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Check out the pictures that I have posted today. I fixed — well, my assistant fixed — my computer problem so that I could e-mail them to New York to be posted today. I tried to e-mail them on Thursday from London to get posted Friday, but something was wrong with my computer or my e-mail account. The pics are from our very fast excursion to London and back.
I went through my dozens of pictures to decide which ones to post and noticed that in almost every picture of my colleagues they are all either looking down reading BlackBerries or talking on the phone. In short, it was non-stop work and our work involves non-stop communication.
It turns out that our timing — this time — was good: We made it back to the USA from London as the news was breaking about the New York City terrorism plot that was thwarted. We could have reported this from London, but it was easier for us to do it from the USA. We also don't have to worry about technical problems, which are more likely to occur when a show is originating from another country. (As an aside: We did not have any technical problems in our shows from London!)
On Thursday, we did not know when we would return to the USA. We debated staying in London until Saturday (and do Friday's show from London), but we realized that the ceremony honoring those who died in the London bombing was at noon London time on Friday and that our show was not for another 15 hours (3 a.m. Saturday/London time and 10 p.m. Friday/Eastern Time). Not only would our show have been remote in time to the ceremony, but FOX had others covering it.
Our goal in going to London was to go to the various bomb sites with our cameras and interview several people with firsthand knowledge so that you could learn more about the tragic events of July 7, 2005. We achieved that goal and thus decided to leave early Friday morning for the United States.
My point in telling you this is to give you a bit of the behind the scenes decisions that we have to make. We make travel and show locations decisions quickly. Sometimes we are lucky and make the right one. On Friday we made the right decision. There is obviously no way to predict the news.
And speaking of prediction, it seems many are predicting a subway system or underground mass transit system some place (New York? London?) will be hit by terrorists... and that it will be sooner rather than later. I don't know how you protect these transportation systems from terrorists. What are your thoughts on how to make them safer? E-mail me your ideas.
If you watched our shows from London, you know that FOX News' Dana Lewis (currently assigned to our Moscow bureau) was with us in London working on our show. He flew to London from Moscow to help us because he had covered the bombings when they occurred a year ago. Dana and I have been on the air together several times in the past, but this was the first time we had ever met in person. This is not uncommon in this business. When we did meet in London, I felt like I had known him for years because I had seen him on the air so much over the years — including at his former network.
Here is some great news: I got a call from Catherine Herridge on Saturday and the doctors and nurses are predicting that Peter will be discharged from the hospital this week. Needless to say, Catherine is (cautiously) excited. The plans could change if Peter has a setback, but there is reason to be optimistic.
Catherine and her family will have to stay in the Pittsburgh area for a few weeks so that Peter can be checked by them often... but the bottom line is that this is GREAT news. If Peter had not received part of his mother's liver there is no doubt he would have died very soon. Now it appears he will live a full life. Pretty amazing, huh?
Now for some of your e-mails:
E-mail No. 1
I think it's true most of us Americans do not have passports. It really irritates me that we now have to pay so much to get them if we want to visit Mexico, Canada, or take a cruise. You can be sure the illegal aliens do not have them! I just really don't think this will solve any border problems or increase security.
Shawna
UT
E-mail No. 2
Hi Greta,
Just some thoughts on passports: Well, I have one for two reasons, well maybe three reasons I guess. 1) Travel for business (if I ever need to travel out of the U.S.) 2) Travel for pleasure (only been to a few outside U.S. places) 3) It is easier to flash my passport at airport security than fumble to get the license out. I think a lot of people don't have one because they have no desire to travel. It is expensive to travel in the U.S. let alone outside of the U.S. After 9/11 a lot of people get scared about leaving the homeland.
Just a few thoughts...
Jenn
MA
E-mail No. 3
Hi Greta,
It is I. I hope you do not think my thoughts are bizarre. It is my opinion that Kenneth Lay has disappeared and he will take a new identity. There is no way to prove anything when the body is cremated. In my opinion, autopsies can be bought.
Gale
E-mail No. 4
Greta,
Once again your panel is full of hogwash. In 1959 I woke up with police cars at my neighbor's house. He got into an argument with his wife over her having an affair with an Air Force officer. She told him she was going to leave him. He stabbed her 16 times. He served nine months at a minimum security prison in London, Ohio and was placed on probation. He was back sitting on his porch after his release and he never posed any danger to anyone else in the community. Your panel forgets the definition of a "crime of passion." You all need to go back to law school. Killing someone in a rage isn't premeditated and no evidence has been tendered to indicate that she engaged in premeditation. The legal community has jumped off a cliff during the past 25 years! When I was growing up she would have been released on her own recognizance and been tried for involuntary manslaughter. Look at the mess with the fraternity at Duke University. Lawyers!? You are all a crock and out of control! Get a life and tell your panel to get a life! They are really lame most of the time! Just switched the channel. Good night!
Duane
OH
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