<HTML>Dear Group, I was born and raised in NYC.  Watched those towers go up and always liked them despite being a little cynical about them (Old Empire State Building purist).  I can't express my feelings about watching them come down with all those people in them.  Crying jags off and on ever since. Before the second one came down, as soon as I found out what was happening,   I ran to the phone to call my brother and find out he hadn't been in his office at WTC.  I was so lucky to get through!   Not only a loss of life, but a lot of people are out of jobs now, apparently including him.  He has since found out that his co-workers made it out. Concerning the planes: People keep asking why the passengers didn't rush the hijackers.  Did you ever try to get to the bathroom on a plane?  Pretty narrow.  I have no idea how those Chinese managed to get at their hijacker.   Unless they could somehow get behind the hijacker each defender would have been felled as they came on, forming a barrier of bodies for the next to have to climb over.  More than one hijacker would have made it nearly impossible.   I agree that armed "passengers" are in order. IMHO May whatever benevolent force we each embrace bless us all. Karin Tuner/tech Florida Keys</HTML>