The New World Trade Center: More than halfway there!

(One World Trade Center, near left, taken in late January, 2011)

Well, it took forever to cease the squabbling and combative negotiations and finally get this thing going, but the main building that will replace the destroyed World Trade Center Twin Towers has now reached the 56th floor (of an eventual 105 floors).  It is now known as "One World Trade Center," as the Port Authority rather quietly "retired" the initial name of the building, which was "The Freedom Tower".  It will be (symbolically) 1776 feet tall and will be the tallest building in the U.S.

From the looks of the architectural drawings, it should be quite a grand building--and a fitting replacement for the iconic Twin Towers. It's hard to believe that this fall will mark the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, isn't it?

"Thank you...I'm flattered, but..."

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak just announced that he will not be running for re-election.  I hope this means he will be going away and I won't be seeing his face in the news every day, for my own personal reasons.  It was one of the most bizarre events I've ever experienced, and nearly 10 years later, it still unsettles me.

It was September 13th, 2001...two days after the events of 9/11.  I was working at Citibank in Long Island City at the time.  LIC is now built up with many tall buildings, but at that time, the Citibank Building was the only tower for miles.  We had a clear view out our windows directly across the East River to Manhattan to witness the 2nd plane crash into Tower #1 of the World Trade Center.  A shocking, horrifying and unforgettable day.  The office was closed the next day, but we returned to work two days later.  I was standing in front of the building, taking a break with my friend, Vickie.  There was a very visible security presence that day.  We noticed one of the security guards, a Middle-Eastern gentleman, peering at me with great intensity.  We were unnerved to begin with, but this added to the feeling of unease.  Finally, he moved closer to us and said, "Excuse me, sir, but I must ask you:  Are you a member of the family of the president of my country?  Hosni Mubarak?"  Being of Irish/Polish descent (I call it "Bi-Polish"), I responded, "Uh, no, not that I know of...".  "You have the same face, the same nose, the same features as the president of my country....I am sorry to bother you".  And he walked away.  Vickie and I looked at each other with one of those "did that really just happen?" looks.  I said to her, "What a perfect day to discover that I suddenly look Middle-Eastern!"  I didn't really have any idea of what Hosni Mubarak looked like, so I ran up to my office to Google a picture of him....OUCH!!  Now that was a day-darkener.

So now that he is on the news every day, I keep rushing to the mirror, asking myself whether I really look like Hosni Mubarak....I DON'T!!  (do I?)