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twitterDear Mr. President
If you could pass a note to Barack Obama, what would it say? The Sun asked a diverse group of Southern Nevadans to share.
Tiffany Brown
Letter writers penned the words below each of these Polaroid shots when asked to sum up their hopes for the 44th U.S. president and his administration. Clockwise from top left are: Michele Rey-Morales, Beverly Mathis, Stephen Smith, Charlene Cruze, Frank Perna, Debbie Castrejon, Alonso Flores, A.J. Decaria.
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009 | 2 a.m.
The new year will bring the inauguration of a new president, Barack Obama.
The Sun invited several Southern Nevadans to write the president-elect, sharing their priorities for his administration and their hopes and dreams for themselves, the community and the nation.
•••
Paul Snell, 22, is a fourth-grade teacher at Cyril Wengert Elementary in Las Vegas and a corps member of Teach for America, which trains recent college graduates to work in at-risk schools.
The challenges we face are endless and overwhelming. There will be no shortage of policy prescriptions to meet them. What will matter just as much as whether we conquer them is how we, as a country, decide to handle them. Will we stand together, or alone?
Mr. President, I hope that your administration begins practicing the new politics that you have spoken about during the campaign. Politics has become so vitriolic and petty that we’ve forgotten our allegiance to our common commitment: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
We need a resurrection of our commitment — and these underlying virtues: responsibility, integrity and courage.
It is going to take a president, a Congress and a people to make it possible — but it is possible. When we, together, have recommitted ourselves we can return to our timeless effort to create a more perfect union.
•••
Zachary Sanderson, 18, is a senior at Bishop Gorman High School in Summerlin.
First and foremost, my sincerest congratulations to you for your much deserved and historic victory. I stood behind your platform of change because I believe this country — this world — yearns for change.
It is now within your power to enact that change we need.
I wish to impart to you my hopes for the future of this country. The status of our economy and environment and our systems of education and ethics leave much to be desired. The altruist in me dreams of independence from foreign oil, our own self-sustaining renewable fuel source, a meticulous standard for schooling, the elimination of political corruption, the promotion of employment, the return of our troops, and the restoration of our rights, among others.
You have earned the keys to the kingdom and it is time for change. I hope we serve each other well for the next four years.
•••
Pirro Dollani, 55, a native of Albania, is a translator and administrative assistant in UNLV’s film department.
I hope you and your administration will improve the economy and the health care system. It is tragic that 44 million Americans, people who build, enrich, fight and die for America, are unable to afford health insurance. Even Americans who have health insurance may go bankrupt because they can’t afford the astronomical costs of some kinds of medical treatment.
They say that America is the most powerful and richest country in the world. Why then does it not care for its own people?
Life for most middle-class Americans is not secure. They can work hard — only in the U.S.A. do many people have two and three jobs — but if something goes wrong with them or with their children’s health, they find themselves homeless.
I expect the Obama administration to make accessible, affordable health coverage a top priority for all Americans.
•••
Jenilynn Frizell, 32, a Henderson resident, is a mother of five sons.
I didn’t vote for you, but you have my full support as my president.
I wish you well in carrying the mantle of our government.
I hope you can bring life to the American dream. A dream that everyone will have enough to eat; that we will have secure jobs that pay the bills; that we can get health care; and that we can have homes for our families.
Is the American dream not possible for everyone? We got so caught up in the struggle. We lost our vision. We forgot God’s hand.
A dream: Let there be peace in our lives. Let there be an end to distant wars that are killing our men and women.
This, your first year riding on the crest of expectation. Everything is screaming, “fix it now.”
Give us leadership and accountability, so we can believe in what we are doing.
Give us wisdom, so that tomorrow is a new day.
•••
Rev. Steve Smith in downtown Las Vegas.
The Rev. Stephen Smith, 53, moved in the mid-1990s from Green Valley to a rough section of downtown Las Vegas — Ninth Street and Ogden Avenue — where he founded the Downtown Community Church.
Las Vegas has always been a tale of two cities, one of success and the other of a hurting heart. In this economy, both cities have fallen on hard times.
Today, I write to you about the citizens affected the most. These citizens did not take out irresponsible mortgages causing great calamity to others.
Nevertheless, they suffer in this economy. They lose their jobs. There is no room at the inn for them as they become homeless. Their children do not play in the city parks that look like Wimbledon. Their park is kick ball at the corner. These kids stand at bus stops where prostitutes and drug dealers ply their trade.
Is it too much to dream of a neighborhood where this is not so?
I dream of a neighborhood where moms are free to walk safely with a baby in tow.
One day recently, I asked an administrator at Hollingsworth Elementary School on Fremont Street, “What is it you need?”
Her answer should shame our collective hearts and souls: “hygiene packs with soap, shampoo, toothpaste and brushes.”
Mr. Obama, my plea is to remember the least of these and heal our land. As you consider the plight of Wall Street, remember the hurting of Fremont Street.
•••
Michele Rey-Morales at her home in North Las Vegas.
Michele Rey-Morales, 17, is a senior at Valley High School in Las Vegas.
As a supporter of your campaign, I believe that change is what this country needs and, in your hands, will finally occur.
I am of Hispanic descent and very proud of it. I’ve seen the struggles my family has been through, both in Nicaragua and here in America. Just like thousands of other families, my own has sacrificed a ton and more to live the American dream.
More than ever, I would love to see this country come together again. The separation of states and opinions needs to see its end. Making the United States united again is my American dream.
We can do it! Yes we can!
•••
Debbie Castrejon at her home in Las Vegas.
Debbie Castrejon, 54, is a cashier at the Excalibur and a 24-year member of the Culinary Union.
Thinking about what to write to President-elect Obama, I asked a few of my co-workers what their concerns and expectations were. Here are their answers: peace, equality, jobs, economics, judgment, values, security, education, organization, homes, opportunity, change, improvement, prayers, togetherness, consequences, help, greatness.
I know this is a tall list. But it seems that as the tunnel gets darker and darker, we need to see a little light at the end of it so people will start believing in what this country has to offer — a great, free, peaceful life.
•••
Frank Perna at his home in Las Vegas.
Frank Perna, 75, served in the National Guard from 1949 to ’54 and the Army from 1954 to ’56. He is a member of the nonprofit Southern Nevada Advocates for Homeless People and involved in veterans issues.
Congratulations on your election victory in America’s most challenging times — socially, financially and internationally.
When our country’s needs are great, veterans are rarely given the priority they deserve and have earned. During wartime, with the casualty rate at the highest in history, they must be given the highest political priority.
Unfortunately, their sacrifices on our behalf are recognized and memorialized only a few days a year. But veterans suffer daily.
An accurate barometer of our government’s failure, through the Department of Veterans Affairs, is the homeless veteran population. Congress attempted, since the wars began, to legislate corrections. But it cannot legislate compassion.
We need a timely completion date for the Veterans Affairs health complex in Las Vegas, and funding for veterans’ homes, which are essential if we are to provide in-patient care for traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism and drug addiction.
Americans are looking to a future where political ideology will be second to service to America and Americans.
God bless you and America.
•••
Alonso Flores at his home in Las Vegas.
Alonso Flores, 43, is a gardener for MGM Mirage. He immigrated to the United States from Guadalajara, Mexico, more than 20 years ago.
My wife, Elida, 40, my daughter, Estefany, 20, my son, Pablo, 17, and even my little daughter, Paola, were all ready for the election. They all asked, whom should we vote for?
Finally, we decided to vote for the one who would bring hope to our family, including the extended family, most of whom are naturalized citizens with children born here in Las Vegas. What is most important for us?
Education, and opportunities to obtain financial aid for studying at a university, said my older daughter.
The economy, said my wife. There’s never enough money to make ends meet and someone is finally paying attention to the working class.
I reminded them that we can’t be selfish. We should think of the families of immigrants and the need for immigration reform.
We haven’t stopped believing that you will help with the issues that are important to us, as workers, as students and immigrants.
•••
Charlene Cruze at her home in Las Vegas.
Charlene Cruze, 67, is a Southern Nevada native whose community ties stretch over four generations, including a great-grandfather who helped with the first Las Vegas settlement.
The country would benefit enormously in its struggles with the current circumstances if the population knew that the parties responsible for our difficulties, at all levels, were held accountable for their arrogance, incompetence, malfeasance, and in many cases, criminal behavior.
The ongoing injustice to the mass of honest, hardworking, devoted citizens having to bear the brunt of the damage accrued by the greed, indifference and self-serving machinations of politicians and corporate leaders has completely undermined their morale and motivation.
Not retribution, but responsibility, restitution and reorganization would go a long way in restoring the necessary faith of the people in their judicial, legislative and executive system, as well as the free market and capitalist foundations of the nation.
Deal with these issues, and everything else can be healed. A diseased and evil moral core cannot have a positive product.
•••
Principal Beverly Mathis in front of the school she has directed for more than a decade, Booker Elementary School in North Las Vegas.
Beverly Mathis, 56, is principal of Kermit S. Booker Elementary School, a high-achieving campus serving a predominantly low-income population in West Las Vegas.
“There is Hope; it’s a beautiful hope that sets me free.”
My heart leaps with joy as I think about my 92-year-old deceased mother who sang joyfully the lyrics to this gospel song. That hope “Mama Daisy” chanted came with unwavering faith.
It is the same faith and hope that I dream daily for our youth in Las Vegas. Within the heart of this city echoes the beat of every child in the West Las Vegas community where I have been blessed to be a vital servant for 15 years.
With hope comes equity through education. With hope all children at the age of 3 will be empowered to collaborate in a structured, conducive learning environment. And, with hope comes the dream, and most significantly the reality of early childhood education.
President Obama, thank you for restoring that hope.
I understand as you do that the future of education is now, and without a doubt, the foundational bridge that hope places into action is early childhood education.
With sincere hope and unshakable faith I humbly congratulate you as our 44th president of the United States of America.
•••
Joe Decaria at his home in Las Vegas.
A.J. Decaria, 59, works at a Las Vegas accounting firm.
I am confident that you are the right choice for president and the right man to deal with the severe economic problems we face.
We have lost much in this country and not just because we are in the throes of a severe economic crisis. We produce very little for ourselves, and the segments of our economy that do produce goods are troubled. Some part of your economic policy needs to bring manufacturing back to America.
If indeed our best course of action is to create a modern Works Progress Administration, then make sure that we produce goods and not just services. I see a need not just to repair the infrastructure that we already have but to create one that makes us energy independent.
Many people in this country purchased homes in the past five years. Even though they have conventional mortgages, they have lost equity and are upside down. Some are walking away, even though they can make their monthly payments.
Please initiate policy changes that protect them before we have a second wave of foreclosures. We need to set a floor on fair market values and allow people to refinance to that level, so they owe only on the value they have and not the value they lost.
This country’s free market so outlandishly rewards people at the top that it fails to truly give opportunity to those at the bottom. Within the power voters give to elected officials is contained the responsibility to fairly regulate our society. Some things only government can do.
Discussion: 83 comments so far…
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DO YOUR BEST
Pick a different sec of Treasury.
That guy is a key person on Bush's bailout program.
That guy is a key Bush regulatory enforcer for Wall Street and banking in the NY area.
Surely Obama can find somebody that is better than that.
We need Obama to be successful in helping our economy to recover.
I am not so sure about his pick for Sec. of State. She has very little experience in that area and she has not demostrated success in anything that has been challenging.
Mr. President-Elect:
Just get rid of the pork ... let's get back to being a "meat and potatoes" society.
Stop the war on America. We incarcerate more people per capita than any other country. It is time for a better solution.
My requests would be quite basic - please secure the borders, enforce the immigration laws and do whatever it takes to protect our jobs for our own citizens first.
Don't fall into the politics as usual trap. So far PE Obama has lived up to his message of bi-partisanship. I hope he keeps it up and chooses those who can best help move our country forward, regardless of political affiliation.
We have to be patient, though. PE Obama is taking over a horribly wounded country and our problems will not be solved within the first 100 days, possibly not within the first term. Besides dealing with what the Bush admin. will leave behind, there will be new challenges to face.
I like what I've seen so far in PE Obama's handling of his transition, and many friends of ours who didn't vote for him are pleased (and relieved) as well. All I ask from my new President is to see progress, even if it's slow. As long as we have steady progress, we will be Ok.
I trust that our new President does sincerely have our country's and our people's best interests at heart and he will do his best for us.
Comment removed by staff.
Kick out all of the illegals and put the military on the border. Make all employers check citizenship of current and future employees. Dont allow drugs, weapons or illegals to sneak into our country. Buy all oil from Mexico instead of Saudi Arabia. Fix health care so that all citizens have coverage. Expand on green energy and actually have an energy policy.
Congratulations on raising $600 million dollars.
If you were a highest movie gross, you'd be somewhere between "The Passion of The Christ" and "Casino Royale".
I don't expect anything from you. I voted for Nader.
Comment removed by staff.
Comment removed by staff.
Hellllllllppppppp !
"Secondly, Mr.Obama has failed to produce anything VALID that proves where he was born."
Nonsense! It's only "not valid" to you and Rush Limbaugh. The actual validity was decided long ago in the actual world where real people live.
"You probably still think an airplane hit the Pentagon on 9-11."
Yup. Pretty certain. Saw it on live TV with the rest of the actual world.
How about all those people who died on that flight?
What happen to their plane?
You should demand that Obama make this his highest priority.
You should write letters to Obama, Reid and Pelosi that you will not vote for them again if they fail their duty in this matter.
You should keep you word in this matter. Reid is up for election in 2010. Vote against him if fails in this matter.
You should demand that Reid, Pelosi and Obama investigate this 9/11 crime by Bush and his pals.
If they do not investigate this 9/11 crime then does not that mean they become part of the conspiracy and be war criminals themselves as being an accessory after the fact?
Will you vote for them again? How could you?
I'd ask him why stupid people spend so much time obsessing over skin color.
I have confidence in your decision for selecting each of the candidates for your administration. I have come to trust your judgment so far. How they work out remains to be seen, regardless of past affiliations! If some don't live up to your expectations, that will be one of the stumbling blocks we must expect as we all "grow" forward in this hope filled era.I have a personal interest in who among your nominees will be tasked with the need for education for interested incarcerated people, and opportunity for qualified ex-offenders. I'm also seeking others who would join me in organizing around that aspect of your agenda that relates to parents reading to children on a community level.
"Controlled demolition. No question."
Um, yes, question.
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/relea...
A nice video from behind WTC7 which shows its progressive collapse, rear windows in place. No concussive blast heard, no concussive explosion of the windows, collapsing from the inside-out.
For the more technical-minded among us, here's a thoroughly researched report detailing the structure and how it collapsed.
http://wtc.nist.gov/NCSTAR1/PDF/NCSTAR%2...
Or did the inside men fire a missile that was not seen or heard by anyone at WTC7, too?
"The Owner admits it in a taped interview. "
No, he didn't. He said he was contacted later in the day about "pulling" the repsonders away from WTC7 because the responders feared collapse. WTC7 was on fire, had been on fire since the collapse of the twin towers, and the water pressure in the building was not enough to effectively battle the blaze.
If you want more debunking of the entire "9/11 Truth" fantasy, see Ryan Owens' youtube account:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RKOwens4
I would ask Obama to allow Gay people to marry in all states and allow Gay people to adopt children that need good homes. I would also ask that he helps people become more tolerant and less hateful to gay people. Allowing Gay people the right to marry will help Gay people assimilate into society and then the stigma of being gay will one day go away. Then, we can all focus on more important issues that actually do effect everyone on this planet, like global warming, war and how we are all going to make it in this economy without selling cookies outside the DMV for extra cash. Thank you for listening.
Wow....you are asking Obama to reverse his stand because he is against gay marriage.
You are asking a lot from him.
It has been reported that his staff has stated that he is going to wait until 2010 to update the "Don't Ask/ Don't Tell' policy.
So with that in mind, I do not really see him coming out and asking Congress to pass a gay marriage law anytime soon. The Democratic majority leader, Reid, wrote in a letter that he would vote for the Nevada gay marriage ban in Nevada that passed a couple of years ago. His campaign manager has said that Reid was 100% for the Nevada Gay Marriage ban. I do not see Reid pushing for a national gay marriage law soon either.
You should writer letters to Obama and Reid to ask them to have some courage and to make a stand on this issue. You should tell them that you will no longer support them if they fail to support passage of a national gay marriage law. You should carry out your promise otherwise they will continue to ingore you.
Nance: I really do not think that Obama or Reid would care what I have to say about the issue. No one will change their mind about this issue because people are not open to change. They are so convinced that they are right and Gay people are wrong that nothing will change. I am sure that makes you very happy, I know from your previous blogs how much you despise Gay people. Either way, we are here and we are not going anywhere, no matter how much you hate us. We are good people, we are your neighbors, teachers, doctors and lawyers and whatever we do in our homes does not hurt anyone. Before you state some horrific story about a Gay person that has done something bad to someone, somewhere, let me remind that there are good and bad people in all walks of life. Good and bad Black people, good and bad Hispanic people and so on. We are not perfect either, but we are human beings and we pay taxes and live here right along with everyone else. You do not need to embrace the way we live, but you do need to make peace with the fact that we are people, no matter what you feel about us.
"I really do not think that Obama or Reid would care what I have to say about the issue"
That is sad considering that you probably worked very hard to get them elected, at least one of them.
No, I wrote in Daffy Duck on the ballot. I really think he would have turned this economy around. He is funny and would have made the world a better place. :}
First, Obama's American. Let it go. God knows it went through enough courts that they found out... He's American.
Second, Fallon you are incredible. That's all. First you believe that 9/11 truth junk. These people are certifiable and have no idea what they are talking about. These morons are the 21st century version of holocaust deniers.
Third, Fallon you are an even bigger moron if you believe the Clinton Chronicles. You really believe Clinton murdered dozens of people and did mountains of blow. Jeez folks, get a life.
I hope we can convince the Supreme Court to look into your legality to be in the United States, since you are still a citizen of Indonesia, and with a father from Kenya, that makes you 50% British subject, which means you do not qualify to be sworn in as our President. Only citizens with both parents American citizens are qualified to run this nation, and even some of those who meet that qualification have left a lot to be desired.
Just do your job and don' LIE, like your predecssor. It is funny to read some of the posts here. If Obama and Reid do not jump through hoops to promote gay marriage ,or investigate a 9-11 incident then people should withdraw their support for them. These are words of a fool who is not living in the real world and is only provoking to make a juvenile attempt to bring attention to himself and some ridiculous agenda. Anyone with a brain knows their is no such thing as a perfect candidate and no candidate will do everything others want. Pay no attention to these rants of a simpleton who is trying to promote a neon con agenda with the power of suggestion.
President Don, You are exactly right. If anyone did mountains of blow it was "W". While supposedly serving in the Texas National Guard ( where his father had to 'juice ' him in to pilot training school, because he failed the entrance test)he could not be found. He was drunk and high hiding in Alabama or who knows where meanwhile Laura was at The U of Texas selling marijuana. She was "the go to girl" for pot.
First he was born in Hawaii, and you are a moron because this has been settled in court.
Second, you are a holocaust denier if you are trying to say that an airplane didn't hit the pentagon. Seriously get help.
Third, I'm a democrat and have seriously disagreed with Bush on numerous things. So why don't you take your structural engineering degree, oops you don't have one, spew your lies and idiocy on loose change's website.
First I'm comparing you to the morons who feel fit to question what the majority without a college education were able to reach. IE that what was stated to have happened, happened. Holocaust deniers and 9/11 truthers are one and the same. They are conspiracy nuts with an ax to grind. You conveniently overlook basic evidence to make some jury-rigged excuse of a hypothesis work.
Second, you are the one (projection!) using the deaths of 3000 people for some perverted reason.
Did Bush/Clinton do everything they could to stop it? no
Did either do something sinister to make 9/11 happen? no. Morons believe that last one. If something nefarious did happen, why hasn't more been done?
Also why is it that the hotbed of administration apologist, Popular Mechanics, have a full issue out about how stupid 9/11 truthers/conspiracy nuts about 9/11 are?
Seriously you people are straight up un-americans, and able to believe anything.
Yeah, if FallonSouth was confident about his position, he wouldn't resort to such a blatant appeal to emotion, rather than reason.
To question the "9/11 Truth" fantasy is to insult the families of victims of 9/11?
Give me a break. Save your appeal to emotion for those who will swallow such nonsense.
You said start with WTC 7, so I did.
And I proved your global conspiracy theory wrong. For good measure, here's another debunking of your claims:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kSq663m0...
First off you don't know what you are talking about in reference to the Holocaust, and second, you have no evidence about 9/11. Last I checked they did show those frames for the plane hitting the pentagon, and they showed... a plane.
You are a conspiracy nut.
Keep up the emotional appeals and the lack of any real evidence. You've got nothing.
"How long you been in Las Vegas?"
Born and raised.
"Ever seen a controlled demolition?"
Several. Saw the Landmark in person. Saw Vacation Village in person. Saw The Aladdin in person.
"FYI- Diesel Fuel doesn't burn hot enough to melt structural steel. Like a PRISTINE BULLET on a stretcher."
That's a straw man. The structural steel didn't melt, it weakened. Steel weakens at a far lower temperature than it melts. Try again.
As for the way it fell, I implore you to watch the video from NBC news again.
"Did you know that Building 7 was NEVER MENTIONED in the 9-11 COMMISSION REPORT. Maybe you can link me to that explanation."
Well on a base level, Building 7 was a casualty of the fall of WTC, not of terrorism directly. The debris that landed on WTC 7, which was a mere 300 feet from one of the towers, severely damaged the structure and caused fires. Fires which burned for several hours. Fires which weakened the steel tresses that caused the collapse.
It fell neatly because of the basic design of the structure.
It's all in the report. The report which I can tell you haven't read. You're happier blindly following conspiracy theorists than Ph.Ds and scientists.
Hey, that's fine by me. Religion is a kooky thing... but I choose not to pray at the altar of paranoia.
thebs aren't we overlooking the fact that jets don't carry diesel fuel, they carry... JET FUEL. Very caustic and very flammable.
Just remember the only way to explain anything to a conspiracy theorist is to not show him the scientific evidence. When you actually show them the evidence, the twisted neurons go spastic and they use floating logic to really screw up the facts.
The problem isn't the holocaust, 9/11 or the moon landings it's the micro-chip in their heads that tells them the mothership at Roswell is real and is waiting so they can go home to their own planet.
I on the other hand live in the real world and believe that 9/11, the holocaust and moon landings are real and Roswell is the hoax.
Thermite? Really? That was debunked AGES ago, Fallon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhHzMttUK...
Your "hot iron" just got frosty.
"thebs aren't we overlooking the fact that jets never hit Building 7. "
Another straw-man argument. In other words: DUH! Debris from the falling towers hit WTC7, there are dozens of high-quality pictures and videos showing the damage.
"Generators, they run on DIESEL FUEL. Not very caustic and not very flammable."
And again, if you'll take a few minutes out of your day, you'll read that NIST debunks the train of thought that the diesel generators caused the collapse. It was a STRUCTURAL collapse, caused by weakened steel trusses, caused by damage from falling WTC debris.
And getalife: thanks for the laughs. I'm intentionally provoking because I want to be accused of being a CIA agent. That would be AWESOME, and the common accusation Truthers throw at those who relentlessly debunk them.
Also, I just want to note: Fallon's coup de grace, a challenge to debunk him, took a mere 4 minutes to debunk.
I mean, 60 tons of thermate, hidden in the building? In what world is that possible?
thebs, if thermite was used (and that much) we'ld be looking at a huge hole sunk deep in the concrete/bedrock. Thermite would literally each the building and leave it in a sinkhole that would penetrate very deep. Thermite wasn't used.
Yes, the thermite argument is ridiculous. I guess they were able to truck in 60 tons of thermite without anyone noticing, right Fallon?
Or, more likely:
"In New England the claims of the mysterious melted steel from Tower Seven has been unravelled at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute near Boston."
"Professor Richard Sisson says it did not melt, it eroded. The cause was the very hot fires in the debris after 9/11 that cooked the steel over days and weeks."
"Professor Sisson determined that the steel was attacked by a liquid slag which contained iron, sulphur and oxygen."
"However, rather than coming from thermite, the metallurgist Professor Sisson thinks the sulphur came from masses of gypsum wallboard that was pulverised and burnt in the fires. He says:"
"I don't find it very mysterious at all, that if I have steel in this sort of a high temperature atmosphere that's rich in oxygen and sulphur this would be the kind of result I would expect."
The commonly accepted "evidence" of thermite being present is the molten liquid from the South Tower. Unfortunately for you, Fallon, the fires were burning around 1800 degrees farenheit, which was enough to melt the 141,000 pounds of aluminum found in the body of Flight 175.
So 60 tons of thermite, or the body of the plane melting?
Which is more likely, Fallon?
There is anecdotal evidence of molten metal in the basements of WTC buildings 1, 2, 6, and perhaps 7 in the days and weeks after 9/11. CTs often call this "molten steel," although THE METAL IN QUESTION WAS NEVER TESTED AND ITS COMPOSITION IS UNKNOWN. (my emphasis) Infrared spectrometer readings taken shortly after the collapses showed temperatures near the surface of the piles of up to 1375 F: hot enough to melt aluminum.
It was at least that hot at points within the pile that were away from the hottest zones. William Langewiesche, the only journalist who was allowed to go with the engineers in their explorations beneath the debris, writes in "American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center" of a subterranean parking lot:
"Along the north side, where the basement structure remained strong and intact (and was ultimately preserved), the fire had been so intense in places that it had consumed the tires and interiors, and had left hulks sitting on axles above hardened pools of aluminum wheels."
I don't think the terrorists were placing thermate on car wheels. It was simply that hot.
The presence of molten metals is not an indication of planned demolition work. Explosives do not produce pools of molten metal, and incendiaries like thermite burn themselves out in seconds even in the absence of oxygen and would not be available for weeks as fuel.
A long-lasting source of fuel was available within the well-insulated piles: the contents of the buildings. According to a study by the U.C. Davis DELTA team, the tower collapses, as destructive as they were, expended less than 1% of the potential chemical energy that was stored in building contents, oil spills, and automobiles in the WTC parking garages.
So WTC7 wasn't demo'd, thermite wasn't there, the untested melted metals have an explanation.
What's next, Fallon?
Oh yeah, to at least appear like I'm on topic, since this article is about letters to Obama and all:
Dear Mr. President,
We trust you. Don't disappoint us.
-thebs
p.s.: You know your secret evil plan to contaminate the water supply with antidepressants and other goodies? Judging from the full-tilt crazy on display here, could you add in a little Haldol or Thorazine? Fallon would sure appreciate it! Thx!
outstanding thebs.
Great finds and great explanations that make fallon flail wildly about UFOs and whatnot. What's next, aliens take over and you can only see them in special sunglasses with Rowdy Roddy Pipper?
Listen Fallon, because your ideology is a pathetic toadstool in the American underbelly:
9/11 was a tragedy. Your kind only deepens the tragedy by looking for these spurious links. First, there is a lot of information out there that is honestly false. As in these people were honestly wrong, but people like you contort their responses into something they are not.
Second, the vast majority of scientists, engineers, chemists, and the like all agree that 9/11 happened by planes hitting buildings. Get over it. There's video footage of all of it.
Again, you try to blame us, but the blame belongs to you. You are dragging these peoples' deaths through the mud for some pathetic and twisted political point.
For crying out loud you've had 3 dems yelling at you for your crass ignorance. We aren't Bush supporters, but we aren't unAmericans idiots looking for a new conspiracy theory to hold on to.
Hey Fallon, first I never said anything against the Jews (projection!) and you are the ignorant you trying to make a discredited case that the government blew up the WTC. If they were that powerful how come they haven't offed all you crazies uncovering their grand scheme. In any case you are off topic, since no body was asking for bunk 9/11 crazy theories.
Oh and about the "pools of steel" that you talk about... When did a metalurgist actually take a sample and analyze it. If it's just some joe blow who doesn't know metal, than I'm sure it looked like melted steel, or iron, or aluminum, or tungsten, or any number of other metals.
A few anomalies do not overthrow a thesis. When the anomalies outweight what a thesis represents, then the thesis needs changing to accommodate the anomalies. Or maybe you should find your own copy of Kuhn's work about how scientific theories are developed.
"I also saw living people standing in the holes where the plane entered the building."
Please show me a single picture of a living person standing in the entry hole. Please. A single one. At least pretend to have some credibility, Fallon. You're 0 for 5 right now.
"A smokey building imploded because of aluminum melting isn't flying. "
Yay, another straw-man! That's not at all what I said, Fallon, but you sure do love to state the obvious/irrelevant.
Oh, and my favorite two words of the Truthers Movement? "Free fall!" The building was in a free fall!!!! (aka, the Rosie O'Donnell conspiracy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLShZOvxV...
Free fall would have taken 9 seconds. Which is why the tower fell in over 14 seconds, genius.
If it was in free fall, how did the core of the south tower remain intact, even after the surrounding beams fell?
Have any more "valid" questions?
If all you have is namecalling and debunked theories, you are screwed. And I would like you to find my racial hatred. Other than that, I'm just watching you make a fool of yourself for believing half-baked theories.
ewww, thebs. Is he actually relying on something Rosie O'Donnell said? Man desperation is a stinky cologne.
Oh, I thought that was the scent of white-knuckled clinging to a fundamentally flawed philosophy?
On second thought, you're right. Just plain old desperation.
think as you wish. I really don't think given the times that bothering with trials for the past admin will do anything except eat up time, money, and political resources we don't have. Besides I honestly think that the only thing the last two presidents would be guilty of is laziness, not being able to read the future, or a mixture of the two. There is no malice in there.
Keep on drinking hater-aid Fallon and your posts will keep getting flagged.
ps-it isn't me. Maybe just maybe other people find you as offensive as I do.
Red, if you'd care to take up a little debunking of yourself, I highly recommend:
http://wtc7lies.googlepages.com
It distills all the wingnut conspiracy theories into neat little debunkable nuggets. Using the subject pages, I can basically anticipate what Fallon's NEXT GREAT CONSPIRACY proof will entail.
Couple that with the BBC's Conspiracy Files site on WTC7 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/co...) and Ryan Owens' Youtube channel, disproving Fallon takes mere minutes.
It's a blast. (Figuratively, not literally. I don't want the unbalanced around here to take that as another speck of proof to support their chunk of swiss cheese they call a theory.)
Awww, Fallon's gonna pick up their toys and go home?
Sorry, we're not buying that particular brand of crazy, Fallon. Be on your way.
Ignore the ignorant who still labor under the delusion that you are not american born. They have other hidden issues ith their lives. Mr. President you have a tuff road ahead so press on man press on!
"Awww, Fallon's gonna pick up their toys and go home?"
Cool! Less homophobia and bigotry here is a good reflection on everybody.
"They have other hidden issues ith their lives."
Here here LV4LIFE! Good advice for the prez. Sadly, I believe those you refer to are largely unaware, consciously, that is the case.
Really, this is from the genius talking all about others as bigots/hatemongers. This is hillarious. He gets smacked down by a group of people, and then he retreats into gay bashing and sniveling about how we're a part of NAMBLA. Let's see, I don't pry, but I seem to remember john talking about a wife at some point. I'm a little fuzzy on thebs, but I think I heard talk of a female longterm partner, and I'm married. All of us to women. Try again Fallon. Also if you wish for your hate fueled rants to stay up, go post on myspace. Leave the serious news to the adults.
Well, when your argument has been decapitated, I guess you go with what you know, eh Fallon?
Um, sticks and stones, et tu Brute, neener neener?
I'm not very good at the ad hominems, Fallon. My apologies. The government made me do it.
If you want to be taken seriously Fallon you need to do somethings (other than ditch the 9/11 truthers crap).
1) Stop trying to say others are haters, when you post hateful things.
2) Stop trying to push the whole Jew hater thing. My analogy still holds. 9/11 truthers are like holocaust deniers. Neither has a leg to stand on, base their entire arguments on failed concepts, and really are moronic.
3) Actually go after arguments and not people.
Please do try to follow those, otherwise I'm afraid your posts will keep getting pulled. Not like the world will miss out, but you know, you won't be able to see your screeds up anymore.