bills_fan

It got even worse. Noone in my office really knew what happened. We figured a plane had crashed into the tower, but figured it was some type of accident, perhaps the pilot had a heart attack or whatever. A coworker's wife worked on a very high floor in the North Tower, as a compliance officer. He told me they had told the workers to stay at their desks and not to panic because the fire from the South Tower would not affect the North Tower. She did not listen to them and left the building. I walked downstairs with a few co-workers and stood outside Brooks Brothers (the one they later used as a morgue) in my building, just looking up at the towers..really pretty dumbfounded. We were facing the towers when suddenly the second tower just exploded...no warning or anything. Debris falling down all around us and the plate glass windows of the Brooks Brothers shattered. Then it was mass confusion as everyone tried to figure out what was going on. I was standing on Broadway, at the corner of Liberty, with a coworker in disbelief, watching as people jumped the 105+ stories. Then, we heard an awful low rumbling, that just got louder and louder, like an earthquake or bomb...the tower was coming down. We turned and ran into the nearest builing, at the corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane. I escaped the major plume of debris headed through the streets of lower Manhattan. I walked out of the side door and into the dust. What was a brilliant, blue sky was now black with dust. The streets were covered in dust three inches thick. I walked down the street in a daze. I went to a bar we often went for happy hour. They had stopped their lunch preparations. It was a makeshift infirmary. They had used all the tablecloths and napkins to bandage anyone who came in looking for help. Those of us who were unhurt started pitching in and helping, bringing people in from the streets until the whole place was full. I do confess, a large glass of scotch was had by me well before noon. There was one payphone in the bar, it was the only phone that was working. Cell service was out. People were taking turns trying to get in touch with loved ones. We waited in the bar, there was still one tower standing. It was a surreal sight on TV, seeing only one tower. When the second tower fell, the ground shook. The windows rattled and got black as night as the debris cloud passed. You could have heard a pin drop. A short while later, I walked outside and it was surreal. As I walked outside and up Broadway, I looked down Maiden Lane, by Century 21, toward the towers where I had stood about an hour before. There was a section of the latticework of the towers, stuck into the ground on a 45 degree angle. Behind it, the fires glowed fiercely. I wished I had a camera. There were human remains on Broadway. I walked to City Hall Park and finally got cell service, got in touch with my folks and girlfriend (now wife). There was a polic officer looking for volunteers to help takes supplies to FDNY. I'm in. Turns out, we waited for most of the day at the command post set up on the West Side Highway, the fire was just too hot to approach and we had to wait until 7 WTC came down. NYC was a ghost town. Finally, after 10 PM, I walked over the Manhattan Bridge, where my girlfriend picked me up. It was a very long day. EDIT: 7 years later, I type this and am still tingling. Time for a LaGavulin.

I seriously hope you are pulling a Hogboy and trying to get a rise out of everyone...

Nah! What fun is that?

The past 20 or so years has convinced me that it means nothing but bad things for our wallets when one party (either one) controls both Congress and the White House.

Or is there a perfectly good reason for an across-the-board, 5% cut in spending by all Federal agencies, as well as an accounting and justification of every dollar spent else further cuts will be necessary?

At least they exist. Many times, I have to go back through security, just to get outside and have a smoke, then wait in the security line again, all due to a flight delay. I travel a lot, both business and personal. God bless airports like Tampa (outdoor smoking patio in the terminal), JetBlue's JFK terminal (bar and flight info on both sides of security, so you only go through security when your flight is ready), and any on this list that accomodate all travelers. http://www.travelpost.com/airport-smoking-lounges.aspx I have even signed up for the CLEAR traveler program, just so that I can bypass the security line at participating airports every time I head outside for a smoke.

While I agree with you, I will not complain about it after the Slug fiasco. At least, it looks like a Sabres jersey. I have refused to buy the Slug (and the Donahoe-era Bills BTW). I can buy this jersey.

I was working on the 52nd floor of One Liberty Plaza, right across the street. I had just gotten in, dropped my bag in my office (that had a view of the WTC) and went to get my morning coffee. The lights flickered in the coffee room. I walked back to my office with my coffee, looked out the window, and the first tower was on fire, with a big hole in it.

No offense intended, but he plays in Tennessee. Not Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Cleveland or Buffalo where the focus is 24/7 on football or NY or CHI with the constant media presence. If he can't handle a couple of reporters and a little bit of booing, he really should not play football for a living.

McCain did try to stand up to his party and was ostracized for it. I'm not saying McCain will fix everything, just that he will try to restrain spending far more than Obama. Personally, my libertarian self would love to see a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution, but its not going to happen.

I voted.....Other The original Uptown Girl...Christie!!! Baby Blue Eyes! Beautiful! What a smile!

One has to ask, if Obama is elected, and his tax raises are passed, what happens to the additional revenue? This article foretells an enormous increase in suckling at the government breast, with no accountability whatsoever. Contrast this with McCain's idealistic notion to end earmarks as we currently know them.

I have been twisted since January 1990...just once I want to win a Super Bowl. Then I can die in peace.

And if we lose this game, due to the Sea pass rush, and finish 9-7 and 1 game out of the playoffs, the blame can rest with Peters. If he reported last week at this time, he'd be playing vs. Sea.

Bills 1st round pick next year....OLB.

My take...Crowell practiced through training camp to try and get an extension done. If the Bills did one, he would gone as far as he could this season, and had surgery when the knee gave. He got no extension, figured might as well look out for me and scheduled the surgery, figuring he could come back in 2-4 weeks. Bills got pissed and put him on IR, a petulant move. In the NFL, I begrudge no player for trying to take care of himself in the world of non-guranteed contracts. Did Crowell look after himself...yes, after he showed up and played good soldier. Did the Bills potentially screw themselves for weeks 4-17...yes. Bad move for the Bills.

Also, no sponsors = no prize money. Its in the players best interest to comply.

Apologies if I am hijacking, but at least I am hijacking with a real hottie.

Troyer Farms? Bison dip? You're trying to make me hungry and homesick.... right back at you.... Mighty Taco, Sahlen's hot dogs, Chiavetta's and...going for gold here.........Jim's Steakout

John What about one big carrot? If your daughter is so talented musically, and may want to make that a career, does she know that they have schools for music? Do you? What if you did a bit of research into a place like Julliard, used it as a motivational carrot. "What if you could go to a cschool focused solely on music? Gotta have decent enough grades..." Just a random thought. http://www.juilliard.edu/

OK, but first Javelin throwing...women's javelin throwing...Paraguayan women's javelin throwing... Leryn Franco Oh my! Smokin!

One question...are you hot? Because if you are, that could be why he was incredibly nice to you.

That could be the worst post I've read on this board since ICE and SpikedLemonade were posting. WOW!

Best I've had uses a quail egg...very nice. And don't forget the cognac. Les Halles is the one I prefer... Les Halles Steak Tartare recipe

I always order my steak medium rare, sometimes with a little tartare as an app. I eat out a lot. I have never had my request turned down.