We share this story and assume that it is true, based on the circumstances. Regardless of who masterminded and executed the attacks twenty-five years ago on NYC and DC, the radio recordings and transcripts seem to be true. And a now-peaceful and “sacred” field in Pennsylvania should remind us that ordinary people, and even former government types, can be brave and realistic. And make a difference.
Before history recorded the brave passenger revolt on Flight 93, the very first stand against terror was taken by the two men already in the cockpit.
On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 lifted off from Newark bound for San Francisco. At the controls sat two men built for the sky: Captain Jason M. Dahl, a veteran transport pilot from Denver, and First Officer LeRoy Homer Jr.
Homer’s life had been dedicated to aviation. From building model airplanes as a boy on Long Island to graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy, he rose to the rank of Major and was named the 21st Air Force Aircrew Instructor of the Year in 1993.
At 9:28 a.m., everything changed.
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The Price of Liberty 
Basic math and public opinion
A social media outlet recently reposted this interesting graphic from CNN:
All of us here at TPOL are pretty much engineering and science oriented, and that of course, includes math. Even the simple stuff, not just differentials and the like.
At first glance, it appears that Gallup (or CNN) can’t do basic arithmatic. Or perhaps they use the old-party math used in the 2020 election? They seem to have calculated that 101% of Democrats rated the two “conflicting” economic systems in 2010. But in 2025, it appears that 108% of Democrats were surveyed.
Mmmm. Does that mean that it is the media that can’t count and do math? Or is it that various political factions (Democrats but not just them?) have found ways to further contaminate the data and therefore fool more people?
A staffer here points out that maybe there are many Democrats that really do have two minds about political matters? Or reality in general? Mental dissonance, anyone? And so there are Democrats that believe that both capitalism and socialism are to be viewed favorably? Despite their supposed mutual exclusivity and opposition? The question that CNN asked was “which is more appealing?” But maybe they read that as just “which is appealing?”
Dear reader, what are your thoughts?
We here at TPOL refer to the socio-economic system labeled by Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels as “capitalism” instead as a “free market.” But that is too simple for many people and organizations, and capitalism is now used to label a lot of different systems. Including many that have strong elements of socialism – again as defined by Marx and Engels and their disciples.