11th Anniversary of September 11th Is Coming...

Hello Everyone! In case you didn't realize the 11th Anniversary of September 11th is now a little more than a week away.  I wanted to take the time to tell you about a few things that are going on and hope that many of you will join me.



I've been involved with Project 2996 for a few years now and I've been pretty busy working on something for the 11th Anniversary of September 11th.  Below is a presenation that I've put goether that tells you a little bit about Project 2996.

What is project 2996? from Darryl Heron</ a>

For the 11th Anniversary we've created a Project 2996 group board at Pinterest.  The idea is pretty simple, we want to have a pin with a picture for all of the September 11th victims.  The pin should also tie into the various Project 2996 online tributes that have been published over the years.  Below is a screenshot that I captured of the board yesterday...

Project 2996 has also started a campaign called "Calling All Teachers" with the idea of getting teachers to involve there students in learning about the victims of September 11th. If you're a teacher or you know a teacher why not have a look into this campaign?


What is needed?

After the last review of Project 2996 tributes, there were still around 1,300 victims without tritbutes.  Have a look at "the list" to see if there is somethere that you'd like to write a tribute about.

Signup at Pinterest (if you're not already a member there).

Let us know your user name (you can let us know at the Project 2996 website or our Facebook page or leave a comment on the board in Pinterest).

We really need people that will create 'pins'. You can have a look at the pins that are already posted to see how they should look (see here for more information on pins).

I've already created pins for most of the Pentagon victims and I've created several pins for the various passengers and crew of the different flights.  We'll really need pins for all of the victims at the World Trade Center.  If you'e already created a tribute, it would be great if would create a pin that links to your tribute(s).  If there is already a pin existing, why not add a comment with a link to your tribute?

You can also create your own boards for September 11th and 'Repin' what is in the Project 2996 group board.  This would really help a lot because it helps generate Traffic and Traffic is the name of the game in the internet today. Don't be shy in sharing what you're doing in your social circles.

Thank you to everyone in advance and I hope that we make this a very memorable 11th Anniversary.

Darryl

Photo credit: New York 2 courtesy of mistereels.

September 11th- 10 Years Later

September 11th 10 years later

View more presentations from Darryl Heron.

Ten years ago today the world as we know it changed. Sadly, we'll never be able to return to the workd as we knew it before that Tuesday morning. We won't be able to bring back the family and friend that dies that day. Sometimes it seems that it was only yesterday and at other times it seems that it was worlds away, in fact it was a different world that we lived then.

I decided that I wanted to do something different as part of my tribute for the Tenth Anniversary of September 11th, I decided to create and upload a presentation at Slideshare. While I've done many Powerpoint presentations over the years, this is the first time that I've done something like this, so I hope that it will be memorable and worth the effort that I put into it.

I hope that you'll have a look at some of the tributes posted at Project 2996. Project 2996 has the goal of seeing that an tribute is posted for each and every person lost that day, so it would be great if you decided to write about someone that doesn't have a tribute post about them yet. If you don't have a web site or blog to post it, then I'd be more than happy to post it for you on this blog here. Let me know in the comments below. I've really found the experience of being involved in Project 2996 has be truly worthwile and I can't recommend it enough.

As I mentioned in the preparation post that I wrote, I discovered Prepare New York a few months ago. They've done so many great things in the last few months. I was reading about Ribbons for Hope which is running from September 9-12 in Battery Park. If you're in the area I believe that should be worth checking out and participating in. Why not check out Prepare New York and see what you can learn and share with others?


Find more photos like this on Prepare New York


Yahoo! News has been running a special series on the Tenth Anniversary of September 11th.
While there will be tons of specials commemorating the Tenth Anniversay, this has been a nice portal to see all the stories about the families of victims or the way that peoples's lives were touched. It is worth checking out and finding all the gems that are there.

As we go about today, my thoughts are with the victims and their families and friends. I hope that we can use the Tenth Anniversary of September as a healing moment that brings us closer together. I'm also thinking of my mother how lost her battle to cancer at the same time that the World Trade Center was being attacked. I hope that all of you are able to celebrate this event in a way that is meaningful to you and that more brighter days are ahead.

17 Endings for ER

I've been watching ER for years. Reports that George Clooney might appear in the series final got me wondering what the end would really be like. This got me thinking about a bit from Wayne's World, where they played around with different endings, so why don't we do that here?

1. There is the obvious ending. This would be the one where the budget is cut so bad that County General Hospital is shut down, never to open again. This could somehow be tied to the bad economy with various social commentary.
2. They could do the Dallas Bobby Ewing move. Dr. Green (Anthony Edwards) gets out of the shower only to realize that all of the episodes since his death were just a dream. This would also be a way to bring the actor back who's character died of cancer several years ago.
3. They could also try the Newhart ending. One of Bob Newhart's shows ended with him in bed with his wife on a previous series and the series that was just ending was a dream. I'm not sure how this cold work out but I'm sure there is a way.
4. Maybe the could do a Michael Crichton tribute. The famous author that created the series and is known for Jurassic Park and other books, who died late last year, could be put into the story some how. They could find images and do some kind of CG sequence with him creating the series, they could also do a documentary style episode that showed things behind the scenes and showed some history of the show.
5. Lets not forget the Butterfly Effect. Some far flung event could draw many of the ER staffers away, forcing the closure of the hospital. Dr. Carter might make a desperate plea for help in Darfur or somewhere else.
6. How about the Terminator ending? Abbey and Luka's son comes back from the future because someone is saved in the ER that changes the course of human kind and they must be allowed to live.
7. How about the Star Trek ending? There is a shortage of qualified medical personal in the Federation, so the staff is beamed away. The show ends leaving us the possibility that they could come back.
8. They could do the Jurassic Park ending. We see a bunch of dinosaurs stomping around. The camera pans in on one sleeping. The dinosaur is dreaming of a hospital in the future.
9. Maybe the could apply the Michael Jordon ending- A promotion involving the Chicago Bulls and it world famous former star brings M.J. to County. He notices some of the crew playing hoops and decides to form his own Harlem Globetrotters maybe with a reality television twist starting with the folks at County. President Obama could even stop in for a game of one on one.
10. How about the Presidential ending? George H.W. Bush is giving a speech in Chicago and a stroke brings him to County general. Of course he will be visited by George W. Bush, other past presidents and dignitaries, maybe even President Obama. Bottom line is that all the secret service and security precautions close the ER and the hospital to the public.
11. The could do the "Must See TV" ending. NBC reminisces about a time when they had Seinfeld, Friends, and ER in their Thursday night primetime slots. The Friends cast is having a reunion in Chicago watching Seinfeld performing and due to some poisoning at the venue, they all need to be rushed to the ER. To make things more interesting they do things backwards (via that Seinfeld episode where they all went to India for a wedding).
12. ER goes American Idol. Morris decides that he has to give American Idol a try. This inspires the crew to go Hollywood and chase their wildest dreams.
13. The Dr. Carter returns. Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) comes back to County and reminisces about all his days in the ER. Since he was on the show for most of its run, they could use flashbacks and so on to bring back some of the other actors that have left. In reminiscing, someone could ask whatever happened to this and that character.
14. There could be the HMO nightmare. One of the gigantic corporations that owns and operates hospitals buys County. There could be the usual commentary and dialog about patient care suffering and the staff decides to leave in protest.
15. The X-Files effect- Mulder and Scully come to County because an alien is being treated there. Strange things happen all around and the F.B.I. closes the hospital to the public.
16. The Ending Ending- We see a film crew going around the hospital and the staff being interviewed. We find out that ER has been the chronicle of life in a major American metroplitan emergancy room looking at treatment of patients and the lives of the doctors and nurses there. In the closing shot we see a camera on another camera filming a scene and we here the director shout "cut", the light goes out on the camera we have just been watching, the camera man walks away and then the camer filming this goes out, fade to black.
17. The unexpected ending- ER has been a ground breaking series and they have done a lot of things that hadn't beed done on other television series. Chances are very good that they'll come up with something totally unexpected.
    

I've really enjoyed the series over the years. Since moving to Germany a few years ago, the episode are always aired several months behind the U.S. because they all get dubbed into German, so I'll need to wait a few months after the American viewer to see what really happens. I'm curious to see the end but will be sad to see it leave. So, how will it end? Do you have any ideas, why not tell us about them in the comments. Fade to black (just for now).

Photo Credit: Hospital courtesy of Woopidoo2

Said By Presidents...

Getting ready for the inauguration yesterday, I found some interesting quotes from past American Presidents and posted them on Twitter. 43 American Presidents have had a lot to say, some of it has been inspiring and others have been funny. Here is look at some of the more memorable Presidential quotes.

George Washington (1789-1797), the first president and often referred to as the father of our nation said...

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."

"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder."

John Adams (1797–1801) said...

"I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessing on this house (the White House) and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof!"

"A pen is certainly an excellent instrument to fix a man's attention and to inflame his ambition."

Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809) said...

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."

James Madison (1809–1817) said...

"The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted."

"The problem to be solved is, not what form of government is perfect, but which of the forms is least imperfect."

James Monroe (1817–1825) said...

"A little flattery will support a man through great fatigue."

John Quincy Adams (1825–1829) said...

"May our country be always successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right."

Andrew Jackson (1829–1837) said...

"I know what I am fit for. I can command a body of men in a rough way; but I am not fit to be President."

Martin Van Buren (1837–1841) said...

"It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't."

"As to the Presidency, the two happiest days of my life were those of my entrance upon the office and my surrender of it."

William Henry Harrison (1841) said...

"A decent and manly examination of the acts of the Government should be not only tolerated, but encouraged."

John Tyler (1841–1845) said...

"Here lies the body of my good horse, 'The General.' For twenty years he bore me around the circuit of my practice, and in all that time he never made a blunder. Would that his master could say the same!"

James Polk (1845–1849) said...

"I am heartily rejoiced that my term is so near its close. I will soon cease to be a servant and will become a sovereign."

Zachary Taylor (1849–1850 ) said...

"The idea that I should become President seems to me too visionary to require a serious answer. It has never entered my head, nor is it likely to enter the head of any other person."

Millard Fillmore (1850–1853) said...

"An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory."

"The man who can look upon a crisis without being willing to offer himself upon the altar of his country is not for public trust."

Franklin Pierce (1853–1857) said...

"The storm of frenzy and faction must inevitably dash itself in vain against the unshaken rock of the Constitution."

"The revenue of the country, levied almost insensibly to the taxpayer, goes on from year to year, increasing beyond either the interests or the prospective wants of the Government."

Jame Buchanan (1857–1861) said...

"The ballot box is the surest arbiter of disputes among freemen."

"There is nothing stable but Heaven and the Constitution."

Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865), a man that is legendary among presidents, Americans, and mankind in general, said...

"You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."

"If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong."

"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?"(sounds like something that Gandhi might have said, doesn't it)

Andrew Johnson (1865–1869) said...

"If the rabble were lopped off at one end and the aristocrat at the other, all would be well with the country."

"Honest conviction is my courage; the Constitution is my guide."

"The goal to strive for is a poor government but a rich people."

Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877) famous Northern general of the Civil War said..

"The Southern rebellion was largely the outgrowth of the Mexican war. Nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions. We got our punishment in the most sanguinary and expensive war of modern times."

"My failures have been errors of judgment, not of intent."

"I have never advocated war except as a means of peace."

Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881) said...

"He serves his party best who serves the country best."

"Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office seeking."

James Garfield (1881) said...

"I have had many troubles in my life, but the worst of them never came."

"Whoever controls the volume of money in any country is absolute master of all industry and commerce."

"We can not overestimate the fervent love of liberty, the intelligent courage, and the sum of common sense with which our fathers made the great experiment of self-government."

Chester Arthur (1881–1885) said...

"If it were not for the reporters, I would tell you the truth."

Grover Cleveland (1885–1889) said...

"It is the responsibility of the citizens to support their government. It is not the responsibility of the government to support its citizens."

"A man is known by the company he keeps, and also by the company from which he is kept out."

"Above all, tell the truth."

Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893) said...

"The disfranchisement of a single legal elector by fraud or intimidation is a crime too grave to be regarded lightly."

"Lincoln had faith in time, and time has justified his faith."

"We Americans have no commission from God to police the world."

William McKinley (1897–1901) said...

"In the time of darkest defeat, victory may be nearest."

"That's all a man can hope for during his lifetime—to set an example—and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history."

"Unlike any other nation, here the people rule, and their will is the supreme law. It is sometimes sneeringly said by those who do not like free government, that here we count heads. True, heads are counted, but brains also . . ."

Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909) said...

"The only man who makes no mistake is the man who does nothing."

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

William H. Taft (1909–1913) said...

"The intoxication of power rapidly sobers off in the knowledge of its restrictions and under the prompt reminder of an ever-present and not always considerate press, as well as the kindly suggestions that not infrequently come from Congress."

Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921) said...

"If you want to make enemies, try to change something."

"Some people call me an idealist. Well, that is the way I know am an American. America is the only idealistic nation in the world."

"We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers."

Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)said...

"Ambition is a commendable attribute without which no man succeeds. Only inconsiderate ambition imperils."

"Our most dangerous tendency is to expect too much of government, and at the same time do for it too little."

"My God, this is a hell of a job! I have no trouble with my enemies . . . but my damn friends, they're the ones that keep me walking the floor nights."

Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929) said...

"I have never been hurt by anything I didn't say."

"The business of America is business."

Herbert Hoover (1929–1933) said...

"Absolute freedom of the press to discuss public questions is a foundation stone of American liberty."

"Peace is not made at the Council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men."

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945) said...

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Harry S. Truman (1945–1953) said...

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties."

"You can not stop the spread of an idea by passing a law against it."

"We need not fear the expression of ideas—we do need to fear their suppression."

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961) said...

"There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure."

"I never saw a pessimistic general win a battle."

John F. Kennedy (1961–1963) said...

"If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity."

"The American, by nature, is optimistic. He is experimental, an inventor and a builder who builds best when called upon to build greatly."

"And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) said...

"If government is to serve any purpose it is to do for others what they are unable to do for themselves."

"A president's hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right."

"You ain't learnin' nothin' when you're talkin'." (what does this say about many politicians?)

Richard M. Nixon (1969–1974) said...

"I like the job I have, but if I had to live my life over again, I would like to have ended up a sports writer."

"A man who has never lost himself in a cause bigger than himself has missed one of life's mountaintop experiences. Only in losing himself does he find himself."

"Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always remember, others may hate you. Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself."

Gerald Ford (1974–1977) said...

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."

"We . . . declared our independence 200 years ago, and we are not about to lose it now to paper shufflers and computers."

"Truth is the glue that holds governments together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go."

Jimmy Carter (1977–1981) said...

"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles."

"The best way to enhance freedom in other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation."


Ronald W. Reagan (1981–1989) said...

"We are a nation that has a government—not the other way around. And that makes us special among the nations of the earth."

"America is too great for small dreams."

George H.W. Bush (1989–1993) said...

"If anyone tells you that America's best days are behind her, they're looking the wrong way."

Bill Clinton (1993–2001) said...

"If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you'll be a better person. It's how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit."

"There is nothing wrong in America that can't be fixed with what is right in America."

George W. Bush (2001-2009) said...

"Recognizing and confronting our history is important. Transcending our history is essential. We are not limited by what we have done, or what we have left undone. We are limited only by what we are willing to do."

Barack Obama (2009-?)

Well, I guess that we"ll need to see what he has to say!


If you're interested in more quotes from the presidents here are a few places that you might look...

• Infoplease.com
• Thomas Jefferson at Quotations Page
• Abraham Lincoln quotes
• Theodoreroosevelt.org
• FDR @ World of Quotes

Maybe you're inspired now or have had a good laugh. History is often times just as intriguing and stranger than fiction. I hope that you enjoyed your visit.

Photo credit: Abraham Lincoln Memorial courtesy of tomlara.

Obama's Election

"Ms USA" courtesy of weirdvis

Much will be written and much has already been written about Senator Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States because of the enormity of the event, I hope that you’ll indulge me and give me my moment. Going back nearly two years ago (has this campaign only been two years? it has seemed so much longer), we’ve seen so many things in this election that we hadn’t see at anytime in recent history (and some things that we haven't seen before) that we knew things would be different. Some Obama supporters would say it was destiny, but when you look at the tickets that were offered by both major parties, this was going to be a historic election regardless of who won, there would have been a woman as vice president, had McCain/Palin won and there is now a president elect who has African-American ancestry.

I have to say that I have become part of that group of voters that both major campaigns were chasing after. I have become disillusioned with both major parties and felt that both parties seemed to represent big business and special interests more than my fellow Americans; that Republican or Democrat, neither seemed to be moving the country in the right direction. So often, although the two major parties’ candidates might seem worlds apart on some “hot button issues” (or whatever issues the strategists decided to focus on) the results most recently have often not really been a choice at all. Dan Carlin often refers to the choice between Democrat and Republican as being Hertz and Avis; that both parties are really the same. Having seen the 2000 presidential election end up in the Supreme Court and further legal debates about the 2004 election; one party try to impeach a president for lying about an extra-marital affair, while some of its key members weren’t exactly squeaky clean; one president that was labeled Conservative has presided over one of the biggest expansions of government and deficit spending that has surely displeased many “Conservatives”; and the state of California impeached a governor because he was “unpopular” not that he had committed a crime or some act that impeachment was truly designed for. It seems that there is so much effort spent on getting power and once you get power to try to change the rules to keep the other guys out, that neither of the two major parties seemed able to tackle the difficult issues that needed to be solved. These events don’t even go back to the Vietnam War and Watergate! It is absolutely amazing to me that we had the Energy Crisis in the seventies and we didn’t seem to learn our lesson. I guess that you could say that I’ve become cynical of American politics.

I watched the election coverage on November 4^th (already November 5^th where I was in Germany) with anticipation. I was flipping back and forth occasionally between CNN, C-NBC Europe, and Sky and keeping an eye on how many votes had been projected by each network. Almost immediately after the polls closed in California, CNN was projecting Senator Obama to be the President Elect. I watched the huge crowd that had assembled in Chicago awaiting the newly elected president. You could see the excitement in the peoples’ faces that they were so happy that Senator Obama had won. The faces of the people weren't just of people happy that their candidate had one, but more being overwhelmed in a historic moment, that they now had a sense of hope that maybe never existed for many of them before. Reverent Jessie Jackson was fighting back the tears, you have to wonder what he was thinking as the Senator from Illinois spoke. As I was listening to Senator Obama’s speech I was thinking that this speech will be remembered for generations like Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

In American politics there has often been one candidate that broke the ground for future candidates. There was a time when America would not have elected a Catholic as president for fear that the president would listen to the Pope above the needs of the country, but Al Smith ran and many years later a Catholic Kennedy from Massachusetts was elected. There was a time when a divorced man could not have been elected president, but when Ronald Regan ran in 1980, hardly anyone noticed that he was divorced. Reverend Jessie Jackson made a few attempts at the White House but didn’t get the nomination for the Democratic Party that he sought, but you can’t help but think that this helped to break some of those barriers down. Back in 1984 Geraldine Ferraro was the first women to run as a vice presidential candidate for either of the two major parties, certainly this helped pave the way for Senator Clinton to have the success that she had in her campaign, also it now wasn’t so odd when Senator McCain choose Governor Palin as his running mate.

Senator Obama said in his speech that this election victory wasn’t the change that they were seeking but a chance to make the change that so often had spoke of. Many people will say that an African American man being elected as an American president is a victory for the civil rights’ cause. Certainly this one election doesn’t end all the years of discrimination, hatred, and mistreatment but what a message it has to send out to people from all walks of life, that they to can aspire to be president one day or anything else that they put their minds to. In future elections, race and gender will likely play less and less of a role and we can hope that the quality of the candidates themselves and their positions on the issues will be more of the focus.

This election has been very long, partisan, negative, and has really torn people apart. I for one really disliked the “palling around with terrorists” remark that was made about Obama, which seemed to imply that he didn’t have America’s best interests at heart and couldn’t be trusted. A talk radio culture has sprung up that makes its’ living by tearing America apart and creating resentment and division between people. Dan Carlin touches on this division in his latest podcast “Permanent Division”. I have been annoyed for several years how the Conservative movement has been able to paint “Liberal” as a dirty word, chant “Tax and Spend” to scare people away from any candidate that wasn’t in the "Conservative" camp. Even when candidates are "moderate" or more center, someone is always trying to present them at "too liberal". In the closing days of the campaign, many Republicans were trying to paint Senator Obama as a “Socialist” and some have even gone onto to say that he had Communist or Marxist leanings. I read a nice editorial that claimed that Obama wasn’t a “Socialist”.

America’s image around the world has sunk quite a bit in the last eight years and there is a lot of mending that needs to take place. The way that we have conducted our "War on Terror" has really helped tarnish our image. Dan Carlin did a podcast about torture a while back that will make you think twice about some of the things that have been done in the name of keeping America safe. But all things considered, people around the world seem to have been hoping that Senator Obama would be elected, so that America could move away from much of what it has done in the last few years. As an American living outside of the U.S., I can see what public opinion outside of America has been and I’ve seen that people have been excited about the possibility of Senator Obama being elected. I watched Senator Obama’s speech in Berlin on television and you could see that the crowd was excited and there were a lot of people that went to see him make this speech. People as far away as Australia have written about the election of Senator Obama and even the SEO world seems to have learned something from him.

Senator Obama has inspired a lot of young people to vote and become involved. In several of the past elections there has been talk about young people getting involved and making a difference, but this time it did finally happen. Have the post Baby Boomers finally shed the chains of apathy and decided that they wanted to make their voices heard and wanted to see what they could do? The Baby Boomers have talked a lot about changing the world, but much of the generation that was against authority became authority, and while some progress has been made in the Civil Rights area, many issues remain that need to be solved and worked on. Are the post Baby Boomers up for the task? Will they continue to shake off the apathy that they’ve previously accepted as the norm? Only time will tell, but it is encouraging none the less.

I really liked the part of Senator Obama’s speech where he talked about the 106 year old woman from Atlanta, Ann Nixon Cooper, and all she has seen in her life. As parents most of us want a better world for our kids and can relate to Senator Obama’s speech where he asked “if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?” Many of the problems and issues that we don’t tackle today only become harder and more expensive to tackle in the future and is if fair to burden our kids and grandkids with such things? That part of the speech is reminiscent of President Kennedy challenging America to put a man on the moon.

I find hope in the gracious concession speech that Senator McCain made. In the past there have been some really challenging elections and America was able to unite again after the votes were counted. In more recent years the differences and animosity has lingered past the elections. I do truly hope that our leaders will be able to put aside their partisan differences and work on the huge issues that we’re facing today. I hope that the country can come back together and that while we may disagree we don't have to be disagreeable, that the people will realize there isn't a need to hate those that are different from you. I have included Senator Obama’s speech from Chicago and Senator McCain’s concession speech below, so you can read through what they said, also you can watch videos of the two speeches from the two links provided.

Senator Obama’s Victory Speech from Chicago

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled -- Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics -- you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to -- it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington -- it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America -- I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you -- we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek -- it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers -- in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House -- a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -- I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world -- our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down -- we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security -- we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright --tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America -- that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing -- Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time -- to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth -- that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Senator McCain’s Concession Speech

Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulate him. To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too.

But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.

America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.

Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.

We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.

The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.

I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.

All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength, her husband Todd and their five beautiful children for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.

We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friend Sen. Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.

Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight -- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama -- whether they supported me or Sen. Obama.

I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.

I hope that you have enjoyed this post. Please feel free to subscribe to this blog and check out my Systems-Overload blog. Feel free to add your comments but please refrain from vulgar and obscene comments, a healthy discussion is welcome.

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September 11th, Seven Years Later

An Irish Tombstone taken in March 2006

The Seventh Anniversary of September Eleventh is upon us. In honor of this event I decided to write about one of the victims of that awful day. While I was putting together my post for the Sixth Anniversary last year I ran across a Project 2996, a site dedicated to preserving the memory of those victims and decided that I wanted to participate for the seventh anniversary. Preserving people’s memory is important to me, if someone is remembered by anyone, then they can never truly be gone, their memory lives on.

What is my connection to September Eleventh, you might ask? At the age of 55, my mother lost a battle to cancer in the time between the first and second planes hitting the World Trade Center. My father was drawn to the television coverage (as much of the world was) and when he returned to my mother’s side she had passed away. I moved to the Frankfurt, Germany area in April, 2001 (I’m not in the military; it is marriage that brought me here). I was working that day and my wife called me and told me about the World Trade Center and asked me to come home. I rounded up the person that I car pool with and we drove home. On the way home I listened to AFN (Armed Forces Network, radio broadcast for soldiers, and one of the few English radio stations that I can pick up in my area) and they were broadcasting NPR (National Public Radio) coverage and the magnitude of what had happened was starting to sink in and I was becoming aware of more of the details. When I walked in the door my wife gave me the news of my mother’s passing, as coverage blared on CNN in the background. From that moment on, whenever I hear of September Eleventh (which is pretty often) I think about my mother.

Remembering David W. Laychak

I was trying to decide who I wanted to write about and kept running across David W. Laychak’s name, so I seemed drawn to him. I’ve never met or knew David, so the information that I have used to base my post about him was first gathered from stories and articles that I have found on the internet and later I was fortunate enough to be able to get some of my information from David’s sister Molly Laychak Whalen). This is my attempt at remembering David Laychak. He was working in the Pentagon on that September day.

The Father

David is the father to two children. Zachary was 9 and Jennifer was 7 at the time of his death. Losing a parent at any age is always tough, but it seem especially unfair when you’re a child and you lose a parent. David taught Zachary how to ride a bike and I read that Jennifer was looking forward to being taught how to ride a bike by her father. Dave was the coach of all Zachary’s football teams while they lived in Arizona. I can imagine the excitement David felt when he found out that his wife was pregnant with Zachary and with becoming a dad. How thrilled he must have been when Zachary was born. How ecstatic he must have been to find out that his wife was pregnant with Jennifer. With each child parents get to experience a whole world of firsts: first real smile, watching them take their first steps, watching them crawl, their first words, their first tooth, the first time that the eat vegetables (or try to wear them as the case often is!). How proud David must have been when his kids learned to read and write. Being a parent is one of the most important things that people can do in their lives and David brought two children into this world that will live their lives and keep his memory alive. David’s kids submitted a nice electronic card in honor of their father that you can see at Defend America.

The Husband

While giving birth to children is one of the biggest events in anyone’s life, your wedding day is right up there as well. David met Laurie Miller while working at the Pentagon. Both shared the fact that they had been military dependents. Laurie’s dad had been stationed in Hawaii and as such she attended and graduated from Hawaii Baptist Academy in 1980. They met when Laurie interned at the Pentagon one summer. Their first date was a Jimmy Buffet concert. They married in Manassas, Virginia and honeymooned in Cancun, Mexico. Laurie worked for NASA for 10 years before becoming a substitute teacher and raising her kids. They were married 13 years at the time of his death.

The Brother

David was respected and loved by his siblings. His older brother Jim has been the president of the Pentagon Memorial Fund (you can donate here), and hs given a huge part of his life to seeing that a memorial was built to honor those people that lost their lives at the Pentagon that day. The memorial is scheduled to open on the Seventh Anniversary. . His sister Molly Laychak Walen) wrote a couple of really nice tributes to David. She wrote a short one at the Progressive Independent and a longer really nice one at Legacy (note when I checked her entry was on page 3). You could tell from what she, wrote that Molly really loved her older brother. Jim had mentioned in one of the many interviews that he has had, that he was only doing what David would have done for him as well. David also had a younger brother Mile, who keeps more to himself and isn’t as public a figure as the other siblings. You could probably say that having a father (LTC (Ret) Robert Laychak) who server 31 years as an Army officer probably brought the siblings closer together. Living at a number of military posts across the U.S. and even in Terhan, Iran, meant moving a lot and relying more on each other. The family was stationed in Iran in the early 70’s so it was before the whole Iran Hostage situation. Molly, being the baby sister of three brothers, was teased a lot. There are so many families where the siblings have strained relationships, often having very little to do with each other for years, so it is nice to see where siblings do love their brother. I wonder what it was like at their dinner table. Did they have any special family traditions? How did they celebrate Christmas?

The Friend

When you live your life well, you’re bound to make some great friendships along the way. David was a groomsman at Roland Clavien’s wedding in September 2000, and Roland wrote foundly of how David was so happy for him on his wedding day and how David was always so happy when others were happy. Roland discovered that David had died after returning from his honeymoom. Roland also wrote about how David had been so happy that he hugged him, something that David hadn’t done in the previous 15 years. I wonder about some of David’s othe friends. Who was his best friend? Who was his first best friend? It must have been nice to have had David as a friend.

The Athlete

David received Varsity letters for football and baseball (four in total) while attending Hayfield High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He was the winner of Hawk’s Claw Award as top male student/athlete while in high school. Dave was starting quarterback in his senior year at high school. As quarterback in one high school game in 1978, Dave had four thouchdowns, including two where he threw passes to his brother Michael, the headline in the sports section f the local newspaper said “the Laychak-Laychak connection” Dave played quarterback and defensive lineman at Brown University on a football scholarship. He coached several football teams, in addition to his son’s teams while living in Arizona, he coached 6 to 8 year olds in his twenties in Northern Virginia. He was well liked and respected as many parents wanted Dave to be the coach of their kids’ teams. Dave liked hiking, mountain biking, and a variety of other sports.

In the Community

During the years that they lived in Sierra Vista, Arizona, they Attended church at “Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church”. Dave was so liked and respected that the community built a memorial in tribute to Dave at Tompkins Park by the flagpole. The first picnic ramada is named after Dave. Sierra Vista holds a ceremony in honor of September Eleventh every year. After moving to Manassas, Virginia, David and family attended St. Francis of Assisi in Triangle, Virginia.

The Person

From what I have read, David has come across as a kind and good-hearted person. He had genuine concern and cared for people and he shared in the happiness of others, he was happy for other people when they were happy. He was able to inspire people around him to become better people. He was nicknamed bucko while attending college. His favorite meal was meatloaf, I know that a lot of people joke about meatloaf and don’t like it but here must have been something special about the meatloaf Dave’s mom made (hopefully I will hear the story behind it one day!). He earned a B.A. in Organizational Behavior from Brown University. He earned an M.B.A. from Syracuse University. He enjoyed the desert scenery and open spaces during the nine years that he lived in Arizona. Dave served the Department of the Army for almost 18 years, reaching the level of GS-14. He loved his country and was proud to be able to serve his country as a civilian employee in the Department of the Army.

I hope that you have enjoyed the glimpse into David W. Laychak that I was able to provide. If you have anything about Dave that you’d like to share, feel free to leave a comment. If you have anything about any of the other September Eleventh victims that you’d like to share, it is welcome in the comments.

What can I do in honor of September Eleventh?

• Go to Project 2996 and write about one of the victims
• Donate to the Pentagon Memorial or become involved in one of the other memorials being planned
• Participate in the Rattle the Runway Ride a motorcycle ride that is held yearly in honor of September Eleventh victims
• Organize your own motorcycle ride or event in your area in honor of the victims and their families
• Pray for the victims and their families
• Don’t ever forget (I know that I won’t)

**I’ve run across a lot of links in preparing this post that I plan to share via our Tumblelog and other social bookmarking sites that I belong to in the near future.

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