The nation is at Orange and we're vigilant:


WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday urged people to "just go about your business" despite the decision to raise the national terror-attack warning to its second-highest level.

"I think it's very, very important to send a message to the terrorists of goodwill and resolve," said Tom Ridge, making the rounds of nationally broadcast morning news shows. He said the Bush administration wants people to "be vigilant and have a good communications plan under way."

After briefing President Bush on Monday, Ridge reiterated to reporters that the intelligence community considered the new threat "the most significant threat" to the country since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"We've never quite seen it at this level before," Ridge said.

We will be attacked again, sooner, rather than later I fear. The next five years are going to be a trying time that we must endure. We've been lucky since Sept. 11, but our luck will end and we will have to deal with terrorism on a smaller, yet much more personal level.