Where were you 10 years ago today?

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 22:36

My husband just said 'where were we ten years ago today' and I did a bit of quick thinking and said 'singapore' as I remember what a weird experience it was. C oming up from the underground someone gave me a newspaper with a picture of an airplane sticking out of a sky scraper and I thought 'It's not 1st April, is it'. I honestly thought it was some kind of joke. Then I saw a groupof people sitting on a grass area with a huge banner saying some thing to the effect 'We are with you America'. And I realised it was no joke indeed. But where were you when you heard of 9/11????

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 22:41

Should have said Sunday, but I did not put that in. And what is scary is the rumour that someone will do something nasty again. Just the threat of it shows how mankind never seems to learn anything from its own evil deeds. But seriously, where were you when you heard the news of 9/11 and how did you feel.

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 22:44

I was at home ironing, I put the tv on to help with this boring chore only to find this dreadful live footage..I turned over, thinking what an awful film for daytime viewing, to find it on the next channel and the next and the next....My neighbour knocked on the door as she was unable to watch it on her own so we sat together in silence to watch this dreadful day unfolding.......

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 22:59

I was in England coming home from school when I heard about it. What a horrible day ! There's many more of these unlucky days

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 23:12

So Shrimp you were pretty much the same as I = unbelieving that it could be real! When ultimately I saw it on TV I was shocked into silence (and that takes quite a bit!!!).

I wonder if anyone realised it was real, but was the same as many of us, totally ubelieving that this could happen in our world.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 23:18

What are you talking about ,the Twin Towers got hit on Sept the 11th not the 9th.......

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 23:22

I was in Cole Brothers looking to buy a new TV. I stood there looking at the row of televisions, all silent but showing footage of the plane hitting the first tower. Initially I thought it was a preview of some sort of new Bruce Willis film until the headlines appeared on the bottom of the screen. I stood there mesmerised, not even aware of the crowd building up behind and around me. Eventually someone called out for the sound to be put on and the salesperson did as asked. Deadly silent as we all heard and digested the news. The crowd growing all the time.



Eventually, made my way out of the store without ordering a TV, then just kept hearing people on their phones alerting others to what had happened. Even on the bus home, people were discussing it on their mobiles.



For the rest of the day I was just glued to the telly, stomach churning, as more new unfolded.

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
09/09/2011 23:31

MartinD41, I did apologise in message 2. So, come on tell me your story. And to Bradus, did you ever get that new TV once the shock and horror of it all wore off. Whenever i see a re-run of those TV shots and even some mobile phone shots, my stomach gets churned and I get choked up. It is impossible to imagine the absolute horror for tthe people of New York, and I do hope that none of the stories of nasty things again on Sunday will be true.

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 00:05

I was out shopping and wondered why there was a crowd around a shop window of a tv shop so I had a peep and couldn't believe what I was seeing.

kbasat



Joined: 28/07/2011
Posts: 481

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 00:16

I was actually in the US when it all happened. The 4th plane crashed approx 1 hour drive from where my university is in Pennsylvania.



I remember waking up to something going on to only finding out about what was actually happened by midday to get details by the end of the day. The TV stations in the US did not show about what was actually happened, plane crash scenes until much later than the international tvs. My mom from cyprus had been explaining me the footages of planes crashing in the WTC we only got to see in domestic TVs much later.



I also remember I was in NY trying to get on top of WTC in July, less than 2 months before it went down, but as it became obvious we would miss the sunset by the time we go up there, we decided to try our luck next time we go to NYC...



Cant believe it has been 10 years...



Kemal

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 00:27

Even ten years on even more unseen footage appears on our screens, it was the most terrible thing to ever have happened in our world, mainly because it wasnt a natural disaster .......

TRNCvictim


Joined: 17/08/2010
Posts: 1417

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 00:34

I was working at John Lewis Cheadle, and went into the partners dining room, where then we had a television, (that was 10 years ago)! couldn't believe what we were all seeing, very difficult to get our heads around exactly what was happening, the whole store, customers and partners couldn't believe the utter devastation!



It certainly changed the world!



May they all along with the victims of 7/7 and the victims in Madrid (often forgotton) all rest in peace!

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 01:05

Yes, TRNC victim, I am sure we all echo your final thought, but I think the ones who find it most difficult to find peace are the living left with the awful memories of a dreadful day and dreadful losses. I hope the new park that has risen from the ashes of this dreadful act of inhumanity will be a haven in which some may find a greater measure of peace.

Truly a dreadful day, and for such a thing to happen in peace time makes it worse. During a war it hurts, but it is part of war. so who else remembers. Must have been strange being in new York!

jeffsangrace


Joined: 22/12/2009
Posts: 267

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 01:40

We were in Miami for 5 days and flew back on the morning of 9 / 11 and actually watched all the dreadful footage when we arrived back in the UK. Still cannot quite believe they did this to fellow human beings.

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 01:52

I was driving home from work when I heard a newsflash on the Steve Wright show on Radio 2. I didn't think too much about it until I got home and found our young female neighbour (whose husband was American and doing a tour of duty here in East Anglia's USAF base). They got their TV 'network' (for want of a better word) via the base. Anyway, their TV reception had been completely blacked out and so she came around to our place. Her husband 'phoned us from the base at USAF Lakenheath and asked what was going on. I have, of course, since discovered that all news from the USA had been 'blocked'. Of interest is the fact that we were ex-directory and he didn't, to our knowledge, have our phone number.

There have been many articles here this past week (understandably) what with the 10 year 'anniversary' of the tragedy coming up this weekend and, to be honest, the newsreels are as harrowing now as they were then. It still brings a tear to my eye.

jackeen


Joined: 25/06/2008
Posts: 222

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 03:43

I was in work when my partner rang to say that a plane had gone into one of the twin towers. I told one of my colleagues and he went onto the internet. We were watching some news stream and then the second plane went in. The first we thought was a dreadful accident but two............... I am afraid to say that work was forgotten about as he trawled everywhere trying to find out information. It was so unbelievable. My partner met me from work and I just asked him to take me to a local pub not to drink but they had 'Sky' tv which I did not have at home and I would be able to see the news. I sat for hours just watchingthe tv not really taking in what had happened as it just could not be happening.could it? How could one human being do that to another? I admit that over the years I have tried to avoid news of what happened to people not only in the twin towers but below. This weekend will be terrible for the whole educated world.

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 08:05

At home in karaoaglangolu;



Had the box on CNN when they announced that a plane had crashed into one of the towers, told the wife that a plane doesn't just crash in that area as all air traffic is kept away from lower Manhattan, then number two came in.



Shot down to Pegasus and made them put the box on, watched the rest with the regulars.



Still remember the jubilation in Palestine and other countries when the towers came down.

simbas



Joined: 16/07/2007
Posts: 5943

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 08:13

I was in a Doctors meeting , when a receptionist came in and said America was under attack , everyone ran for their computers .

Simbas

lovinit


Joined: 20/06/2008
Posts: 745

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 08:24

On holiday in Lanazote, just got back from the water park, and could not understand were all the hotel guests had gone.



Then we found them crowded around the TV looking at the the events at the world trade centre.



How shocked stunned and horrified every one was, I cannot describe the scene in that room...............

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 08:53

I was at home in the uk packing to go on holiday in Limassol i have never seen anything so awful and i hope i never see anything like it again.

gottheyips


Joined: 28/12/2007
Posts: 444

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 09:13

We were on holiday in Portugal. Like many thought it was a preview for a new Action film.

When we left to go home the security was brilliant at the airport, arrived in Manchester not

a policeman in sight !!!!!

Redwine


Joined: 15/01/2009
Posts: 565

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 09:24

We were on our way to Vegas when we were diverted to Gander airport in Canada, alon with another 45 jumbo's 10,000 passengers descended on the town of Gander and we were put up in Ganda Academy for a week sleeping in a classroom on the floor.

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 09:29

I was at Walney Island Cumbria, visiting a friend, we were walking around the caravan site where she lived and someone stopped my friend to say, have you heard whats happening in America? When we got back her husband was sitting in front of the TV and told us what had happened, we spent the rest of the day just watching events unfold.

Optimist


Joined: 24/08/2009
Posts: 111

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 09:29

We were on holiday in Kalkan in Turkey. Someone in the bar received a call from their son on their mobile telling them that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Centre and everyone said how terrible thinking that it was some sort of freak accident. A few minutes later she received a second call and we all then realised that it was no accident. It was all rather unreal as we did not see any television coverage but the next day a German tourist gave us an English newspaper and the magnitude of the situation really hit home. As someone has already said, can't believe it's actually ten years ago!

moxie


Joined: 23/05/2009
Posts: 969

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 09:53

i was in Dalyan ....optomist ypou reminded me lol...i watched it on tv at the Hotel Bar...god was it really 10 yrs ago???

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 10:52

msg2 I was at home in Guernsey, my first reaction was Horror, followed the next day by bewilderment at the fact that both buildings collapsed into their own "Foot Print",thus minimising collateral damage.The official story was that the building had" Pancaked" around the steel core just leaving the steel core structure upright.But when I saw the video ,the steel core was not visible...They are the only steel frame high rise buildings in the World ever to collapse because of Fire......Very strange...

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 11:03

Yes, martinD I saw a film not so long ago about this - can't remember the name, must be getting affected by the sun (not age!) when all kinds of theories were put forward about this, and trying to see what the whole truth was as to who was behind it, who knew what etc, etc but whatever the explanations, it does nothing to negate the horror of such an act and the tsunami of hurts it created in the lives of people who were doing their best to be good responsible adults. And it is even sadder that people were rejoicing at the achievement.

Reminds me of one of my favourite theologians , Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who although German felt that Hitler was wrong, but who wrote many sensible things. I disagree with him on one point. He maintained that 'Mankind has come of age'. 9/11 and many happenings today disprove that, don't they.

By the way, I started this thread out of curiosity, but it makes such good reading, would anyone mind if they were quoted! (That is my journalist head speaking!

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 11:05

sorry back to being me.One thing that amazes me still is that for many people the horror is still as huge. When I turned on the telly in the bedroom last night there were shots of the event, and like others on this thread, I could feel tears coming to my eyes, and my throat closing up on me. But that also gives me great hope for mankind, for if most people are still aware of the horror of such happenings and still regard them with feelings of nausea, then it appears that good is more prevalent in the world than evil.

What do you think???

BoTanica


Joined: 22/12/2009
Posts: 714

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 11:34

I was interviewing at the bank where I worked. I Remember we all went to the pub after work and watched in disbelief on the TV there.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 11:38

msg28 Good And Evil. A bit too Biblical for me,I prefer Right or Wrong,What I find most disturbing is the mention by many Experts of Demolition Charges....





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiGWedgGOGI&feature=related

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 11:43

What's in a name....... MartinD Call it what you will, evil smells just as bad! And yes, I agree with what you say about charges being placed in the building. Is this really true? It doesn't reduce the horror but it changes the story, showing how cleverly it would have been planned and a touch of an inside job! makes it even worse. don't worry about it sounding Biblical, most major religions talk of the battle between good and evil, and to me those words are stronger than 'right or wrong'. What happened was nothing short of downright EVIL. And it was most certainly WRONG.

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 11:47

It does give one belief in humankind when it is apparent that most folks still react with horror 10 years on and will probably do so for many years still to come.



For me, I think some of the most harrowing pictures are those of people throwing themselves out of the windows of the twin towers. This demonstrates the depths of despair they were feeling at the time. It doesn't bear thinking about.

yrret


Joined: 17/08/2010
Posts: 761

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 12:01

I sat glued to the TV thinking if the "do as we say not as we do" nation invades and bombs other countries for deacades, eventually someone will hit back.



Spare a thought also for the hundreds of thousands of civilians the US incinerated in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Japan, and have continued to do so around the world since. The numbers in the towers etc pails into insignificance.



Oh, and for those who may have looked into this a little more, where exactly were the engines found for the plane that hit the pentagon? ......... they weren't

Where were the windows on the sencond passenger jet to hit the towers? .......... there weren't any.

And how did George 'the retard' Bush know it had happened on his visit at the time in Florida before anyone had told him?

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 12:27

msg11 shrimp....." It was the most terrible thing ever to have happened in our World"





WW1 15 million Dead--20million injured



WW2 60 million Dead



9/11 2,996 Dead

AndyR



Joined: 23/04/2009
Posts: 317

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 12:46

I sat in my office in Fort William on the West coast of Scotland and followed it on the Internet as it unfolded. An office of some 70 staff and ther was no work done for the rest of the dfay the shock and disbelief was so great. It was horrific and unnecessary, however .....

yrret, msg 33 - "Spare a thought also for the hundreds of thousands of civilians the US incinerated in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Japan, and have continued to do so around the world since. The numbers in the towers etc pails into insignificance."

I couldn't agree more, in what will undoubtedly be a weekend of strong emotion around the world, and in America in particular, perhaps taking a step back and putting the actual scale of loss into context would be appropriate in helping to ensure that these kinds of atrocities never happen again.

Those who died were human beings with families, as were those in the countries mentioned by yrret as well as Iraq, Afghanistan etc etc etc

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 13:00

I found this interesting, hope you do ..



http://www.intelligencesquared.com/#terror

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 13:13

MartinD41........ when I say"our world" I mean whilst I am alive.....I was not born during WW1 or WW2.........all unnecessary death is tragic.. ...........

yrret


Joined: 17/08/2010
Posts: 761

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 13:35

There was an interesting programe on BBC World yesterday where they showed the picture of the twin towers to a number of rural people in Afghanistan, most though theye were buildings in Kabul, and have no knowledge of what the twin towers were, or why US troops are in their country.

It is estimated that 10 years after arriving in the country, over 90% of Afghans have no idea why they are there, and will be no wiser when they leave.



So, 10 years of occupation later, nothing will have changed, and having invaded yet another country in the name of regime change and as I said before 'do as we say not as we do' very few will have been educated.



The US will however be supplying arms, re-construction contracts etc etc to the countries they destroy.



One of the most comical phrases I have ever heard refers to the US secret service ............. 'American Intelligence' ha!

Carndi


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 613

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 14:06

yrret. About five months after 9/11 on the 17 March cities across America were inviting terrorists to lead their St Patricks day parades.

They still do it every year with out thought about the young Americans coming home in body bags having lost their lives fighting terrorisim.

TheSaints



Joined: 28/01/2009
Posts: 1369

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 14:14

I was in Hassi Messaud in the Sahara desert, Algeria.

I had just walked into the rec room and the TV was on I saw the planes hitting the towers and asked what movie is this? the only other guy in the room told me this was the news and the twin towers had been hit.

mamachina


Joined: 22/11/2008
Posts: 730

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 14:25

I was in Nanchang, China, actually watching the English version of the local Chinese news when they cut in, and it was just played over and over again. I watched in utter disbelief - gradually a number of students came to my flat and we all just sat and watched - it felt like for hours. It felt a bit like a nightmare, one would wake up and it would all be back to normal. No way.

Panchocat


Joined: 29/11/2009
Posts: 1333

Message Posted:
10/09/2011 21:59

At home thanking God that my son had returned two days before from 3 months work experience in new York's financial district.

Remember watching the horrific events unfold and recalled feeling that numb only once before and that was when the Aberfan tragedy happened.

louthlass


Joined: 09/11/2008
Posts: 271

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 11:08

We were running our watersports business on LA beach and had the unhappy task of telling a great number of US servicemen on rest and relief what was happening in their country. A very sad and difficult moment.

HayB1982


Joined: 26/10/2010
Posts: 43

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 11:16

I was in my hometown of Northampton at a training centre was only 19, seeing the images made me feel sick, it was just unbelievable, thoughts and prayers are with the people involded today. xx

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 11:18

I was at work the day before we flew out to Cyprus for the 1st time.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 11:21

Buildings collapsing,suggestions of Explosives, and now this at the Pentagon.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTJehfQkuyE&feature=related





Oh deary me Mr B.......

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 12:14

So who thinks it was just the airplanes and who thinks it was much more?



By the way, i do agree that losses in warm time are horrific, but you can't measure human suffering by numbers really. Each pain is a huge one to the victim and their own families. Increasing that number does not increase the pain to any individual. But what to me was the complete horror of 9/11 is the fact that it was completely unexpected. War normally gets 'declared' and of course innocent people suffer - and there are expressons such as 'a just war' but this horror in New York came into no category of war other than sheer hatred and terrorism. And boy, did they create 'terror' what lives on today. |Nothing to do with the wrongs of the USA gov of the past - two wrongs don't make a right. They just make a HUGE wrong.

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 20:04

Sorry - I meant 'war time'



and thanks to everyone for contributing to this. |It is interesting that we all, no matter where we were, all experienced similar emotions. Have not yet seen how things went today in New York, but I hope that a closure can be put on all this now, don't you?

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 20:13

Marion.......Sweeping facts under the carpet,and in so doing create disbelief amongst the people concerned is "NO WAY" to achieve closure...If only life were as simple as you make it sound..

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 23:07

Who is mentioning putting things under the carpet? Not me! how is disbelief created? Disbelief in what?And And like you I wish life were simple, but sometimes we continue to make it complicated because it suits us. I merely said 'I hope that a closure can be put on it' just as I hope a closure could be put on the Cyprus situation.

this thread was started because I was curious as to where people were, and also as to how they felt and I have found it fascinating. is that not enough!

Notsoboredhw


Joined: 15/03/2007
Posts: 1254

Message Posted:
11/09/2011 23:24

I was pregnant with our first son working for the managing partner at a solicitors office. I had been to New York two months prior to the Trade Towers being destroyed. I had also got an internal flight from Boston to New York with American Airlines. I was horrified to think that could have been me on one of those flights. Very very tragic and very very sad.

Turtle


Joined: 28/05/2007
Posts: 2669

Message Posted:
12/09/2011 01:17

My mum & dad took the family to the IOW for their 50th wedding anniversary.



An absolute unreal weeks experience.