What were you doing 24 years ago? - I can remember when I awoke, and how I stayed in bed with my wife, Pearl, for at least five hours.
Somehow, and this was rather unusual, she was watching TV, and woke me up around 2:50AM Hawaii time, saying something was happening.- Apparently American Airlines 11 had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46AM EDT.
I was groggy, but the scene was New York City, and I actually saw United 175 crash into the South Tower at 9:03 EDT.- Soon thereafter, President George W. Bush who was in a classroom at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Florida,, was approached byAndrew Card, his chief of staff, and you could see him whispering into the ear of Bush something, who exhibited symptoms of quiet shock, and did nothing unusual for a long length of time.
At 9:37 EDT, American Airlines 77 crashed into the Pentagon.- It was announced at 9:45 that all U.S. airspace is shutdown, which means that all airplanes had to immediately land at the closest airport they could.
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South Tower collapses at 9:59 AM.- 10:02, United 93 plows into an empty field in Pennsylvania. This plane was headed for either the White House or U.S. Capitol.
- North Tower collapses at 10:28.
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This was by far the deadliest terrorist attack, causing the deaths of 2,996 people, including the 19 hijackers.- 102 countries lost citizens.
- 414 NYC fire and police personnel died.
- 1,140 people who were exposed in Lower Manhattan have since been diagnosed with cancer.
All that happened was especially memorable to us.- We had the best dinner of our lives in the World Trade Center, an elite restaurant inside Windows on the World, called Cellar in the Sky, on the 106th/107th floors of the North Tower.
- We had both worked for the U.S. Senate in DC.
Amazingly enough, nothing close to anything like this has happened over these past 24 years.- How long will the Freedom Tower stand?
- Oh, 2 World Trade Center will also someday be built.
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- The foundation work was completed in 2013, but nothing since then.
- This one will be only be 62 stories high to a height of 1230 feet. One WTC is 1776 feet tall, with 104 floors and a tip to 1792 feet.
- To the right is the original design when 2 WTC was taller.
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27August2025, my posting on SHOULD YOU COMPLETELY STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL? said YES, any amount of ethanol is bad for your body. However, the federal report indicating that you should completely stop drinking alcohol, WILL BE WITHDRAWN! This decision was made by the Department of Health and Human Services. Is this just another in a long line of crazy judgments made by the organization run by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., or not?
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has withdrawn a key federal report, the Alcohol Intake and Health Study, which found that even moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of liver disease, certain cancers, and injuries. The report, completed in early 2025 but not formally released to the public, was intended to inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but it will not be published by the administration. The decision has sparked considerable debate among researchers and advocacy groups.
From the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
- There is a Technical Review Subcommittee on Alcohol Intake and Health.
- This subcommittee has representatives from:
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
- Agency for Health Care Research and Quality
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy
- Indian Health Service
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- This Subcommittee has expertise related to alcohol policies, programs and practices.
- Public health strategies related to alcohol policies, programs, and practices
- Alcohol epidemiology
- Health effects of alcohol
- Dietary guidance policy
- Cancer epidemiology
- Data quality and analysis
- Systematic reviews
- Biostatistics
- Biographies and financial disclosures of SRP members:
- By law, the subcommittee is required to submit a 2025 report too Congress so that this information can be provided to HHS and USDA for consideration in the 2025-2040 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
- Here is the review process.
- The timeline.
- Reported by Vox: Kennedy wants to “Make America Healthy Again” — but doesn’t want you to see a report that could do just that.
- The speculation is that the alcohol industry has succeeded in their influence on Trump and RFK Jr.
- It was almost too easy for this to occur, because the authors of this now to be buried study was commissioned in early 2022 by President Joe Biden.
- “The thing that the alcohol industry fears more than increased taxes is increased knowledge about the risks associated with drinking alcohol, particularly around cancer,” Mike Marshall, CEO of a group dedicated to reducing alcohol’s harms called the Alcohol Policy Alliance, who was not involved with the study, told me. “Like the tobacco industry, like the opioid industry, they are working hard to prevent the American people from gaining the knowledge that they need to make the best decisions for themselves.
So can you now safely drink alcohol in moderation? Are you kidding? We are talking about this current White House bending to lobbyists for consideration. According to the MD Anderson Center of the University of Texas, here are 11 things to know about alcohol and cancer, quoting Therese Bevers.
- It can feel like there are always opportunities to have a drink: Mimosas at brunch. A glass of wine at happy hour. A nightcap after a long day.
- But drinking alcohol is linked to an increased risk for several cancers. About 5.5% of all new cancer diagnoses and 5.8% of all deaths from cancer are attributed to drinking alcohol, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- For those who drink, hearing this can be scary, not to mention confusing. It might lead to questions like ‘Is all alcohol linked to cancer?’ and ‘Do I need to stop drinking entirely?’
- MD Anderson’s official guidance is that for cancer prevention, it’s best not to drink alcohol. If you choose to drink, be aware of the risks, aim to drink less often and have fewer drinks.
- According to Therese Bevers: “The important thing to remember is that every time you drink, you increase your cancer risk. As with cigarettes and processed meat, there is no safe amount of alcohol,” she says.
- To further scare you:
The NIH writes that alcohol increases the risk for cancers including:
- oral cancer
- pharynx and larynx cancers
- colorectal cancer
- esophageal cancer
- liver cancer
- breast cancer
- stomach cancer
- This MD Anderson article only quotes Therese Bevers. Who is she? Medical Director of the Cancer Prevention Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Many will continue drinking alcohol due to powerful reinforcing effects on the brain, leading to feelings of pleasure and temporary relief from stress or negative emotions. Social factors like peer pressure and easy availability, coupled with genetic predispositions and psychological traits such as impulsivity or the need to cope with mental health issues, also drive alcohol consumption. Over time, drinking can cause changes in the brain that perpetuate a cycle of use, as alcohol becomes a way to avoid withdrawal symptoms, creating a compulsive need for more alcohol.
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