If I didn't have CNN email each new breaking news story, I would have been woefully behind at work. As it was, I kept up with it even during the most internet-clogged hours.

Yet as touching as many journal entries and individual written accounts were, it was television that brought it home. I love the Internet, but we have to recognize its limitations. It's great for rumor, for trivia, for prankishness. Yet for the really big, heartbreaking stories...nothing beats television.

Another musing in the aftermath:

This is the final irony on the Boomer generation. We grew up hearing about World War II, the great "justifiable" war. Not only was there an absolute evil in the Nazis and their Holocaust, but best of all, we were attacked first. We had no choice. We had to fight.

My generation, growing up on tales of that "good" war, would keep on questioning which war was worth fighting, and find each wanting. Vietnam especially seemed to be a war with murky reasons and for murky allies. The Gulf War was a little better, one country invaded another country. Yet we all know that if the invaded country hadn't been a major oil producer, we probably would have been slower to move.

The Bosnian action could be seen as either idealistic---stopping genocide---or meddling--interfering with what might be seen as a civil war---depending on your viewpoint.

Yet here we are, full circle. We have been attacked, out of the clear blue, and have lost, at the minimum, thousands of people. We Boomers have---at last!--- our Good, Justified and Justifiable War!

Whoopee.

I didn't realize the blood we'd have to wade through to get one. Or realize emotionally that it would be---ours.

The rap group the Coup released an unfortunate cover design for their latest album. This album, Party Music was released before--but not long before--- Sept. 11th.

Of course.

When will I stop talking about the events of Tuesday?

When they stop fascinating me, I guess. When I can think of something else.

Of course, considering how many entries I devoted to the Impeachment, who knows how long I'll go on?

Y'know what I hope?

I hope that Bin Ladin, if he is behind this, doesn't take the coward's way out. Of course, that makes no real sense. His followers definitely committed suicide, why should I think he would not? As anti-death penalty as I am, there is no doubt that that Western civilization would be better without him.

And if he dies at his own hand, my religion says he will be damning himself.

Yet I don't want that.

Part of it is an avatistic desire for him to die, or be punished at least, at our own hands. (Yeah, my anti-death penalty convictions don't stand up under any real pressure. I admit it.) Yet part of it is a desire to bring him to justice. To try him in World Court. To bring out piece of evidence after piece of evidence, to make him understand....

...Knowing that he will laugh in our face and never understand...

...What he did. The enormity of it. The callousness of it, which defies everything the Qu'ran stands for.

The worst part is, just getting him won't be enough. We'll have to get every one of the cells of his organization.

Somehow.

Even getting Bin Ladin himself won't be easy. Afghanistan was the Soviet Union's Vietnam. Where guerillas fought a superpower as great as us, pre-end of Cold War---and ultimately won. He has lived and fought there for years. We should know---we bankrolled some of them, wanting to needle the Soviets...including Bin Ladin's units, at first.

It was good to see Bush cry today, not that I wish anyone pain, but it's a human reaction to an inhuman act. Yet I must admit I have not been impressed with his reactions, his reluctance to arrange for news conferences. Yet I appreciate the fact that the Secret Service doesn't want him assasinated by suicide bombers, a la Israel. I appreciate why he and Cheney are in different places.

I wish he hadn't taken Dad along to tour the Pentagon. It was disheartening to see him staring around in dumbfounded awe, while the more efficient elder Bush pointing quickly and decisively.

Ahhh, but Colin Powell, bless his soldier's heart, impressed, with his knowledgable and measured words. Ashcroft, whom I disagree with on some things, gave a chilling news conference that nevertheless impressed, and made me glad he wasn't after me.

The most impressive politician at this hour? A Republican(strange as that sounds coming from me), and one I have disagreed with repeatedly before. Nevertheless, Mayor Giuliani of New York City rose to the occasion, and rose magnificently, giving heart to his amputated city, and through it, to the rest of us.

As I said, I've often disagreed with him politically. I don't want him defending policemen who shot unarmed civilians, and if I hear one more word about his messy and childish divorce, I'll throw up.

Yet...

When his city was bleeding, Rudy Giuliani was everywhere, and exactly where a leader should be...comforting, and leading, and visible, and not hiding, and not off-camera.

In times of disaster, we look for someone. And the most fearless leader of the hour was the mayor of the most wounded city. He wasn't worried about being killed, being assasinated. He was instead worrying about those who were dying or were dead, and their survivors.

Heartbroken yet brave, he was worrying how to keep his city together, and how to keep heart in his people--- in the face of Ragnarok.

Good job, Rudy.