I clearly remember the anticipation of the new millennium. Due to the "Y2K" computer problem, people were worried about possible power outages. The grocery stores were exceptionally crowded; people were stocking up on bottled water and canned goods. Security in Times Square on New Year's Eve was also on higher alert than ever before. Many people felt sitting in their living rooms with a bottle of champagne, watching the ball drop from the comforts (and safety) of their home was the best way to spend that New Year's Eve. But I also remember that 2000 was the year that the second intifada, or terrorist uprising, began between the Israelis and Palestinians. The first one occurred between 1987 and 1993. I recall that the coverage of the major news networks was occupied by announcements and reports of the latest suicide bombings, from both the Israeli and the Palestinians side. I also recall that the front pages of the New York Times and Boston Globe were filled with headlines resembling things saying "Seven Israelis Killed in Front of Sbarros Pizza in Jerusalem" and "Five Palestinians wounded along the Gaza Strip." I remember my first year at Brandeis, in the fall of 2000, when the students would gather around in front of the big-screen television in Usdan, watching the live news reports, mourning the latest suicide bombings. I encountered many people at Brandeis who wanted to go Israel, but had reservations about making the venture because they would not feel safe in the country, even if their hearts lied there. The intifada was the topic of conversation at Brandeis and all over the world. I don't remember a day going by where I didn't hear about news of another suicide bombing or plans by President Bush, Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon or PLO leader Yassir Arafat to try to make amends. The media harped on that for approximately one and a half years, until to the surprise of the entire nation, Sept. 11 transpired. Naturally, the news coverage changed dramatically because this was an unfortunate event that touched the lives of every American and had a huge impact on the legacy of New York City. It seems that in the new millennium, every time another breaking news event happens in the Middle East, the media concentrates on it to the exclusion of everything else. We don't receive any coverage that connects any of these pieces of news, and as a result, many of them are quickly forgotten . In the midst of the events of Sept. 11, the second intifada was forgotten in the media, even though it was still in the back of the minds of many people all over the world. Newscasters and journalists were making deductions on how and why airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. They immediately extrapolated that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network was behind the hijackings. The stage was set for "The War on Terror." Then, about a month and a half later, I remember being in Harvard Square when I heard that the United States had bombed Afghanistan; the first battle in The War on Terror. I remember that the media gave a sensationalized twist to their coverage and constantly asked, "Where is Osama bin Laden?" or "Is he dead or alive?" For months, this aspect of the War on Terror was the only thing we heard about, even though the terrorism of the intifada was still happening. Soon, we didn't even hear about the War on Terror. Our attention moved from Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan to Saddam Hussein in Iraq. At first there was the argument that Iraq had links to al Qaeda, but now when I turn on the news or read a newspaper, I only hear about the latest explosion, or that another soldier from a United States infantry unit was shot and killed there. The rationale behind our going to war in Iraq seems to change constantly, but it is only rarely that our global fight against terrorism is used as a justification.Technically, the War on Terror is still going on, but the media leaves the details fuzzy. How will we know when it's over? Perhaps it will be when Osama bin Laden is captured or found dead, because that will give the media something to sensationalize on. However, bin Laden is not responsible for all of the terrorism in the world today.Clearly this is the case, as the intifada is still transpiring. We rarely hear about the latest suicide bombings in Israel, and if we do, it's only for a 30 second segment. This terrorism will continue, even if bin Laden is removed from the picture, and the intifada will remain forgotten. Soon, the War with Iraq will be forgotten as well, even if it is technically still going on, and the media will likely move their focus to another place on the map of the Middle East. Hmm...I wonder where it will be....