Considering the absolute horror and halt that the States experienced on 9/11, the feeling here in Oxford was almost intangible. I asked several folks out tonight what they thought, and most suggested no surprise but rather resignation as what they expected from Blair’s close ties with Bush.

The feeling of inevitablity was palpable. However, the college hijinks in this university town went on very much unabated. In fact, the clubs and pubs seemed to have the same atmosphere as the week previous.

Compared with the state of folks in the U.S. just after 9/11, the attitude seems absolutely upbeat. In fact, I feel as though the Americans I am with, and perhaps me alone, are the only ones not able to sleep tonight with visions of apocalypse in my head.

I am listening to some great American tunes that are coming this way soon and I am wondering at the character of the British nation versus our own. Maybe the IRA bombs have prepared this country far above what we were ready for, but they seem mightily accepting of recent events.