Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2002 22:38:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: Louis Epstein
Subject: WTC Rebuilding:More Petitions & More


Since my last email to the WTC pro-rebuilders' list
I've noticed some familiar names added to Eli Attia's
petition,and some good pro-rebuilding words added to
the pps.org/downtownnyc/ board...I'm pleased to be
listened to.

In my looking over petitions at petitiononline.com
last time I regret apparently slighting Vincent Franco's
petition,with which I was already familiar,at thepetitionsite.com.
Like Kathryn McGinley's petition it has over a thousand signatures
(it calls for 121-story twins).

That site has an "email this petition to a friend" feature that
might be helpful toward Eli Attia's goal of getting his word out,
but with thousands of names already racked up at petitiononline
it could scarcely be moved.

It also hosts Doreen Hansen's petition,which I am glad has only
52 signatures...it calls for the Towers to be rebuilt STRICTLY
as a memorial,explicitly not a place to work."Uncle Osama says
you can't work here" is as bad a message to send as "Uncle Osama
says we can't build here"...and has us spending billions to
demonstrate the terrorists' achievement.

I've just learned that Andy Martin,Palm Beach radio host and
occasional political candidate,has come out in favor of the
Towers being rebuilt on his show,and delivered his own petition
(no details in the press release of signatures or exact text)
to Whitehead & Co. in late May.I have added him to the email
list...like anyone else,he can be removed simply for the asking.

I don't know if his radio audience would have anyone likely to
register for and attend the important LTTC II forum on the 20th,
but his Internet-broadcast audience (via 1340wpbr.com) might.
We can't let any opportunity to get the word out and more warm
bodies at hearings pass.(My letter in my local paper should
appear Thursday).

I've heard from a couple more of you re the networking dinner
after the LTTC forum...do let me know,so we can figure how many
as well as pick the site.

Today I spoke to a man who had done work on the 110th floor...
as a member of the Steamfitters' Union,he was on a job installing
heavy air conditioning and heat-exchanger units up there.He knew
how heavy the stuff was...but mentioned how sprinkler systems are
easily destroyed by massive impacts or explosions,unless they are
heavy-duty fittings welded through the steel beams.(Maybe we
should enlist the welders' union in our fight...a strongly
constructed super-skyscraper will have lots of welding done!).

With regard to recent conversations on the NYCS board,
including from "Stephen" whose email address I have not got,
remember that because they were government-owned,the twins
were exempt from the building codes.That's why they didn't
have to have sprinklers even when the code said to...though
they were added later on,and not as strongly constructed as
they would have needed to be to be of use on the 11th.

Foam vs. water vs. fluorocarbon retardants...different fires,
different optimal means of fighting them.Sprinkler systems
should not assume one particular kind of fire,and my idea
of an in-building staffed fire suppression management station
with plenty of equipment would I think help make the new
Towers the safest in the world.

We can overcome the forces of fear if we keep working,
and impel the construction of giant new towers to inspire
future generations.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.