September 11, 2001 Look Back

Eight years ago today, the unthinkable happened right in front of our eyes.
A day that felt like yesterday.
Nineteen terrorists from Al-Qaeda were bent on massive destruction and death on America.
Hijacked airplanes crash into the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and a field near Shanksville.
American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower.
All cameras were trained to the burning North Tower.
Than suddenly, the South Tower is attacked by United Airlines Flight 175.
It became apparent a terrorist attack happened.
People trapped above the crash zone in the North Tower jumped out of desperation.
To make matters worse, American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon.
As the Pentagon burns, the South Tower crashes to the ground in a massive cloud of toxic dust and smoke.
Meanwhile on United Airlines Flight 93, passengers fight back.
The terrorists fail and crash it near Shanksville.
The North Tower crashes to the ground and all is caught on live camera.
The whole world saw the terrorist attack unfold in front of our own eyes.
Whether we were waking up, going to school, work, or going to sleep.
The whole world was in shock and in a state of mourning.
3,000 people died on this fateful day.
The World Trade Center wiped out into oblivion.
Never forget September 11, 2001, a day that will live in infamy.

Director John Hughes dies at 59

Director John Hughes dies at 59
‘Breakfast Club’ helmer died of a heart attack
By PAT SAPERSTEIN
Variety
August 6, 2009

John Hughes, who captured the zeitgeist of 1980s teen life as writer-director of “The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles” and produced and scripted family hits such as “Home Alone,” died Thursday of a heart attack in Manhattan while taking a walk. He was 59.

After an impressive string of hits — “Home Alone” is one of the top-grossing live-action comedies of all time — Hughes, who never won a major show business award, stopped directing in 1991 and virtually retired from filmmaking a few years later, working on his farm in northern Illinois.

The filmmaker, whom critic Roger Ebert once called “the philosopher of adolescence,” was a major influence on filmmakers including Wes Anderson, Kevin Smith and Judd Apatow, who told the L.A. Times last year, “Basically, my stuff is just John Hughes films with four-letter words.”

Full Article

Sad day for Hollywood. A great talent has passed. I like Home Alone and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Great movies and true classics. Home Alone has a great Christmas music, Somewhere In My Memory. Everytime I hear it, I think of Christmas. RIP John Hughes.

User post: 7 topics to avoid if you don’t want to be a bore

User post: 7 topics to avoid if you don’t want to be a bore
Shine From Yahoo
by Gretchen Rubin, on Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:53am PDT

I hesitate to disagree with the immortal La Rochefoucauld, but I think he was wrong when he wrote, “We are always bored by those whom we bore.”

Not always (though I often remind myself of this observation when I’m feeling bored by someone else). I think that sometimes we find a topic so interesting that it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that it might not be interesting to someone else. And most of us want to make a good impression and avoid boring other people.

Unless you get a truly enthusiastic response from your interlocutor—which is possible—be very wary of recounting…

1. A dream.
2. The recent changes in your child’s nap schedule.
3. The route you took to get here.
4. An excellent meal you once had at a restaurant.
5. The latest additions to your wine cellar.
6. An account of your last tennis game.
7. The plot of a movie, play or book—in particular, the funny parts.

What do these subjects have in common? The listener has nothing to add. He or she must just hear you describe your experience.

User post: 7 topics to avoid if you don’t want to be a bore

Not surprised by it. Anyways, I do not talk about them or even think of it. There are the three things you do not talk about at the dinner table, which include parties as well, politics, money, and sex. However, I do not see emotionally charged topics like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina/Ike, which I am guilty of talking about at times. Funny thing, it does not bore people because everyone lived through them. We all saw 9/11 attacks on live television and people affected in the Gulf Coast by Katrina and Ike.

March

I cannot believe it, we are almost three quarters through 2009. It is now March and you know what that means? Spring and March Madness is upon us. Also, for many it is spring break. We all remember spring break. A time to relax and for some going to Destin or Cancun. Time really flies fast as you get older.

Hurricane Ike Reflection

Tonight is a much peaceful than last Friday. One week ago at this time, I was hunkering down for Hurricane Ike which made landfall last Saturday at 2:10 AM on Galveston. The monster hurricane I have dreaded for years has come to reality in the form of Ike. We had howling winds and heavy rain all night. It was really scary. Being in a hurricane is something no one should ever go through. I would not wish that on my own worst enemies.

By the time, Ike past us, many areas got 6 to 12 inches of rain over a large area causing widespread flooding, coupled by the high storm surge of up to 25 feet in Bolivar Peninsular that wiped out the towns of Gilchrest and Crystal Beach. Only one house stood in Gilchrest, but it was still badly damaged. Hopefully no one was in Bolivar Peninsula because they could all be washed out to sea and never be found.

The power went out shortly before Ike made landfall. I was out of power and phone for five days. Never been without power for that long. I have seen disasters on TV, but to be in a disaster zone is a nightmare which words cannot describe. It is truly a humbling experience. I was in a disaster zone and Ike is as of right now, the third most costliest hurricane in US history after Katrina and Andrew. Currently, the assessment is still being done and we will get the true damage cost and lives lost from Ike in the coming weeks and months.

Could things have been worse? Absolutely. Ike could of been a Category 4/5 hurricane and made landfall south of Galveston and it would be an absolute nightmare. We could see storm surge as high as 35 feet and many more houses flooded and destroyed. Also, power would not be restored for weeks or even months. Many lives could of been lost because many stayed along the coast. There is a curfew and many people still are without power. I had my power restored last night. Sadly, there are people who lost loved ones and all their properties. My condolences and prayers go to them.

Never forget September 13, 2008, a day that we will all remember as long as we live.

September 11, 2001

In Memory of the 3,000 People Who Died and World Trade Center 1973-2001

I know Hurricane Ike is heading towards Texas. Let us take some time to reflect what happened seven years ago today. The September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack happened in New York, Arlington, and Shanksville. 3,000 people died on this horrible Tuesday and leveled the World Trade Center and left the Pentagon smoldering. It is a very dark and sad day that everyone will remember as long as we live. It felt like yesterday for me, even though seven years has passed.

I feel very saddened about this horrible day. I did not know anyone who died in the 9/11 Terrorist Attack. I really miss the World Trade Center and New York is not the same without them. They were like family to me because they were my favorite buildings. It really sucks to be me. I cannot stop thinking about what happened to the World Trade Center on 9/11. It really saddens me that I cannot even cry. The 3,000 people and World Trade Center are in a much better world looking down on us. The sad thing is, I never felt so sentimental to any building I see and it happened to be the World Trade Center.

Really sad video. I could not watch the whole thing. It puts a human face to this horrible tragedy.

Half-Way Mark

I cannot believe it. We are half way through 2008. July 1st was the half way mark. Time sure flies fast, especially when you get older. Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are getting closer. They will be here before we realize it. Right now it is summer and time for vacation or relaxing.

Now, July 4th is upon us, which is Independence Day.