The 2003 powercut in New York revived fears of terrorist attacks in America and revealed how scared and vulnerable Americans still feel two years after 9/11. While the New York coastguards do their best to ensure safety in the harbour, the domestic budget for the war on terror is much inferior to that allocated to the military and foreign missions. In New York, people seem resignated. They are almost certain that they will be targets again in the future and that nothing could efficiently protect them. The success of a store selling protective suits and parachutes is a revealing symptom of Americans' underlying fears.