Do we have anyone in London? - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jul 7, 2005

Do we have anyone in London?

Date: Jul 7, 2005

I just saw that my question has already been asked earlier today.

Date: Jul 7, 2005

qwerty wrote:

Do we have any USM folks in London? Is Jamela Lares still there?

Thanks for your concern, Qwerty. I'm actually in the 'Burg, briefly, but about to fly to CA for yet another conference and more research.

The attacks in London still have me in shock. They feel like 9/11, and apparently were engineered by the same group. I've lived in Britain, off and on, for an aggregate of nearly two years, so all this touches me closely. One week ago I was staying overnight just around the corner from Tavistock Square, and was riding the underground. (Pedantic note: in Britain, a "subway" in an understreet pedestrian walkway.) Although I'm still waiting to hear from people I care about, I understand from friends there that things are already getting back to something like normal, and the Brits are a wonderfully stolid bunch. They sat out Hitler, and they've been living with IRA terrorism for years. London is also a huge place--what? a couple hundred square miles to the Green Belt?--with too many cars, so the efforts to get the public transportation system running quickly are going to be enormous.

As a USM professor, one of my main concerns is for our British Studies program and for the students and professors involved. I hope that the courses can proceed and that the students can have the usual astounding experience despite what has happened this morning.

Jameela

Date: Jul 7, 2005

Oops--I typed Qwerty in the Name field instead of my own. As I said, I'm pretty upset about London. JL

Date: Jul 7, 2005

Several USM faculty and staff are in London preparing for British Studies. All are OK.

Date: Jul 7, 2005

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
Marketing and Public Relations
NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact: Christopher Mapp

7-7-5 (601) 266-4497

STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN BRITISH STUDIES PROGRAM SAFE FOLLOWING LONDON BOMBINGS

HATTIESBURG – All students participating in The University of Southern Mississippi’s British Studies Program are safe and secure and were not affected by today’s bombings in London. An advance party of nine students, including five high school students from Laurel Christian High School, is currently in London along with seven program administrators. The party is located at a considerable distance from the site of the bombings.

In addition to the 16 program participants in London, about 184 students and 20 faculty members will be arriving in London over the next few days. Despite the bombings, the British Studies Program will proceed as scheduled and will take whatever additional safety precautions that are advised by the police and the government of the United Kingdom, said Dr. Elliott Pood, dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

“The program has a tremendous terrorism response policy that’s been in place for some time now, and it is being implemented,” Pood said.

Students arriving in London will travel by private coach to King’s College, where the program’s participants are housed.

Although the British Studies Program is proceeding as planned, any students who decide to withdraw will receive a full refund of their fees.

For more information, contact the office of the dean of the College of Liberal Arts at (601) 266-4315 or the office of International Studies at (601) 266-4344.

Date: Jul 7, 2005

Latest casualty count from London is 40 dead, 360 injured, many of them critical and not expected to live. This is a very sad day for the Brits, and for mankind.

Date: Jul 7, 2005

James Bond wrote:

Latest casualty count from London is 40 dead, 360 injured, many of them critical and not expected to live. This is a very sad day for the Brits, and for mankind.

Just spoke with my brother-in-law in London. It's now in excess of 700 injured, in addition to at least 40 dead.

Date: Jul 7, 2005

I am heartsick.

And yes, let's remember what "injured" can mean. Sometimes we're careless about saying "only" injured. Injured can mean blind, deafened, burned, missing one or more limbs - - - or any combination thereof.
Anyone who happened to watch the CSPAN program from Walter Reed Army Hospital a few weeks ago knows what I mean.

Date: Jul 7, 2005

LVN:
Sadly, you are right. We get BBC news on our public radio and TV here, and the injuries people have suffered are horrific. Very much of the type our soldiers face in Iraq. Barbarism, pure and simple.