The FBI issued a warning yesterday that further terrorist attacks in the U.S. or abroad are imminent in the next few days.

The Bush Administration also put out the word that everyone should go about their normal lives, and be sure to get out and spend and travel so that the terrorists don't win.

At the press conference last night, in response to a question about what Mr. Bush would like the average American to do in response to the vague FBI warning, he said essentially that if you see someone getting into a cropduster that doesn't belong to them, call the police.

Well, which is it? Are we supposed to be on high alert (hunkering down, cancelling travel plans, peering out the windows) or are we supposed to try to live our lives and get back to normal? Can we really do both? And if the threat is so concrete, some details would be really helpful; if there are no details, the warning isn't helpful at all.

Now I really don't know what to do, to be honest.

It's not a carved-in-stone "do this" or "do that" mentality he's talking about; the idea is "flexibility". You can (and should) go about your daily life as before, but that doesn't mean you can't (and shouldn't) be nervous about it. Keep your eyes open, look around, pay attention, report anything suspicious, but trust that those in authority will "take care of business". I think there's little else we can do.

I think a lot of us are confused because we have never been through anything like this. I know that a segement of our population does remember the paranoid days after Pearl Harbor, but at 39, I do not, nor do most of my peers. We definitely have to LEARN from our historical lessons of the past; personally, I am taking the warning as my cue to continue to stay alert to unusual activity, exercise common sense, and to avoid panicked thinking and actions. Living just outside of Washington D.C., many of us feel like the other shoe may drop at any time. We are going about our daily lives, but with one eye cast over our shoulders at all times. How is the rest of the country handling this "alert" status?

The "warning" struck me as peculiar and an odd position for the Bush Administration to take. A warning does no good if you can't narrow it down geographically or give some idea of activities that carry additional risk. On the other hand, vague "warnings" like this are likely to be a real set-back in our efforts to get back to normal.

It seems we have to balance our desire to warn people against the effect on the economy. Right now, nurturing the economy is probably more important, IMHO, than simply telling all Americans worldwide to look over their shoulder.

I know that this is a tough issue for a lot of you. For the last eight years you have depended on Bill Clinton to tell you what to do. Now you all have to think for yourselves and figure out what President Bush means when he says use common sense. If he knew what the targets were, I am sure he would address it.

Apparently, Bin Laden warns that an attack of some kind is coming before he does it. And the government has received a new warning. In Europe, people are much more aware of "left packages" and of unusual activity than we are and so don't really need to be reminded to be alert. This is all new to us and we DO have to be reminded to watch out for everything.

Saw a forum discussion on television yesterday and a "terror specialist" said that he had been innoculated against smallpox as a child, so he was safe??!!!! None of those older vaccinations are still effective. No one in the United States is immune to smallpox. I can't imagine how he -- as a specialist in terror --did not know this.

Another person on this forum, a former chief of health (for the State of Maryland, I think) said that he believes Bin Laden's group will send some people here who HAVE smallpox (and are not afraid to die for the cause) and send them on several flights around the U.S. to spread the disease. I don't know HOW we can be on the lookout for THEM. I believe the show I was watching was something called Hannity and Jones or something like that.

I know this is a little off topic but here goes.I thought the MMR was measels mumps and rubella(as in german measels or smallpox), since we are vaccinating our childeren with this and have most had the shot what is the uproar?Is this a vaccine that wears out?If so then why no campaign to reimmunize since its such a big deal to do this as children?Makes no sence to be immunized in the first place if youre not going to follow thru with it.Its like starting a prescription for antibiots but never finishing it.I wonder why noone would mention the need to be revaccinated as an adult when taking in a child for this.Anyway, I thought smallpox had been eradicated and only exists in labs these days so why would it be part of a vaccination program today.

Rubella is for German measles only--not for smallpox. Since smallpox is non-existent in this country, we stopped vaccinating a long time ago.

And any smallpox vaccine that was done more than 27 years ago is no longer effective.

A bit of slightly good news about small pox is that it IS treatable, if caught early enough. Also, it is not 100% fatal, even if left untreated. The bad news is, it's also highly contageous and can cause permanent and terrible disfiguring. I don't know about this warning thing either, I don't know if knowing I may be poisoned at any moment (though likely I won't be) has helped me "go about my business" or not. I most certainly am still working and following through with my daily routine.. but I am pretty darn jumpy.

I think Bush ought to use his common sense and stop warning people about things they cannot anticipate or prevent. If Bush thinks people in this country were primed to ignore suspicious activity absent this so-called warning, then he is quite misguided.

According to NPR and other reports I've heard, the alert was intended for state and local law enforcement agencies.

The decision for a public announcement was apparently made to lessen the impact the same warning would have if it were communicated ONLY to law enforcement and then (inevitably) leaked to the public.

So if you are a Deputy Sheriff or State Trooper, you should be on alert; if you're an ordinary civilian, go about your daily business.

Gotta agree with Dubya Fan. This country was ruled by focus group for 8 years. The Clintons contributed nothing good to this country. The one lame attempt Clinton made to get bin Laden was done to take attention from his involvement with Monica Lewinsky. Defense was cut, the CIA was handcuffed and in general the people grew lazy and wreckless. The low point was when the people of New York, who perceive themselves as smart, overwhelmingly voted for someone with no qualifications or knowledge of New York as their Senator. Al Gore grows a beard to give him the perception of being less stiff - ridiculous stuff like that. The US was a disaster waiting to happen, and unfortunately it did. Thank God George W. and his staff are in the White House and not 4 years of Gore, Warren Christopher and Madelyn Albright to try to sort out this mess. I shudder to think what would've happened.

Oh, you're so right, W2. So FAR right, that is. Thank you for turning the most non-partisian time in US's past 20 years into a "rah rah" for the Republican party.

Remember which regime helped put Bin Laden in power... wouldn't that have been Ronny-Boy and Georgie-Senior? Wasn't the most highly-praised political movie that came from "liberal Hollywood" and "took a stand" was Rambo II, helping the Afghan rebels against the evil Soviets and practically endorsed the Taliban?

And Dubya fan, are you sincere about we can now "think for ourselves" cause of George W? You really are buying into the propaganda spewed -- excuse me -- ALLOWED to be spewed to us?

I DO personally think Mr. Bush and his staff is doing an excellent job. And I believe Billy-Boy could have done the same.

Ok you two, back to your corners. Now is not the time for political infighting!!

As to Bush issuing the warning, better to tell people to be prepared than not to say anything. They received a threat a bomb could be planted on an airplane around the time of Pan Am 103. How many people would have changed their plans had they had the knowledge there was a credible threat. Personally, I would rather know so I can act accordingly than to live in blissful ignorance.

Will say nothing more on the subject other than that I'm not talking about movies. The facts speak for themselves.

As for Pan Am 103, had they issued a generic travel warning that there might be a terrorist attack in the next few days on an unidentified target at home or abroad, not one passenger on Pan Am 103 would have been saved.

Vague warnings like that just don't help -- they only cause people to be fearful, which is what Bush keeps telling us not to be.

xxx, I cant understand either why the big scary statement and then, nothing.So, we might have a hijacking or god knows what but go ahead and continue to fly or whatever.Whats the point?Just to make everyone freak?

I think a lot of you are missing George's point. A warning that something may happen soon is just their way of saying..Look ,we know we can't guarantee everyone in this country's safety because there are lunatics out there who will do anything to destroy every single one of us but just be careful and aware and prepare for it.
I want to know if something might happen and I think the President should tell us.
I live in New York City (the Bronx) and work within blocks of the Empire State building,Penn Station,Port Authority,Times Square,the Chrysler building and Grand central station. I live a few minutes away from the George Washington Bridge on the Henry Hudson Pkwy which for those of you who don't know is basically the same street the WTC was on just 10 miles up the street. ..I have been scared to go to work every single day since Sept. 11. I saw firsthand everything that happened that dreadful day and I will never be the same person I was but I have to say if something more happens here in NYC , being warned by Bush and the FBI is preparing me emotionally to deal with something soon. I hope and pray that it doesn't but if it does knowing beforehand , even though not the specifics is helping me and a lot of people I know, mentally prepare for the worst.
God Bless Us All....

DJ, Can you imgine the uproar if something DID happen, and we learned after the fact that the gov't had had warnings, although vague, but had kept it to themselves?? We'd become rioting masses ourselves and any shred of credibility government ever had would be totally destroyed.