9/11 - Remembering the Lives Lost

[AlexB23]

Satellites. Not gonna get into specifics.

That is pretty cool. I am betting you built satellites for the military, but I will not ask. Satellites are fascinating technologies, and I could go on about how much I like them and discuss different power sources and orbital levels (LEO, medium earth orbits, high earth orbits, geostationary, polar orbits), but I will restrain myself from discussing about your work or space tech.

 

[AlexB23]

Aizu-Wakamatsu, a most beautiful and peaceful city, 300 km north of Tokyo. I taught computer science there. Got two dental bridges from there. They are still working nicely in my mouth. Japanese are extremely good at exact detailed work. An average dentist in a small town in Japan is probably more skillful than 90% of the dentists in the big city of Toronto

300 km is pretty close by Japanese standards, as the high speed trains travel at 300 km/h. It is good that you taught computer science there. Also, I do agree that the Japanese are good at precision work, as the cars built there last forever. Japanese workmanship is top-notch.

 

[AlexB23]

What a horrible act of terrorism.

The murdered, their families, those who dealt with terrible health consequences long after.

That is true. In fact, WTC (World Trade Center) dust has been known to have damaged lungs in first responders and survivors. Prayers for the victims, and for those who have been exposed to this disaster.

Quote from Florida International University / The Conversation: "WTC dust was made up of both “large” particulate matter and very small, fine and ultrafine ones. These particularly small particles are known to be highly toxic, especially to the nervous system since they can travel directly through the nasal cavity to the brain. Many first responders and others who were directly exposed to the dust developed a severe and persistent cough that lasted for a month, on average. They were treated at Mount Sinai Hospital and received care at the Clinic of Occupational Medicine, a well-known center for work-related diseases."

Source:

9/11 survivors’ exposure to toxic dust and the chronic health conditions that followed offer lessons that are still too often unheeded

Roberto Lucchini, FIU professor of occupational and environmental health sciences, wrote this piece, republished from The Conversation.

news.fiu.edu

 

[AlexB23]

I saw the second plane hit the towers while I was getting ready for work and called my folks. I saw them fall at work on a TV they set up for everyone to keep track of it (and to keep the streaming of the news down).

It was a shocking day, and the aftermath was crazy. I knew we were going to go after some country.

What I wasn't expecting was the deniers that came up right after.

Wow, that must have been a rough moment, especially going to work the next day after the attacks. I would have been afraid to leave my home.

Of course, with every event in history, there will always be deniers, but the fact that someone would deny that a heinous act of terror was not real? Crazy stuff. Those deniers might want to seek some help.

 

[Paulos23]

Wow, that must have been a rough moment, especially going to work the next day after the attacks. I would have been afraid to leave my home.

Of course, with every event in history, there will always be deniers, but the fact that someone would deny that a heinous act of terror was not real? Crazy stuff. Those deniers might want to seek some help.

Sorry, should have made it clear I saw them hit on TV, not in person. And yes, I went to work that same day. Still was scary. Had my commute backpack stocked that day, just in case

 

[Vambram]

I was an active duty Army soldier. I had joined the US Army in 1993. On September 11, 2001 my signal company was on TDY from Fort Lewis, Washington over in Fort Gordon, Georgia. We were in class learning new telecommunications equipment. One of the cadre of instructors came into the classroom after the first jet crashed into the World Trade Towers. My fellow soldiers went into the break room. We watched the horror of the second plane crashing into the Towers. Later, I watched as the Towers fell.

 

[AlexB23]

Sorry, should have made it clear I saw them hit on TV, not in person. And yes, I went to work that same day. Still was scary. Had my commute backpack stocked that day, just in case

Even seeing it on TV would make me afraid to leave my home. It is good that you stocked up your commute backpack that day. Being young is a blessing, cos I do not remember 9/11.

 

[Paulos23]

Even seeing it on TV would make me afraid to leave my home. It is good that you stocked up your commute backpack that day. Being young is a blessing, cos I do not remember 9/11.

I was just following the Boy Scout motto, BE PREPARED. Heading into work was due to my father's blue collar work ethic, work must be done to get paid. Though these days it is easier to work from home than it was in 2001.

 

[Lost4words]

I been watching documentaries all night about 9/11.......its something i keep get drawn to watching again and again....

 

[AlexB23]

I was an active duty Army soldier. I had joined the US Army in 1993. On September 11, 2001 my signal company was on TDY from Fort Lewis, Washington over in Fort Gordon, Georgia. We were in class learning new telecommunications equipment. One of the cadre of instructors came into the classroom after the first jet crashed into the World Trade Towers. My fellow soldiers went into the break room. We watched the horror of the second plane crashing into the Towers. Later, I watched as the Towers fell.

Dang, that sounded rough. 8 years into your Army career, and then having to watch 9/11 unfold would have been terrifying. Thank you for your service, in protecting our country. Even new telecom equipment can be used to fight against terror, so every man and woman's job in the military is equally important. 9/11 was the darkest single day in US history, besides Pearl Harbor of December 1941, and more recently, almost the whole year of 2020-21 with the pandemic. I remember watching a documentary about September 11 in the early 2010s, and it was scary. Also, there was a 2006 film that interviewed some of the survivors of 9/11.

Also, what type of telecoms equipment were you working on, and is it still used in 2024 (tech is an interest of mine)?

Also, @Lost4words , here are two documentaries that I recommend.

Seconds From Disaster 9/11 Documentary info (2011):

"Seconds from Disaster" 9/11 (TV Episode 2011) ⭐ 7.8 | Documentary

9/11: Directed by Jadran Malkovich, Sean Smith. With Richard Vaughn, David Bottiglia, John Farmer, Jadran Malkovich. Remembering 9/11 and reconstructing the moments before the catastrophe. Showing new evidence and knowledge in the moments leading to the events of 9/11.

www.imdb.com

9/11: Inside The Twin Towers Documentary (2006) [Age rating: 15+ due to heavy topic]:

 

[All Becomes New]

Thanks for making this thread @AlexB23.

 

[AlexB23]

I was just following the Boy Scout motto, BE PREPARED. Heading into work was due to my father's blue collar work ethic, work must be done to get paid. Though these days it is easier to work from home than it was in 2001.

Amen to this: Be prepared is a good motto for the Boy Scouts, and for life itself. Your dad raised you well, as work must be done first, though, I would have still stayed home for a day. My dad also told me that work is important.

 

[AlexB23]

Thanks for making this thread @AlexB23.

You are welcome, brother. Just doing what is right, which is to spread awareness for the victims of 9/11. I was too young for this, but there are many folks who have lived through September 11, 2001, so this thread is dedicated to honor the lives of the first responders and of the 2,997 victims who died in and around the World Trade Center.

 

[Vambram]

@AlexB23
The telecommunications equipment we were learning to use in 2001 was VOIP telephone communications in a field tactical environment. Since then, that VOIP has come a long way with technological development and advancement.

 

[AlexB23]

@AlexB23
The telecommunications equipment we were learning to use in 2001 was VOIP telephone communications in a field tactical environment. Since then, that VOIP has come a long way with technological development and advancement.

VOIP tech is still being used today, such as Wi-Fi calling and Skype, neither which I use, though I did use Skype more often in 2022 and before. That tech must have been bleeding-edge back then in 2001, as most folks had dial-up back then. How did you guys get internet in the middle of a tactical environment?

 

[Vambram]

VOIP tech is still being used today, such as Wi-Fi calling and Skype, neither which I use, though I did use Skype more often in 2022 and before. That tech must have been bleeding-edge back then in 2001, as most folks had dial-up back then. How did you guys get internet in the middle of a tactical environment?

We used satellites.

 

[AlexB23]

We used satellites.

Nice, that sounded really advanced for 2001, as Starlink only launched civilian internet satellites in the early 2020s. Goes to show that the military is always a decade or so ahead of civilians, which is important for our national security.

 

[tonychanyt]

Japanese workmanship is top-notch.

I have been living in Toronto for a few years now. There are power outages at least once a year. In ten years in Japan, only once did I experience a power outage—and it was preannounced a month before it happened.

 

[AlexB23]

I have been living in Toronto for a few years now. There are power outages at least once a year. In ten years in Japan, only once did I experience a power outage—and it was preannounced a month before it happened.

Japan is just superior to Toronto, Canada it seems. It is awesome how Japan announced a power outage before it happened. In the US, that does not happen that often. There are power outages at least once a year in my city as well.

 

[Servus]

I was at work and the boss' wife called asking if he was there. I told here he had just pulled up and asked her if she wanted to wait. She says "yesss" in a way that told me something was up. He gets in picks up the phone and says WHAT! WHAT!?.

So I figure it's some serious domestic issue and start leaving, when he shouts "Quick turn on the TV!". And there it was the first tower smoldering. And shortly after the second one gets hit.

It was hugely upsetting of course. And wondering if WW3 was starting. It felt like I had something like ptsd for several days afterwards. It was a horrifically chilling experience. I can only imagine what it was like for those in NY. Especially those who had family and friends in those towers.