Where Were You on 9/11?

Everybody was somewhere. More precisely, everybody is always somewhere.

"Where were you when" is a popular meme, party game or conversation topic.

Where were you when Kennedy was shot? I was in social studies class in the 7th grade. Our teacher, Mrs. Alford, returned from lunch looking pale and shaken and we all thought she was simply pissed off at us, which was the usual case. However, this day she steeled herself at her desk. I remember her sitting there, unnaturally, very erect, palms flat on the desk, looking down and composing herself. We had been studying government for several months. Finally, she stood up and started talking. First things first, we knew immediately that she wasn't pissed off with us because she didn't launch into her normal diatribe about lazy students, late homework and lack of appreciation for her vast teaching skills.

This time she started off quietly and started talking about democracy and America and the President and a bunch of rambling things. Finally, she blurted out (and began to cry) that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. I remember several students in the room cheering. Kennedy was not all that popular in the South and this was a display of seventh grade ignorance at its best. Unfortunately, there are people to this day stuck in the seventh grade. Mentally and emotionally.

As Mrs. Alford was talking the school librarian appeared at the door. There was a pause. The librarian was crying and wiping her eyes with a little handkerchief. The room quieted and the librarian said, "He's dead. The President is dead."

There were a few more cheers in the classroom before the formidable Mrs. Alford brought order. We then spent the rest of the day, which was shortened, discussing the presidential succession order which we had been studying. Shortly thereafter school was let out and we all went home. I recall that school was closed for a few days as the country dealt with the assassination of a president.

Where were you on 911?

I was at work messing around with a pesky website I was building. I had CNN running in another window and vaguely heard a report about an "aircraft flying into the World Trade Center tower."

I blew it off. Probably a Piper Cub. Off course. Check it out later.

Then I got a phone call from a friend of mine in Odessa, Tx. who told me to check out the CNN coverage of a jetliner that ran into the WTC.

Jetliner? You mean a commercial jet? How could that be? Did air traffic control give the pilot the wrong coordinates? How could the pilot see that he was heading into a building?

So many questions raced through my mind as I pulled up live coverage of the accident, and also on the BBC which had a different and more rapidly updated feed.

The World Trade Center. I visited the security company ADT housed there in 1985. We stayed in the hotel (Hilton?) at the base of the towers. I remember the huge elevators that could hold 100 people, the observation deck where we saw the Statue of Liberty, the restaurant where we had a great meal and how you could feel the building sway in the wind. "You get used to it," our waiter said, nonchalantly.

I turned to my computer screen and couldn't believe the image being broadcast. One tower was engulfed in thick, black smoke. The reporters were falling all over themselves to explain what happened. However, in a few minutes it became clear that a giant jetliner had slammed into the tower, not a little, podunk Piper Cub that was off course.

How? HOW?? How could this happen? Had traffic control gone crazy? How could a jetliner be directed on a course that would take it crashing into a building?

I was on the phone with my buddy in Odessa watching the live video feeds from CNN and the BBC when the second airliner hit. Suddenly we saw this huge, orange and black fireball erupt from the other tower! At first we thought that the second tower had suddenly caught fire from the heat of the first tower, but within seconds reports started pouring in on CNN and BBC that it was not the case. A SECOND jetliner had hit the other tower.

Now, we were very confused! Clearly, something was wrong with air traffic control in New York that two jetliners had hit buildings. Yes, we had no clue at this time that it was a deliberate act. It was the farthest thing in our minds. I mean, who would deliberately crash jetliners into buildings? It had to be a monstrous accident.

In fact, it turned out to be a monstrous deliberate act.

Shortly, both buildings were burning furiously and CNN and BBC were replaying the strikes and receiving video from other viewpoints across the river and beyond. Then reports started coming in about the planes being hijacked and flown into the buildings.

A report surfaced that a jetliner had been flown into the Pentagon but no video was available at the moment. There was a sketchy report about a jetliner that had turned around over Pennsylvania and was heading back to Washington.

It was very strange and confusing.

Soon, all work stopped and we were gathered around computer screens, speculating and trying to find new video feeds to give us more information. Then word spread that the video was being projected in one of our conference rooms and we all went up to that floor to watch.

We had two, large screens in the conference room and the same CNN feed of the burning towers was being projected on both. The room was packed but I managed to find an open chair and sat down. The projector was very good and the two towers loomed large in front of me. There was a buzz of speculation, muted chatter and quiet conversations. This was history in the making, not a football game. Everybody was serious, studying the images in front of us and trying to figure out what was going on.

Suddenly, the antenna on one of the towers started to sway and somebody exclaimed, "It's going to collapse!" As we watched the tower collapsed from the top down, the sides splitting out and falling away. It just went down in a big grey cloud of debris.

The room was silent. Nobody could believe what they had just seen. Dust and smoke started to rise from the collapse and new video feeds from helicopters documented the destruction. I don't recall anybody exclaiming at the time of the collapse, but after it was over there were murmurs of "Oh my God" from around the room. There was nothing else to say.

Nobody left the room. The second tower was burning furiously. There was every expectation that it would collapse, too, and we talked about when it might go. Then somebody said loudly, "It's going!" And down it went in a big, grey cloud. By this time CNN was switching video feeds from a position on a building to a helicopter and we saw the extent of the devastation, at least in terms of smoke and dust. It was a huge, smokey, dusty blot drifting off across the harbor.

No more work got done that day. We watched the news reports, cancelled staff meetings and most of us drifted home early. Later we learned about Flight 93 over Pennsylvania and what happened at the Pentagon. It was a long and confusing day.

Years later the days are not quite so long but just as confusing.

On a Boat

Up the Danube where towns have no vwls.

Scam Me Once

How many times can you get scammed in Paris? Well, how many times do you blink your eyes? How many steps can you take? Think of a number between 1000 and 100000000.

That many.

Seasoned travelers we are, we were nearly scammed in Paris but avoided any loss and learned, nearly, from the experience.

Having just arrived at Charles de Gualle and made our way to Gard du Nord we were momentarily confused in getting from the train station to the tube station. Fortunately (not) there was a "gentleman" to "help" us. By "help" our guide meant to purchase our tickets then suggest that we pay him back in cash and, surprise, a local ATM was within reach. Once we realized the scam we was on we played along and went to the ATM but kept on walking and down a nearby Metro entrance. Once underground we shed our coats, switched bags in case the moron was following us and purchased tickets to out destination.

Who knows what would have happened at the ATM? The word to the wary is that NOBODY is interested in helping you in Paris. Just say No.

Nike!

I know, quit complaining and making excuses and Just Do It!

Unfortunately, I wear Adidas!

Facebook and Google Plus

Well, Facebook has taken up most of my life in the past few months and now there's Google Plus which I can't figure out at all.

I think, seriously, I need to get back to basics on the blog and leave all this trivial stuff behind!

Please!

Return

I need to get back here. This is my place. It's time.

Failure, squib, pffffft!

Well, that was a failure.

The object of the previous exercise was to kick my butt into writing regularly.

Hmmm, need something else to fuel this.

OK, I've got it!

More later.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night 7

A distinguished gentleman sat in a burgundy leather chair, an Ekornes Stressless with matching footstool, trimmed in oak; so comfortable you hardly know your sitting, more like floating except that your nose isn't bumping against the ceiling unless, of course, you were in a room with a four-foot ceiling in which case it probably would be; bumping against the ceiling, that is; your nose.

Lord William observed the distinguished gentleman with an eye (his left, mostly, which was his best eye, rather, it needed the least correction to be perfect, although not in the Greek sense) and after a few moments of careful, if slightly nearsighted observation, pronounced,

"You look strangely familiar."

The distinguished gentleman regarded Lord William with an equally slightly nearsighted left eye, that, coincidentally was only slightly less nearsighted than his right eye, meaning that he could nearly see farther, more clearly with his left eye than his right eye, although he could drive a car without too many problems and had learned to ignore all the rude horn honking and yelling, which had become easier to ignore due to his partial deafness, but that's another story, and after taking a swig of his gin and tonic replied,

"Strange or familiar? Strange in a familiar way, or familiar in a strange way?"

Lord William thought carefully. Yes, he thought, I should have refreshed the lemon in my G&T, and answered, "B. Definitely B. I'll put 500 on B, Alex."

The distinguished gentleman regarded his G&T carefully, as a jeweler might regard a rough diamond he's about to fracture into either the perfect gemstone or a pile of rubble, and not the Barney kind. "Hmmmm, yes, you're correct," he said, "more lemon would be a definite improvement. Everything goes better with lemon, they say."

No sooner had the distinguished gentleman said "say" that ...

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night 6

... a dark and stormy night.

Suddenly a shot was poured.

"What, another shot?," Lady Helen intoned snidely.

"Only my third, my dear," replied Lord William, "to take the edge off. You agree, yes?"

Lady Helen narrowed her eyes such that her eyebrows nearly met her ample chin, but said nothing. She turned on her well clad heel and marched out of the room to a regular clack clack clack clack. And those clacks could go on for quite some time.

Lord William swirled his glass, took a long draught of gin and sighed, "Fuck me."

At that moment there was an audible *pop* to which Lord William turned.

In his amazement he saw ... nothing.

I've been here before, he thought, the clack-clack-clack. Make it stop!

"Make it stop when, sir?" he heard a voice say.

Lord William turned towards the voice and saw ...

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night 5

... a dark and stormy night.

Suddenly a shot was poured.

"You call that a shot?," Lady Helen laughed raucously.

"Only my third, my dear," replied Lord William, "to take the edge off. You agree, yes?"

Lady Helen did her best puppy dog look matching a doleful expression with a come-hither look, but said nothing. She turned on her well clad heel and skipped out of the room to a regular clack clack clack clack. And those clacks could go on for quite some time.

Lord William swirled his glass, took a long draught of gin and sighed, "Oh, baby."

At that moment there was an audible *pop* to which Lord William turned.

In his amazement he saw ...

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night 4

... a dark and stormy night.

Suddenly a shot was poured.

"You need another shot?," Lady Helen whispered.

"Only my third, my dear," replied Lord William, "to take the edge off. You agree, yes?"

Lady Helen eyed Lord William lustily. Her big, brown eyes glistened at the prospect for the evening, but she said nothing. Turning on her well clad heel she glided out of the room to a regular clack clack clack clack. And those clacks could go on for quite some time, and aroused Lord William.

Lord William swirled his glass, took a long draught of gin and sighed, "Oy vey."

At that moment there was an audible *pop* to which Lord William turned.

In his amazement he saw ...

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night 3

... a dark and stormy night.

Suddenly a shot was poured.

"Want another shot?," Lady Helen shouted from the bar.

"Only my third, my dear," replied Lord William, "to take the edge off. You agree, yes?"

Lady Helen observed her best patron admiringly. Seeing she was out of gin, she turned on her well clad heel and marched out of the room to a regular clack clack clack clack. And those clacks could go on for quite some time, all the way to the storeroom.

Lord William swirled his glass, took a long draught of gin and sighed to no one in particular, "It's not just me."

At that moment there was an audible *pop* to which Lord William turned.

In his amazement he saw ...

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night 2

... a dark and stormy night.

Suddenly a shot was poured.

"Oh, I was about to get you another shot?," Lady Helen cooed.

"Only my third, my dear," replied Lord William, "to take the edge off. You agree, yes?"

Lady Helen narrowed her eyes such that her eyebrows formed a heart-shaped arch, but said nothing. She turned on her well clad heel and marched out of the room to a regular clack clack clack clack. And those clacks could go on for quite some time, endearingly.

Lord William swirled his glass, took a long draught of gin and sighed, "Lucky me."

At that moment there was an audible *pop* to which Lord William turned.

In his amazement he saw ...

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night 1

It was a dark and stormy night.

Suddenly a shot was poured.

"What, another shot?," Lady Helen intoned snidely.

"Only my third, my dear," replied Lord William, "to take the edge off. You agree, yes?"

Lady Helen narrowed her eyes such that her eyebrows nearly met her ample chin, but said nothing. She turned on her well clad heel and marched out of the room to a regular clack clack clack clack. And those clacks could go on for quite some time.

Lord William swirled his glass, took a long draught of gin and sighed, "Fuck me."

At that moment there was an audible *pop* to which Lord William turned.

In his amazement he saw ...

Kink the Cat dot Com

Kink the Cat dot Com is the number one hit for the Google search "kink the cat"

That. Is. So. Cool.

Kink. Does. Not. Care.

JFK - Words I Heard

Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens:

We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom -- symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning -- signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe -- the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

This much we pledge -- and more.

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do -- for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom -- and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required -- not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge: to convert our good words into good deeds, in a new alliance for progress, to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support -- to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective, to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak, and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course -- both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.



So let us begin anew -- remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.

Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms, and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.

Let both sides unite to heed, in all corners of the earth, the command of Isaiah -- to "undo the heavy burdens, and [to] let the oppressed go free."¹

And, if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor -- not a new balance of power, but a new world of law -- where the strong are just, and the weak secure, and the peace preserved.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days; nor in the life of this Administration; nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.

Now the trumpet summons us again -- not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need -- not as a call to battle, though embattled we are -- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation,"² a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility -- I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

Imma Bad Person

Srsly.

I have bad thoughts.

Just today I watched a young lady pull her big, honking, planet killing SUV into a Handicapped slot just so she wouldn't have to walk another fifty feet to the supermarket. Oh, Miss Dainty Foot, is the bad old parking slot JUST OVER THERE too far for your widdle feetsies??

Come on, babe, I thought, let's see you limp. Bring on the limp!!

Well, she got out of her SUV, painfully slowly, and limped to the door.

This is where my Bad Person asserted himself.

I thought, YOU CALL THAT A LIMP? I've seen actors on TV limp better than that!

Imma Bad Person.

Kink the Cat Dot Com

Kink the Cat has his own website!

I may live to regret this, but I'm helping out the little guy by serving as webmaster. Yes, master is more like it! So, Kink gets pets, yummy cat food and Kat Snax AND his own website.

What's next? Calendars? Mugs? Books? Movie contracts? Move to Beverly Hills?

Time will tell.

Check it out at Kink the Cat.

Back in Time

Hobby Lobby has parts.

Who knew?



We are back in time!

Out of Time

I found out why the kitchen clock stopped working!

Happy New Year!