By Laura Hagan
Published: Tuesday, February 8, 2005



What about Flight 93?

Everyone remembers where they were that fateful day in September of 2001. It is a day that is burned into the minds of this generation, and it will affect the whole country for years to come. The televisions showed footage as a plane flew into the World Trade Center, it caught fire and hundreds of people jumped to their deaths. It was a horrible tragedy, and the whole country mourned.

 That same day, there were also things that no one saw. No cameras were there to see the plane that hit the Pentagon. There was no news station in that field in Shanksville, Pa. where Flight 93 went down as it was headed for Washington, D.C. No one saw what took place, just the debris and destruction left behind.

In fact, many people often don't remember that there were two other planes. It wasn't until recently, when I was visiting family up North, that I got a chance to visit this seemingly forgotten memorial site.

Tens of thousands of people visit Ground Zero each week in New York City to see the wreckage of the World Trade Center and to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. In the heart of one of the biggest cities in the world, it's hard not to remember.

But go a few hours south of there, to Shanksville, where the scene is completely different.

http://www.wkuherald.com/news/2005/02/08/O...93.Too-855984.shtml

Press Release Source: Prudential Financial, Inc.


New York's Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 10th Annual National Awards Program
Tuesday February 8, 9:08 am ET
Briarcliff Manor and Sayville students earn $1,000 awards, engraved silver medallions and trip to nation's capital
Honors also bestowed on other top youth volunteers in New York


ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Devin Cohen, 17, of Briarcliff Manor and Samantha Rosa, 13, of Sayville today were named New York's top two youth volunteers for 2005 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 10th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). More than 20,000 high school and middle level students submitted applications for this year's program.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020501/PRUDLOGO )

America's Real World Trade Center Memorial

Posted Wed Feb 09,2005 12:28 AM   
 

AMERICA’S DAILY BRIEFING FOR February 8, 2005

CONTRARIAN COMMENTARY BY ANDY MARTIN

“THE REAL WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL”


(NEW YORK)(February 8) Since September 11, 2001 politicians have fallen over themselves to milk every ounce of personal profit from that horrible tragedy. One of the most obscene spectacles has been the continuing carnival over a suitable World Trade Center (WTC) “memorial.” Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Governor George Pataki have drained the surviving families of any and every conceivable emotional energy by making extravagant promises that the World Trade Center is “hallowed ground” and must be preserved vacant for posterity. What nonsense.

Pataki and Giuliani have done everything to sabotage reconstruction of the original Twin Towers, or a reasonable commercial facsimile. Instead, they have--after much emotional hand wringing and propaganda--settled on a “Freedom Tower,” a vapid edifice that may never be built, and may collapse of its own inertia if it ever is built.

Adding to the tragicomedy is the flatulent self-promoting “architect” Daniel Liebeskind, brought in by Pataki to supervise the reconstruction, until the landlord’s architect, David Childs, dumped him. It has been a serial comedy with continuing installments.

http://www.politicalgateway.com/main/columns/read.html?col=250

A firefighter rests at the World Trade Center site
Portrait by Belfast artist is widely acclaimed

By Michael McHugh

09 February 2005
A Belfast man's portrait of a New York firefighter who dealt with the bloody aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks may be auctioned in America to raise money for relatives of those who died.

Gerry Gleason's depiction of Bronx emergency worker Mike Puzziferri has received international acclaim and may be sold to help support bereaved relatives.

Two disabled friends of Mr Gleason, Neil McMurtry and Andrew Flavelle, brought the picture to the city last month.

The artist was in New York just after September 11 for an art exhibition and the scenes of suffering inspired him to create the work which has touched hearts across the Atlantic.

"(There were) memories of the same events which I witnessed in Belfast, the same immeasurable grief and the same carnage.

"The Fire Brigade in Belfast went about their work with the same courage as their New York counterparts," he said.

"To see people prepared to give their life to save others gives me hope for humanity."

More than 300 firefighters were killed when they responded to the attack on the World Trade Center.

Almost all died when the building collapsed with them still in it.

Mr Gleason added that the scenes of sacrifice and of families and children grieving had made a profound impact on him.

His drawing has been presented to Mr Puzziferri who is considering what to do with it.

"They have linked up with a group who work with the families of bereaved who auction material for funding the relatives of 9/11," Mr Gleason's wife Vivien said.

Mr Gleason is the latest of many individuals and organisations in Northern Ireland to help alleviate the suffering of those affected on September 11, 2001.

The Omagh Centre for Trauma Transformation has worked with the victims to help them come to terms with the enormity of the event and governments and citizens from around the world expressed solidarity with America in the wake of the al-Qaida attacks.


http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=609311

Students rally to back instructor
Group urges CU to renew environmental activist's canceled teaching contract

By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News
February 10, 2005

BOULDER - Roughly 100 University of Colorado students rallied and then marched to Dean Todd Gleeson's office Wednesday afternoon to demand that the school renew the contract of a popular environmental studies instructor.

Adrienne Anderson was told last week she would not be reappointed, and both students and former students in the school's environmental studies program - along with a few other faculty members - have been furious ever since.

http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/ar..._15_3536786,00.html

On Monday, Jennifer Hensley, an assistant vice president of the Alliance for Downtown New York, called for the appointment of an executive director for the newly created Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center, which she said was "at risk of becoming obsolete before it is even operational."

The appearances were striking because businesses typically try to settle problems with public agencies behind closed doors. And both Verizon and the Downtown Alliance have voices at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Paul A. Crotty, Verizon's group president for New York and Connecticut, sits on the corporation board, as does Carl Weisbrod, president of the Downtown Alliance.

Responding to the statements, Lynn Rasic, a spokeswoman for Gov. George E. Pataki, said in an e-mail message: "The governor has always considered it a priority to coordinate the public and private sector on all projects. We expect to name a Construction Command Center executive director in the very near future who will lead our coordination efforts and limit disruption for the Lower Manhattan community. In the meantime, coordination amongst the agencies is already taking place."

As to West Street-Route 9A, Ms. Rasic said: "The governor directed D.O.T. to explore alternatives that will protect the sanctity of the memorial and satisfy the safety needs of the surrounding community. D.O.T. is currently evaluating these alternatives and completing the environmental review."

John Bonomo, a spokesman for Verizon, said in an e-mail message that the company "in no way wishes to disrupt or impede" the trade center redevelopment.

Verizon's public criticism was occasioned by a hearing on the state's plan to acquire, by condemnation, most of a small city block south of the trade center site, bounded by Liberty, West, Cedar and Washington Streets.

RESIDENT NAMED
ONE OF NATION'S TOP HOMETOWN HEROES


Monica Caison a finalist in 3rd Annual Volvo for life Awards; for helping
search for missing loved ones when others have given up

Celebrity Judges ­ Including Hank Aaron and Paul Newman­ Will Select and
Announce Winners at March 24 Volvo for Life Awards Ceremony in Times Square;

One Hero Will Receive a Volvo Car for Life …

Wilmington, NC (Feb. 10, 2005) -- Monica Caison, a Wilmington resident who founded the CUE Center for Missing Persons, which provides assistance for those who have lost a loved one, utilizing media contacts, conducting foot searches, and going to any length necessary to locate missing persons, regardless of their age, race, sex and socio-economic background.

http://www.teamamberalert.net/news/modules...le=article&sid=7126

Each day, individuals enter the StoryBooth kiosk, located off a side passage in Grand Central Terminal, to record stories that would otherwise be lost to history. Without StoryCorps, Roscoe Brown, Jr.’s memories of serving with the famed Tuskegee Airmen would not have been preserved; neither would the story of how 96 year-old Edward Davis met his wife nor how Michael Wolmetz movingly proposed to his girlfriend. As David Isay, Founder and Executive Producer of Sound Portraits has stated, the mission of StoryCorps is “to tell the stories of ordinary Americans with dignity, celebrating the power and poetry of their words.”

At the moment, the only StoryBooth is in Grand Central Terminal, though the project has recently announced plans to expand. In 2004, The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation donated $500,000 to StoryCorps, which will allow for a StoryBooth to be placed in the World Trade Center Memorial. According to a letter from Isay, the primary purpose of the World Trade Center booth is to allow families of those who were lost on September 11, survivors of the attacks, and rescue workers who spent weeks at the site to record their experiences. The booth will also be open to the general public.

In addition to the StoryBooth, a series of Listening Stations will be placed around the World Trade Center area so that hundreds of thousands will be able to hear these power


http://www.onphilanthropy.com/prof_inter/pi2005-02-11.html

February 11, 2005 -- Firebrand attorney Lynne Stewart was found guilty yesterday of helping the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing spread terror messages to his jihadi warriors around the globe. In a stunning end to a sensational eight-month trial, the anonymous jury handed the government a huge win in the war on terror.
The normally feisty Stewart, 65 — who faces 20 years or more in the slammer — slumped back in her chair, stroked her chin and wept in defeat.


http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/39718.htm

Published Friday, February 11, 2005
Bush selects Betts for Olympics board

BY RAYMOND PACIA
Staff Reporter


President George W. Bush '68 named his Yale classmate and close friend Roland Betts '68, the senior fellow of the Yale Corporation, to the board of directors of the New York Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games on Thursday.

Betts, a prominent New York developer, will serve on the board if the city is chosen to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee will select the host city at a vote on July 6 in Singapore from a pool of five finalists: Paris, London, Madrid, Moscow and New York.

A former member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Betts has maintained a long-standing presence in U.S. Olympic affairs. He has been involved with planning New York's 2012 Olympic bid since the campaign began in 1995. He said his new appointment will allow him to continue his longtime involvement with trying to bring the Olympics to his hometown.

http://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=28363

RARE HISTORICAL AUTHENTIC ARTAFACTS FROM PENTAGON GROUND ZERO SITE ON EBAY AUCTION
a rare historical ebay auction of authentic ground zero artafacts
 

 
/24-7PressRelease.com/ - February 11, 2005 - the ahjgroup, a washington dc. business development and marketing firm has been retained by a a group of civilians volunteers who worked at the cleanup site at the u.s.pentagon in washington dc to offer through public auction, three one of a kind artafacts used at the pentagon ground zero site, and exclusively made for the site only.

About AHJGROUP.COM
The AHJ Group,is a Washington D.C. based Business Development, Marketing and Government Relations Consultants and Planners. We also represent exclusive clients in major Business transactions and auctions of rare and priceless artafacts. For the past two years, The AHJ Group has been voted Top50 Diversity Business for our outstanding service to small,minority and women owned business.
 
 
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_release.php?rID=3316

 Create Your Own Memorial or Tribute Page For Free

http://personalweb.about.com/library/weekly/aa100801a.htm

 

Contact: Rev. Bill

917.826.7255


 

 

FROM GROUND ZERO 9/11 FAMILIES, SURVIVORS, WORKERS SEND VALENTINE TO MILITARY FAMILIES WORLDWIDE;

YOU HAVE OUR HEARTS, PRAYERS & THANKS

 

This Monday February 14, 2005 at 12noon September 11th family members, survivors and workers will join members of the military at Ground Zero (Liberty &Church) to express their thanks for the sacrifices and commitment military families give in serving America.

 

Throughout the current military offensive 9/11 family members have been supporting military families in a variety of ways. From sending items the soldiers request to visiting military hospitals many 9/11 family members have sought to reassure all military personnel that their sacrifices are deeply appreciated by all Americans.

 

Colin Neblett, whose son Marcus was lost in the Twin Towers attack will be one of the family members expressing thanks on Monday. He comments, “The sacrifices that each member of a military family makes is so special, it seems that our words are insufficient to thank them. We are happy to have this opportunity to let them know that our prayers are with them everyday.”

 

Members of the Armed Services will be on hand to receive this special Valentine on behalf of their colleagues worldwide. Following Valentine greetings all in attendance will take part in a daily 12noon prayer, which began September 15, 2001 now titled Pray America Pray for all Nations, for all People. Recent prayers have been held at Fire Station 88, Urban Search & Rescue, Sherman Oaks, CA with Congresswoman Diane Watson, 33rd District-California joining firefighters and others in attendance.

 

With the assistance of Commander Robert Anderson, US Navy, Congresswoman Diane Watson and others Rev. Bill Minson, a former Ground Zero chaplain who leads the daily prayers for all Military, First Responders and families affected by terrorism is finalizing plans to bring 9/11 and Oklahoma City families to visit, support and encourage military families throughout the country as a source of healing for all involved.

Edited by author 02-12-2005 09:24 AM
In response to post #66:

Dear Mr. Martin,

       Your commentary on the progress of the WTC development has offended me greatly. To suggest building a small memorial "tucked quietly in some corner of the site" while simultaneously "squeezing in" as much office space as possible misses the entire reason for building a memorial in the first place. It is precisely because of "human nature's" inclination to "paper over the past and move on" that causes the human race to make the same mistakes over and over again. England occupied Iraq in the 1920's and if you read Sir Lawrence of Arabia's notes about the difficulty in asserting law and order in that country, you will think you are reading notes from L. Paul Bremer.

      It is true that history is the best teacher and so the function of the new WTC site will be to teach visitors about the tragedy but also inspire people to understand WHY we are fighting militant fundamentalism. Around this magnificent memorial (approximately 4.7 acres of the total area of16 acres destroyed) will be several cultural buildings housing theatre companies and symphony spaces, so that even at night, the place will be buzzing with activity, an added feature of the new site that the old site never had, except for the two restaurants at the top of the buildings. Outside and beyond the cultural buildings will be office towers that compare in square footage to the original towers (10 million square feet).

      So it seems to me that you are not following along closely to the development of the site, and it is my suggestion that you do your homework and study the proposals in detail before making sweeping accusations and insulting many of the players in this process.

     I'm sure the family members would be greatly offended if they read your column, and it is you who have slandered the heroes of 9/11 by suggesting a small memorial in the corner of the site. If you had things your way, you'd probably want to have the U.S.S. Arizona removed from Pearl Harbor and sold off as scrap metal to make way for a new marina where rich folks could park their yachts.

Sincerely,

Gregory P. Mango
WTC designer

Mr. Martin's response:

Thank you for your comments. We disagree.
 
It is foolhardy to suggest that someone will learn history lessons from a memorial, any more than the statutes in London (or our own Central Park) are used as history lessons.
 
Office buildings and commercial complexes are not meant to instruct history. New York's strength is financial, commercial, entrepreneurial. It is this economic power and freedom that the attackers sought to destroy.
 
The best history lesson we could send the terrorists is to rebuild what was there.
 
I am not impressed by planting cultural institutions in Lower Manhattan, and I am aware they bought Bankers Trust Plaza to extend the site.
 
Nevertheless, I respect your opinion and I hope you respect mine.
 
Andy Martin

2nd response to Mr. Martin:

Dear Mr. Martin,

     Perhaps it would help for you to research Osama Bin Laden's fatwah against the United States and the west in general. While it is certainly true that he wanted to hit us "in the pocket," his attack was not just against New York's financial structures. You'll note planes were dispatched to Washington as well.

     I believe his attack was directed at our First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establisment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof." In other words, Bin Laden wants to create Islamic states, where the Islamic mullahs rule, and one can see a living example of this type of exclusionary government in the behavior of the Taliban.

     But America is different. We have an open society with all religions and cultures, and this is America's strength. So in Libeskind's design, he set aside a wall he called "The Liberty Wall." On this wall I had enscribed the quote above, and so I believe you are wrong to say that people can't learn from memorials. Furthermore, another example of the memorial jury's reckless disregard of the architectural blueprints is found in the removal of the great processional ramp. Again, future generations could see this ramp and ask, "Why is it there? Of course, it is there to represent the ramp that was used to take out all of the heroes remains. (as well as the rubble) So I disagree with your assessment. Architecture should tell a story. Even office buildings can tell story. If you had four new buildings at the WTC at the following heights, 94, 16, 32 and 78, they would tell a very powerful story, in that the planes hit the 94th floor of the North tower and the 78 floor of the South tower. The 16 story building would represent the top half of the North tower, the 32 story building would represent the top half of the South tower. I saw the top half of the South tower tilt to the left, and then drop straight down, so I know that section of the building fell as one giant section. To reproduce these sections would tell a very powerful story, and flying overhead, one would get a moving impression.

     Anyway, these are some of the things you should be thinking about, should you decide to defend your position further.

Sincerely,

Gregory P. Mango

Posted on Sat, Feb. 12, 2005

Going to ground zero

Star-Telegram


Visitors to Dallas' Museum of Biblical Art at the Biblical Arts Center have until the end of the month to view locally created bronze sculptures that will be part of a permanent 9-11 memorial in New York.

Plano artist John Collier created the sculptures for the Ground Zero Memorial at St. Joseph's Chapel in Manhattan. They were commissioned by St. Peter's Parish in New York as a memorial to those who died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

The memorial includes St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters; St. Michael, the patron saint of police officers; St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers; and St. Mary Magdalene, witness to the Resurrection.

The sculptures will be installed in St. Joseph's Chapel across from ground zero this April.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/living/religion/10874400.htm?1c

Rogue brokers use names of 9/11 victims
By Christopher Carey
Of the Post-Dispatch
02/13/2005

Rogue brokers targeting foreign buyers of U.S. stocks have added a macabre twist: Their aliases are derived from victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Nearly all 22 executives and account managers listed on the Internet site for Bailey & Bennett Mergers and Acquisitions Inc. are actual or scrambled names of people who died in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon or on the four airliners the terrorists hijacked and crashed.

Representatives of Bailey & Bennett have been calling investors in the United Kingdom in recent weeks, offering to buy back worthless shares of obscure U.S. companies at big premiums. It uses a slick Web site to create the appearance of legitimacy.

The Web site lists the headquarters on the second floor of a New York City office building. But all the space on that floor is leased to the city.

The New York Division of Corporations has no record of Bailey & Bennett, nor does the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the National Association of Securities Dealers.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/...s+of+9%2F11+victims