work to those guidelines we become almost as bad as them.

If we don't learn to express ourselves without resorting to hatred there can only be one outcome. The skills involved in making bombs and biological weapons are not difficult to come by.

it is any form of exclusion of a person that makes the person vulnerable to the wrong people...

connect with respect without prejudice!

every person is her/his own person with her/his intresting story.
you can see proof of this in Michael Palin's travel stories.
http://www.palinstravels.co.uk/

londeners united!
people of the world unite!

People are individuals and without the sabres being rattled by others, they will mostly get on well together.

During the conflicts of Iran and Iraq, I worked for an Accountant, we dealt with a lot of people from both these countries. A lot of them were friends in RL. They did not bring their country's troubles into our office and always spoke with each other in respect and politeness.

Even during the first Iraqi War.. I was dealing with a naturalised citizen, who needed a visa for his parents to come in from Iraq. I had to provide proof that this person was naturalised and was paying into our system and revenues. Unfortunately this was turned down, as the Americans had crossed the border from Kuwait into Iraq.

Luckily, this man's parents were unhurt during the conflict.

lil xx