Morning fog has now lifted off and it is one beautiful day here 'in the neighborhood'. You may or may not have heard but Tom Hanks is playing Mr. Rogers, a new movie about the famous child series star. Could be a winner, though even in makeup Hanks really doesn't resemble Mr. Rogers, but wears his famous red sweater.
Yes, today, for those who haven't realized it yet, is the 18th Anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attack and for many of us we are recalling where we were on that terrible morning. I remember Mona waking me up early and telling me of the attack and then for 8 hours how we all set in front of the TV watching the World Trade Centers fall. Strangely, today the news reports of how it actually appears the terrorists were aiming for the two tallest building in the country. We all knew this back then, it sure didn't appear they were headed anywhere else. But I still have questions over the attack to the Pentagon. I remember hearing the voice of a secret service agent on the TV yelling out how it was a missile aimed at the Pentagon, not an aircraft, but then you never heard the report ever again. Then in the investigation of that strike the people from the company that made the jet engines said the engines found at the scene were not at all 'their' engines. A diagram of the scene also showed the damage done at the Pentagon was not the right size to have been done by a large passenger jet. Such strange reports were never repeated again. So, what might have struck the Pentagon? We will probably never know. WE will remember the courage of the folks who attacked the terrorists and forced the plane down in a large field and it never made it to its intended target. We will also honor the police and firefighters and other volunteers who died while trying to save so many people. We will also honors those others who died as the towers collapsed.
I remember how I set there stunned as those two towers fell and I watched as some victims jumped to escape the fire that reached them well above the 50th floor. So many brave people lost to us in a single morning as the numbers nearly matched with how many citizens we lost on December 7th, 1941. And we should also remember how many courageous servicemen and women we have lost in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan because of 9-11-2001. We will remember so many this day and how the New York skyline will never look the same without those towers. So many people wondered how those towers could have fallen so completely and then how stories came forward on surviving firefighters seeing explosives inside the towers as they entered to fight the blaze and rescue the injured. But that only became a conspiracy theory and wasn't talked about a week after the attack. What was what? We will probably never know. One conspiracy theory was based on witnesses claiming the White House Secret Service had shot down the Pentagon jet with Stinger missile to keep it from hitting the White House. But like the other statement heard over the TV, that theory was no longer talked about in the days to follow. But it was the lack of damage to the buildings when the jets hit that kept the conspiracy theories going. How did those two massive towers fall, when they were constructed so well? Some went so far as to say this whole operation was set up by the CIA, as a way for getting us into a Middle East war. Possibly to protect us from a Muslim Nation using a nuclear weapon against us, or more than one. I thought that a big stretch, but the attack on Pearl Harbor had its share of conspiracies... that we knew the Japanese were going to attack and that's why all our aircraft carriers were at sea, but the people in Washington DC knew such a brazen attack was coming as we had broken their code earlier then was reported. That the Government felt it would bring the volunteers charging forward to join the military. Some felt it was a way of getting us into a war with Japan and Germany. Such was also though when the USS Maine was blown up in the Havana, Cuba harbor, that in fact it was sunk by our own government as a way to get into that war. But these are all things we will probably never know if true or not. I saw a few strange things happen in Vietnam that made me question them. But that was long ago and best forgotten. Yet, one question that does continue is how these terrorists, supposedly trained to fly here in America in 4 to 6 seater single engine prop aircraft could suddenly somehow fly these large multi engine jet passenger planes???? Funny how no newsman ever brought that question up, ir if they did I never heard it. But I did have a job back then.
So today we honor the brave and those who were simply the victims caught inside those buildings, so many lost. I do recall how I wept as I watched the destruction and saw those jumping to their death to escape the inferno. I know the Lord's angels were surely busy that day as so many miracles occurred as many were saved from the ruins as volunteers worked all day and all night to dig them out until they were sure no one else was left. With volunteer firefighters and police, or just civilians came from all over the country to help out. This also made 9-11 a day to remember as all the races, the poor and rich, pitched in together to help out.
In my current writing project I am telling the story of slavery, or Indian and white persecution and the heroes of both sides who stepped away from this vile persecution based upon race, to form friendships. All in hopes of making a better world in the late 1800s. For these people it was the courage and honesty of the person that was important, how they stood up to adversity and evil. I write about an Apache tribe that is made up of half-breeds: Half-Apache, mixed with either White, Black, Mexican and even French. For a time the French had fought alongside the Mexican Army and many of them were taken prisoner by the Apache and other tribes. Those who proved how strong they were became warriors instead of slaves, brought into the tribe and they married Apache women. But all the half-breeds were looked down upon by most of these tribes. So, I tell a story of a small tribe of these cast down Apache who are befriended through circumstance to many of the Arizona Rangers. I use the same main characters I have written about in 5 stories so far. They were introduced in my book, "Blake's War". Look it up, you might enjoy it if you like westerns. The other books in the series are pending publication. JW Blake is based upon several true heroes of the west, who left the Rangers to join with General Hood's Texas Army who fought for the South. One such real character was a scout/trapper who did become blood brother to Cochise, as JW Blake does in my book. I name many of my characters after family and friends, you'll recognize them. Many will fall for the west was tough to survive, a dangerous time in the US as the Civil War was followed by the Indian Wars. This became a time that saw the rise of the Apache, Comanche and the Ute. In my research I found it interesting to learn how the gentle Navajo were once warlike and up to the 1400s, they were allies with the Apache. The Navajo even defeated the French, Spaniards and Mexican armies, forcing them to leave. Still, after becoming farmers and leaving the battlefields, the Navajo sought peace. But the other tribes avoided making war against the Navajo, for they knew their history and because of their great numbers these tribes didn't want to risk bringing about a war with them.
I find it strange how my family is very much warrior-like and I'm proud of that. Though I am not too proud my Germanic side came to this country as the dreaded Hessians, mercenaries fighting for the British. When the war was lost, they then fled to Canada when the British surrendered to the Americans. A lot of my ancestors have fought in our many wars after returning to the United States.. My Grandpa Roy on my Dad's side was in the Navy, My Dad was Army who saw two years of war in Korea, and my mom was a Rosy the Riveter in World War Two, building fighter/bombers in the Pasadena Defense Plants in California. My oldest brother Paul fought in Vietnam, but he kept that quiet for years as he had served as an Advisor to the South Vietnamese Army. Now my war was also spent in Vietnam 8 years later, while my sons have been in both Iraq and Afghanistan. But I hope my grandsons and even my granddaughters and my great- grandkids will avoid war....But who knows what the evils of this world will bring forth? As tensions rise, I do grow concerned. You also might like to check out "A Coming Storm", where I show the Rise of the Chinese and their attack on North America via Alaska, by crossing the great ice bridge. The sequel for this book is now with the publisher and this one is entitled "The Final Challenge" . It took me several years to write this 2nd book.
Here are some headlines since my last Journal: "Same Week as the Christchurch Mosque Attack in New Zealand, More Than 200-Christians, Men, Women and Children Were Massacred in Nigeria. But, the Media Tended to Ignore this Attack".... "Persecution of Christians in the Third World is Growing".... "US and Turkey Troops Patrolling Together in Syria".... "1,250 Lightning Strikes Recorded in Washington State in Span of Two Hours".... "Hong Kong Protesters March to US Consulate, Aking Trump to 'Liberate' Hong Kong".... "US Officials Report (19) MS-13 Gang Members Indicted in California for 'Medieval Style' Slayings Were in the Country Illegally".... "(6) MS-13 Suspects, Illegal Immigrants, Arrested for 'Brutal Stabbings' Of a Maryland Man".... "Trump Cancels Secret Meeting With Taliban".... " (43) Reported Killed by Hurricane Dorian".... "India Imposes Curfew in Kashmir".... "China Accuses Hong Kong Protester 'Thugs' of Setting Fires".... "(22) Killed in India 'Firecracker Factory' Fire".... "Estimated One Million Turn Out for Pope's Mass in Madagascar".... "Hong Kong Police Seal up Airport Amid Massive Riots".... "Militants in Syria Violate Ceasefire 28-times in 24-hours".... "Taliban Bombing in Afghanistan Kills (16) People".... "Liberal Billionaire George Soros Establishes 'Dark Money' Group to Use Against Trump".... "Japan's Typhoon Leaves Thousands Stranded at Airport"...." "Report: France Heatwave Leaves (1,500) People Dead".... "Baltimore's Violent Weekend Leaves (2) Dead and (5) Wounded as 2019 Homicide Count in the City Reaches (240) Dead".... "Two Sisters Make US Army History as Both Become Generals".... "City of Los Angeles Considering Banning Homeless From Sleeping in Selected Neighborhoods".... "United Nations Accuses Israel of Willfully Killed Gaza Protesters".... "Violent BDS Activists Assault Israeli Film Festival Attendees in Berlin, Germany".... "Israeli Students Attacked in Warsaw. Poland by Qatari Youths".... "University of Virginia Health System Sueing 36,000 People for Overdue Accounts, Seizing Homes and Paychecks".... ""Philippines Latest Victim of Swine Fever".... " China's Military Conducts Joint Land Assault Exercises Near Taiwan Border".... "Australia Blocks Internet Sites That Display Christchurch Mosque Attack Videos".... "Hong Kong Police Battle Protesters in Subway Stations".... "Japan Braces for Super Typhoon That is set to Hit Tokyo".... "UPS Scheduled to hire 100,000 Postal Workers for Holiday Season".... "Amazon Scheduled to Hire 30,000 Workers for the Holidays".... "Israel Confirms Another Iran Secret Nuclear Weapons Site".... "Trump Fires Bolton as His National Security Advisor".... "Japan Report it May Have to Dump Radioactive Water from Fukushima Disaster of 6 yrs ago, It's Out of Storage Space (But Radioactive sludge has been leaking into the ocean since disaster)"...." Report: US Student Loan Debt Now at $1.6 Trillion".... "World Health Organization Reports 800,000 a Year Worldwide".... " "Congresswoman Omar 'Demands' United Nations Steps in to Control US Borders".... " Florida Man Stabs (5) Fellow Employees in Workplace"...." "UK Parliament Suspension Sparks 'Chaos' and Scuffle Breaks Out".... "Hong Kong Makes $37 Billion Bid For London Stock Exchange".... "Hong Kong Protesters Take Pause to Honor All Those Who Died in 9-11 Disaster"....""South Korea Demands Olympic Officials Ban Japan's 'Rising Sun' Flag From 2020 Games".... "China Agrees to Build Warship for Thailand"...."Protests Turn Violent in Far East Russia Over Election Results Favoring Pro-Kremlins"
...." Bahamas List 2,500 People Still Missing After Dorian".... "North Carolina Jails Set Free Hundreds of Illegal Immigrant Criminals Wanted by Feds".
I'm not sure what you all think of my headlines. I have had some favorable comments though. Always easy to skip read or just bypass.
We scored a lot of halibut, lynn cod and salmon from our friends Lisa and Mike. She has a geiger counter so it's clean, no Japanese Fukushima radioactivity...I hope. Never know when a geiger counter might be low on batteries. A lot of fishermen are carrying such devices who fish in the northwest waters. Too much radioactive sludge had been dumped and I've seen some real ugly fish come out of the waters. I avoid crab and shrimp for they eat off the bottom and this is where the sludge spreads and has been doing so for quite awhile.
Well, time to get some chores done.
James, need your mailing address for new house.
I wish you all a great day, will be interesting to see what kind of winter we will have this year. Early snow has already hit some of the Lower 48 states, but not up here. Maybe we will eventually turn tropical, become the new Hawaii? Time will tell, but probably not in my lifetime. I used to surf, but that was all so long ago and I was no great surfer. Now body surfing, I could do that, especially with a pair of fins on my feet. I guy taught me how to do it to get longer rides, scary, but it worked. You stick out like a log with the sand right below you. When you wipe out it kinda hurts, so you learn to roll with the wave and hold your breath till you hit the dry sand. Nearly drown until I got the hang of it. Even then I wasn't known for my smarts, tried larger waves. Big mistake. Besides with 10-years military, 20-years police work, my beach antics and football, now wonder I'm bent like a pretzel.
Good day to all of you. May the Lord hear your prayers. God Bless, BILL
I remember how I set there stunned as those two towers fell and I watched as some victims jumped to escape the fire that reached them well above the 50th floor. So many brave people lost to us in a single morning as the numbers nearly matched with how many citizens we lost on December 7th, 1941. And we should also remember how many courageous servicemen and women we have lost in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan because of 9-11-2001. We will remember so many this day and how the New York skyline will never look the same without those towers. So many people wondered how those towers could have fallen so completely and then how stories came forward on surviving firefighters seeing explosives inside the towers as they entered to fight the blaze and rescue the injured. But that only became a conspiracy theory and wasn't talked about a week after the attack. What was what? We will probably never know. One conspiracy theory was based on witnesses claiming the White House Secret Service had shot down the Pentagon jet with Stinger missile to keep it from hitting the White House. But like the other statement heard over the TV, that theory was no longer talked about in the days to follow. But it was the lack of damage to the buildings when the jets hit that kept the conspiracy theories going. How did those two massive towers fall, when they were constructed so well? Some went so far as to say this whole operation was set up by the CIA, as a way for getting us into a Middle East war. Possibly to protect us from a Muslim Nation using a nuclear weapon against us, or more than one. I thought that a big stretch, but the attack on Pearl Harbor had its share of conspiracies... that we knew the Japanese were going to attack and that's why all our aircraft carriers were at sea, but the people in Washington DC knew such a brazen attack was coming as we had broken their code earlier then was reported. That the Government felt it would bring the volunteers charging forward to join the military. Some felt it was a way of getting us into a war with Japan and Germany. Such was also though when the USS Maine was blown up in the Havana, Cuba harbor, that in fact it was sunk by our own government as a way to get into that war. But these are all things we will probably never know if true or not. I saw a few strange things happen in Vietnam that made me question them. But that was long ago and best forgotten. Yet, one question that does continue is how these terrorists, supposedly trained to fly here in America in 4 to 6 seater single engine prop aircraft could suddenly somehow fly these large multi engine jet passenger planes???? Funny how no newsman ever brought that question up, ir if they did I never heard it. But I did have a job back then.
So today we honor the brave and those who were simply the victims caught inside those buildings, so many lost. I do recall how I wept as I watched the destruction and saw those jumping to their death to escape the inferno. I know the Lord's angels were surely busy that day as so many miracles occurred as many were saved from the ruins as volunteers worked all day and all night to dig them out until they were sure no one else was left. With volunteer firefighters and police, or just civilians came from all over the country to help out. This also made 9-11 a day to remember as all the races, the poor and rich, pitched in together to help out.
In my current writing project I am telling the story of slavery, or Indian and white persecution and the heroes of both sides who stepped away from this vile persecution based upon race, to form friendships. All in hopes of making a better world in the late 1800s. For these people it was the courage and honesty of the person that was important, how they stood up to adversity and evil. I write about an Apache tribe that is made up of half-breeds: Half-Apache, mixed with either White, Black, Mexican and even French. For a time the French had fought alongside the Mexican Army and many of them were taken prisoner by the Apache and other tribes. Those who proved how strong they were became warriors instead of slaves, brought into the tribe and they married Apache women. But all the half-breeds were looked down upon by most of these tribes. So, I tell a story of a small tribe of these cast down Apache who are befriended through circumstance to many of the Arizona Rangers. I use the same main characters I have written about in 5 stories so far. They were introduced in my book, "Blake's War". Look it up, you might enjoy it if you like westerns. The other books in the series are pending publication. JW Blake is based upon several true heroes of the west, who left the Rangers to join with General Hood's Texas Army who fought for the South. One such real character was a scout/trapper who did become blood brother to Cochise, as JW Blake does in my book. I name many of my characters after family and friends, you'll recognize them. Many will fall for the west was tough to survive, a dangerous time in the US as the Civil War was followed by the Indian Wars. This became a time that saw the rise of the Apache, Comanche and the Ute. In my research I found it interesting to learn how the gentle Navajo were once warlike and up to the 1400s, they were allies with the Apache. The Navajo even defeated the French, Spaniards and Mexican armies, forcing them to leave. Still, after becoming farmers and leaving the battlefields, the Navajo sought peace. But the other tribes avoided making war against the Navajo, for they knew their history and because of their great numbers these tribes didn't want to risk bringing about a war with them.
I find it strange how my family is very much warrior-like and I'm proud of that. Though I am not too proud my Germanic side came to this country as the dreaded Hessians, mercenaries fighting for the British. When the war was lost, they then fled to Canada when the British surrendered to the Americans. A lot of my ancestors have fought in our many wars after returning to the United States.. My Grandpa Roy on my Dad's side was in the Navy, My Dad was Army who saw two years of war in Korea, and my mom was a Rosy the Riveter in World War Two, building fighter/bombers in the Pasadena Defense Plants in California. My oldest brother Paul fought in Vietnam, but he kept that quiet for years as he had served as an Advisor to the South Vietnamese Army. Now my war was also spent in Vietnam 8 years later, while my sons have been in both Iraq and Afghanistan. But I hope my grandsons and even my granddaughters and my great- grandkids will avoid war....But who knows what the evils of this world will bring forth? As tensions rise, I do grow concerned. You also might like to check out "A Coming Storm", where I show the Rise of the Chinese and their attack on North America via Alaska, by crossing the great ice bridge. The sequel for this book is now with the publisher and this one is entitled "The Final Challenge" . It took me several years to write this 2nd book.
Here are some headlines since my last Journal: "Same Week as the Christchurch Mosque Attack in New Zealand, More Than 200-Christians, Men, Women and Children Were Massacred in Nigeria. But, the Media Tended to Ignore this Attack".... "Persecution of Christians in the Third World is Growing".... "US and Turkey Troops Patrolling Together in Syria".... "1,250 Lightning Strikes Recorded in Washington State in Span of Two Hours".... "Hong Kong Protesters March to US Consulate, Aking Trump to 'Liberate' Hong Kong".... "US Officials Report (19) MS-13 Gang Members Indicted in California for 'Medieval Style' Slayings Were in the Country Illegally".... "(6) MS-13 Suspects, Illegal Immigrants, Arrested for 'Brutal Stabbings' Of a Maryland Man".... "Trump Cancels Secret Meeting With Taliban".... " (43) Reported Killed by Hurricane Dorian".... "India Imposes Curfew in Kashmir".... "China Accuses Hong Kong Protester 'Thugs' of Setting Fires".... "(22) Killed in India 'Firecracker Factory' Fire".... "Estimated One Million Turn Out for Pope's Mass in Madagascar".... "Hong Kong Police Seal up Airport Amid Massive Riots".... "Militants in Syria Violate Ceasefire 28-times in 24-hours".... "Taliban Bombing in Afghanistan Kills (16) People".... "Liberal Billionaire George Soros Establishes 'Dark Money' Group to Use Against Trump".... "Japan's Typhoon Leaves Thousands Stranded at Airport"...." "Report: France Heatwave Leaves (1,500) People Dead".... "Baltimore's Violent Weekend Leaves (2) Dead and (5) Wounded as 2019 Homicide Count in the City Reaches (240) Dead".... "Two Sisters Make US Army History as Both Become Generals".... "City of Los Angeles Considering Banning Homeless From Sleeping in Selected Neighborhoods".... "United Nations Accuses Israel of Willfully Killed Gaza Protesters".... "Violent BDS Activists Assault Israeli Film Festival Attendees in Berlin, Germany".... "Israeli Students Attacked in Warsaw. Poland by Qatari Youths".... "University of Virginia Health System Sueing 36,000 People for Overdue Accounts, Seizing Homes and Paychecks".... ""Philippines Latest Victim of Swine Fever".... " China's Military Conducts Joint Land Assault Exercises Near Taiwan Border".... "Australia Blocks Internet Sites That Display Christchurch Mosque Attack Videos".... "Hong Kong Police Battle Protesters in Subway Stations".... "Japan Braces for Super Typhoon That is set to Hit Tokyo".... "UPS Scheduled to hire 100,000 Postal Workers for Holiday Season".... "Amazon Scheduled to Hire 30,000 Workers for the Holidays".... "Israel Confirms Another Iran Secret Nuclear Weapons Site".... "Trump Fires Bolton as His National Security Advisor".... "Japan Report it May Have to Dump Radioactive Water from Fukushima Disaster of 6 yrs ago, It's Out of Storage Space (But Radioactive sludge has been leaking into the ocean since disaster)"...." Report: US Student Loan Debt Now at $1.6 Trillion".... "World Health Organization Reports 800,000 a Year Worldwide".... " "Congresswoman Omar 'Demands' United Nations Steps in to Control US Borders".... " Florida Man Stabs (5) Fellow Employees in Workplace"...." "UK Parliament Suspension Sparks 'Chaos' and Scuffle Breaks Out".... "Hong Kong Makes $37 Billion Bid For London Stock Exchange".... "Hong Kong Protesters Take Pause to Honor All Those Who Died in 9-11 Disaster"....""South Korea Demands Olympic Officials Ban Japan's 'Rising Sun' Flag From 2020 Games".... "China Agrees to Build Warship for Thailand"...."Protests Turn Violent in Far East Russia Over Election Results Favoring Pro-Kremlins"
...." Bahamas List 2,500 People Still Missing After Dorian".... "North Carolina Jails Set Free Hundreds of Illegal Immigrant Criminals Wanted by Feds".
I'm not sure what you all think of my headlines. I have had some favorable comments though. Always easy to skip read or just bypass.
We scored a lot of halibut, lynn cod and salmon from our friends Lisa and Mike. She has a geiger counter so it's clean, no Japanese Fukushima radioactivity...I hope. Never know when a geiger counter might be low on batteries. A lot of fishermen are carrying such devices who fish in the northwest waters. Too much radioactive sludge had been dumped and I've seen some real ugly fish come out of the waters. I avoid crab and shrimp for they eat off the bottom and this is where the sludge spreads and has been doing so for quite awhile.
Well, time to get some chores done.
James, need your mailing address for new house.
I wish you all a great day, will be interesting to see what kind of winter we will have this year. Early snow has already hit some of the Lower 48 states, but not up here. Maybe we will eventually turn tropical, become the new Hawaii? Time will tell, but probably not in my lifetime. I used to surf, but that was all so long ago and I was no great surfer. Now body surfing, I could do that, especially with a pair of fins on my feet. I guy taught me how to do it to get longer rides, scary, but it worked. You stick out like a log with the sand right below you. When you wipe out it kinda hurts, so you learn to roll with the wave and hold your breath till you hit the dry sand. Nearly drown until I got the hang of it. Even then I wasn't known for my smarts, tried larger waves. Big mistake. Besides with 10-years military, 20-years police work, my beach antics and football, now wonder I'm bent like a pretzel.
Good day to all of you. May the Lord hear your prayers. God Bless, BILL
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