Something I made, 4951 Davis Avenue, Fremont, CA (2025)

11/08/2025

The Twin Towers once defined the heartbeat of Lower Manhattan. Thousands arrived there every morning — coffee in hand, laughter in the air, the skyline shining above. Then, in a moment, everything changed. The fall of the World Trade Center silenced that heartbeat, yet the echoes of those lives still resonate through the city. Today, where those towers once stood, water flows endlessly into twin voids, reflecting the permanence of loss and the endurance of love.

11/08/2025

The flights of 9/11 remind us how fragile normalcy can be — how a clear Tuesday morning can change the course of the entire world.

11/08/2025

When the towers fell, so did countless dreams, hopes, and futures. This image from 9/11 reminds us of the loved ones who never came home — mothers, fathers, friends, and heroes whose stories were cut short. The pain of that day still echoes, but so does the unity that rose from it. We honor their memory by remembering, by caring, and by standing together. We will never forget.

11/08/2025

This haunting photo captures the longest, darkest day in modern American history. A day filled with fear, confusion, and unimaginable loss. But in the smoke and sorrow, we saw courage that will never be forgotten. Firefighters, officers, and ordinary citizens became heroes. The city broke, but the spirit did not. We look back with tears — and with gratitude. We will never forget.

11/08/2025

‘Windows on the World’ was a renowned restaurant located on the 106th and 107th floors of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

11/08/2025

William Joseph Cashman was one of the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001 — the flight hijacked after departing Newark, New Jersey, that ultimately crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers heroically attempted to retake control of the plane.
Bill, as he was known to friends and family, was 59 years old and lived in West New York, New Jersey. He worked as an ironworker and was a proud member of Ironworkers Local 580 in New York City. His work included helping to construct some of New York’s most iconic buildings — including the World Trade Center itself years before the attacks.
He was traveling that morning with his close friend Thomas Burnett Sr., heading to California for a hiking trip. Friends and family described Bill as strong, generous, and deeply loyal, with a love for the outdoors, adventure, and camaraderie.
When Flight 93 was hijacked, Bill was among the passengers who joined in the brave effort to fight back against the terrorists, preventing the plane from reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C. Their actions saved countless lives.
William Joseph Cashman’s name is engraved on the Wall of Names at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and also at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. He is remembered as a quiet hero — a builder in life who helped prevent greater destruction in death.

11/08/2025

The Collapse of the World Trade Center: A Comprehensive Theory

The destruction of the Twin Towers was one of the most catastrophic structural failures in modern history. At 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., two hijacked aircraft struck the North and South Towers of the WTC complex. Within two hours, both towers collapsed, shocking the world. Understanding why these massive steel-framed skyscrapers fell requires an analysis of impact damage, fire effects, and structural failure mechanisms.

1. Aircraft Impact: The Initial Structural Damage
High-Speed Collision: American Airlines Flight 11 (North Tower) and United Airlines Flight 175 (South Tower) were Boeing 767 aircraft, each weighing about 400,000 pounds and traveling at approximately 466–590 mph.
Impact Forces: The collision destroyed multiple perimeter columns and damaged several core columns, which were essential for vertical load-bearing.
Dislodged Fireproofing: The impact blew off sprayed fire-resistant materials (SFRM) that protected steel components, leaving them vulnerable to heat.
Fuel Spread:
Each plane carried about 10,000 gallons of jet fuel, which ignited upon impact, spreading fires across several floors instantly.

2. Fire Development: The Silent Destroyer
Fire Duration and Heat:
The South Tower burned for 56 minutes before collapsing; the North Tower burned for 102 minutes. Temperatures likely reached 1,000°C (1,800°F) in localized areas.
Steel Weakening: Steel does not melt at these temperatures (it melts around 1,500°C or 2,750°F), but it loses strength dramatically:
At 600°C (1,100°F), steel loses about 50% of its strength.
At 1,000°C (1,800°F), it loses up to 90%.
Thermal Expansion: Heated steel beams expanded, causing floor trusses to sag and pull inward on the exterior walls. This inward bowing was a critical factor in initiating collapse.

3. Initiation of Collapse
Connection Failures: Floor trusses connected the core and perimeter columns. As the trusses sagged, they pulled the perimeter inward, creating large lateral forces.
Buckling of Exterior Columns: Once several exterior columns buckled inward, they could no longer support the upper structure.At this point, gravity took over.

4. Progressive Collapse (Pancake Effect)
Upper Block Falls: When the weakened top section of each tower (above the impact zone) began to fall, it dropped onto the floor below.
Energy Transfer: The mass of the falling section converted potential energy into kinetic energy. Each floor impact multiplied the force on the next floor.
Unstoppable Chain Reaction: The structural system was not designed to resist this downward acceleration. Floor after floor failed in rapid succession — this is the progressive collapse phenomenon.
Nearly Free-Fall Speed: The towers collapsed in about 10–12 seconds, close to free-fall speed because the resistance offered by lower floors was minimal compared to the energy of the falling mass.

5. Why Complete Destruction?
The towers’ lightweight design used perimeter tube construction, which was efficient for vertical loads and wind resistance but vulnerable once critical supports failed.
The collapse pulverized concrete floors into fine dust due to the immense energy released during the chain reaction.
The remaining core structures were pulled down as the exterior frame collapsed inward.
Alternative Explanations and Why They’re Disputed
Controlled Demolition
Theory: Some claim explosives were used. However:
No explosive residues were found by the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology).
Audio/video evidence does not match controlled demolition signatures.
Molten Metal and Thermite Claims: Reports of molten metal are attributed to aluminum from aircraft, not molten steel.
Design Flaws: While design allowed for partial aircraft impact survival, the combination of impact fire loss of fireproofing was unprecedented.

Key Conclusion
The collapse was not sudden but the result of a complex chain of events: Severe structural damage from aircraft impact.
Dislodged fireproofing and intense fires weakening steel.
Inward bowing and buckling of exterior columns.
Gravity-driven progressive collapse.
The official investigation by NIST supports this as the most scientifically sound explanation.

11/08/2025

One image. A thousand emotions. This rare moment from 9/11 reminds us of lives interrupted and a nation forever changed. But in the smoke and heartbreak, we also saw bravery, sacrifice, and love stronger than fear. Today, we remember the fallen and honor the heroes who gave everything. We hold close the survivors, the families, and the children who grew up with only memories. We remember, we reflect, and we promise—never again, and never forgotten.

11/08/2025

David M. Charlebois was the First Officer on American Airlines Flight 77, which was hijacked on September 11, 2001, and crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. He was 39 years old and lived in Washington, D.C. A skilled and respected pilot, David had worked for American Airlines for many years and was known for his professionalism, dedication, and love of flying.
He graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and had dreamed of being a pilot since childhood. Friends and colleagues described him as calm, intelligent, and kind, with a great sense of humor and a strong sense of responsibility.
David Charlebois is remembered as a devoted aviator and compassionate man, whose life and courage continue to inspire those who knew him.

11/08/2025

The VCF has allocated more than $12 billion to support 9/11 victims in the vicinity of Ground Zero in New York.

Individuals who resided or were employed in the World Trade Center area from September 11, 2001, to May 30, 2002, and were exposed to dust or harmful fumes may qualify for compensation.

Click below at no cost or obligation to determine your eligibility.

11/08/2025

THIS RARE 9/11 PHOTO WASN’T RELEASED UNTIL TEN YEARS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

11/08/2025

"My Love Affair with Two Buildings: Remembering the World Trade Center on 9/11"
By Billy Denis

It began in 1966. I was 10 years old when my dad, who worked for the Port Authority at the bus terminal, brought our whole family—my mom, brother, aunt, grandma, and me—to Manhattan for the groundbreaking of the World Trade Center. They had a model of what the towers would look like. My grandmother and I posed for a photo with it using a Polaroid Land camera—60 seconds and the black-and-white image was ready. It felt like magic.

As the towers rose, so did my connection to them. My brother and I would sneak onto trains and head into the city, riding elevators just to take in the view from the hallways. We couldn’t afford the observation deck, but that didn’t matter. We were awestruck.

In the early ’80s, I tested out a new Canon camera by taking my 8-year-old nephew to Battery Park. I had him stand on a trash can while I lay on the ground to capture the towers towering above him. People thought we were nuts, but the photos were incredible.

Once, a girl I was dating had to work late on New Year’s Eve, and her company booked her a room in the Vista Hotel. We imagined sky-high views—but our room was on the third floor. The towers made us laugh sometimes, too.

That girl would later become my wife, Cathy. I met her in 1993 on a blind date outside Engine 10 and Ladder 10, in the shadow of the Twin Towers. She worked for American Express across the street. I kissed her for the first time in the walkway over West Street that connected the World Financial Center to the World Trade Center. In 1995, we got married.

I retired on September 6, 2001, after 20 years of service. Five days later, the towers fell.

On the morning of September 11, I was playing golf with 15 firefighters at Spring Lake. A man came into the pro shop and said a plane hit the Trade Center. We assumed it was a Cessna or small aircraft. By the third hole, we learned the second tower had been hit. The firehouse called: all off-duty members were to report in.

Though I had just retired due to lung issues, and my chief asked me not to report in, I couldn't stay away. I pulled my old turnout gear out of my basement—gear we used to purchase ourselves back in the day—and told Cathy I had to go. She kissed me goodbye, and I left for the city.

Riding into Manhattan just before sunrise, I’ll never forget the emptiness I saw as we emerged from the tunnel onto West Street. The towers were gone.

The first few hours at Ground Zero were grim. I searched for survivors. I saw things I’ll never forget. At one point, I needed my harness to be lowered into a crevice. As I walked back to the site, I asked a New Jersey police officer to take my photo—just in case I didn’t make it out. She mailed it to me two weeks later.

I worked at the site for five of the first six days. Then came the funerals. That was harder than the rubble. I began attending two, sometimes three memorials a day, for weeks. I lost 17 close friends among the 343 FDNY members we lost.

In the years that followed, we held Mass in our firehouse and later at a nearby church. That tradition ended in 2018. I returned to the WTC site on 9/11 last year and plan to go again this year.

I was there the day before the Towers went up—and there the day after they came down.

Aside from losing 343 brothers, I lost part of my soul that day.

Something I made

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