Remembering 9/11 and One World Trade Center, New York City, New York 

Remembering 9/11 and One World Trade Center, New York City, New York 

Memorial to World Trade Center 

John and I had planned for a while to take a trip to Swansea, Wales, UK to visit John’s older sister Phyllis.  Finally, we bought two tickets from Air India.  We were scheduled to leave Newark, NJ on September 10, 2001.  We always plan to stay more than three weeks’ vacation as we wanted to spend as much time with Phyllis as we can, since Mom, John’s mother passed away in summer 1994 and Phyllis was alone by herself.  So, we planned to stay with her until October 9, 2001, which was the day we returned home to Newark.  ————————————

“Do you know the World Trade Center collapsed?” 

The taxi man asked us while he took our luggage out from the trunk. 

“No!  It is impossible.  We just came from World Trade Center.”

We responded. 

“Two planes hit the twin towers.”

The taxi man gave us more information. 

After greeting Phyllis, we ran in the living room and turned on the TV and found out that there were no Twin Towers anymore.  We learned that the terrorists hijacked the airplanes and used planes as weapons to destroy the buildings and people on the plane and thousand more in the World Trade Center Towers.  We also learned about the disasters in Washington DC and Pennsylvania. ——————————————————

After we came back home to Newark, NJ from Swansea, the first thing I wanted was to visit the remains of WTC to join others who felt the sadness from the loss of so many people.  We also went to Jersey City by the peer at the bank of Hudson River opposite WTC to look at the empty spots where Twin Towers would have been. Our hearts ached and we were confused as to the cause of this destruction.  We liked to bring friends and family to view the NY skyline and watch the 4th of July fireworks by the Hudson River with the WTC in the background. 

I began doing the artwork relating to WTC, a few ceramic sculptures as a Memorial for the Twin Towers.  I kept my artwork to myself.  I showed them to only few people who were close to me.  I did not want to provoke negative feelings or bad memories in others.  I felt such sadness about this horrible event.  It is the same sadness for any horrible event such as Holocausts, the nuclear bombs in Japan, the killing field in Cambodia, in Rwanda and other places in the world.  We humans never learn to be civilized.  We seem so quickly to forget the horrible events that took place and then bad things happen again.  We kill each other directly and indirectly.  The indirect actions of corruption, greed and power hunger cause direct action to surface.  Innocent people will always end up suffering the effects.  Hopefully we will be wiser and able to learn from past events and improve our human race to be able to live with each other in peaceful coexistence. 

Twenty years have passed since the 9/11 events and I would like to share my artwork with others and express some of my thought on my Peace Project website. 

Many thanks to my daughter and son-in-law who subscribe the website for me and my husband who has the patients to correct my writing.  

The followings are the pictures of my sculptures I produced on March 16, 2002 I made especially as a memorial to the Twin Towers and the people who lost in these events:

The description of WTC memorial: 

Two towers stand erect, supported by two long panels.  Outside of two panels are animal designs in one side and the garden and plants on the other side.  The long path between the two towers inside panels is blank spaces which can be the area that the loved ones or any ones express their thought in writing.  And the corridor between two panels can be the place for children to play hide and seek. 

I made this small-scale Twin Towers sculpture as a replica for loved ones or any ones who comes to mourn, let go of sadness and to remember the loss.  I hope we can realize that we should enjoy and appreciate one and other while we are still alive.  

Memorial to World Trade Center 

Time to mourn

Time to cry

Wipe the sadness away

Time to remember

Time to live

Get up and go

Work awaits

I will go on

Remembering the past

With heavy heart

When you are apart 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, September 11, 2011, 5:57 AM 

Lost Hope  

Little girl feels 

Little girl hurts 

To feel the pain so young 

Her innocent lost

Even though it hasn’t begun 

We all lost our innocent and freedom 

Innocent of hoping working hard 

We will be better some day 

But freedom lost 

Sudden someone comes

And take the hope away 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, September 04, 2011, 9:45 PM

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 a total of 343 firefighters died with thousands of innocent civilians in the World Trade Center and other locations. Their lives were taken away by fanatic, brainwashed believers of a distorted version of their own religion.  If the hijackers believe in humankind and nature, they would not kill themselves and others.  So, one should always learn to questions what one is told to believe. 

I salute all the brave firefighters and others who risk their lives saving others.  May peace be with the brave firefighters, all their families and the others. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Friday, August 8, 2003

 I wish it were!

Something that have wings

To save him

I love butterfly

Deep in my heart

I sent the butterfly

To catch him

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, September 15,2002

Order from the Top 

Sharp bayonet piercing on my back

As I am dying

Why do you kill me?

I don’t know you!

And you didn’t know me!

Oh! I forget

It’s an order from the top

If you didn’t kill me

I probably will kill you

Because I got order from the top also

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts Sunday, 8.28.2011, 6:27 PM

Mother liberty holds the twin towers

Close to her heart

Protecting World Trade Center

With her believe 

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Mother Liberty, do we still breathe free in this land of liberty?

Breathe free with fear for this event has come

Don’t shed your tears for this human race

The lesson learns might make us grow

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 10:55 PM

What is the same and different between these two men?

One, they are both human beings

Two, they are both dead

Three, they are well known

Four, they both had a goal to be achieved

Five, one is nonviolent and other is violent

Six, one is spinning cotton on a wheel and other has a weapon

Seven, one is productive and other is destructive

Which do we prefer after we analyzing the lives of these two men?

History will record these two men’s actions when they were alive

I hope we can learn from these two people without vengeance and hatred

Let us teach our younger generations all over the world

To understand that we are all the same

If we harm others then we will harm ourselves in the end

 

Do not brainwash the youngsters!!!!!!!!!!! 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Monday, 9.13.2011, 1 PM

Flowers from my little garden

Floating in the air

Let each beautiful one

Touching each soul

Seeing beautiful things

Rising to the sky

Just wait for a little while

I will be with you all

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Monday, 9.13.2011, 1:20 PM

World Trade Center Remembered

 

World Trade Center falls

Becoming colorful Twin Towers

Teaching us

They are here

And they are gone 

Thinking how good

When they are standing there

As we take things for granted

Even with the love ones 

Or the cleaning workers

Or the others that faithfully

Do their jobs for everyone

World Trade Center

 Becomes colorful

In our mind

 I didn’t do anything

Why you hate me this much?

What did I do wrong?

Or did my fellow countrymen

Cause the trouble to the others

That I do not aware of?

 

These questions and thought

Become active

In my brain neurons

Start charging for reasons 

Thanks to the Twin Towers

You make us think

I miss you

 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts Saturday, August 27, 2011, 3:40 PM

For more information, please visit the following link:

 https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/

 

World Trade Center Under the Same Moon

 World Trade Center Under the Same Moon

 

The moon rises over the night sky

 

We sit and hold hand tight

Looking at the moon gets brighter

And the sky turns dark

By the Hudson River

 

Once we stood here

Watching the moon

Over the World Trade Center

Our hand firmly together

 

The same moon

But now the new one rise

Under the same sky

And the shiny moon

 

Let us hope

Peace will come to mankind

 

No fighting, no killing

 

Let build new World Trade Center

Under the same moon

 

As our hands tightly grip

Bond us with each other

And bond us all

 

Let Peace stand strong

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Wednesday, July 04, 2012, 1:55 A.M.

For more information, please visit the following link:

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/world-trade-center-under-the-same-moon/

One World Trade Center 9.8.13 Part1

New York City, New York 

On Sunday, September 8th, 2013 

One World Trade Center 

Piecing through clouds

Up high in the sky

Tall and slender

With beauty and grace

 

People all over the world

Admiring they come

 One World Trade center

That is your name 

 

Trade without greed

Trade with fairness

Trade with love

Trade with integrity

That is what the new

World Trade Center should be

 Warm people hearts

With generosity and kindness

With these qualities

No one will want to take you down

 

Forget the past

Start the new

Let us all come together

With prosperity and peace for all  

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Tuesday, September 11, 2013, 10:33 pm

Link to One World Trade Center 9.8.13 Part 1 page

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/one-world-trade-center-9-8-13-part1/

 

One World Trade Center Part 2

New York City, New York 

On Sunday, September 8th, 2013 

 Link to One World Trade Center Part 2 Page:

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/one-world-trade-center-part-2/

 

One World Trade Center Part 3

New York City, New York 

On Sunday, September 8th, 2013 

Link to One World Trade Center Part 3 Page:

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/one-world-trade-center-part-3/

One World Trade Center Part 4

New York City, New York 

On Sunday, September 8th, 2013 

Link to One World Trade Center Part 4 page: 

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/one-world-trade-center-part-4/

 

One World Trade Center Part 5

New York City, New York 

On Sunday, September 8th, 2013 

Link to One World Trade Center Part 5  

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/one-world-trade-center-part-5/

 

One World Trade Center Part 6

New York City, New York 

On Sunday, September 8th, 2013 

Link to One World Trade Center Part 6 Page:

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/one-world-trade-center-part-6/

Photographs and artworks by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

Go to the top

Trip To Swansea In My Husband’s Motherland , Wales – Part 1

Ing and John traveled to Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom on September 25 – October 26, 2017.
Artwork at Newark Liberty Airport in the check in area of Air India.
On the Chinese New Year, one can see the festival and celebration from the Dragon Dancing Parade. The Chinese love the dragon symbol in red, which is a favorite color of the Chinese. This artwork reminded me of a Welsh dragon. We had some time left before we went into the gate for boarding. I enjoyed taking photographs of this artwork. We selected Air India because it was the most economical ticket fare and John loves Indian food, me too.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, January 14, 2018

Artwork at Newark Liberty Airport, New Jersey, United States

Photograph by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

 

Ing & John Traveled to Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom on September 25 – October 26, 2017.

We arrived in Newark Liberty Airport, Newark, New Jersey at about 5 p.m. on Monday 25, for checking in which started at 6:30 pm. We saw a scene of nice sunset sky outside area of Air India’s glass windows.

The reflection of the television screen appeared in the sunset sky of the scene looking out of Newark Liberty Airport, Newark in the check in area of Air India.

Beautiful Sunset Sky, the scene looking out of Newark Liberty Airport,  in the check in area of Air India.

John and I were busy packing again. This time we were heading to Swansea, South Wales, the UK. John was born in Swansea, and most of his family lived there for most of their lives. “No Place Like Home”, it is John’s beloved country.

Ing & John Traveled to Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom on September 25 – October 26, 2017.

The route from Newark Liberty Airport, Newark, New Jersey, USA To Heathrow, London, UK
We boarded and the airplane took off at about 10:30 p.m. The flight attendants started to serve the food and drinks, after our bellies were satisfied by Indian food, John enjoyed checking the movies and I enjoyed learning about flight information.
The airplane from Newark passed over Boston, Windsor, Bay Roberts, Montreal and crossed Atlantic Ocean heading to Amsterdam.

At one point, I opened the flight information. It showed that outside air temperature was -540 degrees Centigrade. I thought if any one drops out of the airplane; the body probably be frozen instantly.

“Heathrow Airport originated in 1929 as a small airfield (Great West Aerodrome) on land south-east of the hamlet of Heathrowfrom which the airport takes its name. At that time there were farms, market gardens and orchards there: there was a “Heathrow Farm” about where Terminal 1 is now, a “Heathrow Hall” and a “Heathrow House”. This hamlet was largely along a country lane (Heathrow Road) which ran roughly along the east and south edges of the present central terminals area.
Development of the whole Heathrow area as a very much larger airport began in 1944: it was stated to be for long-distance military aircraft bound for the Far East. But by the time the airfield was nearing completion, World War II had ended. The government continued to develop the airport as a civil airport; it opened as London Airport in 1946 and was renamed Heathrow Airport in 1966. The masterplan[clarification needed] for the airport was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, who designed the original terminals and central area buildings, including the original control tower and the multi-faith chapel of St George’s.”

For more information please visit the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Airport

This flight information showed that the airplane passed through Waterford and Wexford of Island, crossed the Celtic sea passing over South Wales. John said “We should get off here then we do not have to go to Heathrow, London. Save us time and money to ride the bus for five hours from Heathrow to Swansea. For better or worse, we have to follow the system, it was the flight route. We finally reached to our destination, Heathrow Airport, London. The trip duration was about six hours.

“Heathrow Airport is used by over 80 airlines flying to 185 destinations in 84 countries. The airport is the primary hub of British Airways and is a base for Virgin Atlantic. It has four passenger terminals (numbered 2 to 5) and a cargo terminal. Of Heathrow’s 73.4 million passengers in 2014, 93% were international travellers; the remaining 7% were bound for (or arriving from) places in the UK.[9] The busiest single destination in passenger numbers is New York, with over 3 million passengers flying between Heathrow and JFK Airport in 2013.[10]”

For more information please visit the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Airport

“Heathrow is 14 mi (23 km) west of central London,[3] near the south end of the London Borough of Hillingdon on a parcel of land that is designated part of the Metropolitan Green Belt. The airport is surrounded by the built-up areas of Harlington, Harmondsworth, Longford and Cranford to the north and by Hounslow and Hatton to the east. To the south lie Bedfont and Stanwell while to the west Heathrow is separated from Slough in Berkshire by the M25 motorway. Heathrow falls entirely under the TW postcode area.
As the airport is west of London and as its runways run east–west, an airliner’s landing approach is usually directly over the conurbation of London when the wind is from the west.
Along with Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Southend and London City, Heathrow is one of six airports with scheduled services serving the London area, although only Heathrow and London City are within Greater London.

Heathrow Airport (also known as London Heathrow)[2] (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL) is a major international airport in London, United Kingdom. Heathrow is the second busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic (surpassed by Dubai International in 2014), as well as the busiest airport in Europe by passenger traffic, and the seventh busiest airport in the world by total passenger traffic. In 2016, it handled a record 75.7 million passengers, a 1.0% increase from 2015.[1]
Heathrow lies 14 miles (23 km) west of Central London,[3] and has two parallel east–west runways along with four operational terminals on a site that covers 12.27 square kilometres (4.74 sq mi). The airport is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings, which itself is owned by FGP TopCo Limited, an international consortium led by Ferrovialthat also includes Qatar Holding LLC, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, Alinda Capital Partners, China Investment Corporation and Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).[4] London Heathrow is the primary hub for British Airways and the primary operating base for Virgin Atlantic.
In September 2012, the UK government established the Airports Commission, an independent commission chaired by Sir Howard Davies to examine various options for increasing capacity at UK airports. In July 2015, the commission backed a third runway at Heathrow and the government”

For more information please visit the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Airport

We took the elevator to the Bus Terminal where we saw the Welcome Posters. I wonder after the Brexit, if the British will still welcome foreigners.

“Brexit (/?br?ks?t/ or /?br??z?t/) is the popular term for the prospective withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU).[1]
In a referendum on 23 June 2016, 51.9% of the participating UK electorate voted to leave the EU. On 29 March 2017, the British government invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union. The UK is thus on course to leave the EU on Friday, 29 March 2019.[2]
Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the UK would not seek permanent membership of the single market or the customs union after leaving the EU[3][4] and promised to repeal the European Communities Act of 1972 and incorporate existing European Union law into UK domestic law.[5] Negotiations with the EU officially started in June 2017.
The UK joined the European Communities in 1973,[6][7] with membership confirmed by a referendum in 1975. In the 1970s and 1980s, withdrawal from the EC was advocated mainly by Labour Party and trade union figures. From the 1990s, the main advocates of withdrawal were the newly founded UK Independence Party (UKIP) and an increasing number of Eurosceptic Conservatives.”

For more information please visit the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit

“Brexit Historical background
Main article: History of Britain’s relationship with the European Union
In 1951, the “Inner Six” European countries signed the Treaty of Paris establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), followed shortly by the 1957 Treaties of Rome establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). In 1967, these became known as the European Communities (EC). The UK applied to join in 1963 and 1967, but was vetoed by the French President, Charles de Gaulle.[17] After de Gaulle relinquished the French presidency the UK successfully applied for membership and the Conservative prime minister Edward Heath signed the Treaty of Accession in 1972,[18]Parliament passed the European Communities Act later in the year[19] and the UK became a member of the EC on 1 January 1973 with Denmark and Ireland.[20]
The opposition Labour Party contested the October 1974 general election with a commitment to renegotiate Britain’s terms of membership of the EC and then hold a referendum on whether to remain in the EC on the new terms.[21] After Labour won the election the United Kingdom held its first ever national referendum on whether the UK should remain in the European Communities in 1975. Despite significant division within the ruling Labour Party[22] all major political parties and the mainstream press supported continuing membership of the EC. On 5 June 1975, 67.2% of the electorate and all but two[23] UK counties and regions voted to stay in[24] and support for the UK to leave the EC in 1975 appears unrelated to the support for Leave in the 2016 referendum.[25]”

For more information please visit the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit

“Brexit: Comparison of results of 1975 and 2016 referendums
The Labour Party campaigned in the 1983 general election on a commitment to withdraw from the EC without a referendum[26] although after a heavy defeat Labour changed its policy.[26] In 1985 the Thatcher government ratified the Single European Act—the first major revision to the Treaty of Rome- without a referendum.
In October 1990, under pressure from senior ministers and despite Margaret Thatcher’s deep reservations, the United Kingdom joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM), with the pound sterling pegged to the deutschmark. Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister the following month, amid Conservative Party divisions arising partly from her increasingly Eurosceptic views. The United Kingdom and Italy were forced to withdraw from the ERM in September 1992, after the pound sterling and the lira came under pressure (“Black Wednesday”).[27]
Under the Maastricht Treaty, the European Communities became the European Union on 1 November 1993,[28] reflecting the evolution of the organisation from an economic union into a political union.[29]”

For more information please visit the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit

We saw a lot of sparrows at the bus terminal welcoming the food given to them. Hopefully they were also welcoming us.

“Brexit: Consequences of withdrawal for the United Kingdom[edit]
Immigration[edit]
Long term[edit]
Immigration was cited as the second-most important reason for those voting to Leave. However, some forecasts indicate that immigration ?ows to the UK will remain relatively high after Brexit.[141] KPMG – based on a survey of 2,000 EU workers in UK – estimates that about a million of EU citizens working in the UK, see their future in Britain as over or hanging in the balance[142].
Immediate effects[edit]
Official figures in March 2017 indicated that EU immigration to the UK continued to exceed emigration, but the difference between immigration and emigration (“net migration”) had fallen to its lowest for three years.[143] The number of EU nurses registering with the NHS fell from 1,304 in July 2016 to 46 in April 2017.[144]
Economic effects[edit]
Main article: Economic effects of Brexit
During the referendum, the economic arguments were a major area of debate. Most economists, including the UK Treasury, argued that being in the EU has a strong positive effect on trade and as a result the UK’s trade would be worse off if it left the EU.[145][146] Others argued for the benefits of being free of EU “red tape” regulations and from going the full route of complete free trade. Additionally, not contributing to the EU budget would improve the budget and allowing tax cuts or higher government spending.[147]
After the referendum, the Institute for Fiscal Studies published a report funded by the Economic and Social Research Council which warned that Britain would lose up to £70 billion in reduced economic growth if it didn’t retain Single Market membership, with new trade deals unable to make up the difference.[148] One of these areas is financial services, which are helped by EU-wide “passporting” for financial products, which the Financial Times estimates indirectly accounts for up to 71,000 jobs and 10 billion pounds of tax annually,[149] and some banks have announced plans to relocate some of their operations outside the UK.[150]
On 5 January 2017, Andy Haldane, the Chief Economist and the Executive Director of Monetary Analysis and Statistics at the Bank of England, admitted that forecasts predicting an economic downturn due to the referendum were inaccurate and noted strong market performance after the referendum,[151][152][153] although some have pointed to prices rising faster than wages.[154]
Brexit requires relocating the offices and staff of the European Medicines Agency and European Banking Authority, currently based in London.[155] The EU is also investigating the feasibility of restricting the clearing of euro-denominated trades to Eurozone jurisdictions, attempting to end London’s dominance in this sector.[156]
Effect on academic research[edit]
Main article: Brexit and arrangements for science and technology
The UK received more from the EU for research than it contributed[157] with universities getting just over 10% of their research income from the EU.[158] All funding for net beneficiaries from the EU, including universities, was guaranteed by the government in August 2016.[159] Before the funding announcement, a newspaper investigation reported that some research projects were reluctant to include British researchers due to uncertainties over funding.[160]
Currently the UK is part of the European Research Area and the UK is likely to wish to remain an associated member.[161]
Scotland[edit]
As predicted before the referendum,[162] the Scottish Government announced that officials were planning a second independence referendum on the day after the UK voted to leave and Scotland voted to stay.[163] In March 2017, the SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon requested a second Scottish independence referendum for 2018 to 2019 (before Brexit is expected to take effect).[164] The Prime Minister immediately rejected the requested timing (although not the referendum itself).[165] The referendum was approved by the Scottish Parliament on 28 March 2017. Sturgeon is calling for a “phased return” of an independent Scotland back to the EU.[166]
After the referendum, Nicola Sturgeon also stated that Scotland might refuse consent for legislation required to leave the EU,[167] though some lawyers argue that Scotland cannot block Brexit.[168]
International agreements[edit]
The Financial Times approximates there to be 759 international agreements, spanning 168 non-EU countries, that the UK would no longer be a party to upon leaving the EU.[169] This figure does not include World Trade Organisation or United Nations opt-in accords, and excludes “narrow agreements”, which may have to be renegotiated as well.[169]
Options for continuing relationship with the EU[edit]
Main article: Continuing UK relationship with the EU
The UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the remaining EU members could take several forms. A research paper presented to the UK Parliament in July 2013 proposed a number of alternatives to membership which would continue to allow access to the EU internal market. These include remaining in the European Economic Area,[170]negotiating deep bilateral agreements on the Swiss model,[170] or exit from the EU without EEA membership or a trade agreement under the WTO Option. There may be an interim deal between the time the UK leaves the EU and when the final relationship comes in force.
Relations with the Republic of Ireland[edit]

The UK/Republic of Ireland border at Killeen marked only by a speed sign marked in km/h
The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom as a whole share, since the 1920s, a Common Travel Areawithout border controls. According to statements by Theresa May and Enda Kenny, it is intended to maintain this arrangement.[171] After Brexit, in order to prevent illegal migration across the open Northern Irish land border into the United Kingdom, the Irish and British governments suggested in October 2016 a plan whereby British border controls would be applied to Irish ports and airports. This would prevent a “hard border” arising between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.[172]However, this agreement was never official and was met by opposition from political parties in the Republic of Ireland,[173] and there is still great uncertainty in relation to a ‘hard border’ between the Republic and Northern Ireland.[174]
On 23 March 2017, it was confirmed that British immigration officials would not be allowed to use Irish ports and airports in order to combat immigration concerns following Brexit.[175] A referendum for the reunification of Ireland was suggested by Sinn Féin leader Martin McGuinness immediately after the UK EU referendum results were announced.[176] Creating a border control system between Ireland and Northern Ireland could jeopardise the Good Friday Agreement established in 1998.[177] In April 2017 the European Council agreed that, in the event of Irish reunification, Northern Ireland would rejoin the EU.[178]
Border with France[edit]
The President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France, Xavier Bertrand, stated in February 2016 that “If Britain leaves Europe, right away the border will leave Calais and go to Dover. We will not continue to guard the border for Britain if it’s no longer in the European Union,” indicating that the juxtaposed controls would end with a leave vote. French Finance Minister Emmanuel Macron also suggested the agreement would be “threatened” by a leave vote.[179] These claims have been disputed, as the Le Touquet 2003 treaty enabling juxtaposed controls was not an EU treaty, and would not be legally void upon leaving.[180]
After the Brexit vote, Xavier Bertrand asked François Hollande to renegotiate the Touquet agreement,[181] which can be terminated by either party with two years’ notice.[182] Hollande rejected the suggestion, and said: “Calling into question the Touquet deal on the pretext that Britain has voted for Brexit and will have to start negotiations to leave the Union doesn’t make sense.” Bernard Cazeneuve, the French Interior Minister, confirmed there would be “no changes to the accord”. He said: “The border at Calais is closed and will remain so.”[183]
Gibraltar and Spain[edit]
Main article: Gibraltar after Brexit
During the campaign leading up to the referendum[184] the Chief Minister of Gibraltar warned that Brexit posed a threat to Gibraltar’s safety.[185] Gibraltar overwhelmingly voted to remain in the EU. After the result Spain’s Foreign Minister renewed calls for joint Spanish–British control of the peninsula.[186] These calls were strongly rebuffed by Gibraltar’s Chief Minister[187] and questions were raised over the future of free-flowing traffic at the Gibraltar–Spain border.[188] The British government states it will only negotiate on the sovereignty of Gibraltar with the consent of its people.[189]”
For more information please visit the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit

Go to the top

New Year celebrations Around the World Welcome 2017

New Year celebrations Around the World Welcome 2017

 

Singapore celebrates the New Year

Large crowds gathered for the fireworks display at Auckland’s Sky Tower

 

Fireworks ring in the New Year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Buddhists light candles at Jogye Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea

North Koreans gathered at Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang

So-called “bearded men” parade through the streets of Slawatycze in Poland’s Lublin region as part of a local tradition

 

Fireworks lit up the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai

 Fireworks explode over the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia

London brings the New Year with fireworks along the Thames

Paris’s Arc de Triomphe was lit up with pictures

Fireworks explode over the Brandenburg gate in Berlin, Germany

As midnight struck in New York, Times Square was deluged with confetti

Fireworks light up the sky over Nairobi, Kenya

People watch a fireworks display from the water off Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Greece welcomes 2017 with a fireworks display over the Parthenon temple

For more information please visit the following link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-38477734

Go to the top

Remembering 9/11

Remembering 9/11

Memorial to World Trade Center 

John and I had planed for a while to take a trip to Swansea, UK to visit John’s older sister Phyllis.  Finally, we bought two tickets from Air India.  We were scheduled to leave Newark, NJ on September 10, 2001.  We always plan to stay more than three weeks vacation as we wanted to spend as much time with Phyllis as we can, since Mom, John’s mother passed away in summer 1994 and Phyllis was alone by herself.  So we planed to stay with her until October 9, 2001, which was the day we returned home to Newark.

On September 10, 2001 I got up early to prepare for the trip with John.  We took the Path from Penn station,Newark to World Trade Center, NYC at about 2:00 PM.  After we got out from Path train we took the escalator and went up to the first floor Of WTC’s building passing a bank and shopping area to get to the NY subway that took us to Kennedy Airport.  Every thing was nice and smooth.  The weather was very good.  People enjoyed walking, traveling to somewhere or shopping much like any other time that John and I came to NYC.  Our plane took off at night.  John enjoyed being on the plane, sipping a drink after a nice Indian curry meal on the flight.  John was watching a movie while I tried to find the best position to sleep in until we landed at Heathrow Airport. It took about six hours.  From Heathrow Airport we took the bus to Swansea where we had to sit for five hours.  At about 3:00 PM we reached the bus stop in Swansea. A Taxi man drove us to Phyllis’ house for duration of about fifteen minutes.

“Do you know the World Trade Center collapsed?” 

The taxi man asked us while he took our luggage out from the trunk.

“No!  It is impossible.  We just came from World Trade Center.”

We responded.

“Two planes hit the twin towers.”

The taxi man gave us more information.

After greeting Phyllis, we ran in the living room and turned on the TV and found out that there were no Twin Towers any more.  We learned that the terrorists hijacked the airplanes and used planes as weapons to destroy the buildings and people on the plane and thousand more in the World Trade Center Towers.  We also learned about the disasters in Washington DC and Pennsylvania.

We spent most of our trip, almost a month, watching the TV to find out about the news of WTC disaster.  We were gathering news papers for more information also.  We made a lot of phone calls to our daughter who was home in Newark.

John and I have many fond memories of WTC.  We had to pass by WTC every time we took trips to NYC, especially when we went to Chinatown to buy Chinese food and grocery.

In 1975 I just started dating John.  John helped me to frame my paintings for the exhibition in East River Saving Bank on the first floor of the WTC.  My parents and family who came from Thailand to visit us in the US liked taking trips to World Trade Center.  My parents were lucky enough to go up to the top of WTC to view NYC from the high distance.

After we came back home to Newark, NJ from Swansea, the first thing I wanted was to visit the remains of WTC to join others who felt the sadness from the loss of so many people.  We also went to Jersey City by the peer at the bank of Hudson River opposite WTC to look at the empty spots where Twin Towers would have been. Our hearts ached and we were confused as to the cause of this destruction.  We liked to bring friends and family to view the NY skyline and watch the 4th of July fire works by the Hudson River with the WTC in the background.

I began doing the artwork relating to WTC, a few ceramic sculptures as a Memorial for the Twin Towers.  I kept my artwork to myself.  I showed them to only few people who were close to me.  I did not want to provoke negative feelings or bad memories in others.  I felt such sadness about this horrible event.  It is the same sadness for any horrible event such as Holocausts, the nuclear bombs in Japan, the killing field in Cambodia, in Rwanda and other places in the world.  We humans never learn to be civilized.  We seem so quickly to forget the horrible events that took place and then bad things happen again.  We kill each other directly and indirectly.  The indirect actions of corruption, greed and power hunger cause direct action to surface.  Innocent people will always end up suffering the effects.  Hopefully we will be wiser and able to learn from past events and improve our human race to be able to live with each other in peaceful coexistence.

Ten years have past since the 9/11 events and I would like to share my artwork with others and express some of my thought on my Peace Project website.

Many thanks to my daughter and son-in-law who subscribe the website for me and my husband who has the patients to correct my writing.

The followings are the pictures of my sculptures I produced on March 16, 2002 I made especially as a memorial to the Twin Towers and the people who lost in these events:

The description of WTC memorial:

Two towers stand erect, supported by two long panels.  Outside of two panels are animal designs in one side and the garden and plants on the other side.  The long path between the two towers inside panels is blank spaces which can be the area that the loved ones or any ones express their thought in writing.  And the corridor between two panels can be the place for children to play hide and seek.

I made this small scale Twin Towers sculpture as a replica for loved ones or any ones who comes to mourn, let go of sadness and to remember the loss.  I hope we can realize that we should enjoy and appreciate one and other while we are still alive.

Memorial to World Trade Center 

Time to mourn

Time to cry

Wipe the sadness away

Time to remember

Time to live

Get up and go

Work awaits

I will go on

Remembering the past

With heavy heart

When you are apart

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, September 11, 2011, 5:57 AM

 

 

Lost Hope 

Little girl feels

Little girl hurts

To feel the pain so young

Her innocent lost

Even though it hasn’t begun

We all lost our innocent and freedom

Innocent of hoping working hard

We will be better some day

But freedom lost

Sudden someone comes

And take the hope away

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, September 04, 2011, 9:45 PM

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 a total of 343 firefighters died with thousand of innocent civilians in the World Trade Center and other locations. Their lives were taken away by fanatic, brainwashed believers of a distorted version of their own religion.  If the hijackers believe in humankind and nature they would not kill themselves and others.  So, one should always learn to questions what one is told to believe. 

I salute all the brave firefighters and others who risk their lives saving others.  May peace be with the brave firefighters, all their families and the others. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Friday, August 8, 2003

 I wish it were!

Something that have wings

To save him

I love butterfly

Deep in my heart

I sent the butterfly

To catch him

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts,Sunday, September 15,2002

 Order from the Top 

Sharp bayonet piercing on my back

As I am dying

Why do you kill me?

I don’t know you!

And you didn’t know me!

Oh! I forget

It’s an order from the top

If you didn’t kill me

I probably will kill you

Because I got order from the top also

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts Sunday, 8.28.2011, 6:27 PM

 

Mother liberty holds the twin towers

Close to her heart

Protecting World Trade Center

With her believe 

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Mother Liberty, do we still breathe free in this land of liberty?

Breathe free with fear for this event has come

Don’t shed your tears for this human race

The lesson learns might make us grow

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 10:55 PM

 

 What is the same and different between these two men?

One, they are both human beings

Two, they are both dead

Three, they are well known

Four, they both had a goal to be achieved

Five, one is nonviolent and other is violent

Six, one is spinning cotton on a wheel and other has a weapon

Seven, one is productive and other is destructive

Which do we prefer after  we analyzing the lives of these two men?

History will record these two men’s actions when they were alive

I hope we can learn from these two people without vengeance and hatred

Let us teach our younger generations all over the world

To understand that we are all the same

If we harm others then we will harm ourselves in the end

Do not brainwash the youngsters!!!!!!!!!!!

Flowers from my little garden

Floating in the air

Let each beautiful one

Touching each soul

Seeing beautiful things

Rising to the sky

Just wait for a little while

I will be with you all

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Monday, 9.13.2011, 1:20 PM

World Trade Center Remembered 

World Trade Center falls

Becoming colorful Twin Towers

Teaching us

They are here

And they are gone 

Thinking how good

When they are standing there

As we take things for granted

Even with the love ones 

Or the cleaning workers

Or the others that faithfully

Do their jobs for everyone

World Trade Center

 Becomes colorful

In our mind

 

I didn’t do anything

Why you hate me this much?

What did I do wrong?

Or did my fellow countrymen

Cause the trouble to the others

That I do not aware of?

 

These questions and thought

Become active

In my brain neurons

Start charging for reasons 

Thanks to the Twin Towers

You make us think

I miss you

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts Saturday, August 27, 2011, 3:40 PM

2 Responses to Remembering 9/11

  1. Chelsea M says:

September 19, 2011 at 10:47 am

I have to be honest I have not looked up images form the events of 911 in many years. It was in that time that I moved to NYC and I came to my new home while it was in a state of broken fear.

You have created some very powerful images, in particular I’m moved by the image of the flowers in the dust cloud and the collage work with the people’s silhouettes infront of the wreckage. Your poems are so simple but speak in such short lines of deep feeling. Its the way my mind tries to come to terms with the events, in little lines and snapshots of images. Thank you for sharing your work, on such a hard and painful subject. Perhaps through art we can come to terns and work through some of the emotions left to us from that day.

Reply

  • ing says:

September 20, 2011 at 5:01 am

Hi Chelsea,
Thank you so much for your comments. It was painful having to remember the horrible day. I hope we can learn from the event and make sure that it will not happen again. But looking at the situation, a lot of human behavior and the turmoil all over the world right now, it will probably take quite a long while for the human race to reach maturity and act as a civilized society as a whole.
Take care,
Ing

Link to World Trade Center Under the Same Moon:

https://ingpeaceproject.com/remembering-911/world-trade-center-under-the-same-moon/

Go to the top

John Watts’ Photographs of Street Art, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York

John Watts’ Photographs of Street Art

Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York

On Sunday, June 26, 2016

These photos taken at the Astoria NYC, street art festival, are intended to reflect a relationship between the art, the people and their environment. I view street art as an ongoing theatrical event requiring all three elements to become a truly complete experience.

John Watts, Saturday, July 09, 2016

 

Go to the top

Peace Comes To Astoria, Street Art Queens, New York City, New York

 

Peace Comes To Astoria, Street Art

Murals and Surrounding Astoria Neighborhood

 Queens, New York City, New York

On Sunday, June 26, 2016

Photographs by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

Happy 4th of July everyone 🙂 🙂 🙂

John and I went to Astoria, Queens, NYC, New York on the previous Sunday, June 26, 2016 to view the latest murals.  We enjoyed walking about seeing murals on 30 Street, 12 Street and Welling Court by Astoria Boulevard.  I was very happy to see some artists produced Peace artwork.  We arrived about 2 P.M., the sun was very hot.  We cannot see the pictures on our equipment screens that well.  I tried my best to capture the murals that we viewed    We only viewed a small part of murals. We decided to return home and will come back again to view more murals in different areas. 

There were some people taking pictures of the murals.

 

I intended to walk across the street to view the murals on the other side of the road but I noticed the reflection of part of the mural with the peace sign artwork on the car window.  I realized that there is another mural on a wall inside of a gated property. 

I came back and tried to photograph the mural.  I could not capture the mural in full view because of the gate blocking it. 

Luckily my cheap camcorder is small enough to go through the space between the gate bars.  I tried my best to capture the whole image.  But I only got part of the mural.

I was glad I was able to at least capture the full peace sign.

Thanks to the artist who produced this peace mural.  I wish I could have gotten his or her full name.

These murals are on the opposite side of the street from the peace murals that I have shown above.

A group of tourists came to view the murals.  Thanks to all the artists who produced the artworks.  I love graffiti or street art because most of the artists wish to convey their thought and express them in a form of artwork in public for other people to view, to feel, and to think, no matter if you agree or disagree.  But the artists activate people’s brains to think.  Sometimes this may tickle the conscious of the viewer to absorb more information from the artwork.  Most graffiti or street art subjects are expressions of a present time which one can use as a chronicle of history in this specific time and place.  Eventually these artworks or murals will be gone if they are in the changing hands of property owners who want to demolish properties for other business ventures.

John pointed out to the lady photographer that the damaged car is a useful object to compose a photo looking through the mangled window to view the painted fire hydrant.

I will post John’s photographs in the next project.  It is interesting to see the difference in composition of individual photographers traveling  the same path.

This person seemed to be interested in taking photos of the remains of the crashed vehicle.  I felt sad to see the result of such a tragedy.  I hope the person or persons in the car survived.

This person is very smart; he used his bike to ride to more places to view murals.  He could travel longer distances, and be less tired compared to traveling by walking.

Go to the top

Easter Eggs and A Rabbit at Rockefeller Center, New York City, NY

Easter Eggs and A Rabbit at Rockefeller Center

New York City, New York

On Monday, March 28, 2016

I went to New York City on Monday, March 28, 2016. I walked along 5 Ave., from 51st street down to 49th street where Rockefeller Center is located.  I saw a lot of people and beautiful decoration for the Easter occasion.   I enjoyed seeing beautiful white lily flowers and the contrasting colors of red Azalea flowers.  The pink, green, purple and orange color of very decorative and large eggs were displayed in the garden among colorful plants.  One special rabbit stood in the middle of a garden island with gorgeous flowers in white, pink, red and purple that decorated the surface of an egg standing on top of the rabbit’s head.  The rabbit was covered with green furry of plants.  Not only children will be in awe and fascinated by the look of this Easter Rabbit, but so will the adults enjoy the special decorations of this event.  I enjoyed taking photographs of the decorations and was equally happy to see the families and the visitors having good times together taking pictures as a memory of the happy time together for the future.   

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Wednesday, March 30, 2016

 

Go to the top