The financial district requires communications and computer technology to keep the economy humming along. Putting the financial district back into running order required the people who know how to do it. Many companies had backup plans in place in case of catastrophic data losses, with the assistance of specialized firms such as SunGard. Barely two hours after the attacks, a carload of shaken, dust-covered employees of a shipping firm drove into SunGard’s parking lot.
The September 11 attacks have given us all a new appreciation for heroism. As Peggy Noonan put it in the Wall Street Journal, we appreciate the manly men, the ones who rush into burning buildings, and who built the buildings in the first place. But there are another batch of heroes, not as visible, not as dramatic. I am speaking of the many businesses who gave what they had because it was all that they had.
I went to the show I saw you up there What you were singing I don’t know and I don’t really care Causing my cranial cortex to cringe Left brain forces the right brain to sing I’m in a cubist state of mind Look and soon you will find Soon you’ll be in a cubist state of mind I answered the phone You were loud and clear What you were saying I don’t know and I don’t really care (my head’s not really here) Look in through your telescopic wide angle lens You will see a little me at the other end I’m waving my hands at you but I’m winking at your friends And though your friends can’t see me I can still pretend I turned on my computer Guess what I found Again you were annoying me with those fake computer sounds I’m in a cube You took the doggie bag and left me the rine* now your cube is in this box, my mind Invaded with your music It’s swimming in my brain