Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 8 of 13 1 2 6 7 8 9 10 12 13
#41331 09/13/01 07:54 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
>have never been a fan of Giulianni's, but he has been incredible.

He has come over very well on television. I am impressed with his efforts.

The latest figures on British dead are "more than a hundred with the final figures likely to be in the mid hundreds" to quote our Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw on radio this morning. Yesterday several children at my daughter's school were still waiting to hear about relatives. The financial sector of Edinburgh, like many cities, has a very close relationship with Wall Street.

Today's "Thought for the Day" on Radio 4 was a senior Muslim religious leader who, like everyone I have come across, was appalled by the tragedy.


#41332 09/13/01 11:05 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
I
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
I
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
The air has been filled with an acrid smoke, here, since last evening, but this morning it is clearing. I walked through the empty streets and noxious fumes last night, again to find a place to help the effort. South, to Canal and the west toward the river. Nearer the west side of the island, brigades of heavy equipment line the avenues. The crews of dump trucks, earth moving equipment, welding rigs chat, sleep in the cabs, feet thrown up on the dash. I recognize the names of contractors from New Jersey. Their trucks all bear small American flags. My attitude is completely changed toward these displays of patriotism. At Houston St. and 6th Ave., a group of civilians have erected a makeshift monument of flowers, candles, writings to the fallen. The stand cordoned off behind plastic tape and applaud each time a rescue worker passes, walking north from ground zero a mile or more south of where they stand. A young woman offers me a cotton rag to tie around my face to breath better. Someone has cut up sheets, and she carries strips of cotton cloth around her neck and hands them out to people she meets. But the air is clean on this side of town, the wind blowing from the west. A report comes over a police radio at one of the barricades on Houston. There has been a shooting somewhere. I can only wonder who from the over-taxed police force will respond. I awoke this morning with the sense something had happened. The lights from the entrance of the closed Holland Tunnel burned across town in the West, outside my window. I remembered that some of the tunnels and bridges had been closed or restricted. But I couldn't remember why. Eventually, the image of the pile of the World Trade Center in wreckage forces its way back into my consciousness and I am shocked all over again. Weep. This unspeakable, enormous tragedy, dissolves the differences between us. There is almost nothing but shared grief, mutual support, a desire to help and tremendous sacrifice. It may also be you learn the word "enemy" in a new way. I fervently hope, though, that what we, here, in this city have learned for each other-the fact, or sacred invention, of common humanity-will fly ahead, and in the face of, winds of hatred and prejudice; that tragedy not follow on tragedy, the concrete slabs of falling buildings. That we learn to recognize in the eyes of others, thousands of miles from here and different from us, our own needs, loves and terrors. They were office workers who died. Men and women with families. Not titans, but people. Let us not visit more tragedy on our own. For that is who 'they' are. Us. Let the new theater of war finally begin with empathy.


#41333 09/13/01 11:31 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Inselpeter, my heart weeps for you. Love. Perhaps your clearing air will be both local, and in another sense, worldwide, before too much longer. I hope.


#41334 09/13/01 01:29 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
For the past two days in Emails with friends and on this Board I have mentioned my deep anger and sorrow and that I did not know where to place it.
Today I recognized that the sorrow is really compassion for all who are and will suffer and what I felt was not anger but outrage ... outrage that has now turned to resolve.
To inselpeter and all here who were so close to this horror my heart goes out to you.

we are more united, more resolute to combat terrorism and terrorists, and more ready to do something about terrorism than we have ever been.
These quoted words from another post say it well.

We Americans may have been brought to our knees by the attack but we have prayed, each in our own way, and we rise like the Phoenix, stronger than before and filled with a profound resolve.

It is just the beginning of a long road and it is my hope and prayer that our government will move to a deliberate and thoughtful measure.
We cannot abandon our Constitution. That would be a real victory for those who are responsible for the attack.

Revenge has no room in my heart towards any peoples.
The *Powers that perpetrated or supported the attack must be identified and - with the help and support of all civilized nations - be rooted out and stopped once and for all.
This may be disjointed, especially for someone who spent so many years as a writer. Please forgive that and read this with kind eyes.



#41335 09/13/01 01:43 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Dear Kieva, I agree with you totally about the need for children to be counseled.
What the psychiatrist was talking about, I believe, was the effect of the relentless repitition of the *images on the very young children and that should be avoided, to guard against *deepening the trauma.
Am I making sense? {sigh-e}


#41336 09/13/01 01:48 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
I
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
I
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
<<'apologies'>>

It is very difficult to write coherently in these cirumstances. I admire the skill and resolve of those who can. Let us agree that in this thread, at least, such apologies are uncalled for.

Thank you, Wow, from everyone, I'm sure, for you caring thoughts.


#41337 09/13/01 01:54 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
we are seeing, here and elsewhere, how events like this can bring out the best in people. but it also brings out the worst (bomb threats at the pentagon??). do you need to be reminded of these things? maybe not, but.

Scam artists capitalize on tragedy
Spam urging Red Cross donations sends users to trick site
By Bob Sullivan
MSNBC

Sept. 13 — Consumer protection advocates are
warning Internet users that scam artists are
trying to take advantage of Tuesday’s terrorist
attacks. Spam solicitations have been sent out
urging Netizens to donate money to the Red
Cross or other relief organizations. But the
e-mails direct potential donors to private Web
sites apparently designed to steal credit card
numbers.



#41338 09/13/01 02:10 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Scam artists capitalize on tragedy

Apparently there were people going on ebay to sell pieces of the WTC building.
To their credit, ebay has announced it will not allow any offerings that try to take advantage of this terrible situation.


Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
this just in, 5 firemen have just been unearthed, alive.. 2 walked away on their own power, 3 needed to be assisted..


#41340 09/13/01 05:30 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 36
K
newbie
Offline
newbie
K
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 36
I've lived and gone to school in NYC, but have never been south of Houston. My only map of the city is pre-WTC days. Would you mind telling me exactly where it is--was--located? Thanks for you horrible/wonderful descriptions--there are no better people in the world than New Yorkers.


Page 8 of 13 1 2 6 7 8 9 10 12 13

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,322
Members9,182
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 453 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,535
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5