There is a new video posted on Google Video, “Flight 77″ The White Plane, put together by Craig Ranke (aka Lyte Trip) and the “Citizen Investigation Team”. This is supplemental to their video, “The Pentacon”, which alleges that “Flight 77″ approached the Pentagon along a different flight path (north of the Citgo gas station) than the “official flight path”, which is based on evidence (the flight data recorder, downed light poles, and supported by witness accounts).

The CIT has been coming to Washington on a few occasions, including August 2006, where they go around interviewing 9/11 witnesses, often showing up unannounced. They coaxed two Pentagon police officers into saying the plane crossed over Columbia Pike, over the Navy Annex, and flew north of the Citgo. They include some other interviews in “The Pentacon” to support their theory. They say if the plane flew north of the Citgo, then evidence such as the downed light poles must have been planted by the government. And, the plane couldn’t have gotten low enough and crashed into the Pentagon. Instead, they say the plane did a “fly over” and went off somewhere. And, there was some other explosion at the Pentagon.

Lyte Trip’s north of the Citgo theory:

Actual flight path:

Close up view of actual flight path:

Well, the plane was going so fast, passed over in just seconds before they saw it crash into the Pentagon. Details such as the exact flight path may be difficult to precisely recall, especially five years after the fact. There are witnesses that say things like, “In my adrenaline-filled state of mind, I was overcome by my visual senses.” (Penny Elgas) Surely, the experience makes some people numb, simply in shock. Still unmistakable that they saw the plane crash into the building, but when asked to recall details such as flight path, five years later, there may be some discrepancy in witness accounts. Accounts taken closer to the time of the attacks, particularly those in the days after the 9/11 attacks, would be more reliable in regards to details.

Screenshot of the “Flight 77″ The White Plane video - Craig on the left, talking to a witness:

In this “White Plane” video, they ask some more witnesses about the color of the plane. With how fast the plane was going, how brief their glimpse of it, and how sunny it was, it may have appeared white to some people. And, surely it was extremely unexpected to see it pass over, as it did. The witnesses all describe seeing an American Airlines jet, a police officer thought it was “champagne” (more of a silvery/gray color), and they describe a plane with red and blue stripes, maroon writing/markings, and windows.

It is also important to note where these witnesses were at the time. They were at the Army-Navy Country Club and in the neighborhood, by Hoffman Boston Elementary School. All of these locations are closer to I-395, and at some distance away from Columbia Pike. From these locations, the plane would have continued on the straight line path and crossed south of the Citgo, before knocking down the light poles, and crashing into the Pentagon. This is entirely consistent with the “official flight path”, which again is based on evidence (the flight data recorder, downed light poles, etc.). These witnesses contradict “the Pentacon” and the “north of the Citgo” theory.

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to spent time at the new 7 World Trade Center. The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) held tours of their office on the 40th floor. There was also a special talk on Saturday about the lighting features of the building. I have now posted photos from the tour, as well as some from last year from a visit to the 45th floor, where there was a photography exhibit. The 45th floor was, and I think still is unfinished. Various other photos of the building are also included.

This is the entrance to the NYAS office on the 40th floor:

WTC7 - more photos

Costs

I think it’s useful to see the 45th floor (unfinished) compared to the 40th floor (finished). It cost $700 million for Larry Silverstein to build the new 7 WTC, but that’s with all the floors unfinished. What’s not figured in that price tag is that each floor needs to be finished and set-up for whatever needs the tenants have. The designers/architects who finished the space for the NYAS were on hand on Saturday. They explained that it cost $12 million to finish the 40th floor for the NYAS. In all, there are 42 floors of space to lease in the building. (along with the mechanical space used by Con Edison)

$12 million * 42 = $502 million.

$700 million (cost of the building) + $502 million = $1.3 billion

Silverstein received $861 million from insurance on the old building, however he had $400 million remaining in mortgage to pay off for the old building. He was left with $461 million. And, he still has to pay the the ground lease for WTC7 and the rest of the complex. ($102 million annually) - that’s $612 million since 9/11/2001

Also, it cost $1.4 billion to restore the adjacent Verizon Building, which was heavily damaged by the collapse of WTC7. Fiterman Hall, located next to WTC7, is currently undergoing deconstruction, and will be replaced with a new building. I’m not sure how much all that costs.

Do the math. In all, very substantial costs involved due to the collapse of WTC7, rather than people making a profit from insurance proceeds.

Anyway, the photos are posted here: (be patient for the page to load all images)

• WTC7 - gallery

Same photos are also posted on Flickr (this may be faster):

• WTC7 - Flickr set

A Dream in Doubt is a documentary film by Tami Yeager, which tells the story of Balbir Singh Sodhi and his family. Balbir and four of his brothers came from India to the U.S. in the 1980s. The Sodhis are Sikh, and had experienced religious oppression in India, and sought religious freedom in the U.S. Balbir lived in Mesa, Arizona and owned a gas station there. On September 15, 2001, he was shot and killed at the gas station. The assailant then shot at second gas station, owned by a Lebanese-American, and fired shots at a house where an Afghan-American family lived. Balbir was a target due to his appearance, wearing a turbin and beard as required by the Sikh faith. This was the first hate crime casualty after September 11. He was not Muslim, but a Sikh. The film follows Balbir’s younger brother, Rana as he tries to educate the community about the Sikh faith, and serve as the spokesperson for the family as the Balbir’s case worked through the courts.

The film has played at film festivals, including Sundance, and has won a number of awards. Rana and Yeager have recently been traveling around the U.S., attending screenings of the film, including screenings in Washington. In the spring, it will also be shown on PBS.

• A Dream in Doubt - Official website

New footage has been posted online, taken on 9/11 from Greenwich St. near the World Trade Center. The footage starts after the first plane crash, through to after the second crash.