On this anniversary of one of human histories point of redirection I want to give just ONE of the many thoughts and evolving observances for myself. There is no end to the stories and aspects of what happened that day. One of the many aspects is of the people that responded to the event. Even here there is no end to the perspective of the countless people and organizations involved. I in no way can or want to takeaway or lessen anything from anyone, but after being a distant witness and close observer of information since this tragic event I have been able to sort some thoughts.

Among the many heroic responders on the spot that day I hold one group in special unacknowledged esteem. These are the worldwide members of 'air-controllers'. Most all first responders met the ultimate conditions of disaster they had long trained and equipped for even though nothing this radical could be imagined. To me the difference is a new chapter was now going to be added to their book while the air-controllers had to respond to a situation that had NO book. They were instantaneously dealing with a situation as if teleported into a world existing as a new reality where all things they do and know are disregarded.

Their entire job was to coordinate tens of thousands of aircraft moving at hundreds of miles an hour to scheduled destinations from all directions with often less than sixty seconds between takeoffs and landings at thousands of locations around the world. An unimaginable task itself. They even have some 'plan' for possible options if ONE plane got into trouble somehow. But NO ONE had or could have considered how to deal with having to get these tens of thousands of planes out of the air, no matter where they were, NOW. Right fucking NOW!

And they did it.

They did it around the globe. They did it in the dark and in light. They did it in hundreds of languages. They did it when NOBODY had any idea of why or what was happening. And they did it without one single fatality to my knowledge. The pilots and the ground crews and the people in the towers did it. They did it without ANY list of options or procedures to add a revision or new page to.

I only make this post because I feel they earned rightful inclusion among the many heroes of that life changing day.

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Well said, PF! These truly were unsung heroes that day. One will never know what if any other cowardly act of terror might have been avoided because of their fast and determined efforts. God bless them and all the first responders that day! And all the ordinary people who took time to pray or donate blood or offer their services to help.

Thanks PF for remembering!

Very good point, PF.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

It's true; the ATCs didn't get any press for their efforts that day that I recall.

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Eudaimonia