Saturday, September 30, 2006

President Bush's Weekly Radio Address

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In his weekly radio address President Bush said, "We do not create terrorism by fighting terrorism. The terrorists are at war against us because they hate everything America stands for, and because they know we stand in the way of their ambitions to take over the Middle East. We are fighting to stop them from taking over Iraq and turning that country into a safe haven that would be even more valuable than the one they lost in Afghanistan."

Blogger Beta Updates

In migrating Average Joe American to the new beta version of Blogger, the Blogspot host, several new features will be implemented over the coming weeks. One of these features, post labels, is in the process of being rolled into the site now. If you find a particular post interesting, you'll be able to click any one of the topic labels applied to the post for similar content from the site.

As I roll out some of the new features, those of you who subscribe via RSS aggregators (Bloglines, Thunderbird, et. al.) or via Squeet.com's email service may receive old content in your feeds. I don't expect this to affect many posts, but it has already affected two of which I'm aware. If you receive content that seems a little outdated, please check the post date, and bear with me while I implement these features that will make the site better for you.

Coming soon: a complete redesign of the site.

Thanks for your patience and continued support.

Joe

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Nothing Wrong?!?

It seems that the Doctor thinks there's no damage. After x-rays of both his knee and hip, my son has been sent home with nothing. The Doctor says maybe he got an infection of some sort in his hip, and it's giving him some discomfort.

This is the same Doctor that sent my son away with a blank diagnosis last time we rushed in to see him. Both times, he suggested we treat him with ibuprofin. Last time, we ended up going to the Emergency Room a few days later. If that happens this time, I won't be a happy camper, and that can be ugly.

It wasn't my sons usual Doctor, but one of his associates who had a cancellation in his schedule. Next time I think if we can't see his regular Doctor we'll go straight to the ER.

Joe

Knee or Hip?

My wife called with an update. They think my son's knee is okay. They seem to think that the problem is in his hip. They're doing x-rays now.

Joe

Knee Dislocation

Knee Dislocation:
"A knee dislocation occurs when the bones that form your knee are out of place.

The bones of your calf (the tibia and fibula) get moved compared to the bone of your thigh (femur). The bones of your knee are held together by strong bands of tissue, called ligaments. For a knee dislocation to happen, these bands have to tear."
My wife just left to take our three-year-old son to see the Doctor. he woke up several times throughout the night complaining that his leg hurt. He could still walk okay and didn't seem to be injured, so we assumed he must have slept on his leg and it was just asleep. We brought him to bed with us after repeated incidents, and he slept through the rest of the night.

This morning he woke up complaining that his knee hurt and walking with a limp, favoring his right leg. We checked for swelling, and it actually looks like he may have dislocated his knees somehow (that is my highly unqualified diagnosis -- and I hope I'm wrong). I can't think of anything he may have done to cause the dislocation, unless he took a rather nasty fall out of his bed last night, but normally something like that wakes me up instantly (I'm a very light sleeper).

If you have a moment today, and you'd say a prayer for the little guy, we would all greatly appreciate it. I'm sure he'll come through it all fine, but it's his first experience with any kind of real pain, and he's a little scared by it.

Joe

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

"New-clee-ar," not "Nuke-cule-ar"

From OpinionJournal

Best of the Web Today - September 21, 2006
By JAMES TARANTO

Michael Medved was among a group of talk show hosts who visited President Bush for an off-the-record briefing last week, and on his TownHall.com blog he describes the meeting. He ends with this:

*** QUOTE ***

Twice during his meandering conversation, the President deployed the word "nuclear." Both times, he pronounced it flawlessly--as "new-clee-ar," not "nuke-cule-ar." Considering the huge press attention on the mis-pronounciation [sic] of this single word, nothing shocked me more about meeting the president than hearing him, in private conservation, avoid a mistake for which he's become celebrated in public.

If he can say "nu-clee-ar" in private, why does he still say, "nuke-cule-ar" when he speaks on camera? Could it be possible that there's some mischievous intent here--that the President deliberately gives his own spin to the word just to provoke pompous pundits into paroxysms of supercilious rage? It seems like a far-fetched explanation, I'll admit, but after seeing the President's infectiously feisty mood this Friday, I wouldn't put it past him.

*** END QUOTE ***

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Music Review: A Thousand Different Ways by Clay Aiken

My wife got a new CD one week ago today: Clay Aiken's A Thousand Different Ways. There has been a great deal of hype over this CD, apparently, at least among the legions of Claymates out there (of which, I hope, my wife isn't one -- though I fear it may already be too late).

It's his first album in three years, and besides one or two original songs, the album is filled with remakes of love songs from the eighties (and maybe the nineties). Songs such as Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word by Elton John, Everything I Do (I Do It For You) br Bryan Adams (from the Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie), among others.

I'm not a big fan of Clay Aiken, but that's mostly because I'm not a big fan of pop music. In fact, lately I don't listen to much music of any kind at all. But I have heard the album (my wife listened to it several times online before it was even released, and there was no avoiding it). If I speak honestly, I would have to say that Aiken (or, as I often refer to him when teasing my wife: Achey-Breaky-Clay) does a respectable treatment of the songs on the album. While I probably would prefer the originals of the songs mentioned above, I think Clay Aiken does as well as the original on the majority of the rest of album, and probably better on one or two selections.

What fascinates me the most about this album is the Claymates. I can't think of any group of fans so loyal to their idol as these Claymates are since Elvis was causing the girls to swoon while he crooned. These fans eat, breathe, and live everything Clay. Don't believe me? Check out the Clay Aiken forums for yourself. It's like a cult of some kind.

Either way, if you've been wondering whether you would enjoy A Thousand Different Ways, you probably will. If you wouldn't enjoy it, you probably already know that .

Joe

And So It Goes

Alas, it didn't last for long, did it? Back up over the $2 mark, it looks like gasoline might be on the rise once again. I guess it was nice while it lasted.

Joe

Monday, September 25, 2006

$2 Gas Again?

Did you ever think you would see this again: gasoline below the $2.00 mark? Here it is, in living color, just as I saw it this morning on my drive to work.

Will it go back up? Or can it possibly go even lower? I'm sure it could do either. The question is, who will have the most influence on the price: Big Oil, Big Governmemt, or little consumers?

Only time will tell. Stay tuned. ...

Joe

Sunday, September 24, 2006

President Bush's Weekly Radio Address

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In his weekly radio address President Bush said, "All civilized nations, especially those in the Muslim world, are bound together in this struggle between moderation and extremism. By working together, we will roll back this grave threat to our way of life, we will help the people of the Middle East claim their freedom, and we will leave a safer and more hopeful world for our children and grandchildren."

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Reader Comments

Reader Comments on Constitution Day 2006:
Anonymous said...
How nice of you to post a tribute to the Constitution of the United States. It is truly an amazing document! I often refer to it as being Divinely inspired. While that may be a bit blasphemous, and probably not entirely accurate, the document is so near perfection that one must suspect that its authors and contributors had at least some guidance from our Creator.

It is an amazing, amazing document. It is the foundation of a kind of government that had never before existed. It represents a complete change-of-thought about man, and what his rights and life should be like. The idea that any man, chosen by his peers, could lead. The idea that all men should have a say in how they are governed. The idea that no line of men is �appointed by God� to lead, and that the king is a man just like any other.

People don't take time to learn history and see how truly amazing this step was for mankind.

Anyway, I'm glad you took time to mention it.

Toddler Basketball

My three-year-old son started his first attempt at organized sports yesterday: basketball. He's in a three- to five-year-old group at the local sports center.

My son is tall for his age, and of above-average intelligence (if you ask me), but he's still three. And he still has some of the hyperactivity of any three-year-old. He wants to do his own thing and doesn't completely understand the concept of a team yet. After forty-five minutes of dribbling and shooting lessons, they played a couple of five minutes games. My son kept asking where his ball went when there was suddenly only one ball on the court.

It's going to take time, of course, for him to get the idea of teamwork and how the game is played. It's going to be great fun, though!

Joe

SMS Post

I have a 4-day stretch @ work with lots of hours starting today. Posting may be slim.
Joe

Monday, September 18, 2006

Joel C. Rosenberg: Rosie and the Pope

JOEL C. ROSENBERG: MSNBC: ROSIE, THE POPE AND THE EPICENTER:
"Rosie O'Donnell declared this week that 'radical Christians' are as dangerous as 'radical Muslims.' The Pope, meanwhile, declared this week that radical Islam is 'evil' for trying to force people to follow Mohammed or be killed by the sword. Christians were understandably disappointed by Rosie, yet no violent protests have resulted so far as I know. Radical Muslims, on the other hand, are on a rampage, rioting throughout the Islamic world and even burning the Pope in effigy."
You know, I've never thought much of Rosie O'Donnell. I've never taken her seriously, and I don't believe anyone should. She started her path to fame as a stand-up comedian turned host of a show on then-fledgling music channel VH1. With an occassional movie stint on the way, she found stardom through her on talk show, before coming out of the closet, starring on Broadway, and becoming an adoptive "mother" with her "partner." Most recently, she's become the latest addition to The View, though I strongly suspect they won't keep her around for long.

So what can she possibly know about religion? I mean, to say that radical Christians (whatever, exactly, she means by that I don't know) are as bad as radical Muslims, she must know absolutely nothing about religion. She obviously doesn't know the difference between a Christian and a Muslim. Maybe she should crawl back into her closet and come back out when she has a clue.

Joe

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Constitution Day 2006

Constitution of the United States: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The Federal Convention convened in the State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. Because the delegations from only two states were at first present, the members adjourned from day to day until a quorum of seven states was obtained on May 25. Through discussion and debate it became clear by mid-June that, rather than amend the existing Articles, the Convention would draft an entirely new frame of government. All through the summer, in closed sessions, the delegates debated, and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution. Among the chief points at issue were how much power to allow the central government, how many representatives in Congress to allow each state, and how these representatives should be elected--directly by the people or by the state legislators. The work of many minds, the Constitution stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise.

Sunday, 17 September, marks the 219th anniversary of the Constitution's signing by our nation's Founders.

Joe

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Weekend With The Family

I have a long week coming up next week with a couple people on vacation. I'll be taking the weekend off from posting, trying to avoid too much time on the computer and my PDA, and spending it with my family. Check back on Monday, and have a great weekend!

Joe

President Bush's Weekly Radio Address

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In his weekly radio address President Bush said, "Congress is considering two vital pieces of legislation ... By passing these critical bills, we will bring terrorists to justice, continue collecting vital intelligence from captured terrorists in a lawful way, and monitor terrorist communications, so we can stop new attacks on our nation."

Thursday, September 14, 2006

"THR3E" Times Three

Book ReviewI've spent most of my life in the middle of reading one book or another. I've never thought to count them, but I've read probably thousands of books in my lifetime. There aren't many books that I've enjoyed so much that I've read them more than once, much less three times. In fact, I can think of only a few: Tolkien's The Hobbit, TheTalisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub, Black by Ted Dekker, and, having just completed it for the third time, THR3E by Ted Dekker.

THR3E is a psychological Christian thriller that should appeal to readers of every genre. There's a little suspense, a little horror, a little comedy, and lots of mystery. Imagine you're driving down the road and your cell phone rings. You answer only to be warned that in three minutes your car will be blown up unless you confess. Confess to what? You'll have to solve a riddle first. Ted Dekker takes you through the mind of Kevin Parson, a 28-year old seminary student with a past he isn't proud of. Yet this childhood comes back to haunt Kevin in a way only Dekker could dream up.

Dekker breaks the Christian fiction mold with this suspense-packed thriller. If I hadn't told you, you wouldn't even know it was Christian fiction.

THR3E will be released soon as a major motion picture. I strongly urge you to read the book now, then see the movie when it comes out. You won't be disappointed!

Joe

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Never Again

JOEL C. ROSENBERG: NEVER AGAIN:
"Today, I thank God for President Bush, for his Cabinet and advisors, and for the incredibly brave and dedicated and tireless men and women who are working 24/7/365 to defeat the forces of radical Islam and keep us safe. We are on offense, and it's working. We have gone 1,825 days without another major attack. That is no small thing. And I am grateful. The administration has not been perfect. It has made numerous mistakes, and it will make more. But this President understands the nature and threat of the evil we face, and we must constantly pray for him to have the courage to face it down consistently and relentlessly until victory. And we must pray for the right person to succeed him in 2009, someone who also fundamentally understands what we face and will continue to keep America on offense. For let us be clear: if we cut and run and refuse to win the war against radical Islam over there -- in the Middle East, in the heart of Islamic fascism -- then the jihadists are coming here to destroy everything we hold dear."

"This WAR is for Real!"

The following essay was written by a retired Major General from the U.S. Air Force. If you do a Google search on the Doctor, you will find him to be a retired Air Force Surgeon and past Commander of Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The same Google search will direct you to some of his other thought-provoking writings. If you would like to see who this fellow is, go to this Air Force website.
Muslims, Terrorists and the USA: A Different Spin On The Iraq War

This WAR is for REAL!
Dr. Vernon Chong, Major General, USAF, Retired
Tuesday, July 12, 2005

To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII). The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means.

First, let's examine a few basics:

1. When did the threat to us start?
Many will say September 11, 2001.
The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:
-Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979;
-Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983;
-Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983;
-Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988;
-First New York World Trade Center attack 1993;
-Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996;
-Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998;
-Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998;
-Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000;
-New York World Trade Center 2001;
-Pentagon 2001.
(Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide).
2. Why were we attacked?
Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocations by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter.
3. Who were the attackers?
In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims.
4. What is the Muslim population of the World?
25%.
5. Isn't the Muslim Religion peaceful?
Hopefully, but that is really not material. There is no doubt that the predominately Christian population of Germany was peaceful, But under the dictatorial leadership of Hitler (who was also Christian), that Made no difference. You either went along with the administration or you were eliminated. There were 5 to 6 million Christians killed by the Nazis for political reasons (including 7,000 Polish priests).

Thus, almost the same number of Christians were killed by the Nazis, as the six million holocaust Jews who were killed by them, and we seldom heard of anything other than the Jewish atrocities. Although Hitler kept the world focused on the Jews, he had no hesitancy about killing anyone who got in his way of exterminating the Jews or of taking over the world - German, Christian or any others. The same with the Muslim terrorists. They focus the world on the US, but kill all in the way--their own people or the Spanish, French or anyone else.

The point here is that just like the peaceful Germans were of no protection to anyone from the Nazis, no matter how many peaceful Muslims there may be, they are no protection for us from the terrorist Muslim leaders and what they are fanatically bent on doing by their own pronouncements--killing all of us "infidels." I don't blame the peaceful Muslims. What would you do if the choice was shut up or die?
6. So who are we at war with?
There is no way we can honestly respond that it is anyone other than the Muslim terrorists. Trying to be politically correct and avoid verbalizing this conclusion can well be fatal. There is no way to win if you don't clearly recognize and articulate who you are fighting.
So with that background, now to the two major questions:

1. Can we lose this war?

2. What does losing really mean?

If we are to win, we must clearly answer these two pivotal questions:

We can definitely lose this war, and as anomalous as it may sound, the major reason we can lose is that so many of us simply do not fathom the answer to the second question.

What does losing mean?

It would appear that a great many of us think that losing the war means hanging our heads, bringing the troops home and going on about our business, like post-Vietnam. This is as far from the truth as one can get.

What losing really means is:

We would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. Remember, they want us dead, not just quiet. If they had just wanted us quiet, they would not have produced an increasing series of attacks against us, over the past 18 years. The plan was, clearly, for terrorists to attack us until we were neutered and submissive to them.

We would, of course, have no future support from other nations, for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see; we are impotent and cannot help them.

They will pick off the other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. It will be increasingly easier for them. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops. Anything else they want Spain to do will be done. Spain is finished.

The next will probably be France. Our one hope on France is that they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, in that they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France. France is already 20% Muslim and fading fast!

If we lose the war, our production, income, exports and way of life will all vanish as we know it. After losing, who would trade or deal with us if they were threatened by the Muslims. If we can't stop the Muslim terrorists, how could anyone else?

The radical Muslims fully know what is riding on this war, and therefore are completely committed to winning, at any cost. We better know it too and be likewise committed to winning at any cost.

Why do I go on at such lengths about the results of losing?

Simple.

Until we recognize the costs of losing, we cannot unite and really put 100% of our thoughts and efforts into winning. And it is going to take that 100% effort to win.

So, how can we lose the war?

Again, the answer is simple. We can lose the war by "imploding." That is, defeating ourselves by refusing to recognize the enemy and their purpose, and really digging in and lending full support to the war effort. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. If we continue to be divided, there is no way that we can win!

Let me give you a few examples of how we simply don't comprehend the life and death seriousness of this situation.

President Bush selects Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation.

Although all of the terrorist attacks were committed by Muslim men between 17 and 40 years of age, Secretary Mineta refuses to allow profiling. Does that sound like we are taking this thing seriously?

This is war! For the duration, we are going to have to give up some of the civil rights we have become accustomed to. We had better be prepared to lose some of our civil rights temporarily or we will most certainly lose all of them permanently.

And don't worry that it is a slippery slope. We gave up plenty of civil rights during WWII, and immediately restored them after the victory and in fact added many more since then.

Do I blame President Bush or President Clinton before him?

No, I blame us for blithely assuming we can maintain all of our Political Correctness and all of our civil rights during this conflict and have a clean, lawful, honorable war. None of those words apply to war. Get them out of your head.

Some have gone so far in their criticism of the war and/or the Administration that it almost seems they would literally like to see us lose. I hasten to add that this isn't because they are disloyal. It is because they just don't recognize what losing means. Nevertheless, that conduct gives the impression to the enemy that we are divided and weakening. It concerns our friends, and it does great damage to our cause.

Of more recent vintage, the uproar fueled by the politicians and media regarding the treatment of some prisoners of war, perhaps exemplifies best what I am saying. We have recently had an issue, involving the treatment of a few Muslim prisoners of war, by a small group of our military police. These are the type prisoners who just a few months ago were throwing their own people off buildings, cutting off their hands, cutting out their tongues and otherwise murdering their own people just for disagreeing with Saddam Hussein.

And just a few years ago these same type prisoners chemically killed 400,000 of their own people for the same reason. They are also the same type of enemy fighters, who recently were burning Americans, and dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq. And still more recently, the same type of enemy that was and is providing videos to all news sources internationally, of the beheading of American prisoners they held.

Compare this with some of our press and politicians, who for several days have thought and talked about nothing else but the "humiliating" of some Muslim prisoners--not burning them, not dragging their charred corpses through the streets, not beheading them, but "humiliating" them.

Can this be for real?

The politicians and pundits have even talked of impeachment of the Secretary of Defense. If this doesn't show the complete lack of comprehension and understanding of the seriousness of the enemy we are fighting, the life and death struggle we are in and the disastrous results of losing this war, nothing can. To bring our country to a virtual political standstill over this prisoner issue makes us look like Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned--totally oblivious to what is going on in the real world. Neither we, nor any other country, can survive this internal strife.

Again I say, this does not mean that some of our politicians or media people are disloyal. It simply means that they are absolutely oblivious to the magnitude, of the situation we are in and into which the Muslim terrorists have been pushing us, for many years. Remember, the Muslim terrorists stated goal is to kill all infidels! That translates into ALL non-Muslims--not just in the United States, but throughout the world. We are the last bastion of defense.

We have been criticized for many years as being 'arrogant.' That charge is valid in at least one respect. We are arrogant in that we believe that we are so good, powerful and smart, that we can win the hearts and minds of all those who attack us, and that with both hands tied behind our back, we can defeat anything bad in the world! We can't! If we don't recognize this, our nation as we know it will not survive, and no other free country in the world will survive if we are defeated.

And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone--let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the world.

This has been a long way of saying that we must be united on this war or we will be equated in the history books to the self-inflicted fall of the Roman Empire. If, that is, the Muslim leaders will allow history books to be written or read.

If we don't win this war right now, keep a close eye on how the Muslims take over France in the next 5 years or less. They will continue to increase the Muslim population of France and continue to encroach little by little, on the established French traditions. The French will be fighting among themselves, over what should or should not be done, which will continue to weaken them and keep them from any united resolve. Doesn't that sound eerily familiar?

Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece. And they are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power. They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they then start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses. Will we ever stop hearing from the politically correct, about the "peaceful Muslims"?

I close on a hopeful note, by repeating what I said above. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. I hope now, after the election, the factions in our country will begin to focus on the critical situation we are in, and will unite to save our country. It is your future we are talking about! Do whatever you can to preserve it.

After reading the above, we all must do this not only for ourselves, but our children, our grandchildren, our country and the world. Whether Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal and that includes the Politicians and media of our country and the free world!

Please forward this to any you feel may want, or NEED to read it. Our "leaders" in Congress ought to read it, too. There are those that find fault with our country, but it is obvious to anyone who truly thinks through this, that we must UNITE!
(Used by the implied permission of the last paragraph.)

I do have one editorial comment. Early in this piece, the author describes Hitler as "Christian." I feel that this misconception -- this misunderstanding of the term Christian -- has gone a long way to contribute to the continued delcine of our society. Literally, the word "Christian" means "Christ-like." It has been and continues to be frequently and incorrectly used to label anyone that is not Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, etc. In fact, the mere absence of any other religious affiliation does not make one a Christian. The people of America are not Christians simply for being Americans. They are only Christian if they have professed a faith and belief in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Those who do not have such faith and belief are in no way "Christian." They can call themselves agnostic, or atheist, or anything else they want, but they cannot properly label themselves as Christians.

Joe

The Patriotic Shopper

I don't know if this is a true story, but maybe there should be more true stories like this one:
One of my sons serves in the military. He is stationed stateside, here in California. He called me yesterday to let me know how warm and welcoming people were to him and his troops everywhere they go. Telling me how people shake their hands and thank them for being willing to serve and fight, not only for our own freedoms but so that others may have them too.

Then he told me about an incident in the grocery store he stopped at yesterday, on his way home from the base.

He said that several people were in the line ahead of him, including a woman dressed in a burkha. He said when she got to the cashier, she made a loud remark about the U.S. Flag lapel pin the cashier wore on her smock. The cashier reached up and touched the pin and said, "Yes, I always wear it proudly, because I'm an American."

The woman in the burkha then asked the cashier when she was going to stop bombing her countrymen, explaining that she was Iraqi.

Then, a Gentleman standing behind my son stepped forward, putting his arm around my son's shoulders and nodding towards my son, said in a calm and gentle voice to the Iraqi woman, "Lady, hundreds of thousands of men and women like this young man have fought and died so that YOU could stand here, in MY country and accuse a check-out cashier of bombing YOUR countrymen. It is my belief that had you been this outspoken in YOUR own country, we wouldn't need to be there today. But, hey, if you have now learned how to speak out so loudly and clearly, I'll gladly buy you a ticket and pay your way back to Iraq, so you can straighten out the Mess in YOUR country, that you are obviously here in MY country to avoid."

Everyone within hearing distance cheered!

The Daily Gripe #34 - The Gripe Gripe

It's time for The Daily Gripe from Average Joe American

The fifth anniversary of the attacks of 9/11 has just passed. "Patriot Day," as it has now been officially proclaimed by President Bush. You wouldn't think there would be much else to gripe about, would you. I didn't think there would.

But I heard some pretty disturbing things as the day progressed. People complaining about all of the television coverage of memorial events, much of which was replaying the original news broadcasts from five years ago. I heard of one individual who turned his TV off because he was tired of hearing the names of the nearly three thousand victims being read again. I heard complaints that families of the first responders who gave their lives on that fateful day attempting to rescue victims from the rubble were not "being taken care of" by the government. And a day doesn't go by when you don't hear someone complaining about the current war in Iraq.

That really, really gripes me! Come on, America!

First, we remember such things as September 11th and December 7th for a reason! Failure to learn the lessons of our past dooms us to make the same mistakes again! Remembering such tragedies by honoring the victims keeps us painfully aware of what the cost of ignorance could be, and makes us much less likely to be victimized in such a way again. This is why there have been no major terror attacks on the U.S. in the past five years!

Second, if you're tired of hearing the names of the victims repeated again and again, turn off you're TV. Fine! You're an American. You have that right. Just remember why you have that right! Because somebody died fighting to defend it.

Third, and this one can be touchy, but let the families of those first responders speak for themselves. I served eight years in the Army. My father served in the Army. My brother served in the Marines and continues to serve as a Police Chief. Why? For the same reason that those first responders were willing to lay down their lives for their fellow Americans. Because we are Americans, and that's what Americans do. We stand strong. We stand together -- united. We fight for what we believe in, even at the risk of losing our own lives. We don't serve so that someone will "take care of" our families when we're gone. That would be nice. It might, in fact, be proper. But it isn't a condition, or even a motivation, for serving. If you haven't served -- and those whom I heard complaining haven't -- I have two words for you: SHUT UP! Until you understand what serving your country is all about, mind your own business.

Thank You!

Joe

Monday, September 11, 2006

9/11 Remembered - Never Forget!

And the rest is history, some of which is still in the making. Our world has changed, and will never be the same. Every American, everywhere in the world, was affected by the events of that day. But we didn't give up. We didn't give in. We didn't allow those animals to have the last word. We didn't forget.

For those who were lost on that day. For those who became heroes on that day. For those who have been lost defending freedom since that day.

We will never forget.

Click here to read the full 9/11 content posted today.

Joe

9/11 Remembered - 10:49 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:49 pm (Indiana East)

NBC News just reported that the stopped van did not contain any explosives.

Also, the FBI has the name of a possible suspect, but they haven't released any information.

9/11 Remembered - 10:05 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:05 pm (Indiana East)

CBS News just reported that the FBI arrested two men with a truck full of explosives on the George Washington Bridge in Washington, D.C. They don't know if it has any connection with the plane crashes.

President's Address to the Nation - 9/11/2006

President's Address to the Nation:

Five years later, President Bush addresses the nation on the anniversary of 9/11.
The Oval Office

9:01 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Five years ago, this date -- September the 11th -- was seared into America's memory. Nineteen men attacked us with a barbarity unequaled in our history. They murdered people of all colors, creeds, and nationalities -- and made war upon the entire free world. Since that day, America and her allies have taken the offensive in a war unlike any we have fought before. Today, we are safer, but we are not yet safe. On this solemn night, I've asked for some of your time to discuss the nature of the threat still before us, what we are doing to protect our nation, and the building of a more hopeful Middle East that holds the key to peace for America and the world.

On 9/11, our nation saw the face of evil. Yet on that awful day, we also witnessed something distinctly American: ordinary citizens rising to the occasion, and responding with extraordinary acts of courage. We saw courage in office workers who were trapped on the high floors of burning skyscrapers -- and called home so that their last words to their families would be of comfort and love. We saw courage in passengers aboard Flight 93, who recited the 23rd Psalm -- and then charged the cockpit. And we saw courage in the Pentagon staff who made it out of the flames and smoke -- and ran back in to answer cries for help. On this day, we remember the innocent who lost their lives -- and we pay tribute to those who gave their lives so that others might live.

For many of our citizens, the wounds of that morning are still fresh. I've met firefighters and police officers who choke up at the memory of fallen comrades. I've stood with families gathered on a grassy field in Pennsylvania, who take bittersweet pride in loved ones who refused to be victims -- and gave America our first victory in the war on terror. I've sat beside young mothers with children who are now five years old -- and still long for the daddies who will never cradle them in their arms. Out of this suffering, we resolve to honor every man and woman lost. And we seek their lasting memorial in a safer and more hopeful world.

Since the horror of 9/11, we've learned a great deal about the enemy. We have learned that they are evil and kill without mercy -- but not without purpose. We have learned that they form a global network of extremists who are driven by a perverted vision of Islam -- a totalitarian ideology that hates freedom, rejects tolerance, and despises all dissent. And we have learned that their goal is to build a radical Islamic empire where women are prisoners in their homes, men are beaten for missing prayer meetings, and terrorists have a safe haven to plan and launch attacks on America and other civilized nations. The war against this enemy is more than a military conflict. It is the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st century, and the calling of our generation.

Our nation is being tested in a way that we have not been since the start of the Cold War. We saw what a handful of our enemies can do with box-cutters and plane tickets. We hear their threats to launch even more terrible attacks on our people. And we know that if they were able to get their hands on weapons of mass destruction, they would use them against us. We face an enemy determined to bring death and suffering into our homes. America did not ask for this war, and every American wishes it were over. So do I. But the war is not over -- and it will not be over until either we or the extremists emerge victorious. If we do not defeat these enemies now, we will leave our children to face a Middle East overrun by terrorist states and radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons. We are in a war that will set the course for this new century -- and determine the destiny of millions across the world.

For America, 9/11 was more than a tragedy -- it changed the way we look at the world. On September the 11th, we resolved that we would go on the offense against our enemies, and we would not distinguish between the terrorists and those who harbor or support them. So we helped drive the Taliban from power in Afghanistan. We put al Qaeda on the run, and killed or captured most of those who planned the 9/11 attacks, including the man believed to be the mastermind, Khalid Sheik Mohammed. He and other suspected terrorists have been questioned by the Central Intelligence Agency, and they provided valuable information that has helped stop attacks in America and across the world. Now these men have been transferred to Guantanamo Bay, so they can be held to account for their actions. Osama bin Laden and other terrorists are still in hiding. Our message to them is clear: No matter how long it takes, America will find you, and we will bring you to justice.

On September the 11th, we learned that America must confront threats before they reach our shores, whether those threats come from terrorist networks or terrorist states. I'm often asked why we're in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was not responsible for the 9/11 attacks. The answer is that the regime of Saddam Hussein was a clear threat. My administration, the Congress, and the United Nations saw the threat -- and after 9/11, Saddam's regime posed a risk that the world could not afford to take. The world is safer because Saddam Hussein is no longer in power. And now the challenge is to help the Iraqi people build a democracy that fulfills the dreams of the nearly 12 million Iraqis who came out to vote in free elections last December.

Al Qaeda and other extremists from across the world have come to Iraq to stop the rise of a free society in the heart of the Middle East. They have joined the remnants of Saddam's regime and other armed groups to foment sectarian violence and drive us out. Our enemies in Iraq are tough and they are committed -- but so are Iraqi and coalition forces. We're adapting to stay ahead of the enemy, and we are carrying out a clear plan to ensure that a democratic Iraq succeeds.

We're training Iraqi troops so they can defend their nation. We're helping Iraq's unity government grow in strength and serve its people. We will not leave until this work is done. Whatever mistakes have been made in Iraq, the worst mistake would be to think that if we pulled out, the terrorists would leave us alone. They will not leave us alone. They will follow us. The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad. Osama bin Laden calls this fight "the Third World War" -- and he says that victory for the terrorists in Iraq will mean America's "defeat and disgrace forever." If we yield Iraq to men like bin Laden, our enemies will be emboldened; they will gain a new safe haven; they will use Iraq's resources to fuel their extremist movement. We will not allow this to happen. America will stay in the fight. Iraq will be a free nation, and a strong ally in the war on terror.

We can be confident that our coalition will succeed because the Iraqi people have been steadfast in the face of unspeakable violence. And we can be confident in victory because of the skill and resolve of America's Armed Forces. Every one of our troops is a volunteer, and since the attacks of September the 11th, more than 1.6 million Americans have stepped forward to put on our nation's uniform. In Iraq, Afghanistan, and other fronts in the war on terror, the men and women of our military are making great sacrifices to keep us safe. Some have suffered terrible injuries -- and nearly 3,000 have given their lives. America cherishes their memory. We pray for their families. And we will never back down from the work they have begun.

We also honor those who toil day and night to keep our homeland safe, and we are giving them the tools they need to protect our people. We've created the Department of Homeland Security. We have torn down the wall that kept law enforcement and intelligence from sharing information. We've tightened security at our airports and seaports and borders, and we've created new programs to monitor enemy bank records and phone calls. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement and intelligence professionals, we have broken up terrorist cells in our midst and saved American lives.

Five years after 9/11, our enemies have not succeeded in launching another attack on our soil, but they've not been idle. Al Qaeda and those inspired by its hateful ideology have carried out terrorist attacks in more than two dozen nations. And just last month, they were foiled in a plot to blow up passenger planes headed for the United States. They remain determined to attack America and kill our citizens -- and we are determined to stop them. We'll continue to give the men and women who protect us every resource and legal authority they need to do their jobs.

In the first days after the 9/11 attacks I promised to use every element of national power to fight the terrorists, wherever we find them. One of the strongest weapons in our arsenal is the power of freedom. The terrorists fear freedom as much as they do our firepower. They are thrown into panic at the sight of an old man pulling the election lever, girls enrolling in schools, or families worshiping God in their own traditions. They know that given a choice, people will choose freedom over their extremist ideology. So their answer is to deny people this choice by raging against the forces of freedom and moderation. This struggle has been called a clash of civilizations. In truth, it is a struggle for civilization. We are fighting to maintain the way of life enjoyed by free nations. And we're fighting for the possibility that good and decent people across the Middle East can raise up societies based on freedom and tolerance and personal dignity.

We are now in the early hours of this struggle between tyranny and freedom. Amid the violence, some question whether the people of the Middle East want their freedom, and whether the forces of moderation can prevail. For 60 years, these doubts guided our policies in the Middle East. And then, on a bright September morning, it became clear that the calm we saw in the Middle East was only a mirage. Years of pursuing stability to promote peace had left us with neither. So we changed our policies, and committed America's influence in the world to advancing freedom and democracy as the great alternatives to repression and radicalism.

With our help, the people of the Middle East are now stepping forward to claim their freedom. From Kabul to Baghdad to Beirut, there are brave men and women risking their lives each day for the same freedoms that we enjoy. And they have one question for us: Do we have the confidence to do in the Middle East what our fathers and grandfathers accomplished in Europe and Asia? By standing with democratic leaders and reformers, by giving voice to the hopes of decent men and women, we're offering a path away from radicalism. And we are enlisting the most powerful force for peace and moderation in the Middle East: the desire of millions to be free.

Across the broader Middle East, the extremists are fighting to prevent such a future. Yet America has confronted evil before, and we have defeated it -- sometimes at the cost of thousands of good men in a single battle. When Franklin Roosevelt vowed to defeat two enemies across two oceans, he could not have foreseen D-Day and Iwo Jima -- but he would not have been surprised at the outcome. When Harry Truman promised American support for free peoples resisting Soviet aggression, he could not have foreseen the rise of the Berlin Wall -- but he would not have been surprised to see it brought down. Throughout our history, America has seen liberty challenged, and every time, we have seen liberty triumph with sacrifice and determination.

At the start of this young century, America looks to the day when the people of the Middle East leave the desert of despotism for the fertile gardens of liberty, and resume their rightful place in a world of peace and prosperity. We look to the day when the nations of that region recognize their greatest resource is not the oil in the ground, but the talent and creativity of their people. We look to the day when moms and dads throughout the Middle East see a future of hope and opportunity for their children. And when that good day comes, the clouds of war will part, the appeal of radicalism will decline, and we will leave our children with a better and safer world.

On this solemn anniversary, we rededicate ourselves to this cause. Our nation has endured trials, and we face a difficult road ahead. Winning this war will require the determined efforts of a unified country, and we must put aside our differences and work together to meet the test that history has given us. We will defeat our enemies. We will protect our people. And we will lead the 21st century into a shining age of human liberty.

Earlier this year, I traveled to the United States Military Academy. I was there to deliver the commencement address to the first class to arrive at West Point after the attacks of September the 11th. That day I met a proud mom named RoseEllen Dowdell. She was there to watch her son, Patrick, accept his commission in the finest Army the world has ever known. A few weeks earlier, RoseEllen had watched her other son, James, graduate from the Fire Academy in New York City. On both these days, her thoughts turned to someone who was not there to share the moment: her husband, Kevin Dowdell. Kevin was one of the 343 firefighters who rushed to the burning towers of the World Trade Center on September the 11th -- and never came home. His sons lost their father that day, but not the passion for service he instilled in them. Here is what RoseEllen says about her boys: "As a mother, I cross my fingers and pray all the time for their safety -- but as worried as I am, I'm also proud, and I know their dad would be, too."

Our nation is blessed to have young Americans like these -- and we will need them. Dangerous enemies have declared their intention to destroy our way of life. They're not the first to try, and their fate will be the same as those who tried before. Nine-Eleven showed us why. The attacks were meant to bring us to our knees, and they did, but not in the way the terrorists intended. Americans united in prayer, came to the aid of neighbors in need, and resolved that our enemies would not have the last word. The spirit of our people is the source of America's strength. And we go forward with trust in that spirit, confidence in our purpose, and faith in a loving God who made us to be free.

Thank you, and may God bless you.

END 9:18 P.M. EDT

Patriot Day, 2006

Patriot Day, 2006

President Bush proclaims September 11 "Patriot Day."
Patriot Day, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

On the fifth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, we recall the fire and horror at the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field. America will always remember the thousands of innocent lives taken by the enemies of freedom that morning.

In the face of these unspeakable attacks, we were reminded that the great strength of America is found in the hearts and souls of our citizens. We witnessed firefighters, police officers, other public safety officials, and ordinary Americans demonstrate extraordinary courage, risking their lives to save innocent victims. We saw our country united in compassion as Americans came together to provide relief and bring hope to others.

Today, America is fighting a war that is testing our Nation's resolve. We are once again answering history's call with confidence, and we know that freedom will prevail. Our brave men and women in uniform have stepped forward to fight our enemies abroad so that we do not have to face them here at home, and we are grateful for the courageous individuals bringing terrorists to justice around the world.

We are also confronting the extremists in the great ideological struggle of the 21st century. September the 11th made clear that, in the long run, the only way to secure our Nation is to advance liberty and democracy as the great alternatives to repression and radicalism. By working together with our friends and allies, we are helping spread the blessings of freedom and laying the foundations of peace for generations to come.

The events of September 11, 2001, will always be a defining moment in our history. We hold the victims and their families in our hearts, and we lift them up in our prayers.

By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2006, as Patriot Day. I call upon the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half staff on Patriot Day. I also call upon the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and remembrance services, to display the flag at half staff from their homes on that day, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent Americans and people from around the world who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

9/11 Remembered - 6:10 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 6:10 pm (Indiana East)

They just reported on the local news that one Amoco station in town is charging $4.50 a gallon for regular unleaded.

9/11 Remembered - 5:57 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 5:57 pm (Indiana East)

I just walked outside and looked at the sign for the Speedway gas station about a block away. Their price for unleaded has gone up from $1.39 to $1.99 since 3 pm.

9/11 Remembered - 5:32 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 5:32 pm (Indiana East)

A "high-ranking U.S. Official" has denied U.S. responsibility for the missile attacks in Afghanistan. NBC has identified that official as working in the Pentagon and the CIA.

9/11 Remembered - 5:15 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 5:15 pm (Indiana East)

Another building the World Trade Center, number 7, collapsed at 4:30 this afternoon.

9/11 Remembered - 5:08 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 5:08 pm (Indiana East)

They are now reporting on NBC News what appears to be missile attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan, the seat of power in that country. Bin Laden is believed to be in Afghanistan, and there is unconfirmed speculation that the attacks could be American retaliation for today's attacks in New York and Washington.

9/11 Remembered - 4:47 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 4:47 pm (Indiana East)

A fax I sent to my wife at work:
There was just a report on the news showing some gas prices in Indianapolis as high as $4.00 a gallon. They said the Shell station just raised their prices to $2.00 a gallon. They did say that it should only last for a couple of days, and that most places in Indiana have not raised their prices yet.
From USAToday.com:
Oil prices surge after attack on U.S.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices surged Tuesday after aircraft attacks destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon in a terror attack on the United States. London Brent Blend futures hit a peak of $31.05 a barrel, its highest level since December last year, before closing at $29.06, up $1.61 or nearly 6% on the day. "This has heightened uncertainties around the Middle East," said Tim Noest of brokers ADM in London. "Brent just went through the roof." The attacks presented no immediate threat to world oil supplies, but dealers said investors had been forced into the market because of the uncertainty surrounding the attacks, and because commodities presented a safe haven for jittery equity investors. U.S. President George W. Bush called the deliberate aerial assaults an "apparent terrorist attack," and traders said there was speculation they could be linked to the recent explosion of violence in the Middle East between Palestinians and Israel. Early speculation about the source of the attacks centered on Saudi-born dissident Osama bin-Laden. U.S. companies unable to trade on the New York Mercantile Exchange, which closed after the attacks, had funneled their purchases through London's International Petroleum Exchange. "We're seeing a flood of orders which have been exacerbated by the close of the New York exchange. International tension means oil up, gold up," said broker Christopher Bellew of Prudential Bache in London. The Secretary-General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Ali Rodriguez said that the Arab-dominated cartel would ensure world oil supplies and price stability. "OPEC member countries are committed to their promises to guarantee sufficient oil supplies and their policy of strengthening market stability," Rodriguez said after the attacks. "Furthermore OPEC's members are prepared to use their spare capacity, if deemed necessary, to achieve these goals." Rodriguez said there was no chance that any cartel members would threaten to use oil as an economic weapon in the Middle East situation. OPEC is due to meet on September 26 and had been expected to leave oil supplies unchanged after cutting output from the beginning of the month by a million barrels a day. Rodriguez said OPEC countries had substantial spare production capacity and were prepared to use it in order to achieve their goals.

9/11 Remembered - 4:35 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 4:35 pm (Indiana East)

From WorldNet Daily online:
DAY OF INFAMY 2001

FBI seizes 911 tape

Recording may have information about downed United flight

The FBI has seized tape of an emergency cell-phone call from a man locked in the bathroom of a Boeing 757, minutes before the passenger jet plowed into a strip mine in Somerset County, Pa., earlier today. The call was received by the Westmoreland County 911 about 9:58 a.m. and claimed the plane had been hijacked. Westmoreland immediately alerted the Federal Aviation Administration. Upon hearing of the tape, the FBI arrived "quite rapidly," according to Daniel Stevens, the emergency service's public information officer. WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh first reported the existence of the tape from the Newark-to-San Francisco United Airlines flight. "We're not releasing any information on the tape," said Stevens, who confirmed that the FBI had taken possession of the recording. The FBI is treating the crash site as a crime scene, according to WTAE, and FAA investigators are en route from Chicago and will be taken by bus to the scene at Stonycreek Township, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh. Rumors abound about the downing of the plane, including some fingering the U.S. military in shooting down the flight. "It makes sense if you think about it," said WTAE Assignment Editor Peggy Drazal, who's been fielding a wide assortment of scenarios since the disaster. "Why would terrorists down the plane in the woods when bigger targets are around?" Another angle, Drazal said, is that the pilot may have resisted the hijackers' aim and downed the plane before it could cause any damage beyond the loss of the 45 passengers onboard. Westmoreland County 911 is planning to release further details about the FBI's seizure of the tape later tonight.
The AP is now reporting that approximately 100 people were killed in the Pentagon attack.

From wthitv.com:
Gas Prices

9/11/2001

Gas stations in the Wabash Valley and across the nation are dealing with long lines in response to today's attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Many stations in central Indiana have long lines of people waiting to purchase gas. Prices range from a 'normal' $1.39 per gallon up to $3.59 per gallon. Greg Seiter with the AAA Hoosier Motor Club says his office has received reports of gas prices rising to three or four dollars a gallon in some Indiana cities. But The Associated Press has not been able to confirm such high prices in the state at this time. Seiter believes motorists are reacting to the rise in crude oil prices in overseas trading. He says shortly after this morning's attacks, those prices rose to 30 dollars a barrel. Seiter says crude oil prices account for about 70 percent of the pretax price of gasoline.

9/11 Remembered - 2:03 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 2:03 pm (Indiana East)

American Airlines Statement on Plane Crashes:
The Associated Press

September 11, 2001

American Airlines confirmed today that it lost two aircraft in tragic incidents this morning. American said the flights were Flight 11, a Boeing 767 en route from Boston to Los Angeles with 81 passengers, nine flight attendants and two pilots; and Flight 77, a Boeing 757 operating from Washington Dulles to Los Angeles with 58 passengers, four flight attendants and two pilots.
Because of the heightened security due to the nature of todays events, American said it is working closely with U.S. government authorities and will not release more information at this time. The government has shut down the entire air traffic system in the United States. American, TWA and American Eagle will not operate. "We are horrified by these tragic events," said Donald J. Carty, chairman and CEO of American Airlines. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of all involved." Media calls should be directed to the FBI. Customers who wish to receive information about relatives should call Americans response number at 1-800-245-0999.
United Airlines Statement on Plane Crashes:
The Associated Press

September 11, 2001

A statement issued by United Airlines on the crash of Flight 93 near Pittsburgh and Flight 175 in a location that was not immediately disclosed:
United Airlines has now confirmed that two of its aircraft have crashed.
- UA 93, a Boeing 757 aircraft, departed from Newark, N.J. at 8:01 a.m. local time, bound for San Francisco, with 38 passengers on board, two pilots, five flight attendants.
- UA 175, a Boeing 767 aircraft, departed from Boston at 7:58 a.m. local time, bound for Los Angeles, with 56 passengers on board, two pilots and seven flight attendants.
United has confirmed it will dispatch a team to Johnstown, Pa., as soon as possible to assist, in every way possible, with the investigation and to provide assistance to the family members. "Our thoughts are with the passengers, employees and family members of those involved. Todays events are a tragedy and our prayers are with everyone at this time," said James E. Goodwin, Uniteds CEO. Goodwin said United is working with all the relevant authorities involved in todays events and will provide further information as soon as it is available. Friends or family members who want more information about UA 93 or UA 175 should contact 1-800-932-8555. United also will post any information it has on its Web site, www.united.com.

9/11 Remembered - 1:03 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 1:03 pm (Indiana East)

Following is the transcript of President Bush's speech on today's plane crashes. Bush was speaking from Sarasota, Fla.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a difficult moment for America. I unfortunately will be going back to Washington after my remarks. Secretary Rod Paige and the lieutenant governor will take the podium and discuss education. I do want to thank the folks here at the Booker Elementary School for their hospitality. Today we've had a national tragedy. Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country. I have spoken to the vice president, to the governor of New York, to the director of the FBI, and I've ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help the victims and their families and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed this act. Terrorism against our nation will not stand.

And now if you join me in a moment of silence.

May God bless the victims, their families and America. Thank you very much.
Following is the transcript of President Bush's second comments on today's plane crashes. Bush spoke from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended. I want to reassure the American people that the full resources of the federal government are working to assist local authorities to save lives and to help the victims of these attacks. Make no mistake: The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts. I've been in regular contact with the vice president, secretary of defense, the national security team and my Cabinet. We have taken all appropriate security precautions to protect the American people. Our military at home and around the world is on high-alert status and we have taken the necessary security precautions to continue the functions of your government. We have been in touch with the leaders of Congress and with world leaders to assure them that we will do whatever is necessary to protect America and Americans. I ask the American people to join me in saying a thanks for all the folks who have been fighting hard to rescue our fellow citizens and to join me in saying a prayer for the victims and their families. The resolve of our great nation is being tested. But make no mistake: We will show the world that we will pass this test.

God bless.

9/11 Remembered - 12:50 pm

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 12:50 pm (Indiana East)

It has just been pointed out by Tim Russert of NBC News that all four of the hi-jacked airplanes involved in today's incidents were en route to California, which means they were all full of fuel, effectively making them very deadly bombs.

9/11 Remembered - 11:16 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 11:16 am (Indiana East)

The Navy is dispatching two aircraft carriers to be stationed off the shores of New York.

9/11 Remembered - 11:12 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 11:12 am (Indiana East)

From CNN online:
Terror attacks hit U.S.
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Terrorists struck the United States Tuesday morning in harrowing, widespread attacks that included at least three commercial jet crashes into significant buildings.
- In the first attack, a plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan shortly before 9 a.m., followed by another plane into the second tower about 20 minutes later. Both towers later collapsed.
- About an hour later, a plane crashed into the Pentagon, part of which later collapsed.
- American Airlines told CNN that it lost two planes in "tragic accidents:" Flight 11 from Boston with 81 passengers and 11 crew aboard and Flight 77 from Washington Dulles airport with 58 passengers and six crew aboard. Both planes were en route to Los Angeles
- United Airlines Flight 93 airliner headed from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, crashed near Somerset, Pennsylvania -- police said initial reports indicated no survivors. United also confirmed the crash of Flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles.
- The Pentagon, the White House, the State Department, the Justice Department, the Capitol, the CIA and all other government buildings in Washington evacuated.
- President Bush canceled an appearance in Florida to return to Washington, calling the crashes "apparent terrorist attacks" and "a national tragedy."
- In the first ever national ground stop of aircraft, all flights nationwide have been stopped at their departure airports.
- All international flights were diverted to Canada.
- In New York, more than 10,000 rescue personnel rushed to the scene. The entire downtown area of Manhattan was evacuated as far north as Rockefeller Center, according to an official at an emergency command post.
- Israel has evacuated all its missions around the world.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta was evacuated. CDC was preparing bioterrorism teams in case they become necessary.
- Philadelphia landmarks were also evacuated.
- In Chicago, the Sears Tower was evacuated; United Nations in New York evacuated.
- The New York Port Authority said it had closed all bridges and tunnels into the city.
- U.S. stock markets were closed after the New York attacks.
- NATO sent home all nonessential personnel from its Brussels, Belgium, headquarters.
- Border between the United States and Mexico closed.

9/11 Remembered - 11:08 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 11:08 am (Indiana East)

From the San Francisco Chronicle online:
Large plane crashes in Pennsylvania; unclear if it is related to day of attacks
A large plane crashed Tuesday morning just north of the Somerset County Airport, airport and county emergency officials said. The plane, believed to be a 747 jumbo jet, crashed about 10 a.m. about eight miles east of Jennerstown, according to county 911 dispatchers, WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh reported. Officials weren't saying what airline was involved. It was unclear if the crash was related to the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington. Sean Cavanaugh, a commissioner in neighboring Fayette County, said his emergency management director, Barney Shipley, advised him that the plane originated in either Cleveland or New York and was bound for Chicago, WPXI reported. Contrary to earlier reports of the plane being a 767, Cavanaugh said he was told the airplane was a Boeing 747, the largest passenger jet flown domestically. The Somerset County airport, about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, is a small, rural facility that does not handle such aircraft. Because of the attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration had ordered all departing flights canceled nationwide, and any planes already in the air were to land at the nearest airport. The plane crashed shortly after the order was issued. It was not immediately known if the 747 might have been trying to land at the Somerset County airport when the crash occurred. The crash came the same morning that terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center in New York City and the twin 110-story towers collapsed. Explosions also rocked the Pentagon and the State Department and spread fear across the nation. There were no other immediate details on the Pennsylvania crash.
Also from the San Francisco Chronicle online:
Wall Street comes to halt on World Trade Center plane crash
The U.S. financial markets came to a halt Tuesday after two separate planes crashed into the World Trade Center and similar assaults occurred in Washington in what President Bush called an apparent terrorist attack. The Securities and Exchange Commission said all exchanges had decided to close. The announcement followed a suspension of trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market. The American Stock Exchange had already decided to close for the day. "As a safety precaution while the tragic events of today are sorted out, the securities markets have decided not to open for trading today," SEC chairman Harvey Pitt said in a statement. "We strongly support that decision." It was unclear when trading would resume. Many of the nation's investment firms have at least some of their operations in the World Trade Center or surrounding buildings, possibly limiting their ability to restart quickly. And the New York Mercantile Exchange, where energy futures are traded, is located in the nearby World Financial Center. The reports of the Tuesday morning attacks on the State Department and on the Pentagon in Washington and the collapse of both of the World Trade Center skyscrapers added to the paralysis and terror already engulfing the financial district. "The two explosions were incredible and at the point of explosions all you could see outside were personal belongings and office supplies raining outside," said Bob Rendine, an American Stock Exchange spokesman, whose office is down the block from the NYSE. "We're staying here. We think it's safer to stay inside then go outside at this point." Much of the downtown district, including the World Trade Center and the World Financial Center, was evacuated. It was also difficult to make phone calls to the downtown business district and throughout Manhattan. Thousands of companies sent their employees home for the day, putting tens of thousands of New Yorkers into the streets after public transportation was shut down as a precaution against further attacks. Business and trading in other parts of the country also were affected. The Chicago Board of Trade also suspended all trading effective, 10:15 a.m. Overseas, the London Stock Exchange evacuated its building but said trade will continue from an alternate site. The Toronto Stock Exchange ended its trading in midmorning. Around the country and world, the investment community was focused on the fate of people working in the World Trade Center affected by the apparent terrorist attacks. There were reports of people jumping out of buildings. "I'm just worried about people who are there," said Robert Harrington, head of listed block trading at UBS Warburg's office in Connecticut.

9/11 Remembered - 11:05 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 11:05 am (Indiana East)

From the London Times online:
Attacks celebrated in West Bank
Thousands of Palestinians celebrated today's terror attacks in the United States, chanting "God is Great" and distributing candy to passersby, even as their leader, Yassir Arafat, said he was horrified. The US Government has become increasingly unpopular in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the past year, with many Palestinians accusing Washington of siding with Israel. In the West Bank town of Nablus, about 3,000 people poured into the street shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the government targets in Washington. Demonstrators distributed candy in a traditional gesture of celebration. Several Palestinian gunmen shot in the air, while other marchers carried Palestinian flags. Nawal Abdel Fatah, 48, wearing a long black dress, threw sweets in the air, saying she was happy because "America is the head of the snake, America always stands by Israel in its war against us". Her daughter Maysoon, 22, said she hoped the next attack would be launched against Tel Aviv. In traditionally Arab East Jerusalem, there was a smaller gathering of about two dozen people, many of them young children led in chants by adults. Some drivers passing the scene honked their horns and flashed victory signs from their windows. Mr Arafat and his top advisers huddled at his seaside office in Gaza City, watching the events unfold on television. Mr Arafat later emerged to speak to reporters. "We are completely shocked. Its unbelievable," he said. "We completely condemn this very dangerous attack, and I convey my condolences to the American people, to the American President and to the American Administration, not only in my name but on behalf of the Palestinian people." In the West Bank, meanwhile, the leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) denied his group was involved in the attacks. Qais Abdel Rahim was reacting to reports that two Arab satellite stations in the Gulf had received anonymous claims of responsibility on behalf of the DFLP, a radical faction of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. Mr Abdel Rahim said his group condemned the attacks.

9/11 Remembered - 10:52 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:52 am (Indiana East)

More news:
Palestinians in Lebanon fire with joy at anti-US attacks
AIN AL-HELWEH, Lebanon, Sept 11 (AFP) -Dozens of Palestinian refugees fired into the air with joy Tuesday at news of apparent anti-US terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, AFP correspondents witnessed. Guerrillas in military fatigues from various factions fired assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades into the air in the Ain al-Helweh refugee camp at the outskirts of the southern port city of Sidon, one correspondent said. Camp residents, some still in pajamas, interrupted afternoon rests to rush down to the streets and fire assault rifles into the air, they said. At the Shatila refugee camp in Beirut, Palestinian fighters also went out to the streets as soon as they heard the news from their television sets to fire into the air with joy, an AFP correspondent said.
Authorities say the only terrorist organization in the world capable of mounting such an attack is the organization of Ussamah Bin Laden. He is supposedly hiding out in Afghanistan. He is on the FBI's ten most-wanted list:
MURDER OF U.S. NATIONALS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES; CONSPIRACY TO MURDER U.S. NATIONALS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES; ATTACK ON A FEDERAL FACILITY RESULTING IN DEATH

USAMA BIN LADEN


Aliases: Usama Bin Muhammad Bin Ladin, Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin, the Prince, the Emir, Abu Abdallah, Mujahid Shaykh, Hajj, the Director

DESCRIPTION

Date of Birth: 1957
Hair: Brown
Place of Birth: Saudi Arabia
Eyes: Brown
Height: 6' 4" to 6' 6"
Complexion: Olive
Weight: Approximately 160 pounds
Sex: Male
Build: Thin
Nationality: Saudi Arabian
Occupations: Unknown
Remarks: Leader of a terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda "The Base".
He walks with a cane.
Scars and Marks: None

CAUTION

USAMA BIN LADEN IS WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE AUGUST 7, 1998, BOMBINGS OF THE UNITED STATES EMBASSIES IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA AND NAIROBI, KENYA. THESE ATTACKS KILLED OVER 200 PEOPLE. CONSIDERED ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PERSON, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FBI OFFICE OR THE NEAREST U.S. EMBASSY OR CONSULATE.

REWARD

The United States Government is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Usama Bin Laden.
Three weeks ago, he threatened an unprecedented attack on the U.S.:
LONDON (Reuters) - Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden warned three weeks ago that he and his followers would carry out an unprecedented attack on U.S. interests for its support of Israel, an Arab journalist with access to him said on Tuesday. Abdel-Bari Atwan, editor of the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper said Islamic fundamentalists led by bin Laden was "almost certainly" behind the attack of the World Trade Center in New York. "It is most likely the work of Islamic fundamentalists. Osama bin Laden warned three weeks ago that he would attack American interests in an unprecedented attack, a very big one," Atwan told Reuters. "Personally we received information that he planned very, very big attacks against American interests. We received several warnings like this. We did not take it so seriously, preferring to see what would happen before reporting it." Atwan has interviewed bin Laden and maintains close contacts with his followers. Two planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center as office workers began work on Tuesday morning, causing the south tower to collapse, eyewitnesses said. In Washington, another plane crashed next to the Pentagon, a U.S. official said. Eyewitnesses said the building was being evacuated. The White House and State Department were also evacuated. A Palestinian group claimed responsibility, Abu Dhabi television said. President George W. Bush called it an "apparent terrorist attack," and pledged the U.S. government would "hunt down" those responsible.

9/11 Remembered - 10:33 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:33 am (Indiana East)

United Airlines has just confirmed one of their flights was hi-jacked and involved in one of the incidents.

9/11 Remembered - 10:26 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:26 am (Indiana East)

NBC News is now reporting that there could have been as many as four planes hi-jacked.

9/11 Remembered - 10:23 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:23 am (Indiana East)

American Airlines has identified that two of the flights involved in today's incidents were their planes.

It is now reported that Canada is not allowing any planes to land.

There have also been reports of a bomb in a High School near the World Trade Center in New York.

9/11 Remembered - 10:22 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:22 am (Indiana East)

From wthitv.com:
Terrorist Attacks
9/11/2001
The state of Indiana is on alert following this morning's apparent terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and Pentagon. State officials have tightened security at courts and government offices. Alden Taylor is a spokesman for the State Emergency Management Agency. Taylor says capital police who patrol the grounds of the Indiana Statehouse and adjoining government buildings have been advised to watch for any suspicious activity. All outgoing flights from Indiana's airports have been canceled by the Federal Aviation Administration, stranding thousands of passengers in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend and Evansville. Meanwhile...an FBI spokesman in Indianapolis knows of no suspicious incidents in Indiana today that may be linked to terrorism. Spokesman Doug Garrison says the Federal Protective Services in Indianapolis heightened security at the city's Federal Building after two planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York this morning. Garrison says local FBI agents think they may be called to assist the agency in New York or Washington, DC. He says they're preparing to respond if necessary, and they're hoping and praying nothing happens in Indiana.

9/11 Remembered - 10:07 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:07 am (Indiana East)

The FAA is now confirming that there are several planes that remain unaccounted for, that may or may not have been hi-jacked.

9/11 Remembered - 10:04 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:04 am (Indiana East)

They are now confirming reports that the Pentagon attack was a plane crash.

9/11 Remembered - 10:03 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 10:03 am (Indiana East)

From The Boston Globe Online:
Aircraft crashes near Pentagon, believed terrorism
By Ron Fournier, Associated Press, 09/11/01
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon was struck by aircraft, a car bomb exploded outside the State Department and agents patrolled outside the White House with automatic weapons Tuesday as an apparent coordinated terrorist attack spread fear and chaos in the nation's capital. The enduring symbols of American power were evacuated, the Capitol, White House and more shut down, and the nation's air traffic system ordered shut down. Billows of smoke drifted from the Pentagon over the Potomac River toward the capital. "Terrorism against our nation will not stand," vowed President Bush. He spoke moments after two planes had flown directly into the twin World Trade Center towers in New York. "This shows what an uncontrollable world we live in. This is crazy, wild and crazy," said Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., as the disruptions hit Washington within an hour after two planes flew directly into the World Trade Center towers in New York. Bush, in Florida when the attacks hit, termed the disaster in New York "an apparent terrorist attack on our country." He said he would return immediately to Washington. In Washington, a senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FBI suspects the events in New York and Washington were part of an organized terrorist campaign.
Each moment seemed to bring fresh evidence of that:
-A car bomb exploded outside the State Department, senior law enforcement officials said.
-A loud explosion was reported in the vicinity of the Capitol.
-The departments of Justice, State, Treasury and Defense were among those ordered evacuated, as were the Capitol and the White House. In a remarkable scene, security guards brandishing automatic weapons could be seen outside the White House.
-The FAA ordered the entire nationwide air traffic system shut down.
A senior U.S. intelligence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, "We don't know who's doing it. Clearly, it's terrorism related, a carefully coordinated attack. It's not the work of an unsophisticated enemy. It's too soon to say who."
Paul Begala, a Democratic consultant, said he witnessed an explosion near the Pentagon. "It was a huge fireball, a huge, orange fireball," Begala said in an interview on his cell phone. He said another witness told him a helicopter exploded. AP reporter Dave Winslow also saw the crash. He said, "I saw the tail of a large airliner. ... It plowed right into the Pentagon." Gen. Richard Myers, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that prior to the crash into the Pentagon, military officials had been notified that another hijacked plane had been heading from the New York area to Washington. He said he assumed that hijacked plane was the one that hit the Pentagon, though he couldn't be sure. Meanwhile, one of two planes that crashed into the World Trade Center was hijacked after takeoff from Boston, a U.S. official said, citing a transmission from the plane. The second plane may have flown out of Newark, N.J., the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Asked if there was any possibility the crashes were anything other than deliberate, the official said it appeared not to be an accident.

9/11 Remembered - 9:48 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 9:48 am (Indiana East)

The Air Force is now flying low-level aircover over Washington, D.C.

9/11 Remembered - 9:44 am

September 11, 2001, Tuesday, 9:44 am (Indiana East)

They are now reporting the crash of a large plane about 80 miles outside of Pittsburgh.

The State Department is denying the reports of the car bomb.

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