Nineteen years ago today, I was working at a building complex across the street from the World Trade Center. I was supposed to go to a meeting at my company’s WTC offices, but I decided I’d participate by phone instead. That was a stroke of luck, because that morning, 19 men — 15 of them…
9/11
September 11 and Fear Itself
In 1933, the year the Great Depression reached its lowest point, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated as president and famously told the nation “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It’s worth reading more of that speech today — the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. Here is the whole first…
15 Years After 9/11: The Story of Rick Rescorla
On the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I recommend that you read (or re-read) the 2002 New Yorker story by James B. Stewart called, “The Real Heroes Are Dead.” It’s about an English-born Vietnam veteran named Rick Rescorla, who became the director of security for Morgan Stanley, a financial firm based in the…
Three Old Posts and a Little Story
I’m giving you reruns today: Laughing While Crying 9/14/01 September 11 Is Here Again UPDATED TO ADD: I always think of the other Wendy Brandes on this date. The other Wendy Brandes and I were at Columbia University at the same time. She was studying law and I was getting my undergraduate degree. I found…