The Dept of Homeland Security has issued a terror alert advising police and other security officials around the country to be aware that members of extremist groups have recently signed up as school bus drivers or purchased school buses in the United States.

The memo notes that althought the DHC & FBI “have no information indicating these individuals are involved in a terrorist plot against the homeland... Most attempts by foreign nationals in the United States to acquire school bus licenses to drive them are legitimate.”

Since I know a few of my readers are teachers, here's a School Bus Security Handout and Guide for School Bus Drivers that might help nervous parents because they can share them with their children's bus driver. I will post shortly some security measures parents themselves can take if they see something suspicious. Parents: the bottom line is if you get a gut feeling about something or someone not being right with regard to your children's school bus, follow your instincts! It was my own instincts that saved me on the morning of 9/11.

Update: After spending a couple of hours trying to find something that would help a parent think about what to look for I realized that the 2 items I've posted for bus drivers are the best things a parent can read. I find it terribly sad that children are always the easiest and most vulnerable targets.

Posted by: Michele at 09:42 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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To My Dear Friends in Spain / A Mis Queridos Amigos Espanoles:
My apologies for this late post. IÂ’m experiencing technical glitches which have prevented me gaining access to my ISP and my email for the past 3 days. This is being posted through my TREO, so please forgive its simplicity. It is meant to support the 2,051 who were injured and survived, and to remember and honor those who died. Thanks go to Barcepundit for posting the names. / Mis disculpas por las fallas technologicas que impidieron la actualizacion de este enlace. Finalmente logre publicarlo a travez de mi celular Treo. Gracias a Barcepundit por publicar los nombres de los difuntos.

This post is also for those who do not believe / Este enlace tambien es para aquellos que no crean que
Al Qaeda is an active terrorist group. / Al Qaeda es un grupo activo de terrorismo.
Here are the names of those / Aqui estan los nombres de aquellos
they killed in the name of Allah. / que mataron en nombre de Allah.

Please see all 190 names, their nationalities and ages below:
more...

Posted by: Michele at 10:47 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I want to thank you all for the kind and supportive messages you left and emailed. Your words are a healing balm for my soul.

more...

Posted by: Michele at 09:50 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Five years ago I participated in my first 10k race on Labor Day. It was also my first major practice with Tom, the running buddy assigned to me by The Achilles Track Team, whom I was to spot for. Tom was blind, and like me loved running, even though we weren't very fast. He had trained me on how to run tethered to him and also taught me how to listen to his breathing as a way to know how he was doing in a run without asking and wasting precious energy and time. Tom explained it was the best way to identify the first signs of trouble. That Labor Day, all my friends were there to cheer me on. It had been a high point for all of us, because we were all finally ready to compete in the NYC Marathon that fall.

I used that listening technique many times when running with my best friends. It really gave me insight into how they were feeling during a run. For years we had worked out together, but our running together gave us a closeness and a feel for each other that was uncanny. For the first time few words needed to be exchanged between us.

The morning after Labor Day we were all supposed to meet early at the gym to do a quick 5 mile run along the Batter Park City Waterfront that goes past the World Trade Center, but my plans changed.

When Mike called me later that morning he was on the 72nd floor of the North Tower. I had been on the phone with him for about 15 min. let him know what was going on with the South Tower when Larry called and asked me to conference him in on the call. We'd done that a thousand times on Fridays or Saturday afternoons when no one could agree on what we were doing that evening. This time it was for a different reason.

The FDNY radios were not functioning properly and it was total chaos inside the towers, so this time I was conferencing them in so they could communicate with each other. I listened silently and stood by as I'd done countless times during impromptu rescues. That day my role was once again as witness and bystander, but I was to be a messenger also. I interrupted only once to let them know the Pentagon had been hit and we all grew silent as their suspicions were now confirmed - we were under attack. Knowing they had walked into a "tinder box" they gave me messages and information for their families in the event they didn't make it out alive.

While Mike and Larry spoke, I heard their labored breathing from the strain of heavy equipment and acrid smoke getting through their masks. They continued going up the narrow smoke filled staircases in full gear, in spite of the rising temperatures and enveloping darkness. Hearing the loud creaks from the straining weight of the floors above, I began to panic. I broke in, calling out Mike's name. We'd known each other for so long that he knew what I was about to say, to ask of him.

"Don't say it, Michele. I know what you're going to ask, and you know we can't turn back now. So I clutched my cell phone, closed my eyes, and hung my head in prayer. A few times I bit down hard on my lips knowing that anything I said or any sound I made would only distract them and force them to talk and waste precious oxygen.

So instead, I listened... silently and intently, as Larry & MIke communicated with each other in quick short words. I listened as they gave commands to civilians on what to do. I listened as they reassured people that were frightened and choking on acrid smoke, that they would be fine as long they continued going down. I listened as they continued to climb through the thick dense darkness that enveloped them, and grew hotter and more difficult with each step they took. And in my silence, with my closed eyes, I had been with them as I had many times before, and was privy once again to the sounds of their breaths.

As the creaking sounds grew louder, everyone came to a standstill and their voices became quieter. I held my breath, as I listened to Mike and Larry's labored breathing. Everyone had stopped to listen to the sounds above them. Mike and Larry remained quiet even as the rumble of thunder from the upper floors began giving way. There was no panic, no screams, no frantic yells for help; there was only Mike's voice whispering a "Dear God" before the sounds of loud crashing ended in an abysmal silence that reverberates in my soul to this day.

It's taken a long time for me to break that silence. It's still not easy to write about it. And I still can't about it. But for some time now, this blog has helped me utter the first innermost sounds since that day. I remain hopeful that someday I'll be able to find my full voice again. Till that happens, these small whispers of pain will have to be the small breaths that open a closed soul to let the airy light in.

Posted by: Michele at 12:29 PM | Comments (34) | Add Comment
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Well, it seems I'm not the only one that finds that date significant. On that day, Iran, who for the last 6 weeks has repeatedly said to the UN and to the world they will not abide by the UN resolution, have insisted they will give their formal answer to the UN on August 22nd.

Why does Iran wait till 8/22 to give it's answer? Truly no one knows, but I have my own ideas. Surprisingly, I'm not alone in my conclusions. It seems that Bernard Lewis believes the same as I do, that a direct attack in the middle-east by Iran is a strong possibility.

Unfortunately, I've accumulated a lot more information than this author publishes, so for me it's not a question any longer. Its now a matter of how extensively they will act in order to get their intentions across.

Till then, my best defense is to stay focused on my life and live it well & to its fullest. Care to join me?

Posted by: Michele at 07:11 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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To all who lost their lives a year ago, in particular Benedetta, may you be resting in the joyful peace of the heavens. Benedetta: sana 7elwa ya gameeeeeeeeeeeeelÂ…Â…Â…

To their families and friends, whose lives will never be the same, may you find comfort in your living loved ones.

To a community whose lives will forever be changed, may you someday find peace.

To those who participated in this dasterdly deed, either willingly, complicitly or silently, may you live with the pain of the deaths you caused every day that you're alive.

Posted by: Michele at 02:54 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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On this quiet and reflective day, when I'm missing the hugs, cheers and voices of my loved ones, the announcement of 'Zarqawi's death is welcome news.

The death of the murderer who murdered my friends is justice long overdue.

Posted by: Michele at 01:26 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Gosh, I'm very touched by your emails of concern and support. There's so much I want to say to you all or to blog but I have very little time today, so here goes some drive by blogging from my treo as I go back to work from a downtown meeting using the subway. Yep, I'm riding the subways just like the 4.5 million of my fearless compatriots who travel with me daily, displaying the same non-chalant attitude my brothers and sisters stationed on the front lines display every day. Just like my fellow warriors, I AM NOT AFRAID!

So as my train travels underneath the UN, the Queensbourgh Bridge, and the 2 biggest Synagogues in NYC today I send a message to the idiots who are trying to destroy our way of life... you can bomb us if you want, you can try to establish your kingdom from Salamanca to California and on to Indonesia, and in that process we may bleed and we may even cry, but never, ever confuse our tears with a sign of weakness or fear.

You may frighten some men, women and children, but you will never, ever frighten the majority of Americans, and you will definitely never intimidate our southern men! If anything you'll piss them off all the more. They have a long-standing history of defending their life, liberty and property. Don't believe me? Just go ahead and try and you'll see what we're all really made of!

Posted by: Michele at 01:37 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Here, here! It's about high time this was done somewhere. Tolerance of these individuals has only netted the spread of hatred through out the world.

AP has has the story here and Reuter's story is here

Posted by: 1Colin at 09:32 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Kudos to "Ian Johnston, the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police," who having been taken to task by a local human rights lobby group for saying "his officers won't be wasting time searching 'little old white ladies' on the Tube," has gone ahead with detainments and searches.

Unfortunately here in NYC the NYCLU has filed a federal lawsuit to stop searches of riders as they enter the NYC subway system.

"A plaintiff in the suit, Joseph Gehring, says the searches have forced him to fear the police." Interesting, I guess he either fears terrorists less or wasn't living in NYC on 9/11.

I'll keep you posted as things develop.

Posted by: 1Colin at 09:04 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Yay!

Yay I say, for British Police, Scotland Yard and my fellow countrymen who helped apprehend the 4 bastards who didnÂ’t get to blow themselves. I was first alerted to the arrests when a colleague of mine cancelled a teleconference we had scheduled due to police activity in the financial district where he works.

In checking the London Times online I read the account of the arrests and how they tried to coax these bastards out of the flats. It was then I began to create elaborate revenge fantasies for these 4. To hell with their rights. In this I want the old West kind of JusticeÂ… no wait, worse than that. As I entertained different ways of handling retribution my way, all of the scenes in my head seemed too bloody unsatisfying.

In discussing the arrests with one of my neighbors this evening she shared with me what she would like to see happen, To start, “Tazer electrodes should be shot directly into and attached deep in their testicles. Metallic clamps should then be applied to their nipples that connect with metal wires to the metal rods on their testicles.” [cringe.. shiver... now we’re getting somewhere!]. She continued, “After a light mist has been sprayed on their bodies, they should be strapped at the neck, arms, wrists and legs to a table so they’re unable to move when the electodes are activated at different intensities and for different lengths of time. They should do this in order to enhance the terror and anticipation of their next shock. Only after a few hours of this should the interrogation begin. One hour of torture should be given for each bombing death; only then will I be happy.”

Yes, now IÂ’m satisfied!

As for my neighbor, I just kept looking at her as she walked away with a satisfied smile. There has always been something that has both intrigued and terrified me about this woman. ItÂ’s the reason IÂ’ve held back from asking her out. As I touched my chest on the elevator going up to my flat I wondered if her fantasy could be modified slightly to provide pleasure instead of inducing pain. Hmmm, something to discuss the next time I run into her.

Posted by: 1Colin at 06:35 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Today's Terror Headlines:

- A man was shot today in a London subway station who was believed to be a terrorist

- The same Al Qaeda related organization who claimed responsibility for London's bombing on the 7th claimed responsibility for yesterday's bombing.

- 14 of the 16 provisions in the Patriot Act were indefinitely extended. The two remaining articles- giving the government the power to demand business and library records and to conduct roving wiretaps - were extended only 10 years. The Senate is working on their own version.

- NYC transit system, the largest system in America transporting 6 million riders daily, began bag inspections on their system yesterday evening.

The city is under heavy criticism from the ACLU & NYCLU and threatening an injunction to stop the searches. However, their first day of inspections netted an arrest of a man acting suspiciously who possessed a cache of weapons.

The House version of the Patriot Act essentially leaves intact many of the antiterrorism powers that critics sought to scale back. This now sets the stage for some difficult negotiations with the Senate, which is considering several very different bills to extend the government's counterterrorism powers under the act.

Of course, Hillary was unusually quiet during yesterday's Patriot discussion and last week's Senate vote which increased the surveillance component of the act. Carolyn Miller, on the other hand, was one of the more eloquent proponents of passing indefinitely all the provisions of the House version of the Patriot Act. I wish she were a Representative here in NY instead of Michigan!

Posted by: Michele at 07:49 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Citizens throughout the world joined others to observe 2 min of silence in memory of the victims of the London bombing. I was at Ground Zero with a few others from our firm, as representatives of the largest lease holder of the WTC. Ironically, I was at Ground Zero on Saturday to honor a friendÂ’s birthday after not going down there in over a year. It was an emotionally intense moment for me. In a sense, it was a good thing I did go Saturday as I was able to hold myself together during the NY ceremony on Thursday. It did however, take an emotional toll on me to have to stand there and do the social niceties, as I was being introduced. I felt a myriad of emotions coming up but had to squash them all down as the 20 min event took place.

Its been an emotionally challenging week for me all around. Last night I accepted an invitation to go out to one of my single parentÂ’s friendÂ’s beach house in the HamptonÂ’s this weekend. IÂ’m the only one in the office today and have been told to leave at 2pm. An enormous wave of relief washed over me at hearing this. I desperately need to commune w/nature and create a mind shift within me that will enable me to get through next weekÂ’s schedule of events at my job.

I want to do nothing this weekend but bury my feet in the sand as I watch sun sets, sun rises and listen to the meditative force of the waves as they come in. That and build lots of sand castles with my son. I hope all of you enjoy your weekend plans.

Posted by: Michele at 11:10 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 I plan to spend time with my daughter and unpack from my trip.

Posted by: _Jon at July 15, 2005 05:27 PM (sSrI9)

2 mmmm... sandy feet... Sounds nice :-)

Posted by: Harvey at July 16, 2005 02:21 PM (ubhj8)

3 Oh, that was good of you (New York), and brave (you). Thank you so much. Have a great weekend!

Posted by: Sally at July 16, 2005 06:22 PM (vJb9l)

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In memory of those taken, in thought of those left behind

"What is our aim?... Victory, victory at all costs,
victory in spite of terror; victory,
however long and hard the road may be;
for without victory, there is no survival."
- Winston Churchill

A big thank you goes to Laughing Wolf for his post. Please leave all comments at his site. Thanks!

Posted by: Michele at 09:22 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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''But to make concessions to terrorism or to bow to terrorism undermines democracy'' - President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, quoted as he oversaw a massive counterattack against leftist rebels who had murdered 25 soldiers guarding a village.

After spending last night waiting to hear about my British colleagues, I learned a short while ago that 2 of them were badly injured. I am now angry as all hell. I think ArmyWifeToddlerMom has the right idea by posting each week what she has done to help fight terrorism. What I did yesterday was contact a few British Bloggers, friends and coworkers to lend my support. I also contacted a few bloggers and friends in Madrid, knowing they too would be reliving memories of their own bombing as they watched the tragedy unfold in London.

Today I will continue to focus on work and help prepare my boss for some high level economic meetings she will have in DC shortly after G8 talks end. Some of the material has to do with global debt and loans, etc., which brings me to my own personal opinion about debt forgiveness of some developing nations, which is currently being discussed at the g8 summit.

My view is that we should not forgive debt of countries whose leaders are corrupt embezzlers and thieves. Government officials who are lining their pockets through the sale of their country's resources and appropriating portions of aid and loans, rather than using that money to help develop sustainable economic growth and improvements in medical care for their people.

Posted by: Michele at 06:43 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Yesterday, upon hearing that London was selected as the site for the Summer 2012 Olympics, my first thought was saying to myself that I must go and visit London before terrorists destroy it.

Today, after learning the news of the explosions my stomach notted up, I had some momentary flashbacks and my thoughts immediately went to my colleauges in London who use the Kings Cross Station to go to work.

Part of me dreads seeing the names on our corporate website, for the reminder it poses after 9/11, but part of me has the need to know that everyone I know is safe. That doesn't mean I don't care about the rest of the population. For me dealing with a tragedy is easier when there is no connection to friends or family. More later, I have to leave for work and get on the subway.
-------------------------------------------
Update: It took me an hour to get to work instead of the usual 30min. I work with WTC survivors, so theirs was a quiet somber mood most of the day. Because I'm a single mom and have a young son, I was encouraged to leave early so I could pick him up and work from home, avoiding the anticipated rush hour delays. I thought that was really thoughtful. It seems that a lot of people had the same idea, as the train stations wer very crowded at 3:30pm.

Posted by: Michele at 07:56 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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In a recent communiqué, the Ansar al-Sunnah Army in Iraq, wrote that “it increased the joy in [their] hearts that Kerry…has criticized President Bush for taking so long in making the decision [to place al-Zarqawi and his people on the global terror list].

It continues with: “The one who may become president of America is already struck with terror by our brothers…” (via Anitcipatory retaliation).

No doubt the terrorists love Kerry and find him an ideal candidate. They would be able to easily woo and make love to KerryÂ’s face as they negotiate, while committing all sorts of crimes against Iraqi civilians and American troops.

I guess they like Kerry's softer and more sensitive approach to terrorism.

Posted by: Michele at 08:26 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Three major news organizations (CBS, CNN and ABC) have reported that floor and security plans for 8 schools were seized in a recent raid from an insurgent in Iraq. Two of these organizations, CBS and ABC-NY, had originally broadcast the story as 6 schools, they have since issued corrections that indicate it's 8 schools in 6 states.

ABC news has some details of this story online.

Posted by: Michele at 12:03 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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UPDATE 9-4-04: If you want actual proof of the Chechen - Al Qaeda connection, please read the Al-Battar/Al Qaeda Manual on Kidnapping

Original posting was at noon - 9-01-04
It seems that the tactics of the Abu Sayyaf – a terrorist group run by Bin Laden’s cousins – trained these Chechen rebels well. They have now attacked the heart of a country and are holding it hostage. This type of action is an Abu Sayyaf’s signature tactic. They have done this a number of times over the last 5 years. It is what they do to hold a country hostage and bring them to their knees. The Philippine authorities, with the assistance of the US military, have never been successful in rescuing or saving all the children that have been taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf. I doubt the Russian government will have better results.

How do I know that the Chechen rebels were trained by Bin Laden's relatives? more...

Posted by: Michele at 12:10 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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