9/11/2001

[Fore]

It is eight years today that the Twin Towers and other targets in the states were attacked. It still makes my spine shiver watching it and thinking of all those poor victims that were trapped at the top of the buildings and died.
I was working at a company at the time that would not allow employees to use the internet until lunch time. I could not believe my eyes when i opened the news pages on my computer and watched the second plane crashing into the second tower as the first was already burning, followed by the collapse of both. I was in the City of London and people there were worried we were going to be attacked too. Quite frightening at the time.
Fortunately, i had left that company the friday before the 7/7 attacks in London to work more locally.
Although i had worked in London all through the early 70's when the IRA were at their most active and i passed a different bomb site on my way to work every week, i never quite felt as insecure as the day of the 9/11 attacks.

 

[nomadpaul]

I was working for Canon copiers at the time in the City and was in a company in America square EC3 when the news first filtered through. They put on the TV's in their offices and we just stood there , transfixed , as the story unfolded. Just across the road , literally 50yds away , a workmate was working in the London offices of Cantor Fitzgerald , one of the companies situated on the floors where the 1st plane hit the twin towers. He said the atmosphere there was unreal. Apparently some of the staff there had been on the phone to colleagues in NY when they were suddenly cut off.

Soon after that , everyone practically evacuated the City in complete silence and my train journey home took me out past canary wharf and Docklands airport. I have never been on a more quiet and morose train journey . There were rumours that Londons financial districts being targetted and the looks of complete panic on some peoples faces with the sight of any visible low flying aircraft on that rail trip home will remain with me forever.

 

[Andy]

4 years to the day my best m8 died in a motorbike accident as well.

RIP m8.

Andy

 

[haplesshacker]

You'd off thought that us Brits were slightly tuned to the terroist threat after the whole Northen Ireland thing. But for some reason the events of that day struck home.

I have some friends that lost colleagues that day.

I was in Southampton when it happened and I along with a lot of other people were stood in Dixons watching the events happening from every TV station on dozens of screens.

I've never seen so many people stood speechless and emotional in all my life.

I still can't watch an episode of Friends (the Twin Towers are featured quite alot) without thinking, [****], they're not there anymore.

A generation defining moment for those of us that watched it on TV, and a devasting part of history for those involved.

In recent times, only JFK, and the moon landings of Apollo 11 come to anywhere near as defining in my mind.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was off that week and was at home with HID and watching live on Sky and CBS. HID's sister lives in San Diego and so was getting more news streams via the TV and radio.

I still get a shudder when the towers collapse and can't begin to imagine the feeling thise still alive had at that moment. Even worse were those that were so utterly bereft of hope that they elected to jump. Still galls me today.

 

[JustOne]

I lost a stack of money as the stock market crashed (although it was on it's way to rock bottom anyway). I remember thinking that I'd rather lose my money than face 100 story jump, and still feel that way.

There was one guy climbing down to a lower floor that slipped..... still right there in my thoughts and probably will be forever.

 

[Up_Point_1]

The events that took place that day put our lives well and truly into perspective.

We all (and I very much include myself in this statement) need to be eternally grateful for what we actually have in life as it can all be taken away in a complete moment of madness.

It also helps concentrate the mind into recognising just how unimportant golf actually is in the grand scheme of things.

 

[JustOne]

It also helps concentrate the mind into recognising just how unimportant golf actually is in the grand scheme of things.

EH?

Golf is the MOST important thing. You're on the planet once for only a few years, if you can't be doing something you enjoy then there's not a lot of point to life. I'd rather be on the course (even playing badly) than doing anything else - apart from the obvious which I can do once the sun goes down .

 

[mono217]

Very sad date 9/11 RIP to the many who lost there lives

 

[Herbie]

I tend not to dwell no matter how much impact such a day had on me at the time, and it did. The only thing that gets attention from 9/11 is the shock and sadness of mass murder in a horrendous fashion followed by memories of a select few of the vitims lives, briefly invaded by media, yet more coverage of the killers and their story, finally the lamented mass outpourings and the maintainance of the event in the media. I would be more grateful if the lives of as many of those victims were celebrated and given as much coverage as those who committed the crime, if not more, in fact, little killer coverage as possible. I dont remember 9/11 with any more than a little sadness at the deaths of people I do not know, but more anger than you can imagine at many many things surrounding the whole 9/11 deal. 9/11 rekindles anger for me, not sadness. I have seen far worse death than someone helplessly falling from a building or killed in the fireball, but they were lucky to get the front page of their local paper. I also remember far more horrendous mass killings that most forget after a year or so, like the seemingly frequent mass murders in schools around the globe, now thats real sadness for me.

 

[need_my_wedge]

I was living and working in Tokyo at the time. I remember vividly walking in from work to find my wife standing in front of the TV in shock, and then seeing the planes hit the towers. It was seems very surreal now, but was an horrendous day.

With regards to IRA scares. I worked at Oxford Circus for a while in the early nineties. I was standing by the window of the office about 100 yds away from the bomb that went off outside John Lewis in Cavendish Square. I remember hearing the explosion as the windows started shaking like crazy, the instant influx of sirens and helicopters. The alarm to evacuate the building, standing outside (even closer to the original blast) waiting for news, the all clear etc. that wasn't a good day either.

We used to have bomb scares almost every day at that time, either around the office or at Euston station. you get a bit blasé about them after a while but that day really brought it home.

 

[Spoff]

This happened three days after I got married.

I remember spending the morning out with my new wife, we were spending some of the gif vouchers we had received.

Got home and put the TV on and couldn't beleive it.

Another two days later I was at the airport about to go on honeymoon. There were two TVs both showing the news. Our flight was announed and I lost the plot, I'm not normally a good flyer, but just couldn't get on that plane.

Got the bags back from the plane and went home. My honeymoon was a couple of hours at East Midlands airport!

 

[Redwood]

This happened three days after I got married.

I remember spending the morning out with my new wife, we were spending some of the gif vouchers we had received.

Got home and put the TV on and couldn't beleive it.

Another two days later I was at the airport about to go on honeymoon. There were two TVs both showing the news. Our flight was announed and I lost the plot, I'm not normally a good flyer, but just couldn't get on that plane.

Got the bags back from the plane and went home. My honeymoon was a couple of hours at East Midlands airport!

I'm glad I got married a little earlier (25th August) as this was the day the missus and I arrived home from Kenya. Sat at home recovering from a long trip with a nice brew (nothing like a nice cup of tea from home) when it all unfolded on TV. To say we were dumbfounded was an understatement. I also lost a colleague on one of the flights.

 

[Spoff]

Was talking to the wife about this last night, she had arranged the honeymoon and said she had the option of flying out on 11th or 13th of September and chose the latter.

We'd have beein in the air on the way to Spain when it happened on the 11th.

If that was the case at least we would have got our honeymoon, although I may now be living in Marbella as I am not sure I'd have got on the plane back!!!

 

[CVG]

I was working in London for both 9/11 and 7/7 and yes they were both very scary days. I've never know London so quiet after the 7/7 attacks.

However many of us went to work the next day as normal, in our own small way showing we will not be intimidated by these mad events.

I add my thoughts to the families and friends of all those killed and injured in the attacks.

 

[Mattie]

First time vie been in here.

Any of you people watched 'Loose Change' yet or any other 9-11 documentary? All of them are real eye-openers!

Anyway, im not going to say much about it, but after watching them and others it changed my life!!!!

Lookup Charlie Sheen and 9-11 also!!

Anyone who wants to chat about it please let me know

Mattie

 

[Basher]

I watched a documentary made by two French brothers who were making a film about the NYFD on the day it happened.
The first plane flew into the building - filmed by the film makers and events unfolded from there.

A harrowing scene was filmed in the lobby of one of the towers. There were frequent loud thuds which happened to be the poor souls who had jumped.

A very sad day in Americas history which I'm sure they will remember every year for many more years.
I imagine it was the first time in many years that the Americans had actually been invaded so as to speak.

Obviously the media brought it to the television sets of homes and offices worldwide in somewhat graphic detail. I also heard of stories of great heroism, fron not just the poor guys from NYFD, but from everyday civilians caught up in the attrocity.

I'll never forget a picture of a firefighter, ladened with equipment, making his way up one of the staircases in the building. His eyes spoke volumes. Fear and yet utter professionalism, just doing his job.

 

[Mattie]

Hi Basher

Definitely a sad day indeed, i dont think any one would disagree!

I would sayt though watch Loose Change on google video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3719259008768610598&hl=en#

This is the first documentary anyway, ive seen about 16 now all on the same theme, ie overwhelming evidence!

Shocking stuff! Honestly it has changed my life, do watch it and see if you feel like I do, let me know what you think.

Mattie