the following is an excerpt from the Spokesman-Review, the main local newspaper, which I happen to work for:

"As Powers [the mayor of Spokane] and other local officials worked Tuesday afternoon to calm citiziens and check security, an invitation arrived at Spokane City Hall that made some shudder.

"It was from New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani, inviting city officials to a conference next month on urban emergency management, which included such discussion topics as 'major building collapses.'