{some Sep. 11th memories∞}

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Epilog:

{see bottom of blog page, 9-11: Did you remember?}
History has placed another bookmark: For you, the end of your first semester as a college student. For me, one tragic bookmark along with my first steps returning me to the path for a Penn State degree, a goal I set out for many years ago.

Good luck to you all!

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{12-12-5}
My last BLOG:

To all, Good luck on your finals and I hope your papers are great. I’ll probably not get my paper in until after Christmas because of loosing 10 working days for my sister-in-laws funeral.

As for advice to future students . . .
1- If the teacher, or anyone for that mater, offers up an unsolicited statement such as:
“I hope you don’t think I sit in my basement with a foil hat on to keep spacemen from reading my thoughts.” It usually means that YES THEY DO sit in their basement with a foil hat on in fear of aliens, and most likely their in underwear. Oh my, that image is going to take many trips to the shrink to shake from my weary mind.

2- I am both a fan and detractor of the Wiki. It has given me an outlet to express myself and consumed much more time than this simple dyslectic should spend on one class of four. If you have keep up with the blogs, I have written a little about some of my experiences in helping out my brothers in FDNY at the site (ground zero) and at there stations. I used this very page to vent one, or two night while being Scott’s BIG BROTHER.

3- The most important thing I can tell future student is that be persistent, diligent and attentive in not only this class but all of your classes. This became clear to me in my COMM 385 class with 25 other telecom majors. All of whom have been taking classes for the past four years and were hoping to just skate along. I showed up every day in hopes of finding that one little bit if insight, knowledge or experience that the teacher – the General Manager of 3WZ Radio – was willing to impart to us.

4- You should learn from MY experience. FINISH what you started if that is what you truly wont. Do not “blow off” any class. You may find yourself retaking it as a much older, returning adult student. One who is even older than the teacher.

Just two more quick things:

Last and most important, expect anything. You seldom see the potholes life leaves for you around tomorrow’s turn. My last month is testament to that.

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{12-11-5}

Firehouse Christmas party:

Ok this is another long blog, but I hope you will find it enjoyable.

Sunday night was the fourth annual, unofficial Alpha Fire Company Family Christmas Tree Decorating Party at the Patton Station on North Atherton Street. I started the party in 2002. My inspiration: Squad 41’s 2001 Christmas part.

As I have said before, I worked in NYC with the Red Cross at Ground Zero. Thanksgiving weekend was one of my many weekends in New York. That weekend, I was staying at Squad 41’s South Bronx station and they gave me a key so I could come and go, as I needed. Thursday night, I was sitting at the kitchen table with the crew. It was just after we had returned from a fire call. I was seated next to Lieutenant Chuck Downy. On the chalkboard was a message: “Mary Michael Lyons, born 11-2-05. Mom and daughter fine!” Announcing the berth of a member’s child. But she will never know her dad. Her dad, Mike Lyons, was one of Squad 41’s six members killed on September 11th.

This announcement brought the tragedy even closer. It is the same announcement that has appeared on my station’s board scours of times since I joined the fire company. I leaned over to Lt. Downey and asked if I could get a list of all the kids of the men that died on September 11th. He got me the list. To six men, there were six wives. They had/ have 11 children. I told Chuck that I could not promise anything except that I would try (to do something for the kids).

I returned Sunday night, two weeks later. The station was a buzz with activity. There were over 100 people running around, including the 11 who had lost their fathers. In my car, 8 boxes of toys and gifts for the 11 children. All picked out specifically for that child and their interest. The list Chuck gave me was very informative and my team of elves was successful. This was their station’s Christmas party and a time of fun, a chance to escape the dreaded pile (Ground Zero).

The next year I decided to host a family Christmas party at the Patton station because of the joy and happiness I saw at 41 a year prior, even among the tragedy and pain of repeated shifts working at the pile. At our party, the kids decorate the tree and we provide food. I ate TOO too WAY too MUCH!!!!

Also: That thanksgiving weekend, the one in 2001, the most amazing thing happened Friday as I walked into the site at Ground Zero. Earlier in the morning, about 3 a.m., Squad 41 returned to the site for a 10 hour shift. I stayed to sleep at the station since my shift started at 8:00 am. And I would be there 8 – 10 hours. As I walked into res-bit 3, Squad 41, including Chuck, was standing there to meet me. As I walked up, a slow smile crawled across Chuck’s face, “Morning James.” The guys were glad to see me. Almost as glad as I was to be able to work there, even if all I was doing was helping a bunch of guys get cleaned up after being on the pile. I couldn’t just sit back and watch it on FOX News every night without doing something; I had to be there!!!!!!!!!!!


This is Squad 41’s official web page. The photo on the top of Gallery 12 has a number of the guys I know in it.
http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/fdnysquad41/∞

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{12-7-5}

I found the lyrics to He ain't heavy, He's my brother∞.

The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

by Sidney Russell and Robert Scott, (C)1977 Harrison Music Corp., Jenny Music (ASCAP)


This page also has a bell tone of the melody.


Ps hear is a comic strip history of the ARCTIC LEAGUE∞ by the Elmira Star-Gazette. More to follow..

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{12-5-5}

I didn’t write this. What follows is the poem that Jen wrote when she was 12:

IN ALL

Within your heart
Below the sadness and the fear,
Among your dreams,
Past your sorrow,
After hope,
Without hate,
Within the depths of your heart,
Throughout your sole,
Around your sadness,
fear, dreams, and wishes,
In all there is LOVE

Jennifer Lynn Mileski (Beecher 2005)

I just thought you might like it… Jamie

The following link is to Mansfield University’s publication Update∞, Vol. 36, Num. 28. April 28, 2005. It announces Jen’s induction into Mansfield Univ.‘s chapter of the History Honor Society.

This link is the to the ∞with a picture of Jen and the other 2005-2006 inductees.

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{12-4-5}
I am back in State College after one horrifically long week. My brother . . . he’s getting a little better, but still in shock. Jen’s parents, I don’t know about them. She was the only child of two only children. That made picking pallbearers very hard. Scott wonted 3 from our side of the family and three from Jen’s side, but most of her relatives are older and have one medical problem or another.

I was both right and wrong about Wednesday. The services started at 11:00 a.m. but the family and pallbearers had to be at the funeral home at 9:00 a.m. There was a small service there and the family each had an opportunity to say buy one last time. Scott was last. He was alone with her for a few minutes while I stood buy outside the door. Then he watched as the funeral home director sealed the casket ( I had to hold him up during this). Before that, he placed a few items in with her. Including the ashes of his yellow lab, Molly. Jen and Scott had to put Molly to sleep a little over 3 weeks ago because of blood clots in her longs. Scott decided that He would put the box with Molly in the Casket with Jen (Jen called Molly “Her little protector”) so she would never be alone again. (Don’t tell the officials… I think it’s illegal to put a dog in a human cemetery). Both Scott and Jen’s dad each placed a rose in with her. Scott’s was red and Ron’s yellow. Jen’s EMT instructor gave Scott an “EMT” badge for Jen, he placed that in with her too. And a picture of the two of them along with one of Jen and her bride’s maids at her bacheloret part a little over a year ago.

After that, there was a procession to the church and then to the cemetery. After everyone placed a flower on the casket, we all just stood around in disbelief. Finally, the funeral director made one last announcement about the lunch at Jen’s parents house and asked everyone to head back to there cars so the family could spend one last moment with Jen.

This was all pritty hard. We got to the house around 1:00 p.m. and people stayed till 6:00, some latter. About 100 made it to lunch. I purchased all of the food on Monday. The only problem is that the easiest thing to get is stuff I can’t eat so I spent $600 on food I cant eat. I made do. No bread, pasta, cookies or other high carb stuff for me. So I walked around eating cold cuts by hand. I did get 3 or 4 of the shrimp. Most of my time was spent making sure things went ok and that Scott got whatever he needed.

As I said, it was one horrifically long week

Response to CarpeDiemBlog of 11-30

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{Blog 11-29}


"Protect your brother…"

Suspended in the void of a whirlpool, two live spinning round and round…
Only able to reach out and grab one . . .

IF you have a younger brother or sister you may remember your mom telling you this the first day you both went to school. I do. “Jamie (my family calls me Jamie) wait up for your brother… remember, its your job to protect him. . . You’re his big brother” as I tried to run from the responsibility. I didn’t.

But back then all there was to worry about were school yard bullies and traffic. I was a good boy. I walked, grudgingly, with the new kindergartener to school. Jealous of the fact that HE got to go home at noon. I even watched him in the playground before the bell rang.

Brothers fight and brothers fight but we will always be brothers.

A couple of years ago Scott, my little brother, lived in Milford, Connecticut for work. He has become a successful salesman for a home town tool and die manufacturer. While in Milford he met Jen. A beautiful young lady 11 years his junior but they hit it off. When Scott’s work promoted him and moved him back to Elmira, NY (our home town), Jen came too. Within the year, they were engaged and Scott asked me to be his best man. My little brother..

Their wedding was January 8, 2005. Last Thanksgiving was spent with Scott’s friends planning his big bachelor’s party. Who was coming, where to go, what to do. Will there be, you know, strippers.. (there weren’t). How was I going to send my little brother off for his last big hurrah….

Then January 8th came and we all made it to the church. Scott, Me and the Groom’s men and Rachel (Jen’s maid of honor) with the brides maids. The next more beautiful than the first. Then Jen. IN her dream wedding, with all of the people she loved , eclipsing the whole wedding party. I don’t know who was more nerves, Scott or I. I had a $10,000 ring in my pocket and a fidgety hand, constantly checking, is it still there?

IN all, the day went off without a hitch. Well on BIG hitch, Scott and Jen were now husband and wife…and my half sister told me that if I had reached into my coat pocket one more time, she was gong to come up on stage and hold me still…

After a few months, a chronic illness of Jen’s come back. It was nothing to serious but it lead to one infection after another. Each lead from one doctor and group of specialists to another. By this past fall, she was taking upwards of 12 prescriptions 2 to 3 times a day, but still the pills came. Another set of doctors, another set of pills. My brother, still madly in love with his young bride. His friends all agree, he stood by her side, day and night, week in, week out. Sometimes things would seem to get better but then those demeans that haunted her mind started to sneak out.

This past thanksgiving, Scott was with Jen at her parents house (I said I couldn’t go - I wish I had) but left Friday morning for the 2nd birthday party of his godchild. Jen knew about the party and was invited to attend but chose not to go. After Scott left Connecticut, the daemons in Jen’s mind came out again. The pills had helped her mood swing like a pendulum once again and she was off. Arguing with her mom, calling me “Where’s Scott?”

“I don’t know? Isn’t he at the Chalks ( His godchild’s grandfather’s)?” I had Friday off and was visiting my dad in his retirement home up in Elmira, so Jen asked if I could find Scott.

Over the course of the next six hours, Jen called me 6 or 10 times. One time mad, the next apologetic. One time telling me she was having dinner with one of her bridesmaids (Jonnie) and her boyfriend, the next telling me about the argument she had with her mom and that she was staying in a hotel.

I called Her mom, Linda and told her to get Jonnie, that she knows where Jen is and that she should go see her. I was worried, Jen was on so many drugs and that night she was drinking. Each time we spoke, I would ask, “Jen, where are you? What hotel are you in?” The response was usually the phone hanging up. I don’t know how many times I told her, “Jen I love you, your parents love you,. You have to know your parents love you, and Scott . . . You have to know it. He loves you.”

Finally the last call, Jen called just before midnight. We talked 6 -8 10 minutes, I don’t know. But she sounded fine. She sounded like she had a couple of drinks but that she was fine. She told me about staying in the hotel the next few nights so she wouldn’t get into another fight with her parents (mom) and I thought all right. She’s a little mad at Scott, but there isn’t any thing wrong … she’ll be fine.”

I missed the sign!!!!!!!!!!!

I was at work by seven Saturday morning and back in my room by 11. I was mad that work was canceled. I skipped gong to dinner in Connecticut Thursday because I thought I’d be working most of the weekend.

At 11:15 a.m. the phone rang. It was my half sister, between sobs I heard in disbelief, “Jen’s dead. . .Jen’s Dead.”

“She can’t be . . I talked to her at midnight.”

“Jamie . . .Jen’s dead. She killed her self last night…How soon can you be in Elmira for Scott?”

Suspended in disbelief…

Once again Scott stands before me. I have his back. Jen is off to the side. Hundreds of people walk by. Its been a little over 10 months since the last time I saw some of these faces and hear I am again with my hand on Scott’s back holding up my little brother. But the faces are different. It’s the same people, but the joy of January 8th has long since gone.


I’m sorry I have to write this . . . I’m sorry you have to read this . . . But I have to write it . . .this is my only outlet this week . . . I have to be strong for my little brother, now a man, now a widower.

This morning I walked Scott into the mortuary. We were the first 2 in the building. It the first time either of us saw Jen since Friday (for Scott), September (me). For 4 hours, while 300+ people from Connecticut, Elmira, State College, Florida, Italy walked by. Quietly behind, one hand on his shoulder, the other holding up Ron (Jen’s dad). The hole weeding party, except 2, were there. I flew my mom up from Tampa and an old friend of Scott’s flew in from Italy. People came from all over. Here I stand. Today was harder than the last and tomorrow, the funeral may be harder still. But still I’ll stand. Scott is going to read a poem Jen wrote when she was a child. it’s her dad’s favorite. I’ve read it once now and will be behind him at the pulpit If I have to I’ll help him read it, but I wont. I know heal make it through it.


I’m reminded of a song. “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”

But did I protect my little brother?

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{11-22-5}
Luck be a 55 year old man today . . .

I’m sure you’ve heard the fraise, “Luck be a lady tonight.” This morning, a little after 3:10 a.m., luck was a man, about 55 years old and from Boston.

What do I mean? A little after 3:00 this morning, a man, traveling probably 65 miles an hour, along I 99 near the Nittany Mall, swerved to avoid a small animal in the road –more likely he fell asleep – went off the road into the median, rolled over 2 or 3 times and came to a rest, facing the other direction in the apposing traffic lanes missing all other vehicles that were on the road at the time. The driver had left Boston at 7:00 p.m. and was planning on driving straight through to his destination.

The driver got out of the car himself, before we arrived. We met with EMS on scene before they took him to the hospital. At the ER, it was determined that all he had were scratches and strains. No major injuries.

As I said, LUCK BE A 55 YEAR OLD MAN FROM BOSTON TODAY.

Don’t test your luck over this long holiday weekend. Drive safely and have a good thanksgiving. And for those that are not politically correct and need the encouragement for ‘black Friday’, Merry Christmas too.

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{11-17-5B}

Just got out of my Architecture 210 class…{for all you freshman . . . it’s a blow-off art GEN ED}

Tonight we watched a video about a postmodernist that didn’t know he was, Robert Moses of New York City. As New York City’s director of “urban renewal”(1950-75), Robert Moses parted the cityscape as his namesake parted the red sea. Using Title One moneys, he ran as many as 12 major building projects at any given time. One of his first major projects to receive criticism was the 250 foot wide, 7 mile long Cross Bronx Express Way (1960).

Prior to this, all of the projects had rebuilt ghettos across the city, replacing the neighborhood apartments with sterile, high-rise apartment towers destroying the traditional relationship between the building, sidewalk and street life. In doing so, he only moved the poor, forgotten, and immigrant communities. The Cross Bronx Ex. left the previous model of only displacing the “forgotten city filth” but intern uprooted working middle class neighborhoods, breaking up the social and economic fabric that had developed over the previous decades. By the time the Cross Bronx was finished, 7 succinct neighborhoods were transected, uprooting over 250,000 people.

This drove the middle class to the growing suburbs which helped perpetuate the need for Robert Moses’ highway building projects leaving the now vacant and less valuable apartments for the poor. This lead to the first criticism and protests against his renewal development. According to Moses, “No critic ever build anything . . .”

According to the video, when Robert Moses started, he gathered power in order to build his projects, but sometime in the process of building his power base he began to pick projects for the power they gave him. In all, Moses built some 627 miles of highway in and around NYC, yet he never drove himself.

This icon of political, and real estate power was slowly brought down. The first rock of significances , was thrown by a little old lady author that biked around the streets of SO-HO, and the Flat Iron District. ∞book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, was an attack on the urban renewal craze that was spreading across the nation.

But was Robert Moses the cause of the downfall of the quintessential American Urbanity? Or just a symptom of the post modern social and economic changes associated with end of the industrial revolution. The growing pains that are experienced every time a society redefines itself.


This image is also in my causal argument paper along with others. My final project is built upon that work and expands its argument to include other forms of lightweight truss construction.

http://pilsch.com/img/james1.png∞
Triangular truss
(Image courtesy of NIOSH)

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{11-17-5}
Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

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{11-16-5}
OH boy OH boy, I’m on the front page of the leading fire dept. web page. A photo of a fire we had on 11-4 is in the rotating news photos. I’m the ALPHA standing with a guy kneeling in front of me. We are using a portable master stream appliance that cans through 400 GPM +- at the fire.

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/images/1131988756578_111405_pa4.jpg∞

Front page: www.firehouse.com∞

Story : http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=45&id=45749∞

I’m in the 4th and 6th photos.

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{11-15-5}
ARE YOU A SATISFIED PENN STATER???

Penn State Office of Student Affairs conducts periodic surveys on different topics.

The topic of the first survey is first-year students initial transition to University Park. These are a few of the findings:

87.5% of your fellow freshman find the Penn State community welcoming, and 76.3% feel a sense of belonging.

As for last year’s students, 86% would chose Penn State again if going to school. IN 2004 75% of students at University Park participated as a member of a student club or organization. But only 57.6% U.P Students did not skip a class last year.

These are just a few of the statstics that can be found on this page.

Where do YOU fit in at Penn State?

“New Students: September 2005” Penn State Pulse, September 2005.

“2004 Student Satisfaction Survay.” Penn State Student Affairs

http://www.sa.psu.edu/sara/∞

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{11-13-5}

If anyone would like to see a pretty good Internet video check out the link on our page:

http://www.alphafire.com/recruitment.php∞

It is a montage of our calls over a 18 month period. It is cut to the them song of Rescue Me.

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{11-10-5}

Brain FREZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!

I seem to be suffering from a mild case of brain fresz… It’s is as if I don’t have anything to say, and you know that isn’t true.

What has our hapless dyslectic gotten himself into but three classes that heave writing every single night almost… AHHHHHHHHHH

My STS class is looking at tech and September 11th. How come Flight 93 was re-taken and its attack thwarted by the passengers, but (as the article says) the Pentagon couldn’t even defend the pentagon on Sep. 11th. I walked out of the computer room and I’m confronted with the same topic. The history channel is on and there is a special about the head of security for Morgan Stanley’s WTC office and how he gave his life that day (even though he predicted the attack) to save more people.

By the time you read this, it’ll be 11-11, Veterans Day (Armistice Day). At the 11th hour, of the 11th day of November, 1918, the Great War was over. An armistice was signed ending the bloody conflict that many thought could be no worse yet on the same fields lass than twenty years later, two great armies would be fighting once again.

History does repeat itself.

My favorite evaluation of WWI and WWII was when someone in some history book I read described the period between the wars as "the nations of Europe needed to pause in order to grow a new generation of soldiers." - EschaTon

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{11-9-5}

Well my Beloved Squad 514 is back in my home town, Elmira, NY. That is where our dealer is located. We blew the generator last weekend. The generator is a pretty important piece of equipment. It powers the scene lights, and the hydraulic pump for the Hurst Tools (Jaws of Life). The problem is the rig is only 2 years old. We weren’t to surprised, engine/squad 512 ( 514’s twin) just got back from getting it’s generator replaced. The only question I have is why does something that costs so much ($335,000 each) always seem to have little bugs. All of the apparatus we have purchased since I joined the fire company seems to have bugs. The more expensive, just means the more complicated the bugs.

Boy am I glad I don’t need to pay for any of my expensive toys……$$$$$$$$$$$$ 8~}

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{11-9-5 AGAIN}

OH my God… This is a GREAT SHOW!!!!

Has anyone seen the Discovery Channel’s “Myth Busters” Tonight they are testing the myth of the water bottle rocket. Apparently if you make a rocket out of a water cooler bottle 1/3 full of water and inflated to 60 p.s.i. The bottle shoots out of sight. Last week they smashed tractor trailers at 45 m.p.h head on… HOW DO YOU GET A JOB LIKE THIS. I’m really good at breaking stuff…

Web Page:
Myth Busters∞

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{11-8-5}
It’s a college football game on a worm Saturday afternoon… other than the outcome of the game, what else do you have to worry about?

October 1, 2005 and there are over 84,000 fans at the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State football game in Norma, OK. 21 year old engineering student Joel Hinrichs is killed by a bomb about 100 yards from the packed stadium (Briley)

On October 2, officials were listing the 8:00 p.m. incident as a simple suicide and that no one was allowed to leave the stadium until 8:30 p.m. (Suicide . . .)

A number of students reported that they saw Hinrichs run from the stadium after he refused to let security guards search the backpack he was carrying (Allan)

The bomb the powerful peroxide explosive, TATP, is the same explosive that was recently used by Islamic extremist in the London subway bombing and by shoe bomber, Richard Reid. The bomb that killed Hinrichs was also filled with shrapnel type material, including nails. It is also reported that officials found over 1000 pounds of explosive materials in Hinrichs’ apartment (Briley).

Most of these articles question why there hasn’t been major new coverage of this apparent attempted terrorist attack. Apparently, officials are downplaying the possible link to any Islamic extremist movements. When Hinrichs returned to O.U. after dropping out in 2002, he started attending the university’s mosque and had taken on Islamic students as roommates. He Furthermore, October 1st was the start of the Islamic Holy Week of Ramadan (Briley)

This one almost got by!


Allan, Jack L. “In Bombing at OU StadiumThere Are More Questions Than Answers∞.” Nebraska State Paper.com 10 October 2005, http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/10/10/434a8f7944e01∞


Briley, Patrick. “∞” News With Views.com 12 October 2005, http://www.newswithviews.com/Briley/Patrick19.htm∞

∞World Net Daily.com 2 October 2005, http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46617∞

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{11-7-5}

The Human Weapon:

Today in STS 101 (Science Technology and Society) we watched a video titled The Human Weapon. It is an analysis of suicide bombers over the past 30 years.
The writers make the claim that the first modern instants of terror was the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. This, followed by two other bombings, lead to President Regan withdrawing our troops from Beirut.

This video was quit graphic. It used tape of actual terrorist attacks, including the tape shot by the terror groups to use as propaganda and a recruiting tool.

The main theme of the video is how terror has moved from the military (W.W. II Kamikaze) to civilian in both actors and victims. A blurring of who is and who is not a non combatant has taken place and what would have been deemed an atrocity 150 years ago (civil war) is now common place.

Although, if you travel back in time far enough – the dark ages – the military was used to defeat you enemy by besieging his city. Using the catapult and the trebuchet to rain down terror on his city’s populous.

You don't even have to travel back that far. This idea that terrorism is something new is silly. There was a fascinating piece in last month's Economist about the similarities between the Anarchist movement of the 1800s and fundamentalist Islamic terrorism today. Both movements use similar tactics (it was an Anarchist agent who shot Franz Ferdinand to start WWI) and towards similar ends. The Anarchist movement eventually burned itself out, too ... which is kind of reassuring. - EschaTon

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{11-6-5}
Final paper proposal:

As the population has grown and business has expanded over the past half century, faster, more economical and more environmentally friendly ways have been devised to build the buildings of the growing economy. One of the major changes in building technologies has been the introduction of the truss system. There are three main truss systems: lightweight wood truss, steal bar joist truss and bow string truss. In an earlier paper, we discussed the limitations of the lightweight wood truss. For my final project, I plan on expanding on this paper to include all three types of truss systems and their limitations.

The purpose of this paper is to better inform the reader about the dangers of truss construction and to propose a number of actions that can be taken as an individual, as fire department and as a community to limit your exposure to these hazards. Because of the proliferation of these building materials, it is impractical to eliminate them from building altogether, rather, education about them and added safety measures for future use may hold the key to lessening the life safety hazards posed by these building materials during fire emergencies.

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{11-5-5}

Just a note.. ‘J’ walking is illegal. {daaa} so if you are ‘J’ walking - say in the 100 block of South Atherton - and get hit by a car, don’t be surprised to see a police officer show up at the ER and give you a ticket. Sounds cruel doesn’t it? But wait… If the cop doesn’t ticket you, the person who’s car it is, you walked out in front of, we be liable - under the insurance rules - for your medical bills. AKA you’d ruin their insurance rates by your stupid actions. So look out and remember . . . A 48,000 lb. fire truck does NOT stop on a dime.

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{10-31-5} chlorine leak

RyanDeWeese’s BLOG for Monday (10-31) was about the chlorine leak at the natatorium. Hear is a little info about chlorine and the leak:

Although I didn’t make the call (I was at work) I spoke to some of the guys that did. It was a chlorine leak. According to the guys that were there, a workman was changing out the chlorine tanks that he thought were empty. As he opened on tank, a strong shot of the gas hit him in the face so he ran leaving the tank open.

According to the DOT’s Emergency Response Guidebook: 2004, first responders should fallow guide number 124 (p.196) when presented with a chlorine leak. The book says the chlorine is “Toxic, May be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through skin.” First responders should isolate at least 100 meters (330 feet) for small leaks. Vapors are initially heavier that air and will stay on ground, collecting in low points. Chlorine does not burn by itself but will act as an oxidizer, some times explosively. A fire involving chlorine will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gas.

According to the DOT book, responders must use fully encapsulating, vapor protective clothing for leaks with out fire. For small fires, you should isolate the fire and let burn. For fires involving take cars, rail cars or large tanks, isolate for ½ mile in all directions. Tanks my B.L.E.V.E.Y. (violently explode) if enveloped in fire.

First Aid for chlorine exposure recommends, “Do not give mouth-to-mouth if victim ingested or inhaled the substance;” ( DOT, p 197)


How prevalent is chlorine on our nation’s highways? Just look at the Haz-Mat placards on trucks as you pass them on I 80, or even Beaver Ave. Chlorine’s UN number is 1017.

http://environmentalchemistry.com/images/placards/6.1IH.gif∞ http://environmentalchemistry.com/images/placards/8.gif∞
EnvironmentalChemistry.com

On a not so book format, if you inhale chlorine gas it will combined with the moisture in your lungs to form hydrogen chloride which is a strong corrosive and will cause chemical burns to your lungs. You will ‘droned’ in your own fluids as your body tries to fight the chemical burns.

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{10-30-5} What a Day . . . How Embarising!!!

I think I’ve come to the realization that birthdays suck… Not the first 18, and ask the 3 of us in class about our 21st. I bet, if we can remember it, we each relish some of those 21st birthday memories, but after that one, thing seem to go down hill…

Saturday didn’t start out to bad. I did get to play with the FBI’s Bomb dogs but as the evening went on, I found myself getting the only present I got that day . . . A couple of stitches in my finger after cutting it while on duty at the firehouse that evening …. Yes I spent 2 of the last three hours of my birthday in the ER and alcohol wasn’t involved. WHAT A DAY…

Oh well, the only thing to remember is that tomorrow is quickly becoming yesterday and it will take all of today to realize it!

“Glory days well they’ll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl’s eye
Glory days, glory days”
∞

Ahh and my minor injury didn’t even happen at a fire or on a call… NO but at the station.. HOW EMBARISING!!!

And to top things off, I seem to have this odd feeling, although I don’t feel older, I feel as though I wish I were ten years younger. After all, what’s 3,653 days between friends anyway?

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{10-29-5}

Today is Penn State’s homecoming football game. I know that this is no new news to you, but what goes on behind the scene to keep the game safe? If you spend any time in the stadium, I’m sure you’ve seen the security and the EMS personnel all over the stadium. These people have a history of their own. Do you know that although there a many heart attacks inside Beaver Stadium, there has never been a death in the stadium. But this isn’t the end of protection at the stadium.

I’m currently sitting in the Penn State Haz-Mat building about a quarter mile from the stadium. We have an engine crew ready to respond to any incident in the area. Besides us and the Penn State Haz-Mat team, there a 4 bomb dogs. Yes I said bomb dogs with us. Two Pennsylvania State Police officers, each with a dog, and an FBI Bomb officer with his two dogs.

While sitting hear before the game, we’ve all played with the dogs. First a little fetch and then ‘drills’. The FBI officer has brought small quantities of explosives used as training material. We watched as he hid one explosive in the Haz-Mat building and let the first dog search for it. Then he hid a Peroxide explosive, the second dog is allowed to search. Both dogs found the small quantities of explosive with little trouble. It is truly amazing how well dogs do at bomb detection.

Its now halftime and we are watching the game…. (7-16)

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{10-28-5}

The Simpson’s Halloween Special was a pretty good, but it isn’t the only example of a cartoon parody, especially in the guise of a Halloween Special… This Friday night saw the Cartoon Network deliver a great satirical parody in the form of half hour episode: “Ed, Edd n Eddy: Boo Haw Haw” A milestone in cartoon parodies…..

The episode starts with Ed (the brawns of the trio) overdosing on monster movies. As Ed leaves the confines of his dank, dingy basement bedroom, he sees himself as a fabled Viking Warrior who’s job is to protect the trio on their quest to find “Scaryville”. His first encounter is when he watches the Kanker Sisters and mistakes them as the three witches of Shakespeare’s Macbeth as they cast a spell upon the three Eds.

Watch a clip on Cartoon Networks Page: Ed, Edd n Eddy: Boo Haw Haw∞

“I’m in my HAPPY place guys!” Ed

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{10-27-5}
LODD of a BROTHER

If you remember my question the other day, “Why is it that the hero in fire stories always dies in the end?”

This past weekend, Captain Robert Gallardy of the Altoona City Fire Department was found burned and unconscious in the basement burn room of the State Fire Academy in Lewistown. Brother Gallardy was transported to Lehigh Valley Burn Center in Allentown with 3rd degree burns to over 75% of his body. He died Tuesday morning.

Captain Gallardy was acting as an Adjunct instructor at the academy’s train the trainer weekend. He had gone into the basement to observe the next group of students when he collapsed for a still un known reason and received the burns that covered his body. I have been in this room many times before. What took him and never bothered me?

A friend of mine, Alpha F.C. Asst. Chief Triebold was also one of the instructors last weekend. Captain Gallardy had also been an assistant instructor for a number of classes my company has held at the fie academy.

When you deal with other’s tragedies on a daily basis, you build a feeling of distance. IT can’t happen to us/me . . . IT CAN!!

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{10-13-5}

It was a bright sunny Tuesday morning, but my thoughts . . . ALL of our thoughts were still on Friday morning.

I had missed the call late Thursday night. I had been out on fire calls most nights that week, besides, the regular “Thursday night crew” could staff the engine and rescue for the accident. The only firefighters that needed to respond from home were the chief and some fire police. Including ‘Pap’ Lower. Pap had been a member of the Alpha Fire Company for about 48 years. He had been the chief many years ago and his son, Steve, a good friend of mine, just served as chief. A true fire family.

When I got up for work Friday the fire police were still on scene of the Park Ave and North Atherton Street accident. The fire police cleared the scene around 7:30. My morning work had gone by quickly and I went to the fire house to have lunch. The word was starting to buzz around the station. Something happened to Pap Lower…

Apparently, as Pap Lower was headed to work from the accident, the heart attack that started hours before stopped his heart causing his car to veer off the road into some trees. It had been Pap Lowers last call.

The weekend was spent cleaning the fire trucks. Shining the chrome, polishing the paint, re-arranging the hose. The chiefs let us know that Pap’s family wonted us there Tuesday morning for his service.

As I said, it was a bright Tuesday morning. There were about 50 of us gathering at the fire house. All in our best suits. Both of our towers were already at the cemetery. We milled around, straitening out ties, checking our cuffs, silent in thought. The chief had arranged for Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap fire companies to cover our station for the day. It was a little before 9:AM when we heard over the radio, the first rigs were leaving their stations for ours.

The station PA system blares out, “HAY… Find a TV. New York has a HELL of a fire in the World Trade Center!!!” It was 9:10 AM, September 11th. . .

We filtered into the TV lounge to watch the unfolding events. A strange thing happen when firefighters watch other firefighters at work, we start talking about how we would do it and betting on weather we know any of the guys at the call. Many of us did. Most of us had taken classes taught by FDNY members. Many, such as myself, had spent days riding at different stations in the city. Our supposed expertise expounding who and what we think is going on…A second plain hits, and the room fell silent.

9:50 AM…an already silent room of firefighters fell deeper into deafness . . The south tower fell….

At 10 minutes after 10 AM on Tuesday September 11th, Chief Triebold had to remind us, “Guys, we have to go. Pap’s funeral is in 40 minuets.”

Over the next few months, I spent 10 weekends working in NYC. Many of my days just feet from smoldering, reeking, pile of steal and burning flesh.

http://nyc.gov/html/fdny/gif/wtc_other/ground_zero/best_004.jpg∞
∞


I don’t think I’ll ever forget September 11th. I’m not sure about some of our politicians. The borders are still a sieve and grandmothers get search at our nation’s airports.

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{10-12-5}

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/512.gif∞

Whoooo wait a second …..

RyanDeWeese…. I am sorry to inform you but JOEPA is not a “newly coined term” (RyanDeWeeseAnalogyArgument). There was even a song written to the tune of the “Banana Boat Song” expounding the wonders of JOEPA during the 1986 - 1987 football seasons. I do not believe this to be the first time Joe was memorialized by this nick name. It is just the one I know of personally.


Sorry don’t mean to bust on you but JOEPA has been JoePa for a very VERY long time…..

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/18/18_1_301.gif∞

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9-11

PAPD - 37!∞
NYPD - 23!∞
FDNY - 343!∞

DID YOU REMBER?!!!!

http://www.chicouniform.com/Fire/NYFD_WTC_Eng_burned.jpg∞

This is FDNY Squad 41, the Bronx….
A house I’ve stayed at. A fire truck I have ridden.
6 men went that day. The rig made it back…. A story told 343 more times that long September day…..


History places bookmarks in one’s mind. Events that may change the way people and even nations look at the world around. All those alive when those bookmarks are placed remember where they were . . . When JFK was shot . . . When the first space shuttle blew up in the sky . . . When the towers fell.

So where were you that fateful September morning?

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test photos for that last paper
A

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http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1104/4706237/9808916/140518723.jpg∞ C

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