8:46 am

“a moment of silence please



Let us never forgt”

“Is it appropriate to fart during a moment of silence?”

“YOU ARE A VERT BIG A$$HOLE!!”

“your pretty rude did you know that?

sorry but not finding you funny today”

“rtflmao.”

“VERY uncool, Donald.”

“I (finally) brought in an extension cord so i could hook up my speakers to my computer. I wanted to listen to the radio all day as I worked. But, I can't get the darn things to give me any sound.”

“Smiley girl, im not trying to be a smart a$$ but did you tun your speakers on?
I only ask because I had 2 of my MIS guys here once and they couldnt figure out what was wrong with my PC. it turned out the speakers were off. WOW they were peeved at me and made me buy them a drink after work. (blush)”

“they are now reading all the names on wabc (770am) radio.”

“yep, power to them, and they're even plugged into the right port.

i wanted to hear the coverage, but at least I got to see a part of it.”

“I am going to observe this day by going on with my life as usual. THAT is how we defeat the bastards. But I shall never forget!”

“my company went out side and had a couple of mins. of silence. it was strange but all the cars on west street (thats the street the towers were on) pulled over. people that were walking there dogs and just walking to were ever stopped. every just stood looking towards the spot were the towers once stood. I thought i had seen grown men cry last year and that would have been the end, but it wasent. its like going over it all again. im sooo sorry i didnt take today off cause it sucks being here in the city and having to go about my daily work. I just want to go home.”

“sorry everyone. but I realy should have stayed home!!
have a good day and if you got a good (good but dirty is ok) joke lets here it!”

“I think this day has a stronger emotional effect on me than the initial event.The aftermath of 911”

“Here's to hoping that the people who were directly effected by the 9/11 attacks can make it through today with some peacefull reflection and some dignity. Let's hope that we are not buried by banal insincere cliches. Lastly, let's hope that no one else is harmed in any attacks that we are being warned about for today.”

“Hang in there sweetheart.

Just remember, All of us are New Yorkers today.

I'm not sad today. I am ready to kick some a$$.

Today at noon, everyone where I work is invited to attend a short service around the flagpole (the flag is at halfmast). I will be there.”

“I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's List," asked myself, "Why didn't the Jews fight back?"

Now I know why.

I sat in a movie theater, watching "Pearl Harbor" and asked myself, "Why weren't we prepared?"

Now I know why.

Civilized people cannot fathom, much less predict, the actions of evil people.

On September 11, dozens of capable airplane passengers allowed themselves to be overpowered by a handful of poorly armed terrorists because they did not comprehend the depth of hatred that motivated their captors.

On September 11, thousands of innocent people were murdered because too many Americans naively reject the reality that some nations are dedicated to the dominance of others. Many political pundits, pacifists and media personnel want us to forget the carnage. They say we must focus on the bravery of the rescuers and ignore the cowardice of the killers. They implore us to understand the motivation of the perpetrators. Major television stations have announced they will assist the healing process by not replaying devastating footage of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.

I will not be manipulated.

I will not pretend to understand.

I will not forget.

I will not forget the liberal media who abused freedom of the press to kick our country when it was vulnerable and hurting.

I will not forget that CBS anchor Dan Rather preceded President Bush's address to the nation with the snide remark, "No matter how you feel about him, he is still our president."

I will not forget that ABC TV anchor Peter Jennings questioned President Bush's motives for not returning immediately to Washington, DC and commented, "We're all pretty skeptical and cynical about Washington."

And I will not forget that ABC's Mark Halperin warned if reporters weren't informed of every little detail of this war, they aren't
"likely -- nor should they be expected -- to show deference."

I will not isolate myself from my fellow Americans by pretending an attack on the USS Cole in Yemen was not an attack on the United States of America.

I will not forget the Clinton administration equipped Islamic terrorists and their supporters with the world's most sophisticated
telecommunications equipment and encryption technology, thereby compromising America's ability to trace terrorist radio, cell phone, land lines, faxes and modem communications.

I will not be appeased with pointless, quick retaliatory strikes like those perfected by the previous administration.

I will not be comforted by "feel-good, do nothing" regulations like the silly "Have your bags been under your control?" question at the airport.

I will not be influenced by so called,"antiwar demonstrators" who exploit the right of expression to chant anti-American obscenities.

I will not forget the moral victory handed the North Vietnamese by American war protesters who reviled and spat upon the returning
soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines.

I will not be softened by the wishful thinking of pacifists who chose reassurance over reality.

I will embrace the wise words of Prime Minister Tony Blair who told Labor Party conference, "They have no moral inhibition on the slaughter of the innocent. If they could have murdered not 7,000 but 70,000, does anyone doubt they would have done so and rejoiced in it?

There is no compromise possible with such people, no meeting of minds, no point of understanding with such terror. Just a choice: defeat it or be defeated by it. And defeat it we must!"

I will force myself to:

-hear the weeping
-feel the helplessness
-imagine the terror
-sense the panic
-smell the burning flesh
- experience the loss
- remember the hatred.

I sat in a movie theater, watching "Private Ryan" and asked myself, "Where did they find the courage?"

Now I know.

We have no choice. Living without liberty is not living.

-- Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)
Not as lean, Not as mean, But still a Marine.”

“smileygirl, does your PC have a sound card?

We just got back from a very nice hour long service on the Blaine House lawn.”

“yep, it does. used the same speakers in my old office, they just don't seem to work in my new cubicle. they've got power, don't know what the deal is.

i'm sort of melancholy today. others around me don't seem to even notice the day. couple e-mails have been sent across the company about the day, but no offical recognition of it. it really bums me out that the manager-dudes didn't have an official moment of silence or anything. seems out of character for them.”

“well I was doing gooduntil a co-worker gave me a Hershey's Chocolate Bar with this note
" Nora, On 9/11/2001 you became my hero. On 9/11/3001 you'll still be my hero. You and your family are special-God Bless! Here is some chololate to ease your through the day"
well that floored me and made me cry.
I will be going home to tell my children how proud of them I am. My daughter stood by me for 3 days. She never left my side. I hope she is proud of herself as I am of her for what she did for her fellow americans at ground zero!
ok im done!
thanks for letting me ramble”

“Nora, if it would be helpful to you to tell it, I would be interested in hearing what 9/11/2001 was like for you.”

“thank you.

The question always used to be "where were you when Kennedy was assisinated?" Now the question for my generation is "where were you when the USA was attacked on 9-11. Well, I was getting ready for work and came out of the shower to hear the news on my bedside radio, which was playing NPR news. I couldn't believe my ears...I ran to the TV and quickly turned it on...there I was standing, dripping wet, with a towel wrapped around me, watching the first tower on fire. I very quickly threw on my clothes and flew to work to switch my office TV on and grabbed one of our technicians to show him what was going on...he was clueless and thought it was some kind of promo for a tv show, then the second plane came into the screen and did its slow turn and crashed into the WTC. I could not believe what I was watching...my legs gave out and I sat on the floor, with tears in my eyes...I worked at the towers for a short bit of time...I had friends that still worked there, In my mind, I saw all the faces of my memory. It was a painful day. If I had followed a different timeline in my life, I would have been there on that day. A peice of me died on that day, one year ago. A life that I did not follow, died. Today, one year later, I still feel the pain of loss and violation that was forced upon my life. But this is a war we will not and can not win. We may kill bin Laden, we may blow up the mountain strongholds that the Talaban hide in, we may force economic sanctions upon our enemies, but we will never defeat the hatred that they feel for us...its not the humans that embody the hatred that is the enemy...it is the hatred itself, the humans are only the vessels that house the hatred. Our great weapons and strength will not defeat hatred, because hatred is not a tangible entity that you can hit...the harder you hit the human vessels, the more the hatred is compounded. There are no weapons that can defeat hatred...the only true weapon is Love...All we need is love. Love is the answer.

Maple leaf...go home. hug your family and give them your love and teach them well. The future lies with our young people...because WE, our generation, those that say "where were you on the great attack of our nation on 9-11", we are filled with rage and hatred...its too late for us, but not for the young...they aren't jaded.

On my wall here in my office, 1500 miles away from my beloved NYC, I have a picture of NYC with the towers in all there glory, I took this picture the day I arrived in NYC in 1977, as I look on this photo at THIS moment...I have tears in my eyes, that won;t stop...ever. I will never forget the faces of the people who's names I will never know...I will never forget.”

“We're here Nora.

At 8:46 Eastern, I had just parked my car at work. I sat there in the quiet rain for a few minutes.”

“Fritz, Im worried that if I really start that I wont finish. Ive tried to bottle it up but it seems to want to seep out.
But thank you so much!!”

“Our company, (a highly conservative company) held a memorial service today in the lot in front of our main campus building.

After opening prayers our Chief Operating Officer was reflecting on the event and the role our company played in Disaster Restoration. Just about the middle of his speech, just as he was talking about how the impact of him seeing film of the plane hitting the second tower, a FedEX jet came screaming overhead on its approach to MEM.

I think about 200 of us almost hit the deck. Timing was perfect.”

“It has been one year, and we still have terrorists living in our country. Why are they still here?”

“Buddha, because we value freedom to a degree that we protect it, knowing the danger. It'll take time, blood and sweat to do it right.”

“we are in a NO FLY ZONE. I think its for the rest of the week. strange not to see or hear planes over head.”

“Outstanding answer, pathman.”

“will be conducted by an elementary school class from my home town, here in Missouri. They published a book with drawings, interperting the tragedy. The NASDAQ got wind of it and flew the entire class to NYC for the week and they will be on the TODAY show and then go to ring the bell. If anyone is interested in the book, contact me, it is an amazing thing...Kennett Missouri, home of Sheryl Crow, now has a bigger claim to fame...its children. The bell ringing is at 11am eastern time. I'm so proud of these kids.”

“they rang the bell at 10:30am to remeber the 2nd tower that fell.
good for your children!
I wish I had a TV then I could watch the ringing of the bell. But ill think of them at 11:00”

“I really didn’t think today would have the emotional impact on me that it has so far.

I took a different route to work today so that I could get a long view into Manhattan. A year later it still looks so weird - like a beauty queen with her front teeth knocked out. I had the radio on, listening to Mayor Bloomberg reading the Gettysburg address (good choice) and the reading of the list of the victim’s names. It’s hard to drive with tears in your eyes. Looking around at my fellow commuters, I could see the deep anguish in their faces.

I am grateful that all of my friends got out safely on that day and hope that their emotional wounds will heal soon. I am sorry for the nine neighbors I lost on that day and for all the thousands of others. I hope they didn’t suffer too much.

I heard the daughter of a victim telling how, for her, this is not the anniversary of an attack on America. For her it will always be the day her mother was murdered. Today I pray for all those like her.”

“When I get home im going to my roof (which over looks the skyline) and light up a candle and have a drink and toast all of you guys!!”

“Whew! I started out the morning teary and it continues. I didn't expect to have these intense emotional moments a year after.

I have two cousins who are on the NYPD. One of them was missing for over twenty hours last 9/11. So much tragedy, yet so much to be thankful for. To Billy and Richie, you guys are my heros!”

“Goretex
I know you also were there so im thinking of you too!
Billy and Richie, thank you for all you have done!!”

“My heart goes out, to all of my American friends and TTers, today!!”

“ok so its 9:40pm Sept 11th. and im on my 2nd bottle of wine. I know that when I read this the next day im going to be a little sorry that i wrote some of this. But, what the hell?
I sat on my roof top for 2 hrs looking at the skyline of Manhattan. GOD it was so nice and beautiful. I watched the planes overhead with there lights red, white, and blue (not sure if they did that for today)but it was a little strange. as I have told you before that I was worried that my daughter was not really talking about 9/11 and everything that she went through. well it seems that while I was on the roof she heard someone cry HELP. she ran up the stairs to the roof to see if I was ok. well im the one who does not like heights so I will not be the one near the edge of the building LOL
i then heard a cat meow.
I could not belive how a cat could sound like a human yelling for help but they can and do. So after I calmed her down and held her while she cried for the last 365 days that she has kept bottled up, she started to laugh. We both laughed so hard thinking that it was a girl yelling when it was just a cat. (hate those damn cats) I guess its now time to heal for the both of us. Im sorry to have laid this on you but, I trust you all even if I dont know any of you.
Lyra, I had a toast to you and your family as I promised. I drank a drink for all the families that will go home to an empty house while I go home to my family.
this will be the last thing I say about 9/11.
My evening ended by my son coming to the roof asking me if I will tuck him in. I walked down the stairs with him holding my hand and asking me is I was ok. I said yes, now I am ok. I thanked him for being the little guy he is. And he looked up at me and just smiled.
Yes my life is good”

“I worked outside today. Spent a few hours on a roof of one of our JUnior HIgh schools. I was listening to NPR, and happened to look at the sky. It was deep blue, like a year ago, more clouds then last year,but still not many and as far as I could see not a single
airplane which is odd cause we are about 20miles from Detroit metro airport and the sky is usually a tic-tac-toe board of contrails,very surreal.

My friend of 23 years is in Bagram Afghnistahn today. He is being shot at,he is shooting back.Too much killing right now. Last year at this time he was in Sarajevo. He is 28, married with a 2 year old son. He is an old man,I still picture him as a goofy kid, not a Staff-Sargeant. When he writes its the same sad letter that a soldier wrote home in 1943. The letter of an young man who is just plumb used up. Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree...”