This message is a little late in being posted up, because I was (like many other business travelers) temporarily stuck out of town by the airport closings following the events of September 11th, and have just gotten back home.  While driving home down the East coast, I witnessed first-hand the aftermath of the devastation caused by the hijackers at the World Trade Center in New York and at the Pentagon in D.C..

    First, my condolences to all who lost loved ones in the attacks and in any of the truly heroic rescue efforts that followed.  

     Next I want to thank the scores of users from around the world who expressed their condolences.  Speaking on behalf of all Americans, the messages from Greece to Thiland to Finland helped keep us balanced on a day when we couldn't distinguish "up" from "down".  I want to express a special thank you to Anirudha Vengurlekar of India who wrote:

"Hello Ian,
 
     It's very sad to know that AMERICA has been attacked!  I would like to help in someway. So I have $xxx in my account and could you please donate this amount to American Red Cross soc on my behalf?  Here is my information...
 
 Thanks and kind regards,
Anirudha"

   With Andirudha, Exhedra Solutions, Inc. (the parent company of RentACoder.com and PlanetSourcecode.com) is making a donation, and anyone else who wants to contribute directly to the aid the victims' families...is strongly encouraged to do so. Contact info is here, courtesy of MSN.

    Third...to all American users...the stock market opens on Monday, and I will be sending a message that I will not be intimidated, by hanging onto every stock and mutual fund that I own and I encourage you to do the same.  

    Fourth...to all users...a counter-strike/response looks imminent.  Please remember that Rent a Coder and Planet Source Code are sites about programming, so please save your political opinions for the thousands of other sites that cater to this purpose.  If nothing else, the sites are a small haven for us all from the insanity that swirls around us.

    Finally...one more thought for all of us Americans.  Our anger is justified, but we must remember to focus it on the perpetrators...not the Muslim who lives next door or across the street.  The Muslim religion is based on love, not murder....and judging all Muslims by the beliefs of these extremists would be like judging all Christians by the beliefs of the extreme anti-abortionists who try to stalk and kill doctors.  Please remember to continue to exercise the tolerance that has made this nation the great country that it is.

Ian Ippolito
CEO Exhedra Solutions, Inc
Creator of Planet Source Code.com and Rent a Coder.com