In this apocalyptic frame of mind, your columnist notes that there has been a recent spate of conferences, journal issues and whole volumes examining whether the financial system might be a tad fragile, should disasterstrike.
The NYPD has been a national leader in recognizing that policing in an age of terror requires not only proactive intelligence collection but the ability to act decisively upon the fruits of that collection rather than waiting for disaster to strike, and then reacting.
The problem, as many observers agree, is a failure to consistently implement it - not just on an ad hoc basis after earthquakes strike but across the country before disaster hits.