frayed new world

2002.09.11
This is a bit of a backlog clean out, just joining in today's likely media frenzy (assuming there's (hopefully) no bigger news today.) I grabbed many links and quotes related to WTC but ended up not getting around to using them. (The dates are when I added the entry to the backlog.)

2001.09.18
Voltaire said,
If we believe absurdities we shall commit atrocities.
I still think "faith" can be horribly misused, and that healthy skepticism is better.


2001.09.21
I was surprised at how detailed Islamic prophecies of the Last Days are, especially the description of their "anti-Christ". They also predict the return of Jesus.


2001.09.28
Ranjit sent me an English columnist supporting the US going it alone in Afghanistan.


2001.10.10
I didn't dare look in the bakery for fear of finding red, white, and blue cakes, thereby confirming my suspicions that some people don't know the difference between a war and a birthday party.
Jamie quoting 'local group' on alt.support.diet

2001.10.17
I don't see what happened in Pennsylvania as depressing or frightening. I see it as encouraging and heroic.
Then again, I'm not afraid of death. What's the point? It's like fearing gravity.
Carl Fink on alt.fan.cecil-adams

2001.10.26
Salon Quiz, The Bible, the Quran or "Mein Kampf"? and a Slate piece on Muslims and Modernity.


2001.12.26
Boston Phoenix on Astrology and 9/11. I also made a note to talk about this being described as Bush's "War Year". (Though now it looks like he's aiming for at least a couple of years...)


2002.01.19
NY Times' Which Way Did He Run? on a Fireman who was knocked unconscious and doesn't know if he stood or ran.


2002.08.19
A poem (in a surprisingly effective strict rhyme scheme,) John M. Ford's 110 Stories about the day.


2002.09.07
More recently, Salon on Forbidden Thoughts about 9/11.