"My father helped build the World Trade Center" -- an amazing personal story

"Best Laid Plans... An e-mail exchange with a World Trade Center architect". We chanced upon this story based on an email exchange between a father and son, the father having been on the team of architects who designed the World Trade Center. One of the very interesting points from the father goes like this,

"When we were designing the Project we were quite aware of the B-25 that had cracked into the Empire State Building during World War II. Of consequence, the towers were designed to accommodate the impact of a large jet passenger plane — this was pre-747. However we had no knowledge of the types of fuels and planes that would be used in this day and age."

War is what happens to actual people

Salon.com has an article about a book written by a Russian war journalist who reported on the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. As everyone knows, Russia lost that war and the Afghans proved to be resilient in those trying times. The author compares Russia's mis-adventures in Afghanistan with America's Vietnam. Thus, from the looks of it, the fight to knock down bin Laden by shooting at his support forces in Afghanistan will be as tough.

When Bush said "if you ar not for us, you are against us", I wonder if he was aware if his foot soldiers can make the distinction on the war grounds. One of the haunting images of the Russian War in Afghanistan mentioned in the book is that of a mother clutching the corpse of her baby who died several days earlier in a trip from Pakistan. She refused to let go of the child even if the corpse was already blue. If G.I. Joe happens to come across this lady in Afghanistan will he shoot her? Indeed, Bush's declaration is a fine example of political rhetoric that's good to hear when you're angry at the world but when you come down to your senses it really means nothing. After all, war is what happens to actual people who are fathers, mothers, brothers, or sisters of someone else. It is not the speech that the world heard and lauded, not the number of warheads at one's disposal, and not the blitzing rockets that fly to the sky. It is death -- certain and painful death of actual persons. It's tough talk for Bush, but tougher for his soldiers and for the people of Afghanistan caught in the middle.

As I try to make sense of the world after the September 11 attacks, the only meaningful voice I hear came from the good Pope who asked that we all pray that those who perished will be welcome in the gates of heaven.

A Father's Lament

People predict yesterday's events as the trigger to the Third World War in the same manner that the assasination of a Saragevo prince triggered the Second World War. In times like these, I look back at my life and reflect. Is it alright to go down this way? I've lived a full 31 years, had a happy childhood, was successful in school, work and love. I'll have no regrets if war comes now. In peace time, I've been thoroughly blessed. But I think of my kids and I worry.

Juancho is our two year old tyke. He's very smart and quite a looker. I'm sure he too will live a good life. My other boy is Hans. He is our one year old prince with the guts that will take him to places. I am amazed at how this boy's will power can manifest at such an early age. I know he will grow up to be leader. Yet, with the foreboding world calamity, what will happen to these boys?

In 1941, a few hours after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, they attacked Clark Air Base in Pampanga, Philippines. In a matter of months, the Japanese successfully invaded the Philippines. What followed was a period that our grandparents called as "godless". If the historical parallels are drawn now, it is unnerving to think that war will come and disturb the bright and happy future that we have envisioned for our boys. What can a father do if fate decides to steal his children's future?

I found solace in remembering the words of the Pope in his book, "Be Not Afraid" when he said, there is nothing to be afraid about because God has conquered death. And death is the worse that can happen to any man. Indeed, war and attrition, if they do come, will be temporary. Yet my thoughts continue to hover between the absurdity and the meaningfullness of it all.

I guess there is nothing to do but pray. Ask that grace come to the world.

Disney Teaches Filipino

No kidding. They created a Barong-clad little boy named Pedro. Then Pedro shows viewers around a modern bahay kubo. By clicking a part of the house or a piece of furniture, the visitor causes Pedro to utter the Filipino word for the item. This is how Juancho learned that fork is tinidor in Filipino. I also learned that flower vase is plorera -- ah, it's such an embarassment from someone who advocated the advancement of the National Language in his college days. Click here.

You know you're spending too much time on the internet when....

your kid keeps on ending his sentences with ". com"

As in -- "Can I have milk.com?"
"Let's go to the grocery-grocery.com."
"What are you doing.com?"
"Good morning.com."

Goodness.com. I hope there is enough time to snap out of this thing.com. It might get worse.com.