I am writing from California, which is now part of a new integrated world, all connected to the events and response.

It is quite clear we are living in an interconnected and often virtual world. The boundaries have disappeared. In the World Trade Center people from countries all over the world died, including the Middle East. We are involved here in California with friends of friends who died, with an office connected to the office on top of the building where more than 700 died, and they listened on an open line. There was the horror of people jumping from top floors.

Our anxiety is expressed in many ways: grounding aircraft, our care for those involved, anger, apathy, pain and perplexity. …