The final pieces of the massive spire that will crown One World Trade Center were hoisted up the building today — exactly two years after a Navy SEAL team broke into Osama bin Laden’s Pakistan compound and took down the man who killed thousands of Americans and destroyed the Twin Towers on 9/11.
Once installed, the 408-foot spire will bring the building to an iconic 1,776 feet tall, making it the tallest building in the western hemisphere and third tallest in the world.
“Everybody put a lot of proud work into this building,” said iron worker Michael O’Reilly, 38. “This is our city. This is our building. We put it back up.”
Port Authority officials said the spire’s final piece will sit atop a platform until weather conditions allow workers to install it in a few weeks.
Construction workers and bystanders — many of them using cell phones to take photos and videos of the piece being raised — clapped and cheered as it was lifted to the top of the structure.
An American flag hung from the spire as its ascended into the sky.
“It feels amazing,” said iron worker Tom Hickey, 31, whose father worked on the original World Trade Center’s north tower.
Via Andrew Malcolm @ IBD, An amazing shot from NASA of Nemo, New England’s blizzard of 2013 from a satellite in outer space. An epic storm to say the least. Praying for the folks up north to be safe. Click on the image for a full size look.
If I had the money, I’d be all over this jersey as a keepsake of one of the great moments in Olympic history. Mike Eruzione’s goal in the video above versus the USSR still gives me chills 30+ years later.
Mike Eruzione’s sensational winning goal against the Soviet hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics will forever be remembered as the “Miracle On Ice” — perhaps the greatest sporting moment of the 20th century.
More than a generation later, the 58-year-old Eruzione is parting with his iconic No. 21 USA jersey, hockey stick and other Olympic paraphernalia. Dallas-based Heritage Auctions is selling the items in New York on Feb. 23, the day after the 33rd anniversary of the historic game.
The white jersey alone is expected to fetch more than $1 million, but sports memorabilia experts think it could go considerably higher.
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Unlike Olympians of today, Eruzione, who was captain of his team in Lake Placid, N.Y., received no lucrative endorsements. But he said he’s not hurting financially and is selling the prized items to help out his three adult children and grandson.
“I thought this would be a great little nest egg for them for their future with their kids,” he said in a telephone interview, adding the memorabilia had languished in his USA hockey bag in the attic of his Winthrop, Mass., home, ever since that memorable day.
Eruzione said the auction proceeds from his collection will also benefit his Winthrop Foundation founded in his hometown, just outside Boston.
Glenn Reynolds at USA Today compares the Federal, State & Local Government’s response to Superstorm Sandy to the Government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. Well worth a read. BIGGER Government is always SLOWER Government.
Exit question: How do you think the local Government here in Alexandria, Virginia would respond to a similar situation?
TSA is at it again. This time a man and his wife were treated as potential terrorists and kicked off a Delta flight because of a T-shirt the made passengers and employees “feel very uncomfortable.” The satirical T-shirt presents a satirical logo and also words that demonstrates the complete paranoia in how the department approaches airport security.
Arijit Guha describes his experience as he was attempting to fly out from Buffalo-Niagra Airport after attending the funeral of his wife’s grandfather. Guha passed through security just fine but then a Delta employee said that his shirt made passengers nervous.
“I was then questioned by TSA about the significance and meaning of the shirt,” writes Guha. “I politely explained that it was “mocking the security theater charade and over-reactions to terrorism by the general public — both of which we’re seeing right now, ironically.” The agents inquired as to the meaning of the term “ZOMG” and who it was that I thought was “gonna kill us all.” As best I could tell, they seemed to find my explanation that I didn’t think anyone would be killing us all and that I was poking fun at overwrought, irrational fears exhibited by certain members of the flying public to be satisfactory. And moreover, they clearly deemed my shirt to be no legitimate threat.”
One New York school became the center of a nationwide controversy when the principal refused to let students sing “God Bless the USA” at graduation. Well, some of the students couldn’t be stopped, and they held a rally to sing the song and profess their patriotism!
