Well, it's been a year. Doesn't quite seem like it ... I can remember pretty vividly walking into work that morning to load up a news website and see that the first plane had hit one of the towers. I didn't believe it at first, but turning on the news, well, that confirmed it. Anyway ...

It's sad. It's not just sad for Americans, though, it's sad for everybody. Firstly, it's sad for the families of all the innocents who died because of the actions of nations and governments. Secondly, it's sad for all the people who've put up with this type of thing for so long, because though the United States seemed to be a refuge from the messed up crap that went on in the rest of the world, that is no longer true.

I have to say that in some cases, I don't even blame the terrorists. Well, not for giving their lives for a cause at least. In some ways I almost wish more people had that sort of drive, that they were going to make something happen even if they had to sacrifice themselves to do it. But this whole thing was wrong ... the causes and the effects, and it's a sad, sad thing for all of humanity and the civilized world.

Now, though, I think we need to remain ever vigilant. While I think the administration really means well... I don't think they're doing what's best for us and the rest of the world. We have to watch our rights and freedoms, we have to exercise what we have and take control of the situation here in our country, and ultimately work on our relations with the world. I think the world really misunderstands individual Americans and American ideals, taking what the government says or does as what the entire American people want or feel. But, I think we misunderstand many of the other countries, cultures, religions, as well. It's definately something we're going to have to work on.

At least throughout all of this, we do have the Internet. As my wife, Melinda, pointed out the other day ... it's the one place that we can exist where we're nationless, we're borderless, and it doesn't matter where you came from or what religion you are. We're all equal there.

So, my condolences go out to those who have suffered because of the terrorists attacks one year ago. But my condolences also go out to everyone in the world who's had their families stolen, their hearts broken, their spirits crushed because of what some stupid nation felt it had to do. Today should be a day when we mourn the loss of all life because of this sort of tragedy, and learn from the past mistakes of governments. You can only look forward to the future, but you can use the past to guide you.