LaurieGarrett.com

DAY FIFTY TWO:

Nov. 1:

Shortly after I sent yesterday's missive from New York Derek Jeter did it again, and the Yankees won! That put the Bronx Bombers even, game-for-game with the Snakes for the Series.

As I write tonight Game Five is in its 8^th inning with, distressingly, Phoenix leading 2-0. I'm watching the game in a Columbus, Ohio Sheraton Hotel room. It's been a long day.

Like most New Yorkers I was up too late last night, watching the Yanks battle it out into the 10^th inning. That made getting up at the crack of dawn this morning pretty tough. But security precautions have created new obstacles to rapid travel, both real and imagined. The airlines and travel professionals still insist that airports are disastrously overwhelmed by security and even the shortest of journeys require two hours of airport time.

Not so. La Guardia now functions with such efficiency that it's hard to remember that a few months ago it was considered the most clogged over-saturated airport in the world. No doubt because Congress is debating legislation that could strip all of them of their jobs in favor of federal employees the private security workers at the airports are now pictures of vigilance and courtesy. Procedures that took an hour in late September are now lasting less than five minutes, with no apparent slacking in security.

Reagan National Airport, in contrast, was far from normal on arrival: it was empty. Hardly a car loitered curbside; the terminal was so bereft of people that my footsteps echoed hollowly in the cavernous space. The driver sent to pick me up said so few Washingtonians are willing to use the airport that mine was only his second trip there since September 11.

On Capitol Hill many Congressional and Senate office are still being decontaminated, so Sens. Frist and Rockefeller held their Forum on Technology and Innovation gathering in the Hyatt Hotel. Having arrived early, I wandered about the hotel discovering it abuzz with congressional refugees and hearings - a clear boon for the local hoteliers. I was there to speak about bioterrorism and the public health infrastructure, to a crowd that included two Senators and a couple of hundred congressional staffers. There were three other speakers, the most striking of whom was Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota. Osterholm has played a leading role in public health for at least two decades and figures prominently in BETRAYAL OF TRUST. He is now deeply involved in the nation's response to bioterrorism.

(Bernie Williams just slammed a base hit, allowing Paul O'Neill to advance to third with two out in the bottom of the 8^th inningÉ)

Osterholm minced no words. He told Congress, "You have sent a horrible, horrible message to public health workers," by giving the airlines a multibillion-dollar bailout, but appropriating not one dollar to date to support their efforts to combat bioterrorism. "Morally, that sends a very bad message to public health."

He warned that there are more bioterrorist events to come, saying, "We're at the beginning of this journey, not the end."

The audience was duly stunned.

Following that I found Dulles Airport an exhausting hassle. It's hard to believe that United's now-fired CEO was forecasting the airline's bankruptcy. Today it seemed every gate was packed and every United flight sold out. I even heard announcements turning away standby passengers. So much for the airlines industry's gloomy forecasts.

And so much for dire Yankees outlooks: Scott Brosius just slammed a homer into the stands with a man on base and it's 2-2 in the Ninth! On to the Tenth inning we go.

I got an Email tonight from my editor at Hyperion, Leigh Haber, saying, "BETRAYAL OF TRUST is listed as a New and Noteworthy Paperback!" on the Book Sellers List.

Paul O'Neill is stepping up to the plate. In the last inning he nearly shed tears when the Bronx crowd chanted, "Paul Oh-Neel! Paul Oh -Neel!" There's one out, and -- darn! Strike out.

YANKEES WIN! Knoblauch runs two bases in the Twelfth inning on a Soriano hit to win it for Gotham, 3-2. Do you believe in magic? New York can do it: it can come back from tragedy and adversity. It can win. The City can win.

Be well. Stay safe. Stand defiant.

Laurie Garrett



DAY FIFTY TWO: Return to Index Nov. 1: Shortly after I sent yesterday's missive from New York Derek Jeter did it again, and the Yankees won! That put the Bronx Bombers even, game-for-game with the Snakes for the Series. As I write tonight Game Five is in its 8^th inning with, distressingly, Phoenix leading 2-0. I'm watching the game in a Columbus, Ohio Sheraton Hotel room. It's been a long day. Like most New Yorkers I was up too late last night, watching the Yanks battle it out into the 10^th inning. That made getting up at the crack of dawn this morning pretty tough. But security precautions have created new obstacles to rapid travel, both real and imagined. The airlines and travel professionals still insist that airports are disastrously overwhelmed by security and even the shortest of journeys require two hours of airport time. Not so. La Guardia now functions with such efficiency that it's hard to remember that a few months ago it was considered the most clogged over-saturated airport in the world. No doubt because Congress is debating legislation that could strip all of them of their jobs in favor of federal employees the private security workers at the airports are now pictures of vigilance and courtesy. Procedures that took an hour in late September are now lasting less than five minutes, with no apparent slacking in security. Reagan National Airport, in contrast, was far from normal on arrival: it was empty. Hardly a car loitered curbside; the terminal was so bereft of people that my footsteps echoed hollowly in the cavernous space. The driver sent to pick me up said so few Washingtonians are willing to use the airport that mine was only his second trip there since September 11. On Capitol Hill many Congressional and Senate office are still being decontaminated, so Sens. Frist and Rockefeller held their Forum on Technology and Innovation gathering in the Hyatt Hotel. Having arrived early, I wandered about the hotel discovering it abuzz with congressional refugees and hearings - a clear boon for the local hoteliers. I was there to speak about bioterrorism and the public health infrastructure, to a crowd that included two Senators and a couple of hundred congressional staffers. There were three other speakers, the most striking of whom was Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota. Osterholm has played a leading role in public health for at least two decades and figures prominently in BETRAYAL OF TRUST. He is now deeply involved in the nation's response to bioterrorism. (Bernie Williams just slammed a base hit, allowing Paul O'Neill to advance to third with two out in the bottom of the 8^th inningÉ) Osterholm minced no words. He told Congress, "You have sent a horrible, horrible message to public health workers," by giving the airlines a multibillion-dollar bailout, but appropriating not one dollar to date to support their efforts to combat bioterrorism. "Morally, that sends a very bad message to public health." He warned that there are more bioterrorist events to come, saying, "We're at the beginning of this journey, not the end." The audience was duly stunned. Following that I found Dulles Airport an exhausting hassle. It's hard to believe that United's now-fired CEO was forecasting the airline's bankruptcy. Today it seemed every gate was packed and every United flight sold out. I even heard announcements turning away standby passengers. So much for the airlines industry's gloomy forecasts. And so much for dire Yankees outlooks: Scott Brosius just slammed a homer into the stands with a man on base and it's 2-2 in the Ninth! On to the Tenth inning we go. I got an Email tonight from my editor at Hyperion, Leigh Haber, saying, "BETRAYAL OF TRUST is listed as a New and Noteworthy Paperback!" on the Book Sellers List. Paul O'Neill is stepping up to the plate. In the last inning he nearly shed tears when the Bronx crowd chanted, "Paul Oh-Neel! Paul Oh -Neel!" There's one out, and -- darn! Strike out. YANKEES WIN! Knoblauch runs two bases in the Twelfth inning on a Soriano hit to win it for Gotham, 3-2. Do you believe in magic? New York can do it: it can come back from tragedy and adversity. It can win. The City can win. Be well. Stay safe. Stand defiant. Laurie Garrett