Terrorist Attack in US

[Goddess]

I can only stop in for a moment, but only to repsond to the above post about Nostradomus. According to the main website devoted to him, that prediction was not made by him, and the paragraph was taken out of context from one of his books (a cut and paste if you will, to make it fit the events) Apparently this false prediction is being forwarded through e-mails by the thousands. Just thought I'd let you know that is is false.  Having read some Nostradomus I agree with the experts, it was not a true prediction

[GoddessAgain]

Here is an article about the Nostradamus chain mail

One version read, in part:


"In the year of the new century and nine months,

From the sky will come a great king of terror.

In the city of york there will be a great collapse

Two twin brothers torn apart by chaos,

The 3rd big war will begin when the big city is burning."


The haunting lines were attributed to Nostradamus, the 16th-century French physician and astrologer famous for his long-range prophecies.

But how could he have predicted the bombing of the World Trade Center?

And yet that is what he seemed to do: This is the first year of the new century the ninth month the "twin" towers, struck by a "great terror" from the sky.

The problem was, Nostradamus never wrote anything even vaguely like the Internet renditions circulating through cyberspace under his name.

To some, the confusion wasn't surprising. Nostradamus' predictions have been repeatedly appropriated, misquoted, and rewritten by cranks to explain everything from the French Revolution to both World Wars and the rise of Saddam Hussein -- all after they have happened.

Nostradamus, whose name was Michel de Notredame (1503-66) wrote in French and in a code to protect himself from the Inquisition, then raging throughout Europe. Legions of serious students of his work still puzzle over what his words mean. Yet they don't rewrite them to explain terrorist bombings in the 21st century.

The Internet fabrication was apparently pieced together from out-of-context material, selectively gathered from Nostradamus' "Centuries," a collection of 943 verse-like prophecies called "quatrains," which are arranged in groups of 100s, each called a "Century." The bogus quote was mashed together from parts of Century I, Quatrain 24; Century I, Quatrain 87; and Century VI, Quatrain 97.

[bhar]

I never read chain mail anyway (or anything that has a Fwd: attached to it for that matter).

It was not the Palestinians, as it was not any one country (or in their case, a wannabe country).  It was an organization run by bin Laden made up of 18 hijackers and probably hundreds of accomplices.  This makes it extremely difficult to retaliate.  Despite the desires of much of the American public, we can't storm and bomb every Middle Eastern country and kill towel heads just for the sake of killing towel heads.  If we had the resolve, we could end most of the world's terrorism in under three minutes.  However, use of nuclear weapons is out of the question.

We're dealing with 2 types of enemies:  The terrorist organizations themselves and the countries who harbor them.  Attacking anything with no boundaries or set location is extremely difficult, even with international support.  The countries pose their own problems, as they don't necessarily have much infrastructure to destroy.  Most Afghanis are dirt-poor shepherds living in mud-brick huts and tents in the country.  As much as they hate America, these people truly do not pose much of a threat.  Exactly what we are going to attack in these countries is beyond me, outside of replacing their governments.

One last point: All the security in the world will not stop someone who is willing to blow himself up.  "No curbside check-in" rules will not stop Osama Bin Laden, they will only delay and inconvenience travelers and punish an already struggling airline industry.

The missing/death toll is now at 5,115 and is expected to rise.  New York City alone ordered 30,000 body bags.

[bhar]

As I watched TV yesterday, I spent about an hour just watching the victims' families tell their stories (each story was about 45 seconds apiece).  The scope of this disaster began to fully hit me as I watched them.  They were normal Americans:  People who just went to work every day trying to support families and a better future.  Thousands of them.  Crying, holding up posters of loved ones with an optimistic "missing" adorning the top of the poster.  They were people I might see in Wal-Mart, putting out their trash in the morning, getting the mail, etc.  It took a horribly long time for me to realize that they were also victims of this tragedy.

Tomorrow is a national mourning day.  If you can, put an American (or Canadian, if that is where you reside) flag in your yard.

[DonaMaria]

Dear all,

The Nostradamus quote is, as Goddess noted, a hoax.  It was circulated not too long ago (what was the last big tragedy anyway?) to describe that one.  Very few of Nostradamus' quotes gave dates.  A lot used planetary alignments to depict time....

Anyway, this is all very shocking to me.  My office is a mile from the WTC and we have a clear view to the buildings. I felt and heard the first tower fall - I saw the second one collapse.   I cannot begin to describe the mix of horror and fascination that I felt watching this.

Please say a prayer, light a candle (or whatever your particular brand of belief moves you to do) for a co-worker fo mine.  His name is Mike and he was attending a trade show at Windows on the World during all this.  (For those who aren't familiar with the trade center, that's the restaurant that's located at the very top of 1 WTC).  Mike called into the office after the second plane hit and said that he was in a room with about a 100 other people and that the whole place was filling with thick black smoke.  The stairwells were full of it and there was no electricity.  They couldn't see and didn't know where to go to get out.  He didn't know whether or not they should break out a window.  My boss called 911 and they didn't know either.  Mike asked my boss to tell his children that he loves them.  And that's the last we heard from Mike.....I can only hope that he was overcome by smoke long before the building collapsed.

So, I am home as my office is closed until Monday.  I can't say I feel very much like posting....I have been watching the news coverage and not really moving around much.

Hugs to all of you.
Dona

[bannie]

(o) (o)
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(sorry thats the best non smilry face i could do)  

[DonaMaria]

If anyone is interested in reading the Nostradamus predictions that may or may not be related to this, please visit this site

http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/91101.htm

[Railnut]

Dona, its a great relief to see you here. I was asked on Wednesday if I had seen you on. When I realized I hadn't I became very concerned. It is so sad about your coworker, and all the others.

[CafeDave]

DonaMaria,
So sad to hear of your co-worker Mike.  That makes it very personal and who knows how many lives have been touched this way.  Take care.

[Maus]

Dona,
I will do as you ask. I wish there were some words, any words, that I could offer, but there are none to fit the horror of this.

[Junta_Joe]

Nostradamus did not make that prediction. Read the rebuttal near the top of this page.

Now is not the time for ghost stories. It is time to steel your resolve for the difficult times ahead. It will be bloody for the next few years. Our freedom's enemy believes that the only way to "fix" the world is to destroy us. More attacks on us are guaranteed.

Dona, you have my deepest sympathies. I too lost good friends on that fateful day in Beruit back in '83. I can only tell you that time will mask your pain. Be strong in your remembrance of them. Nobody ever leaves us if they are not forgotten.

[Maus]

Well said, Junta. I will not cower in some "it's the end times" fetal position. Humankind is capable of horrific atrocities against our fellow humans, and we have a task ahead that will test our humanity to the limit, in every country and every culture. Despite the atrocities that we must now commit against each other, humanity WILL survive.

[Chris]

Dona, I assure you, I will be in prayer.

[Wordmeister Bob]

On this national day of prayer and remembrance, I humbly offer this small poem (which I wrote a few years ago, with slightly different wording and in a very different context), in the hope that some may derive a small measure of solace therefrom.
To anyone who feels this is inappropriate, I apologize in advance, but aside from giving blood and a few dollars to the relief effort, here on the west coast there's not a whole lot more I can do.
If you find any comfort in these meager words, feel free to pass it along to anyone you wish, but I would appreciate proper credit as the author. :)



    Do not despair, my brother, though one you love is gone.
    Remember you are needed by those who do live on.
    There's no disgrace in weeping in times of pain or loss;
    Yet though you cry a river, you've bridges more to cross.

    Do not succumb, dear sister; let sorrow not dissuade
    Your spirit's stoic striving.  Your faith shall be repaid
    When life's unending cycle again begins to rise
    And bring restoring sunlight to dry your dampened eyes.

    For nothing lasts unaltered, howe'er we wish it so;
    To grasp the worth of change is to learn, and thence to grow.
    It is, indeed, with changing, the lines of life are limned.
    To keep the rose from wilting, the stem must oft be trimmed.

    And while the night's dark beauty grows pale, and then is gone,
    The fading stars do herald the coming of the dawn.
    We'll have our night of mourning for those who've gone away,
    Then, finally, turn together, and bravely face the day.

    ~ Robert P. Keating


God bless us, every one.

Peace,
Bob

[Gilbert_Willis]

Mr. Teamster Bob, sir, thank you, sir.  Your post has fortified my soul.  

[Pattycake4554]

I, too, have been crying non-stop for 2 days now. As the numbness and shock recede, the pain and horror seems to intensify.

Our love and prayers are with you, Dona. I share the frustration of Teamster Bob at being on the West Coast and not able to do much more than offer our condolences.

I have forwarded your beautiful poem, complete with signature, to my entire mailing list, Bob.

And Bhar, we always seem to arrive at exactly the same conclusions. I pray that our leaders with be led to figure something appropriate out.

I heard last night that there may have been as many as 500 Englanders in the Towers...so again, England has joined in our pain.

What a beautiful religious service I watched and cried through this morning. Our President was strong. May God keep us all strong.

Patti

[Chris]

Bravo Bob.

[robbo]

i feel a feeling of frustration, being so far away, and only able to stare at my TV. I feel for you Dona in your time of need, and i hope you find Mike, alive and well

I do take heart (and i hope Brian won't bash me) from the news that Brian's sister gave birth to a baby boy, Matthew Jr, on September 12, one day after the tragic acts. And he shares the same birthday with Brian.

As Brian said, 'A little light in the darkness.'

[Mike]

I am close by, and I have a feeling of frusration for another reason.  I am in high school right now.  Although I am within a few hundred miles of NYC, I am even more helpless than those on the West Coast.  The feeling of remoteness in Delaware is amazing, especially among people my age.  People were afraid when we watched the tallest buildings in our nation collapse, but when school let out early, everyone seemed happy.  The next day, and the day after, there was little talk of what happened.  When we took a moment of silence three days later, most students observed it with quiet annoyance.  As soon as it was done, they continued talking.  I feel like the only one in my school who understands this tragedy.  I feel numb, and at times utterly alone in my sorrow.  To Dona, and all of the others whose lives were changed by this attack, I offer my humble condolences and prayer.  God Bless America.

[Junta_Joe]

Timmy. What you are seeing is the resilience of youthful minds. It is a good thing, not bad. Since we adults have decided that we will not allow you affect the world, why should you suffer for it?

ABC Nightline did a story last night on Texas high school football. Though the pro and college teams cancelled their games, the HS games were permitted to continue. The operative word there is "permitted". Adults are given freedoms as well as responsibilty. Youth is not given many freedoms. So why make them share the burdens and pains of responsibility?

Youth is too fleeting to be forced to bear so many burdens. Let the children play.

[robbo]

what do u consider a child?

[Mike]

I would have felt the same way, if the involved students were a couple of years younger.  It may be a harmless vanity, but I do not consider high school students to really be 'children'

[bhar]

Age is relative.  I am also in high school, and I experienced many of the same occurances that Timmy did.  Louisiana is considerably more religious that Delaware (I used to live in Delaware), and many students did observe the moment of silence.  Now, I could get into the hipocracy of many religious folk, but I won't.

Truth is, I consider most high-schoolers children.  Not all, but most.  As I said earlier, age is both relative and subjective.  One 6th grader may have the emotional capacity of a 40-year old, while a HS senior may have the emotional capacity of a 6th grader.  I talk to many people (HS students), and they don't have anything close to a complete grasp of this tragedy.  They know it was something sad, and for everything sad, they have to pray.  Not because they have a connection with a higher being, but because if they didn't, people would look down upon them.  People would see them as immoral, as children.  But they don't know anything about this tradegy, they don't know pain, they don't know suffering.

God bless America, and may God help us all.

[Mike]

There goes my harmless vanity...
I tend to be a bit of an outsider in HS...
People say I think too much.

[bhar]

Same here...

But it all pays off when a cheerleader doesn't understand her math and wants a "study date".