it's been a while... work has been consuming, and on the personal front, I have the in-laws visiting and hence all free time is taken up with activities around that! anon recently left a comment wondering what i do for work and how to get into the field. I've gotten a few similar questions over the months (it's graduation season!) and had been meaning to do a post on the topic. So I guess being in constant work mode, this might be a good time.
I work in international development generally, but lately have been focusing on conflict and post conflict contexts. I've always worked on children's issues within that, so that has been my specialization. How did I end up here? I was always interested in the issue of poverty. I was born in one of the poorest nations, and grew up in the US, Italy and Thailand, all prosperous countries. From as early as I can remember, I remember thinking about issues of inequality, access to resources and poverty. Having a father who is an economist, works on similar issues and was able to answer many of my questions undoubtedly also fuelled this interest. I went to private international schools all my life, which typically are bastions of privelege attended by the children of the wealthiest, diplomats and other such luminaries. It wasn't very cool to talk about the "have nots" amongst all of us "have's" but much to the annoyance of many of my classmates, I always was at the forefront of organizing "community service", whether it be naive bake sales to raise money for various causes, leading the club to do weekly service at the local old folk's home or orphanage, or simply actually starting dialogue on the issue. In college, I confronted poverty of a different sort, volunteering with the urban poor in this land of plenty. I studied economics and political science, which very much complemented each other. One approaching poverty from a very rational perspective of supply, demand and real numbers, the other more from the historical perspective of what determines access and equality. After a brief stint in finance after graduation, I left for Asia working in child exploitation with a large international organization. I then worked with the UN in South Asia, based in my own country but working across the 8 countries that comprise South Asia once again on issues relating to children. It was perhaps the most professionally fulfilling time of my life. My idealism being replaced by the real difficulties of turning solutions into reality in an incredibly complicated world. Working on topics relating to children, the most vulnerable in any context, and really where the hope for a different future lies, has always been my passion. I was awarded a full scholarship by the British government to pursue a master's in the UK, perhaps the selection committee was impressed by real belief in what I was doing, but I was the youngest recipient ever for my home country. I studied for my graduate degree at the London School of Economics, which was definitely the most challenging academic environment I'd ever been in. To be instructed by the foremost thinkers in my field, the most Nobel recipients ever, and has produced the most heads of state of any university was a truly intimidating and at the same time exhilirating experience. Marrying R meant moving to New York, otherwise I'd be somewhere in the developing world working more directly on program implementation, closest to those I seek to serve. In New York, I've been lucky enough to work in fairly robust organizations doing incredible work globally. My current employer is the largest organization working solely in conflict zones globally- so it's meant transferring my experience in international development relating to children's issues to the very specific context of warzones and immediate post conflict. I work on children affected and affiliated with armed groups- probably the most challenging issue area I've worked on so far. Being at HQ has meant working much more at the policy and global strategy level- determining best practices and transferring lessons learned across contexts. It's experience that I'm sure will be invaluable for my longer term aims. So that is where I am. We definitely hope to move internationally in the near future, so I can return to working much more at the field level, as that is where my heart is.
It's rewarding to make a career of serving others, and especially in my case, the most vulnerable. At the end of many days, where you are tired beyond belief and working insane hours, there is a certain comfort in knowing you're working for a cause. However, it is a career in every sense. The field has become incredibly professionalized, and most positions require numerous years of experience in very specific issues area. A master's is a pre-requisite for most jobs. It's a rewarding field, but probably also one of the more difficult to get into- as the number of degrees being churned out in this far outnumbers the number of actual jobs. Progressing in this field is also not so straightforward as there are no set career paths, say unlike many private sector jobs. Also balancing the work life balance is very hard. I've been fortunate to have a position where I can work globally and so far be primarily based in NY. Most of my colleagues travel 50% of the time to far flung corners of the earth, refugee camps and such, which means having a personal life is near impossible, let alone a marriage or children. The burn out rate is also incredibly high. This is much more so in emergency work, as I do, than the wider international development field. So there for you folks interested in the short of what I do and how I got here.
As for advice on how to get into it. I suppose a real passion for the issue really is at the core of it. You can make much more money doing other things, and finding jobs in this field really require a certain level of perseverance which probably weeds out the not so committed. For me, having mentors who've really been my teachers has been the determining force in making a career out of a passion, alongside a real stubborness, despite many deterrents, to continue working in this. A bachelors in a related field, followed by working experience to then parlay into a meaningful graduate school experience has really helped me. Also a quantitative base has given me a value added, which really can't be underestimated. I think, especially if you don't have anything tying you down, field based experience has to be your starting point. Find a way to work in a developing country, and soak it all in. Living and working in such a context really opens your eyes to the interconnectedness of so many issues. As you can see, I really enjoy what I do, and am very passionate about it too (to end with a rhyme;) - hope this helps? Feel free to email/leave questions in comments. Best of luck!

... working on the crisis in Myanmar.

from the mailbag: Jana writes: Why don't you post photos of yourself no more? Um well, when I had a life I posted photos of myself doing things... But since you asked, I did update the profile photo :)

i love may.

Last Friday we had 20 people over for dinner. The dinner part wasn't the difficult bit, as I have many recipes I love and I enjoy planning a nice meal. But what do you make as dessert for 20 people? I'm against baking two cakes- and the initial idea of cupcakes didn't go great with the "grown up" meal. Browsing recipes, I came across this double chocolate torte- for all purposes a flourless chocolate dream- the two layers make it really rich. And the heavy cream on top adds a nice lightness to an otherwise dense dessert- top with raspberries and it looks stunning and is sure to recieve many compliments. Because it's so rich you can't have more than a small slice, so one cake was plenty for everyone. Delicious! I received many compliments for this one- everyone loved it. Making it was pretty simple- as the chocolate is the dominant flavor, just make sure you use the best dark chocolate you can find. I used my absolute favorite, Green and Black 85% dark . (recipe here: for some reason they haven't posted the heavy cream recipe- just whip 1 cup heavy cream until it's nice and fluffy- keep it sugar-free, it balanced the sweetness of the cake more). I think my chocolate chili recipe is still my favorite in the world, but this comes a close second. (oops thought I'd posted that one, I guess I never did... will do so soon)

forsook (forsake past tense?) after work plans to head home to hit the gym. that was the plan. i've just been feeling unbearably tired lately. don't know where my usual energy has vanished to. time to just watch tv and zone out- i'm promising i'll wake up early and do the gym thing. thought maybe blogging about it would make it an official commitment :)

R has his own often original ways to show what a thoughtful husband he is.. like accompanying me to watch a film he has zero interest to see. He calls me mid-day today announcing he turned down tickets for an advance premier for the latest chick flick. "Why would you do that?" I ask really really startled. "Not intellectual enough for you", he says (mockingly?) and I spend the next 5 minutes really really making clear that I have to see it. So somehow R does get the message and even more shockingly he accompanies me. The audience was overwhelmingly female, but there were many men present too (every one of them dragged in by a female partner no doubt) - and they were laughing just as hard. There were parts that were unbearably corny, but over all a funny flick. Nothing original- and the turn on gender reversal on My Best Friend's Wedding made the whole thing rather predictable. Some gorgeous scenery of Scotland, and nice shots of NYC. Patrick Dempsey is clearly falling into the roll of debonair man about town in identical roles, and Michelle Monaghan looks eerily like Katie Holmes. No great acting, no great lines, no great anything really- but a solid chick flick. As expected.

On the odd day when we can actually sit down for a full 45 minutes to enjoy lunch, and on the even odder chance that that day happens to coincide for a few of us, we head to one of the many dining options in the vicinity of the office. Most days, I either rush down to the Pret in the building to grab a salad or one a day with a few more minutes free, cross the street, to visit one of the other lunch options to then eat at my desk. Today, the sun shone on me and my two favorite colleagues and we decided it was auspicious enough to finally check out Sakae Sushi- we’d heard about it for months – for sushi lovers the promise of conveyor belts strutting out various delicacies is as close as midtown Manhattan gets to heaven on earth. After being seated at one the booths, we sat in complete puzzlement as no one came to help or explain. We finally figured it out- after a wasted 5 minutes- there is a computer monitor at each table where you can input your order. Alternatively, you can grab what you want off the conveyor belt- although we found it difficult to recognize some of the rolls. I’ve encountered restaurants of this style in Bangkok, where the hungry crowd devours offerings hot off the conveyor. Here, patrons were utilizing their computers to order and the offerings on the conveyors seemed to lack freshness and resembled lost luggage on the conveyor belts at the airport which keep making the rounds, with no one to claim them. It was an experience- a rather stressful one I must say for a brief lunch. And given that there are many sushi options in the area, the prices at Sakae Sushi (around $15/pp- too much for a rather light lunch imho) are far too high to compete (with really no difference in quality). My favorite spot remains Hana Sushi (38^th and 3^rd) where I’ve been going for years, and where the lunch special (2 rolls with amazingly consistently fresh fish, a fantastic salad, and miso) can all be had for around $10. It’s a nice concept and might work better if the offerings on the conveyor belt were more diverse and fresh, and if the price came down by quite a bit. I for one won’t be returning. You’re not paying the higher price for better sushi- it’s funding the “fun” factor and to be honest, I value good sushi over the fun.

another long day, and nightowl me (as my mom calls me) is ready for bed at 11pm. Good night. Sweet dreams.

i love my neighborhood and all and I admittedly am human rights friendly, but proximity to the UN has become rather irritatingly inconvenient ...protests every weekend. as i try to take a nap on this Saturday afternoon, there is some protest around "Turkey is a liar" happening out there. this is a change from all the recent Tibet protests.... what about my human right to a nap and some weekend down time? i kid not.

on my walk to work this morning, I was rounding the corner and spotted bright orange clogs... and yes the accompanying red vespa and matching pony-tail. Mr. Batali was right before me, and I foolishly gave him a big smile and a "good morning". (Can't help it, with his many shows and eating at his many restaurants, you come to feel he's familiar). Thank goodness, he smiled back. I recently also ran into Morimoto in my office building lobby. Who cares about "celebrities"- give me my favorite Food Network peeps any day.

I've been working 14 hour days lately. But just now ... awake since 5am finishing a presentation... I had a moment of clarity... where it kind of made sense why I am doing what I am doing. And it was a nice thing. Sometimes you get lost in the daily nuances and it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.

the smallest things do add up. do your part. today is a good day to start.

There are certain things you start to take granted about this great city. In any one given week, we eat out food from about 4 different countries. This week it was Italian, Turkish, Korean and Spanish. At home, taking advantage of the myriad ethnic grocery options, every meal I cook is from a different continent- this week it was Thai, Nepali, Mexican and Middle-Eastern. So every once in a while forget what a fantastic island Manhattan is for food from every corner of the world, and decide you want even more. A few weekends ago we were walking every corner of the East Village and ended up hungry and walked into Gama, a Korean joint I'd never noticed before. For $10 or so, they had these great lunch options. I ordered bulgogi, which arrived in a stylish bento box with fragrant barbeque meat, sticky rice, a heaping serving of salad, and pickled dried fish. We were also served atleast 10 various little servings of accompaniments-from edamame, to kimchi, and a few things I don't know the names of but each of which was a delicious culinary journey. It was one of the best meals I've had in a while- all encountered on a spontaneous Sunday afternoon.

Being the greedy foodies we are, we figured we'd try to out-do that meal. Today we ventured out to Queens, to a neighborhood populated with Korean options, and tried a place famed for it's bbq. Yes, the fact it was fairly busy on a Saterday afternoon seemed a good sign. And the fact that most of the patrons seemed to be Korean furthered our excitement. We sat down and were first of all taken aback by the prices. There was nothing under $20 (for lunch), in an establish that definitely wasn't charging a premium for retail space or decor. Most bbq option were 40$-50$?! We decided it must be really worth it and both ordered from the bbq menu. We were first brought the various mini plates of accompaniments... The kimchi was good yes, but we could barely stomach the rest. Everything was a pickled version of something or the other, most of it probably an acquired taste. Neither of us ate much of it. I was still looking forward to our main order- but was immediately dissapointed when the bulgogi was placed before me. Rather than resembling anything barbequed, it looked like a pile of boiled mess sprinkled with some sesame seeds. I took one bite, and was immediately put off by a smell I couldn't place. All I ate was the sticky rice with some soi sauce. R didn't fare much better- and trust me, we are both adventurous eaters. We walked out of there quite a bit poorer, having had the worst culinary experience of my life. The diners around us all seemed to be enjoying their food- perhaps we just didn't get it. Or maybe we really do need an Americanized version of Korean. I find that hard to believe given that most of the establishments I've come to love for Korean food in Koreatown are populated with mostly Koreans.... I just don't know what happened. It just made us re-think the whole abandoning our island for more adventurous "authentic" cuisine.

I ate this yesterday and I ate it again today. That's how good it is. It's been above 70degrees in NY yesterday and today- bright sunshine, blue blue sky. The type of weather that makes you want to eat fresh and fragrant. Opening the fridge door I spotted my latest obsession: Earthbound Farms Organic Fresh Herb Salad- a mix of arugula, frisee, and red and green chard tossed with dill, cilantro and parsely leaves. It comes together as this bouquet of lovely greens. I tossed it with some Newman's Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing (I mix this with some balsamic vinegar to add more depth). It looked like a lovely salad but needed something more. So in went some sliced strawberries. Odd combination it may seem like, but I really love the Italian habit of eating strawberries tossed in some lovely Modenese balsamic. There's really nothing like it. This salad is just the most perfect food- bits of strawberry and arugula, coated in a light ginger balsamic vinnagrette, with the occasional dill or cilantro adding an unexpected touch. Yum.

taxes filed barely on time ☑
tax accountant paid ☑
enormous sums of taxes paid year round ☑
tax refund to go on a shopping spree: 0
taxes owned yet still: :(

Watched……..Recently watched Into the Wild and wow what a film. A directorial effort from Sean Penn, it’s a moving film exploring themes of alienation and counter culture, and the devastation naivete and idealism can lead to. I knew nothing about the lead character when watching the movie, but afterwards found myself googling him and surprised at much of the debate surrounding how he died… whether it was idealism or plain stupidity to be in the Alaskan wilderness without a map, when one was easily available. The music of Eddie Vedders makes the landscape and the story all the more touching. I loved it. Listening……….. I find myself repeatedly listening to Sufjan – there’s a simplicity to the music but it’s at the same time lyrically brilliant and his voice is soothing. Check it out. Reading…. I actually have a pile of books I’m currently reading on and off, including the following: the Gathering, Maximum City, The Palace of Illusions, and Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet. I’ll do another post on this last one soon… so many conflicting thoughts.

Sunday evening, scene at the apartment: me polishing brass and watching the news. I suppose this is one of those indicators of growing up :)

Happy New Years 2065 to all my Nepali readers. I've been rather consumed with the election results. Who would have thought the Maoists would be winning in such a landslide manner? In what has commonly been accepted by observers as one of the most fair and well run elections in any post-conflict context, let's hope we can all accept the results for what they are and everyone can put their differences aside to work for a peaceful and stabile Nepal. That's my hope for the new year.

YESTERDAY: when I stand at my living room window and look out this is what I see: there's the huge fascinating monstrosity known as Trump towers straight ahead. On any given night never more than 5% of the lights are ever on. To my left is the almost murky East River - it's still water views if you slightly crane your neck and I tell you my street is windier than elsewhere and I sweare it's all from the river... Sometimes at night I'll stare out and watch the barges passing in the night time. It's pretty.

that building with the crooked roof is Citigroup's midtown office, and the one in the far distance is a building I should know because I've seen it somewhere, but on off night's they turn their top fuschia and it's like a pretty secret outside my window. Those two on the right are what I stare at lying on my bed- the modern version of falling asleep staring at the stars I imagine?

TODAY: tonight it's a different story- it's unbelievably foggy out there. At ground level, it's alternating between a slight drizzle and some mist, up here it's full on fog. You can't see the top of Trump, the southern tip of Roosevelt Island is fading into the River, and that last photo is Times Square in the distance...I've been looking out periodically and the fog is getting thicker and thicker, slowing swallowing all the buildings before me. It's gorgeous- almost like being above the clouds.

we've been at this place for over 5 months now, and the views still blow me away. Having the city outside your window is really something. I honestly spend minutes and minutes staring out the window several times a day. There's always something new I spot... NY at ground level is one city- from up here it's almost actually intimate. You can see it breath.

This is historic.

My office is rarely funny. But this my friends is a true story. So a departing colleague gifted me and a coworker with a beautiful fluffy duck that when you press his leg erupts into the “chicken dance”. It provided much needed giggling fits amidst a rather somber office environment. Alas, we noticed the other day our dear friend had been ab-duck-ted. He was no where to be found. Much to our bemusement, we’ve been receiving a series of emails from Monsieur Canard, who seems to be having a jolly good time on holidays. Every time we get another email, we explode in hilarity. It’s become an office treasure almost- though the identity of the duck thief remains unsolved.

“ This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one: the being a force of nature instead of a feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch that I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to a future generation. ” - George Bernard Shaw

In it’s ongoing process of democracy, my homeland of Nepal is holding elections next week to elect a special assembly to rewrite the constitution. Nepal has for long walked the fine line between a constitutional monarchy and an absolute monarch- on the ballot next week is the fate of the Monarchy. Many will tell you that as an institution it has already started to be erased from daily life- new money is being printed with out the King’s portrait, the national airline has dropped “royal” from it’s name, the new national anthem makes no reference to allegiance to the king and government buildings no longer are obliged to hang a ceremonial portrait of the King. Although these are mainly symbolic, they offer a glimpse into the psyche of the nation.

More puzzling however is a recent poll on personal ratings where the King ranked 2 on a scale of 1-10. In the same poll 49% voted in favor of retaining the institution of the monarchy. To any outside observer, this may hint at bi-polarism, however most of us Nepalis have a strange attachment to the throne. Yes, I think we’d all agree that Gyanendra and his son Paras have lost the respect of the nation, and that the royal massacre that led to his throning is still shrouded in suspicion. At the same time, most of us have never existed in a Nepal that was devoid of a monarchy. The royal family and the monarchy permeate so many aspects of every day life, and have been such an integral part of Hinduism in the country (the King is the reincarnation of lord Bishnu) that it is hard to envision a Nepal without one. Although we don’t have an attachment to this King, we do to the institution. A benevolent monarch can do much good for a nation (Thailand is a prime example) however in a poor country where royal household expenses were recently ranked as among the highest for royal family’s anywhere, a simple cost- benefit analysis would reveal it to not be in our favor to continue the institution. Of course reality is never so simple.

yesterday I dragged r2 (that's my sister for those of you not familiar with the Rs) to Barnes n Noble to see one of my favorite author's. Her new book Unaccustomed Earth was being released, and even though we arrived almost 40 minutes before start time, there was nary a free chair. We were fortunately in the front of the standing space, but even that rapidly filled up to capacity. Ms. Lahiri walked in, read for 15 minutes from the short story the book takes the name of, and then answered a meagre 3 questions. I wondered really why she couldn't have taken a few more. Then a line formed to have books signed. She fled the stage, and we fled with our copies. This is the second time I'm seeing her speak- the eloquence that is her trademark in the written form oddly deserts her when she speaks. Perhaps it is this discomfort that made her hesitant to answer a few more. She is almost diminutive in person, never conveying the confidence with language her writing conveys. She stood somewhat slouched, nervously pushing her hair behind her ears, not comfortable at the pulpit in front of us her adoring readers. Reading from the book it was interesting to hear "the words come alive in her voice" ( r2's deep words). She may leave you slightly disappointed in person, but in her writing she has a devoted reader in me. I read the first 1/4th of the book last night, only putting it down when I couldn't fight off sleep any longer and was half tempted to stay home and read the rest today. So far, I agree with all the glowing reviews. Thank you Ms. Lahiri- for the sake of impatient readers like myself, please just don't take another few years to write the next one.

Yes thank you awesome blog sister P for reminding me I need to post, if for no other reason than not to have the Bush greet you when you visit... So what have I been up to? Last weekend I took a trip to the South- Atlanta- to visit Kate. We spent Saterday afternoon strolling around Piedmont Park and taking in the really lovely Botanical Gardens. That was until rain suddenly started pouring in angry torrents and we had to head indoors. We were having dinner with some of her friends, when the lights were turned off 8-9pm to observe Earth Hour, something I had not even heard about here. I suppose as a city facing drought, the real implications of global warming become more real, and enough to spur you into action... Sunday I spent with my uncle, aunt and playing with my little 5 year old cousin,who I hadn't seen since he was 2. Ah the joys of real Nepali food, and meeting a whole lot of relatives who last saw you when you were 5. I had been half expecting warmth and sunshine in Atlanta, but no it was not to be. Sunday was even colder there than it was in NY. My luck. I was intrigued by Atlanta- the real sprawl, how new everything looked (I guess for this country, NY is ancient), the friendliness of people, and the utter lack of clothing sense- were all fun to observe. Kate was amused by my excitement to visit a "real" grocery store- you know unlike the tiny establishments in NY- the last time I was in a regular mammoth American grocery store was some 6 years ago so it was really special :) Similarly passing by so many drive throughs and huge car sales lots- real Americana. New York could almost be a separate country. Fun (not including the 6 hour delay at Atl airport) it was a perfect mini break- spending 2 days with a great friend and surrounded by the warmth of family.

hilarious

so I've had two emails in the past two weeks saying my back to blogging frequently is good but that posts lack the personal touch people visit the blog for... i aim to please. so on this late Friday night/Saturday am, I will tell you in great detail what the day consisted of for me:
700am- alarm rings. Hit the snooze, finally rolling out of bed at 730-it's been a long week, what can I say. Shower, make-up, get ready. I love Jeans Friday.
815am- convince R to walk to work slightly my way, we usually walk in opposite directions to our respective offices. Today we walked together to the Starbucks closer to my office, and after purchasing our respective coffees parted. Thank you R I liked the morning walk :) New York is still a little chilly, but it's feeling like Spring- I love the air this time of year.
830am- at my desk, it's as busy as ever. Boss lady has already left 2 messages on my desk... for the next few hours it's constant meetings, deadlines, and everything needing to be done right away.
1pm- I take a walk with my co-worker/friend N to grab some lunch- we walk to a place a few blocks away, wanting to take in the sunshine. I get some Vietnamese noodles to go here- delicious grilled lemongrass infused chicken, tomatoes, lettuce and chillis on a bed of rice noodles, perfumed with chopped cilantro and mint leaves. It's amazing!
120- lunch at the desk, all the while returning calls, catching up on email, and even manage to read me some NYT.
300- coworker/friend M begs to head to the Pret in the lobby for a pick me up afternoon coffee-we make a dash for it, and return to the desk in a record 5 minutes happy with the miracle caffeine in a cups.
630- check in with boss lady one last time. We discuss next 2 weeks as she'll be away (yay!)- it's been a typically manic day with her, but all in all, a good day at the office.
700pm- quick drink with friend L at this pretty place- never had been but with the high ceilings of Grand Central soaring above, this place is a discovery.
8pm- head home. Cook dinner with R. minced turkey. okra. basmati rice. Fridays, it's become our little ritual to stay home. With the time change, it's just getting dark out and the city is sparkling below us.
9pm- watch Atonement on dvd, the book was better. But oh that James McAvoy can act and that green dress was gorgeous.
11pm- watch some news, have our usual debate over things on the news, catch some Jay Leno.
12pm- almost time to sleep, blogging before bed
It's been a pretty lovely day. Good night, my friends.

I headed inside a Sephora recently after a few month's hiatus and was bombarded with all the new products that have been launched recently. One of my new discoveries, which I'm loving more and more each day is a product called Perfekt, a primer, light foundation, and powder in one. For a girl like me who likes to get ready in as little time as possible, this product is a miracle. It's effect can best be described as "airbrushed"- skin is left even toned, imperfections hidden, pores reduced, and all with a healthy glow. It doesn't look like you're wearing "make up" and your skin breathes. I've blogged before about hating the way skins feels with foundation, and this product is really a miracle. And for girls with sensitive skin, this product is free of wax, oil, talc etc. The only negative might be that if you want heavier coverage, you'll have to layer some foundation over this, as the coverage is not so heavy. I've found it works really well to layer Bare Minerals over this- it feels like air, and you get some good coverage. And also the price- at $60 this is a little pricey, but a little of the product goes a long way and if you consider the fact that it's 3 products rolled into one, it's well worth it.

I live 3 blocks from this, and the whirring helicopters and ambulence sirens are piercing this otherwise beautiful Saterday afternoon. It reminds me the general safety you feel walking around is mostly an illusion - I've walked by this building a million times. I hope the casualties aren't any more than that already reported.
update: it's 1145pm and the helicopters are still flying overhead... I'm suprised it's allowed- it's really loud.