Sirens so early in morning,are we back in USA?

Heard the sirens of fire engine and ambulance this morning at 6? Are we back in the US of A?
On at least two occasions back home, I shot out of bed in panic because we were late* for a flight back trekking before heading E for home. It would be disastrous had we missed a flight over the Pacific for the next 2 available seats would not be until the middle of September! Missing too much high school therefore jeopardizing U scholarship is a price too high to pay for accidentally muting the alarm or even for a coveted scenario of Olympics fun and U$ salaried position - neither should compromise scholarship $$$ in 3 years.
As for the Olympics, there is another in 4 years - London 2010, but who with Mandarin, Guangdong, Fujian and Chaozhou language skills have any advantage in good O' England.
Sigh...
We got home no worse for (some) wear, but rearing to go.
Had the TV Olympics on continuously, even in my sleep as I "osmosis it in" and suffering Oly withdrawal Saturday before the Sunday closing. And thanks Rayonna and her dozen guests dining and partying our last Olympics cheers.

Next morning, America was catapulted into the Obama Democratic convention without catching a breadth and for others an Oly hangover.
And the explosion of Governor Sarah Palin into the American voting stage (Republican John McCain's surprised choice of VP running mate).
Simultaneously followed by the threat of Hurricane Gustav to bear down on New Orleans, resulting in record 2 million residents evacuating the south Louisiana coast while offshore oil platforms and refineries (supplying a quarter of US oil demand) shut down.

Beijing Olympics wound down... but unlike past Olympics fever and eventual withdrawal, this Oly got left in the dust trailing the Democrat and Republican conventions and Hurricane Gustav. Not surprising enthusiastic viewers watched the closing on Youtube and cable while others waited for the 12 delayed hours for prime time television viewing on NBC - somewhat of an anti-climax.
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* HKG - shot out of bed, missing my planned morning self tour and took off to the airport on Coach 21A like a bat outta H. That scenario kept playing in my head and in my sleep.