After my ex decided that she no longer wanted to get married and decided to move out, I knew I would have to get back into the dating game. Since I don’t drink, the bar scene is out. I had some luck with online dating after my second-to-last ex decided to break up. I found two great friends, and my ex from online dating. So, naturally, I decided to get back into the online dating world.

Online dating is definitely not a new phenomenon. There have been many ‘online’ dating mechanisms, like video taping introductions and watching them, call in lines to meet people, speed dating, and even IRC chat rooms where people are able to meet. Websites that cater to an online profile mechanism is the latest iteration in the matchmaking game. They have become a multi-million dollar per year business. There are some free sites and some pay sites. Most people have heard of Match.com and E-Harmony. Both of these are paid sites. Many may not have heard about two free sites, PlentyOfFish.com, and OKCupid.com. OKCupid is basically the free version of Match.com. I have profiles on all of these sites, excluding E-Harmony, and pay for Match.com. So, I do have some experience with these dating sites.

I have come to some conclusions over the past few weeks regarding online dating. There are many women who want a guy to be chivalrous and open doors, pull out chairs and the like. I have no problem with this, I actually enjoy opening doors and pulling out chairs, it shows that a guy has some respect for the person they’re with. This is all well in good, but ladies, I hate to inform you, that chivalry is a two way street. We’ll get back to this in a bit.

One of the conclusions that I have come to is that women tend to get messages from guys that discuss sexual desires, give phone numbers, expect women to hang out at their house on the first date, not liking what appears to be a ‘copy and paste’ type email, and even disliking the fact that guys send messages and ask questions that are answered in their profile. I have no problem with women deciding that this is not what they want.

However, I have an issue when a guy, namely myself, sends a message to somebody that does not discuss sexual desires, give my phone number, expect women to hang out at my house, nor do I send a ‘copy and paste’ email. I read entire profiles, and usually have two windows open, one with the profile and the other with the message open. Sure, I do have some standard questions that I like to ask, if they are not answered in their profile, but I do not do copy and paste emails.

In all of my emails/messages I usually end with something like “if you’re interested feel free to send me back a message. If you’re not interested, that’s cool, just let me know that as well.” Guess what, in the last three weeks, despite the 50+ messages I have sent, I have received messages from only two people total. One saying ‘thanks but No Thanks’, which I appreciated. The other person I chatted with for a while, but there just wasn’t any spark. All of the other messages that I have sent have received no response.

As a message to the women who are on online dating sites, if you expect to find a guy who is chivalrous, does not expect you to come over to his place on the first date, and treat you with respect, it may be to your advantage to inform the guys who you are not interested in, that you are not interested, particularly if they do not send lewd and obscene messages and are genuinely interested in getting to know you as a person, and show some respect when sending messages. Honestly, do you expect to find a guy who will show you respect if you do not show them respect? To let you ladies in on a secret, most guys would rather know that you’re not interested, than just assume that you’re just being rude by not stating that you’re not interested. It does not take much, it’s a simple “Thanks, but I’m not interested”. It can go a long way to making life a lot easier for everybody.

Tags: dating, Online, troubles

Last year I did a big post on those that we lost and big news stories. This year, I’m changing formats. I’m focusing more on myself and the changes that have occurred within my life, while still bringing in some of the big stories. I won’t go month by month, I’ll go story by story instead.

2011 brought the biggest change that I could have imagined, and one that I did not plan for. Sure, it was always in the back of my mind that it was possible, but I never expected it to happen. My fiancé decided that she no longer wanted to get married, and subsequently moved out. Yeah, it was a big change. To this day, I am still not 100% sure what the main catalyst for her decision was, nor will I ever truly know. I tried to get her to stay, but it didn’t work. I can’t say that I don’t miss having her around, because that would be lying. I was expecting to grow old with her, despite the fact that she never said she was old, that was my job, to be old. But now it won’t happen. The hardest part is that my best friend decided that I was no longer what she needed. It’s hard to live with that fact. Despite her leaving, I still support in whatever she decides to do. Alas, that was my big story of 2011.

Another thing happened during the year, both of my sisters had kids. My Niece, Zoie, and my Nephew Aiden are rather cute kids. Zoie seems to like me for some strange reason, I’m not sure why. It’s probably my fleece sweatshirt that she like and not really me. I hope to spend more time with them.

World events shaped 2011. From the Arab Spring uprising that began in December of 2010, and continued all the way through 2011, to the Earthquake in Japan, and subsequent Fukushima Nuclear power plant meltdown, and even Osama Bin Laden’s death, and the resignation of Apple Founder and CEO Steve Jobs.

The biggest stories of the year cover a wide range of topics, from big resignations, to high profile deaths, to scandals, and even uprisings and speaking out. The biggest story , that affected me, was the resignation, on August 24th, and death, on October 5th, of Apple’s Founder and CEO Steve Jobs. I’m not afraid to admit it, I cried. Why did I cry, good question. I think I cried because it was a big loss for the technology community, a loss for Apple, and the loss of an icon. Steve Jobs helped Apple push technology forward and setup a company that is envied by many of its rivals. Apple is the juggernaut that every technology company tries to emulate, and re-create the same success for themselves. Steve Jobs will definitely be missed, let’s hope Apple keeps up the momentum. Steve Jobs never took crap from anybody, was a tough individual and knew what he wanted and was not afraid to speak his mind. There are a lot of admirable qualities that Steve Jobs had that one could admire.

The second biggest story is the Death of Osama Bin Laden. On May 2nd, 2011, Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Forces in an attack on his base in Afghanistan. Why is this such a big story, it broke on Twitter before other mediums. It was also big news, because it may had brought some closure to the troops, and families of those who have died fighting for freedom and in trying to bring Osama Bin Laden down. As details of how Bin Laden kept up his communications began to be reported, I found myself wondering why all of this high-technology that we have was fooled by the use of sneakernet. In case you were not aware, Osama bin Laden was holed up in a bunker with 10+ foot high walls, and no telephone or internet connection. How does the most elusive man in the world still communicate without telephone or internet, simple, have a lackey do his dirty work and local internet cafes. That’s how. Billions spent on a war, where the enemy used somebody else to do his dirty work. Way to go US Government.

The third big story that had an impact on my life was the Death of World War II Major Dick Winters. Major Winters was a main character in the 2001 HBO Mini-Series Band of Brothers. Despite never meeting Major Winters, through the mini-series, as well as books regarding the 101st Airborne Division, including his own “Beyond Band of Brothers”, Major Winters was an inspiration for the type of leadership, as well as the type of person that I want to be.

The next story that caused some shock, was the Death of North Korea’s Kim Jong Il. North Korea has been the biggest fear of the US, regarding Nuclear power, since Russia during the cold war. It came as a shock to many, and the story again, broke on twitter.

Another death, which affected me more than Osama and Kim Jong Il, was the death of Actor Harry Morgan. Harry Morgan was Colonel Sherman T. Potter in the show M*A*S*H, and Detective Bill Gannon in Dragnet. M*A*S*H has provided me with countless hours of entertainment, and Harry Morgan will forever be remember for his role in the biggest show featuring the happenings of the Korean War.

One of the most memorable shows from the past 30 years is 60 Minutes. If you watched 60 Minutes for any number of weeks you would know the name Andy Rooney. Andy Rooney was a beloved commentator and satirist. His insights and voice will be missed by many.

The racing world lost a driver this year, Dan Wheldon. Wheldon was only 33 years old when he died from his injuries suffered at the Las Vegas International Speedway. I’m not a big racing fan, but I know he will be missed by the fans.

Singer/Songwriter Amy Winehouse became part of the “27 Club”. The “27 Club” is a club where the members all died at the age of 27. Some others include Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, and Jim Morrison. Winehouse was loved by fans, and had a great career ahead of her, she died too young.

Television lost another famous person, Sherwood Schwartz, creator of the “The Brady Bunch” and “Gilligan’s Island”. He was 94 when he died, but his ideas will live on forever.

Author Lilian Jackson Braun, creator of the book series “The Cat Who…”, died at the age of 97. Her work, like many others, will be read by future generations.

You may not know the name Lynn Hauldren, but you sure know the jingle, 1-800-Empire. Lynn Hauldren, was the face of Empire Carpet. For those in Chicagoland, you will never forget 800-588-2300 Empire.

Anybody who knows anything about car or home stereos, knows the name Harman-Kardon. Sidney Harman, owner of Newsweek, and namesake in Harmon-Kardon died at the age of 92.

Actress Elizabeth Taylor died on March 23rd, she was 79. Not enough can be said about the three-time Academy Award Winning actress.

Other big stories have occurred during 2011, including the end of NASA’s space shuttle missions. When they announced that the Space Shuttle missions would be ending, it was a big blow to America’s space efforts. While it is expensive to send somebody to the moon, it is our mission to explore beyond our boundaries, beyond our planet to see what our Solar System and Universe have to show us. It is a big mistake to cease space shuttle missions, if anything we should have more of them, not fewer.

The last big story of 2011 is the formal declaration, by the United States, that the War in Iraq has officially ended. It was something that came way too late, and should have been done before 2011.

Some final thoughts. A heartfelt thanks goes out of a group of people who helped me through my big story of 2011. Those people include, but are not necessarily limited to, Steffanie Housman, Joel Housman, Alison McQuade, Tori Sproat, Samantha F, Moriah_XO, Joanna Kenyon, Jenn Messina, Jen Clayton, Amanda Parziale and my family. Without you guys, I don’t know what I would have done.

Here’s to 2012. A Year that I hope brings joy and good changes.

Tags: 2011, Year in Review

Tags: OutTakes, Siri, Siri OutTake #68

You gotta love it when Spam can’t manage to do Simple math.

Tags: fail, mail, spam

This is the text of the late, and Great, George Carlin’s “Modern Man”:

I’m a modern man, digital and smoke-free; a man for the millennium.
A diversified, multi-cultural, post-modern deconstructionist; politically, anatomically and ecologically incorrect.
I’ve been uplinked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced. I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading.
I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, bi-coastal multi-tasker, and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond.
I’m new-wave, but I’m old-school; and my inner child is outward-bound.
I’m a hot-wired, heat-seeking, warm-hearted cool customer; voice-activated and bio-degradable.
I interface with my database; my database is in cyberspace; so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive, and from time to time I’m radioactive.
Behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, ridin’ the wave, dodgin’ the bullet, pushin’ the envelope.
I’m on point, on task, on message, and off drugs.
I’ve got no need for coke and speed; I’ve got no urge to binge and purge.
I’m in the moment, on the edge, over the top, but under the radar.
A high-concept, low-profile, medium-range ballistic missionary.
A street-wise smart bomb. A top-gun bottom-feeder.
I wear power ties, I tell power lies, I take power naps, I run victory laps.
I’m a totally ongoing, big-foot, slam-dunk rainmaker with a pro-active outreach.
A raging workaholic, a working rageaholic; out of rehab and in denial.
I’ve got a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a personal assistant, and a personal agenda.

You can’t shut me up; you can’t dumb me down. ‘Cause I’m tireless, and I’m wireless. I’m an alpha-male on beta-blockers.
I’m a non-believer, I’m an over-achiever; Laid-back and fashion-forward. Up-front, down-home; low-rent, high-maintenance.
I’m super-sized, long-lasting, high-definition, fast-acting, oven-ready and built to last.
A hands-on, footloose, knee-jerk head case; prematurely post-traumatic, and I have a love child who sends me hate-mail.
But I’m feeling, I’m caring, I’m healing, I’m sharing. A supportive, bonding, nurturing primary-care giver.
My output is down, but my income is up. I take a short position on the long bond, and my revenue stream has its own cash flow.
I read junk mail, I eat junk food, I buy junk bonds, I watch trash sports.
I’m gender-specific, capital-intensive, user-friendly and lactose-intolerant.
I like rough sex; I like tough love. I use the f-word in my e-mail. And the software on my hard drive is hard-core—no soft porn.
I bought a microwave at a mini-mall. I bought a mini-van at a mega-store. I eat fast food in the slow lane. I’m toll-free, bite-size, ready-to-wear, and I come in all sizes.
A fully equipped, factory-authorized, hospital-tested, clinically proven, scientifically formulated medical miracle.
I’ve been pre-washed, pre-cooked, pre-heated, pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-packaged, post-dated, freeze-dried, double-wrapped and vacuum-packed.
And . . . I have unlimited broadband capacity.
I’m a rude dude, but I’m the real deal. Lean and mean. Cocked, locked and ready to rock; rough, tough and hard to bluff.
I take it slow, I go with the flow; I ride with the tide, I’ve got glide in my stride.
Drivin’ and movin’, sailin’ and spinnin’; jivin’ and groovin’, wailin’ and winnin’.
I don’t snooze, so I don’t lose. I keep the pedal to the metal and the rubber on the road. I party hearty, and lunchtime is crunch time.
I’m hangin’ in, there ain’t no doubt;
and I’m hangin’ tough.

Over and out.

Tags: George Carlin, Great, late, Modern Man

Nothing more needs to be said. It is definitely a sad day.

Tags: 1955, 2011, death, RIP Steve, Steve Jobs

I have been thinking about how I best want to memorialize The 10-year anniversary of the attacks on 9/11/01. I have decided that the best way is to post links to significant events that have occurred since 9/11. Before I do that though, let me synopsize the events of September 11th.

September 11th, 2011:

• 8:13 Flight 11, from Logan International Airport, stops all communication.
• 8:14 Flight 175, from Logan Interntional Airport, leaves.
• 8:20 FAA Boston Flight Center decides Flight 11 has been hijacked.
• 8:20 Filght 77 leaves from Washington’s Dulles International Aiport.
• 8:25 Boston Center alerts other flight centers of Flight 11′s Hijacked status.
• 8:34 Boston Center is directed to contact NORAD.
• 8:37 NORAD is notified and Boston requests Military interception of Flight 11.
• 8:42 United Airlines Flight 93 leaves Newark International Airport.
• 8:42 Flight 175 is Hijacked.
• 8:46 Two F-15 Fighter Jets are scrambled from Massachusetts.
• 8:46 Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower (1 WTC).
• 8:48 Approximately 100 people trapped in the upper floor jump to their deaths from the North Tower.
• 8:48 WNYW begins broadcasting footage of the North Tower.
• 8:49 CNN begins broadcasting footage.
• 8:50 NORAD is notified that Flight 11 has struck the tower.
• 8:50 Flight 77 is hijacked.
• 8:54 Flight 77 deviates from its flight path.
• 8:55 President Bush is notified of the plane crashing into the North Tower.
• 8:58 Flight 175 heads towards New York City.
• 9:02 Evacuation of the North Tower is ordered by the FDNY.
• 9:03 Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower (2 WTC).
• 9:03 NORAD is notified of Flight 175′s hijacking.
• 9:04 All Flight Departures in New England and Eastern New York are stopped.
• 9:06 The FAA bans all flights nationwide that are destined in or around New York City.
• 9:14 President Bush enters holding room to see Footage.
• 9:17 The FAA closes all New York City Area airports.
• 9:21 All bridges and tunnels into Manhattan are closed.
• 9:23 Flight 93 receives warning of cockpit intrusions.
• 9:25 The Associated Press informs CNN that the two plane crashes are Terrorist Attacks.
• 9:29 President Bush makes his first public Statements regarding the attacks.
• 9:34 Reagan National Airport tells the Secret Service that Flight 77 is headed towards Reagan International Airport.
• 9:35 Flight 93 starts flying eastward.
• 9:35 Vice President Cheney is ordered to evacuate the White House.
• 9:37 Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.
• 9:39 NBC, and Fox News report explosions at the Pentagon.
• 9:42 The FCC orders the grounding of ALL flights and closes US Airspace.
• 9:43 The White House and Capitol Building are evacuated and closed.
• 9:55 CNN correspondent mentions Osama Bin Laden as someone determined to strike the US.
• 9:57 Passenger Revolt on Flight 93 begins.
• 9:59 The South Tower begins to collapse.
• 10:00 FDNY are ordered to evacuate the North Tower.
• 10:02 CNN reports that the Sears Tower in Chicago, IL has been Evacuated.
• 10:03 Flight 93 Crashes in southeastern Pennsylvania.
• 10:10 Part of the West Side of the Pentagon collapses.
• 10:13 Thousands are evacuated from the United Nations Complex in New York City.
• 10:20 President Bush authorizes planes to be shot down if necessary.
• 10:28 The North Tower begins to collapse.
• 10:35 Airforce One turns for Barksdsale Air Force Base in Lousiana.
• 10:37 The Mall of America is evacuated.
• 10:43 New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani orders an evacuation of Lower Manhattan.
• 11:05 The FAA confirms several planes have been hijacked.
• 11:16 American Airlines confirms the loss of its two aircraft.
• 11:26 United Airlines confirms loss of Flight 93 and “deeply concerned” about Flight 175.
• 11:53 United Airlines confirms loss of two aircraft.
• 11:55 The border between the US and Mexico is put on high alert, but not closed.
• 12:04 LAX is shutdown.
• 12:15 SFO is shutdown.
• 13:04 President Bush puts the US Militiary on Force Protection Condition Delta (High Alert).
• 13:27 Washington D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams declares a state of emergency.
• 16:00 News Outlets report that “officials” are stating that Osama Bin Laden is suspect number one.
• 16:25 The NYSE, NASDAQ, and American Stock Exchange report that will remain closed on September 12th.
• 17:20 7 World Trade Center collapses.
• 18:00 The Last US Bound flight lands in Vancouver, Canada.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of events, but it will suffice. Now, to the major events since the 9/11 attacks.

2001

• September 11th, 2011 World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.
• October 7th, 2001 US War in Afghanistan.
• October 26th, 2001, President Bush signs the US Patriot Act.
• December 2nd, 2001, Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

2002

• January 8th, President Bush signs the No Child Left Behind Act.
• January 16th, The Assets of Osama Bin Laden are frozen.
• February 1st, American Journalist Daniel Pearl is killed in Pakistan.
• February 8th, The 2002 Olympics Games are held as scheduled.
• February 13th, Rudy Giuliani receives an honorary knighthood.
• April 2nd, Israeli forces besiege The church of Nativity.
• May 10th, FBI Agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life for selling Secrets to Moscow.
• May 26th, Mars Odyssey finds large water ice deposits.
• July 21st, Worldcom files for bankruptcy.
• August 12th, US Airways declares bankruptcy.
• October 9th, the ‘Dot-Com-Bubble’ hits rock bottom.
• October 16th, the Iraq War Resolution is authorized by the US Congress.
• November 8th, The UN Security Council approves forcing Saddam Hussein to disarm.
• November 25th, President Bush signs the Homeland Security Act, thus creating the Department of Homeland Security.
• December 9th, United Airlines files for bankruptcy.

2003

• March 19th, The United States invades Iraq.
• April 9th, US Forces seize Baghdad, ending the rein of Saddam Hussein.
• May 1st, President Bush declares the end of major combat in Iraq.
• May 23rd, Dewey, the first deer to be cloned is born.
• June 4th, Martha Stewart is indicted in an insider trading scandal.
• July 23rd, Operation Warrior Sweep, first military deployment of the Afghan National Army commences.
• October 5th, Israeli warplanes strike inside Syrian Territory.
• December 20th, Libya admits to building a nuclear bomb.

2004

• February 4th, Facebook is founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• March 31st, Four American contractors are killed and mutlitated after being ambushed n Fallujah, Iraq.
• April 29th, The last Oldsmobile rolls off the assembly line.
• May 12th, American contractor Nick Berg is shown being decapitated by Al-Qaida.
• May 24th, North Korea bans mobile phones.
• June 11th, Terry Nichols is spared the death penalty for his role in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
• June 16th, The “9/11 Commission” issues its preliminary report.
• June 28th, the US-led coalition that is occupying Iraq transfers sovereignty to an Iraqi Interim Government.
• June 30th, Preliminary hearings begin in the trial of Saddam Hussein for war crimes.
• July 4th, Groundbreaking for the Freedom Tower begins at Ground Zero in New York City.
• August 3rd, The Statue of Liberty is reopened to tourists after being closed on September 11th, 2001.
• August 13th, The 2004 Summer Olympics open.
• August 29th, 200,000 protestors demonstrate against George W. Bush.
• September 22nd, The TV Series Lost airs its pilot episode.
• October 20th, The Linux Distribution, Ubuntu, is first released.
• November 7th, US Forces launch a major assault on Fallujah.
• November 13th, Fallujah is occupied by US Forces.
• November 14th, Colin Powell submits his resignation.
• December 8th, Lenovo announces plans to purchase IBM’s global PC business.
• December 13th, Oracle and PeopleSoft agree to merge in a $10.3 Billion deal.
• December 16th, Symantec Corp signs an agreement to merge with Veritas.This was a bad deal for Veritias..
• December 26th, A 9.3 Magnitude earthquake strikes off the cost of India, killing 230,000 people.

2005:

• January 30th, The First free Parliamentary elections are held in Iraq.
• April 9th, Tens of Thousands march in protest of the US Occupation of Iraq.
• May 16th, George Galloway appears before the US Senate to answer allegations of profiteering in the Iraqi Oil-for-food program.
• June 28th, Operation Red Wing fails.
• July 6th, The International Olympic Committee awards the 2012 Summer Olympics to London.
• July 7th, Four Terrorist attacks occur in London.
• September 26th, US Army Reservist Lynndie England is convicted on six counts of abuse in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.

2006:

• January 1st, Russia cuts natural gas to Ukraine over a price dispute.
• January 27th, Celebrations are held for the 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• February 10th, The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy open.
• April 5th, A Swan with Avian Flu is discovered in Scotland.
• June 28th, Israel launches an offensive against militants in Gaza, dubbed Operation Summer Rains.
• August 24th, THe International Astronomical Union defines ‘planet’, hence demoting Pluto to a rock.
• November 5th, President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, is sentenced to Death.
• November 15th, Al Jazeera launches it’s English Language News Channel, Al Jazeera English.
• December 30th, Saddam Hussein is executed.

2006:

• January 14th, The Red Cross adopts the Red Crystal for overseas operations.
• February 13th, North Korea agrees to shutdown its nuclear operations.
• March 23rd, Iran seizes Royal Navy personnel.
• April 4th, Iran announces that they will release the captured Royal Navy personnel.
• July 21st, The final Harry Potter Book is released.
• August 4th, The Phoenix spacecraft launches toward the Martian north pole.
• October 28th, The Vatican beatifies 498 Spanish victims of religious persecution during the Spanish Civil war.
• November 5th, The Writers Guild of America strikes.
• December 19th, Time announces that Vladamir Putin is the Time Person of the Year.

2008:

• January 2nd, The price of petroleum hits $100 per barrel.
• January 21st, Stock Markets around the world plunge fears of a US Recession.
• February 19th, Fidel Castro announces his resignation as President of Cuba.
• March 19th, An exploding star that is halfway across the universe is visible.
• May 25th, The Phoenix Spacecraft becomes the first to land on the northern pole region of Mars.
• June 27th, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, steps down to pursue philanthropic ventures.
• August 8th, The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China opens.
• August 17th, Michael Phelps surpasses Mark Spitz in Gold Medals won at a single Olympics.
• September 15th, Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
• October 3rd, President Bush signs the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act to create a $700 Billion Treasury fund to purchased failed bank assets.
• October 29th, Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines merge to create the largest commercial airline.
• November 4th, The United States elects its First Black President, Barack Obama.
• December 5th, Human remains found in 1991 are identified as Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.
• December 16th, Ruins of the ancient Wari city are discovered in Northern Peru.

2009:

• January 3rd, Israel admitted to NATO.
• April 24th, The World Health Organization expresses swine flue” is labeled as a global pandemic.
• August 4th, North Korean Leader Kim Jong-il pardons two US journalists after they illegally entered North Korea.
• October 2nd, The International Olympic Committee awards the 2016 Olympics to Rio De Janeiro.
• October 20th, European astronomers discover 32 exoplanets.
• November 20th, CERN restarts the Large Hadron Collider.
• December 16th, Astronomers discover the first-known exoplanet on which water could exist.

2010:

• January 12th, A 7.6 Maginitude Earthquake strikes Haiti, killing 230,000 people.
• February 12, The 2010 Winter Olympics open in Vancouver, Canada.
• March 16th, The Kasubi Tombs are destroyed by fire.
• April 14th, Volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajokull, in Iceland disrupts air traffic across Europe.
• April 20th, The Deepwater Horizon oil platform explodes causing a massive oil spill.
• May 7th, Scientists conducting the Neaderthal genome project determine that Neanderthals and humans interbred.
• May 20th, Scientists announce the creation of a functional synthetic genome.
• July 25th, Wikileaks releases 90,000 internal reports bout the War in Afghanistan.
• August 10th, The World Health Organization declares the H1N1 pandemic over.
• November 17th, CERN traps antimatter.
• November 28th, Wikileaks release 250,000 diplomatic cables.

2011:

• February 11th, Egyptian President Mubarak resigns due to protests.
• March 11th, A 9.1 Magnitude earthquake and tsunami strikes the east of Japan.
• March 17th, The United Nations Security Council votes to create a no-fly zone over Libya.
• April 29th, Two billion people watch the Wedding of Prince William.
• May 26th, US President Barack Obama announces that Osama Bin Laden killed.
• July 20th, The United Nations declares a famine in Southern Somalia.
• July 21st, Space Shuttle Atlantis lands concluding the Space Shuttle program.
• August 22nd, Libyan Rebels enter Tripoli.
• August 24th, Steve Jobs resigns as the CEO of Apple, Inc.

The previous listing is just a snippet of each year for what has happened since the attacks on September 11th, 2011. Guess what, life continued and other significant events did occur. I do not intend to minimize the significance of the 9/11 attacks. Quite the contrary. The attacks on 9/11 had significant impact on the United States, its policies, and even the way air safety is handled.

Since 9/11, the United States has formed the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) which is a euphemism for the Transportation Restriction Agency. The TSA has added to the travel time since travelers now want to get to the security checkpoints at least 75 minutes before their flight to make sure that they can make their flight.

New security measures have been placed in airports across the United States. Can one say that by implementing these new procedures that it has stopped new terrorism attempts? No, they cannot. There have been a few incidents where potential plots have been able to pass security checkpoints. It is now to the point where you cannot bring anything on the plane except for clothes, a laptop, headphones and potentially drinks that are purchased after the security checkpoint at significant premiums.

Despite these travel restrictions life has continued. After the initial reporting many people felt as though it was taboo to discuss 9/11 because it would bring up memories of the day. Over time however, feelings changed and media began to memorialize the event. The most significant contributions have come through songs. Below is a list of songs, by no means comprehensive, that commemorate 9/11.

Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) by Alan Jackson

Have You Forgotten? by Darryl Worley

Arlington by Bumper of My SUV by Chely Wright

Toby Keith

• American Solider
• Ballad of Balad
• Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)

Many songs remained patriotic, others took stances against the War in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most Notable of those who were affected were the Dixie Chicks. At a Concert in London in 2003 lead vocalist Natalie Maines stated “we don’t want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States [George W. Bush] is from Texas”. This statement brought them some significant flack from United States concert goers. To the point where their concert attendance was cut in half because they were considered “unpatriotic” for their sentiments and stance against the war. While one can understand why they were against the war, they should not have been persecuted for their beliefs. I find it ironic that they were persecuted for their beliefs, and yet that’s why many of America’s ancestor’s left Great Britain.

Music has not been the only media to portray or investigate the events after 9/11.

• Green Zone
• The Hurt Locker
• Restrepo (Documentary)
• Carrier (Documentary)
• Fahrenheit 9/11

As with the songs, this is no where near the complete list of 9/11, and post 9/11-event related films. There have been many documentaries regarding the attacks that include “Flight 77″ and numerous other films.

I was going to put a list of notable Deaths since 9/11 in the next section, but I decided against it. Needless to say, there have been many people who have passed on since the 9/11 attacks. Many of them were unable to see how the world has survived since 9/11. There have been many authors, television producers, film directors, and musicians whom were never able to partake in a memorial film, song, or show to commemorate the ability of the United States to survive such a horrendous act.

To many who lost loved ones on 9/11, September 11th will also be a bittersweet day. They will mourn the loss, remember the good times, and hopefully, be able to move on. The Tenth anniversary is always somewhat of a time to reflect and to possibly predict what the future holds.

Since the events of 9/11/01 there have been many changes. Some have been positive, others not so much. Regardless of the consequence of the changes many felt an urge to do their part to fight the injustice that was caused by the attacks. Some people felt the need to join the Red Cross, while other joined the military. As a result of the attacks, over 6,000 fatalities have occurred due to the military conflicts. 4,442 because of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 1,584 in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The cost has been too high.

I know many of the military personnel are doing as they are told, because it is their job to not question orders. But I do wonder how many lives have been needlessly lost by entering into the wars. I do not disagree that it was needed to find those responsible and gain retribution, but the manner in which it was undertaken was the wrong approach. In addition to the countless civilian casualties that have occurred as a result of the two wars.

I am not saying that I know of a more strategic alternative nor do I claim to know everything. Despite this, as an American I am appalled at the way the wars have been, and continue to be, fought.

Despite my misgivings of the way the wars have been handled, I do have to thank those who have served, continue to serve, and will serve for maintaining the freedom that the United States, however dwindling, does enjoy. Your service will not be forgotten. In addition to the service men and women, I do have to thank the Heroes who have died protecting the Freedom that we do enjoy. Their lives were not lost in vain, but were sacrificed for the greater good, and they should be commemorated as heroes.

While the military personnel generally receive all of the credit, the true Heroes of September 11th, 2001 were the New York City Fire Department (NYFD), the New York Police Department (NYPD) as well as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). These were the men and women who rushed into the towers and into harms way to rescue and assist as many people as they were capable of helping. These were the ones who never thought twice about heading into danger, no matter the consequences. These are the true heroes of 9/11.

Tags: 9/11/01, Daily Run Down, edition, September 11th 2011, special, Special Editon

Tags: Earthquake, faster, twitter

The picture below is three timelines that I follow, take a look at each of the Avatars. Each time there is a new tweet with an orange avatar I have to look at it closely to determine who it is from… It can be rather confusing.

Tags: Avatars, twitter

My parents put down the Dog today. She was a good dog but she was having trouble standing and had gotten really thin over the past few months. It’s sad to see her go. She’ll be missed.

Tags: Sierra