Grief

[Jim Page]

Why is it that eyewitness accounts of a second (and even third or fourth shooter) in some of these "lone gunman" mass shootings, is not mentioned in mainstream news, beyond an initial mention immediately after the event?

Kate, my guess would be that in the immediate aftermath of an unexpected event, folks are desperate to communicate and on the edge of panic. The additional shooters are phantoms.

When 9/11 occurred, I was working in an office building two blocks from the White House. Our building was evacuated after the Pentagon was hit by an airplane. As we walked out onto the sidewalk of K Street, a fine white ash was in the air. I bet 20 people I spoke with, including police, told me that an airplane had crashed into the mall in front of the White House. Some said they had seen the smoking crater.

On the way home, I heard WTOP repeatedly tell listeners that the State Department had been damaged by a car bomb. All of this was panicky nonsense.

When JFK was murdered, I was told by our school bus driver on the way home from school that Richard Nixon, former vice president, had been killed in Dallas by a hand grenade. Nixon had been in Dallas that morning, but I bet he never realized that he'd been killed by a hand grenade.

It's like my cousin who knowingly said that he wasn't bothering to vote in the presidential election because it was a little-known fact that Romney owned all the voting machines and he'd steal the election that way. People want to say something astonishing, I guess.

--Jim

[My Name Is Kate]

Since you mentioned 9/11, I (and alot of other people) are also wondering why WTC Building 7, which hadn't been hit by a plane, disappeared into its own footprint, just like a controlled demolition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpdMsRx6cmg

[Jim Page]

Kate, I once watched a chilling program on PBS (I believe) about the engineering aspects of the 9/11 events. Evidently Bin Laden had some engineering knowledge and put it to evil use; the heat generated by those exploding aircraft was enough to melt or substantially weaken the steel frames of the buildings.

--Jim

[My Name Is Kate]

There are apparently alot of people, including architects, engineers, airline pilots, who think 9/11 may have been an inside job. The technical things they talk about are way over my head, but I've wondered why President Bush wasn't immediately rushed to a secure location, instead of being allowed to remain in that school with elementary children, unless it was known in advance that he was in no danger.

[Jim Page]

There are apparently alot of people, including architects, engineers, airline pilots, who think 9/11 may have been an inside job.

A lot of people believe that the Kardiashians are worthy of their interest.

A lot of people think that Dr Pepper is flavored with prunes.

A lot of people think that Bell Telephone was named that because telephones used to make a ringing sound.

I'd put no credence in the "9/11 inside job" theories, anymore than I'd believe one of my Reiki practitioner friends who swears that she proved that ghosts are merely space aliens vibrating at a slightly different frequency than us, even though she used a $49 Radio Shack volt-ohm meter in her research.

If my friend wants to believe that, or in whatever her conspiracy theory of the month is this month, more power to her! She's still my friend.

--Jim

[Hess1865]

I saw Elvis at Burger King Today.
He was sharing french fries with Marilyn Monroe......

[Jim Page]

I saw Elvis at Burger King Today.
He was sharing french fries with Marilyn Monroe......

That wasn't Elvis! That was Andy Kaufmann! But it was Marilyn Monroe; I saw her lipstick on the straw.

--Jim

---

Speaking of conspiracy theories and Andy Kaufmann, I had to consult once with the head of the Pentagon Photographic Center, which was then at Bolling AFB on the Anacostia River. The fellow was showing me around and we came to an enormous studio/sound stage and I remarked it was the largest I had ever seen. The guy said, "Yeah; this is where we faked the moon landing."

I spun around and said, "WHAT?!?!?" And he laughed and said, "I just read in one of those conspiracy books that the landing was faked here. I was here back then and I never saw this stage used for that. But this stage would be big enough!"

Later he showed me the film lab where he said JFK's autopsy photos had been processed and I said, "Is that true or another of your conspiracy stories?"

He said, "No; that is true!"

--Jim

[My Name Is Kate]

I know alot of the stuff out there is crazy and I'm trying to sort through what has merit, if any, and what doesn't.

No one has answered my question about Bush's security on 9/11.

[Dawn E Foster]

As the grandmother of a young man who will soon be turning 13, I send congratulations also as you enter the sainted sphere of being a grandparent. There are times when I would love to slap Aaron silly - but many more times when I just want to hug him and never let him go.

The best part of this past Christmas was he and I all alone in the family room, talking in the light of the Christmas tree until 3 am, and both of us falling asleep that way - he on the sofa and I in a lounge chair. Santa failed to wake us up!

For the first few years, your best part will be having the little one fall asleep on your chest or shoulder. Just remember to whisper in his/her ear how much Grandpa loves him/her and that you will always be there to help and encourage. I believe in osmosis.

Oh Laurie, you captured it so perfectly! My Ayden and Bryant won't be five until April 15th, but they are my world!!

[Gene C]

Bush's visit to the school was cut short, and he was immediately taken to Airforce One. They then flew to a military instalation/command center in the mid-west.

You might enjoy "Decision Points" by George Bush. Your public library should have a copy.

[My Name Is Kate]

It is true that the visit was cut short, but TV (mainstream, even) shows Bush still sitting there reading a story to the class after having been informed of the attack. Wouldn't the most logical thing have been to instantly get him out of there, then have someone else provide some sort of explanation to the kids? And what about the kids? For all anyone knew, there could have been a plane coming to crash into the school.

I don't enjoy discussing this conspiracy stuff AT ALL, but all I see online is people's emotion-laden responses, mostly devoid of any facts at all, and I don't even want to ask questions if I know that is the kind of response I'm likely to get. I'm hoping I can get some facts and sane answers on this forum, that will lay at least some of this stuff to rest. It's enough to drive a person insane. Still, I want to know if there is anything to any of it.

[Jim Page]

TV (mainstream, even) shows Bush still sitting there reading a story to the class after having been informed of the attack.

Kate, I believe President Bush's reaction when the first plane hit the WTC tower was the same as mine when my admin assistant told me about it: That had to have been a small aircraft flown by a non-professional and bewildered pilot. And remember, President Bush was a trained pilot himself. The idea of an aircraft pilot deliberately flying into an inhabited skyscraper was just beyond the pale.

Then, when it became known that the plane was indeed a commercial jetliner, what came to my mind, and perhaps the mind of the president, was the incident when a WWII bomber flew into the Empire State Building in bad weather. That was an accident; the plane hit about halfway up the building, I believe.

As I recall from President Bush's autobiography, it was wasn't until the second plane hit that he realized, "Okay; we're now at war." And that, I believe, is when the Secret Service took over as they are obliged to do.

Many people don't realize that the Secret Service is in charge when something like that occurs; I'm not certain that even the president can easily override what they have in motion. I seem to remember Bush having to really put his foot down to get Air Force One back to DC, as the Secret Service had other plans.

It's been years since I've read about this incident, but I believe President Bush handled himself well considering this was literally a bolt from the blue.

--Jim

[JMadonna]

Long but good day - Mason William Madonna was born today on schedule. Thanks for all your good wishes. My son named him after his best friend who became a cop and was killed in the line of duty 3 Christmas' ago. Mason's widow was very touched
..and life goes on…

[BettyO]

Congratulations, Grandpa!!!

[Linda Anderson]

Wonderful news! Congratulations!