Nil by Mouth

World Trade Centre – New

World Trade Centre – New York – Some Engineering Aspects

Why Did It Collapse?

Excellent link, thanks Gus. I’ve been aching to hear about this part.

I really miss the city now. I can’t stand not being there. I have a ticket for halloween. I counted the weeks – it’s 6.

Thank god for the internet – i can’t imagine not being able to read all the accounts, to not be able to listen to NPR and BBC streaming non-stop. Last night I am practically falling asleep in my chair but I can’t turn off ABC. Barbara Walters is showing pictures of passengers on the doomed flights. Les calls her a tearmonger. She is. In this case, it doesn’t take much talent though.

There is also continuing NPR interviews of relatives of lost people. They are searching the streets with pictures of family members who worked in the WTC and are unaccounted for. They say when their last contact was, and they say which tower and which floor the person worked on. This is the calling card of tragedy. I’ve always hated the WTC. I thought it was ugly and overbearing in the new york skyline. It’s only positive was to point out which way was south. I also always hated the inside. It was huge, always full of commotion, questionable lighting. I’d had drinks in the Tall Ships Bar a coupla times and Windows on the World. Neither was particularly good. I want them back now. I want Tall Ships Bar, and Windows on the World, and that hotel which is the only place in lower Manhattan that you can definitely find a yellow cab that won’t rip you off, and that Duane Reed where i bought my 2nd to last tube of toothpaste and the seats outside of i-forget-which-chain-coffee-place where i sat down because my feet hurt after a long walk during my lunch hour a week before i left NYC. I want that back.

I hope they rebuild something wonderful.

• Sep 13