The 25th Anniversary Commemoration of 9/11

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Yesterday, at the 9/11 Commemoration at the Pentagon, President Trump paid homage to the victims in a solemn ceremony of remembrance. But he was not the person who made an impact. 

Instead, Former Secretary of State and Bush 43 NSA Advisor, Condoleeza Rice offered an apology to the nation and to the families of the victims for not recognizing the dangers in time to prevent the attacks. 

She shared she will always carry “deep personal remorse” for the pain to the families and to the trauma endured by the nation by the failure of so many by not understanding the intelligence data available at the time.

It was certainly one, powerful Mea Culpa.

In addition, the services in Shanksville was solemnly observed by PA Governor Josh Shapiro and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, along with members of the National Parks Department, and Senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick.

They all recognized that the crew and passengers who sacrificed their lives certainly prevented even greater harm that day to the nation.

In New York, however, it was a huge photo op for all four living ex-Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden and their wives. In addition, a who’s who of political notables were in attendance, including Former Governors Pataki and Cuomo, along with former Mayors Giuliani, Bloomberg, DeBlasio and Adams.

They were joined by Vice President  Vance, Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani.

It was certainly a solemn event with the reading of the almost 3,000 names of the victims by their family members. But it did not take place without controversy.

Terry Strada: While reading the names of victims, she diverged from the script to call out the US government and the former Presidents for protecting Saudi Arabia over the past 25 years.

The Message: She urged President Donald Trump to tell the Saudis to "stop lying" and to hold the kingdom accountable regarding its alleged ties to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Leaders Present: Vice President JD Vance  and those former Presidents attended the New York City event. Strada directed her remarks toward the administration officials present, telling Vice President Vance to carry her message back to President Trump.

And of course, the biggest clown show during the event was Mayor Mamdani, who was seen taking pictures of several politicos, including President Bush. He was also seen yucking it up with his DSA fellow member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It was truly a disgraceful mockery of a solemn occasion.

Quite a difference between the solemnity of the Pentagon and Shanksville ceremonies, and the irreverant manner Mamdani and AOC treated the New York ceremony.

Sadly, it showed that too many people forgot what the day means.

The Solemnity of an Anniversary, Twenty-Five Years Later

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Many of us who were alive and aware of the events which took place twenty-five years ago today can remember where they were when they heard the news. Much like when JFK and RFK were assassinated.

It is just one of those defining moments in US history. Like Pearl Harbor and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

On that day, 2,977 souls were lost. And those deaths have affected us ever since.

Breakdown by Location

World Trade Center: 2,753 deaths (including civilians and hundreds of first responders).
The Pentagon: 184 deaths (including passengers and crew on American Airlines Flight 77, as well as Pentagon personnel and civilians).
Shanksville, Pennsylvania (Flight 93): 40 deaths (not including the four hijackers, after passengers bravely fought back).

It seems we all knew someone who died. My cousin Tom and my sister-in-law’s daughter Monique were lost that day. Sadly, my sister-in-law was watching in horror through her hospital work window as the towers began their collapse.

We had all finally watched the events unfold during that day, and the days which followed. It took days and weeks to finally come to terms with that tragedy. But in the years since then, the families who lost loved ones are still haunted by those events.

Subsequently, thousands of people who lived and worked in the area, or who worked on the pile of debris looking for remains of victims in the following months, were affected with all sorts of carcinogens which affected their health. But no amount of money will ever cover the true cost to their health and/or their lives.

And the cost to our freedoms and liberties is immeasurable to that which we enjoyed prior to 9/11. Our country is not the same.

We can lay blame on what caused this tragedy, whether on poor construction to the building, the government’s neglect to intelligence leading up to the event, or to a specific ideology. All may have had a role but were not the cause.

We need to acknowledge that it were those individuals with the dark hearts and souls, filled with unmitigated hate, which caused this. We need to realize this on our own or we, too, will be enveloped and consumed by that same hate.

We need to remember this day as a sacred day, as we do with Pearl Harbor or the day JFK was murdered in front of us. And we need to remember that the 2,977 souls we lost that day, and the thousands since, did not die with hate in their hearts.

It will forever be a solemn day in American History. And will hopefully continue to be revered in the decades to come.

May they all forever Rest In Peace. Amen.

We Promised We Would Never Forget

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Sadly, we are on the eve of the solemn 25th Anniversary where we commemorate the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash in Shanksville, PA.

Whether you accept the government account that it was done by Islamic terrorists, or by other alleged vile acts by some other criminal element, it still hurts today as much as it did on September 11. 2001.

What matters more is that many Americans have forgotten that tragedy and also, apparently, deleted it from their memory what happened on 9/11/2012 in Benghazi, and the lies Obama, Clinton and the entire Obama Administration spun regarding a fake video about Muslim extremism.

On that day, Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were killed, as Clinton and Obama tried to cover up an alleged bad weapons deal with Iran’s allies.

This deceit, along with so many other government coverups like the JFK, RFK and MLK assassinations, have raised concerns that many Americans have with the government’s official 9/11 Commission Report. Many people believe that other nefarious actors and acts may have contributed to the destruction of the WTC and the Pentagon, along with the planes.

A total of 2,977 people died on that day and countless more since then, from cancer and other diseases caused by the pollution caused by the crash of the buildings.

Now, our largest city, New York City, has apparently forgotten what happened twenty-five years ago. New York has elected a Socialist, pro-Islamist Mayor. If he had been a true moderate-thinking, secular Muslim, the angst the surviving families feel on this day would not be as difficult.

But Mayor Mamdani has caused a heightened concern with his divisive and anti-Semitic rhetoric. In addition, his ideals and those of his administration, are pro-Islamist and virtually Communist. 

Mamdani is making a point to attend the commemoration over the objections of the families of the victims. The LSM and its Socialist sycophants are silent on the issue 

Now, it seems that the residents of New York City who support those who oppose the victims’ families have completely forgotten that promise to Never Forget what happened that day. And the City is worse off for it. 

For shame.

An Important Date We Seem to Gloss Over

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September 8 is an important date in the Abrahamic religions. It is the birthdate of Maryam in Islam, Miriam in Judaism and the Blessed Mother Mary in Christianity.

Each religion reveres her more than any other woman, paying homage to her in their specific creeds.

Mary in Christianity

Mother of God: Christians (particularly Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglicans) revere Mary as the Theotokos (Bearer or Mother of God) because she gave birth to Jesus, whom Christians believe is the incarnate Son of God. 
The New Eve: Christian tradition views her total obedience to God as the counterweight to Eve's disobedience, making her a vital figure in human redemption.
Intercessor and Model: She is seen as sinless, perfectly faithful, and a spiritual mother to believers who can pray for them as an intercessor in heaven. 

Mary in Islam

Highest Status Among Women: In the Quran, Mary (Maryam) is named in an entire chapter (Surah 19)—the only woman explicitly named in the Quran. She is chosen by God and purified above all women of the world.
The Virgin Birth: Islam firmly upholds the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus (Isa), celebrating Mary's chastity, strength, and complete submission to God's command. 
A Righteous Role Model: Muslims revere her not because she is the "Mother of God" (a concept rejected in Islamic theology), but because of her supreme personal piety, righteousness, and devotion.

The Jewish Perspective

Historical Context: In traditional Judaism, Mary is simply the historical Jewish mother of Jesus of Nazareth. However, she is recognized for her devotion to chastity, her piety and her purity. She is treated as a role model, leading us to salvation.

Christians, especially Catholics, Orthodox and Anglicans, recognize her with Feast Days  of her Immaculate Conception on December 8 and her Death and Assumption into Heaven on August 15.

And today, we honor her birth. Hail Mary, full of Grace.

T’is the Season of Hallothanksmas

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Pumpkins. Pumpkin Spice Coffee. Pumpkin Cookies. Pumpkin Spice Cake. Oh, and those little failures called Gourds

They began showing up in Walmart, Aldi, Publix and even in your favorite coffee shops during the third week in August. And so did the Big Bags of Halloween Candy. Just in case you needed a head start.

Apparently, there must be a belief we are unable to realize that the same events occur every year at the same time. Or, that we don’t know how to read a calendar.That seems to be the prevailing opinion of the marketing geniuses who want to control our habits.

As if we are Pavlov’s dogs. Ring the bell and salivate. Put out pumpkins, get people to buy all the stuff we need for Halloween. Conditioning.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Just in case we forgot, the same geniuses start decorating by the end of September to remind us about the Big Holiday Season of Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas. And soon , we will hear songs to remind us the Deck the Halls and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. Again.

Hence, the three and one half month of Hallothanksmas..

In fact, some Big Box Stores have already begun decorating for the December Spectacular. Hey, the NFL  doesn’t even start the regular season until Thursday. And we will have almost two months until the baseball season has finished.

So. It is time cool your jets, folks. It is bad enough that life seems to pass us by so quickly as it is. There is no need to put it all into overdrive.

Enjoy your pumpkin spice lattes and start stringing up your lights.

Labor Day 2026… and New Festivities to Come

​Once again, Labor Day weekend is upon us. Last week, we arrived at Meteorological Autumn and we are now at the unofficial end of summer for 2026. Soon enough, we will finally see the official start of Fall.

Monday is actually Labor Day, which was sparked in the 19th century as a means to honor our labor unions and workers across the country.

For context: Prior to the inception of the holiday, labor unions were advocating for "very specific improvements in their working conditions," according to CNN. Most workers in America were indulging in physically or mentally taxing jobs—and doing so all seven days of the week, with no real limit to the hours per day.

Labor Day honors the common American workers who helped change the way our country views its workforce, allowing for economic freedom and liberty. The unions of the time advanced the need for a forty-hour work week, paid vacation time and sick leave.

The first unofficial Labor Day dates back to September 5, 1882, taking place in New York City. Though it took some time, states slowly but surely began adapting the holiday as their own over the years. By June 28, 1894, Labor Day was an official holiday according to Congress, passing an act that declared the holiday be celebrated on the first Monday in September of each year.

There are a few reasons why we observe Labor Day in September. For one, September 5, 1882 is when over 10,000 workers had a planned unpaid leave from work. These 10,000 individuals organized a march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. Though, it's important to note that the date for this event wasn't chosen for any specific reason. Peter J. McGuire, the organizer of the parade on that day, stated that the reason for choosing September was only due to the fact that it fell "between the Fourth of July holiday and Thanksgiving," according to Brittanica. In 1884, the Knights of Labor union decided that they would continue on with the September tradition, just changing the date to be "every first Monday" instead of being locked down to September 5.

Over time, Labor Day has also become the unofficial start date for the Hallowthanksmas holiday season. We are already seeing Halloween candy, costumes and Thanksgiving decorations in the stores. And early ads for Christmas are beginning to appear on social media.

So, enjoy the waning days of summer this weekend and Monday. Soon enough, we will be in the throes of autumn and all the festivities that the season brings us.

And have a safe weekend.

Sixty Years and Still Going Strong

“Live Long and Prosper” - Vulcan salutation, spoken frequently by Mr Spock

​On Tuesday, September 8, Star Trek will celebrate SIXTY years since it first exploded across our television screens in living color. NBC had long been in discussions with Lucille Ball, who owned Desilu, Star Trek’s production company, and finally agreed to broadcast the show.

It would survive three seasons and seventy-nine episodes before being cancelled in June, 1969. Ironically, it was six weeks before the lunar landing on July 20.

It lived on in syndication through the seventies, along with novels, cartoons and increasing fan support until the first of fourteen movies, countless different TV sequels and story lines were aired, starting in 1979.

Now, Paramount owns the rights to the franchise and streams it all on its platform. It has been reported that the Star Trek library generated over $2.6 billion in global subscription value across major platforms (including Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount+) from 2020 through late 2024. Not a bad investment of the $17MM purchase Paramount made of Desilu in 1967.

Surviving cast members of the original series from 1966 include William Shatner (Captain Kirk), George Takei (Lt Sulu) and Walter Koenig (Ens Chekov).

Of all the characters who ever existed in the Star Trek Universe, probably Spock and Data were the fan favorites. It doesn’t lessen the popularity of the many other characters who graced the franchise, including Kirk, Bones, Scotty or Picard. Or Crusher, Worf, Uhura, or even Sarek. There are so many characters who made the franchise so successful.

And just think of all the fantasy items which have become variations of our 21st Century reality: The communicator became the smart phone, the tricorder became the tablet, the phaser became the taser, the bridge screen became the flat screen TV, sickbay became open MRI, video screen communication became Face Time and Zoom, Uhura’s ear piece became ear buds, and digital boards ran everything then as now. Could warp drive and time travel be so close to reality, too?

Gene Roddenberry had an idea where the cowboy and western TV shows needed a futuristic change of scenery. Hence, Star Trek was born. Even he could not have imagined what it would become, And so far, its five year mission has lasted sixty years. Where NO ONE on TV has gone before.

Truly one of the most successful, creative profitable franchises ever created for TV. And Beyond. 

It certainly has done as Mr Spock wished.