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Englishman Arthur S Mole and his American colleague John D Thomas took these incredible pictures of thousands of soldiers forming icons of American history. Arthur's great nephew Joseph Mole, 70, says: "In the picture of the Statue of Liberty there are 18,000 men: 12,000 of them in the torch alone, but just 17 at the base. The men at the top of the picture are actually half a mile away from the men at the bottom"

Creeps who swiped a Statue of Liberty replica from a Brooklyn coffee shop last month have posted a sick Web video showing them sawing off the statue's blindfolded head. The YouTube video, which reportedly is being investigated by the FBI, ends with the slogan "Death to America" appearing on the screen. It evokes the terrorist-produced videos of the decapitations of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl and American entrepreneur Nicholas Berg.

The Statue of Liberty's crown is open again for the first time since the Sept. 11 attacks. That's symbolic. It was reopened on the Fourth of July, very symbolic. The decision was announced in May on the "Today" show -- hugely symbolic -- by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. "The economic times we're going through really call for hope and optimism," he said, and "nothing symbolizes" those things like the Statue of Liberty. Icons are handy that way. They're instantly recognizable. But the meaning of this one has gotten muddled over the years. So, to mark this occasion, I'd like to...

New York, NY (AHN) - People will be able to climb to the Statue of Liberty's crown on the Fourth of July, for the first time since that portion of America's most famous symbol was closed to the public for safety reason shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. National Park Service officials had barred the public from visiting the crown out of concerns that it would be difficult to evacuate in case of an emergency because access is by a narrow 168-step double-helix spiral staircase. Officials have made improvements by adding a public address system and will limit the...

It really is all about Obama, isn’t it? The president’s Interior Secretary went on Today this morning and proclaimed that the Statue Of Liberty is “is about Pres. Obama’s agenda.” Ken Salazar was there to announce that, after having been closed subsequent to 9-11, the crown of the statue would be re-opened on July 4th. The entire Today crew is broadcasting from the statue this morning. Here’s the transcript of Salazar’s vainglorious claim, made in an exchange with Matt Lauer: View video here.

Humorous pic.

FAA says low-flying plane over Staten Island is 'pre-planned' flight to take photos by Staten Island Advance Monday April 27, 2009, 10:03 AM A plane, that appears to be a commercial jet tailed by fighter jets, is a "pre-planned" military flight taking photos of the Statue of Liberty, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Reports indicate it may be Air Force One. "It is pre-planned, pre-coordinated with everyone involved," said FAA spokesman Jim Peters. "It's a military flight over New York to take photos." Peters, who stressed it is not an emergency, said the flight is circling the Statue of...

U.K.: Mosque "committed to peace, diversity and interfaith dialogue" hosts conference featuring "spiritual advisor" to 9/11 jihadists A spokesman for the mosque insists the conference organizers are just using their facilities. But no one seems perturbed enough about this "misunderstanding" and "hijacking" of Islam to cancel the conference or appearances by speakers like Anwar al-Awlaki and others named below. The full schedule of festivities can be found here.

An almost ten minute excerpt from a 1982 Canadian Broadcasting Corp. documentary on the KGB. The posted section focuses on Communist Cuba's involvement in training, funding and giving orders to the Weathermen.Much of the info comes from an interview with Larry Grathwohl, who is in the film No Place to Hide.The CBC documentary ties the Weathermen, the Cuban government and a French-Canadian seperatist group,the FLQ.The documentary also features an interview with an unnamed Cuban and an unnamed figure involved with the FLQ and a 1965 plot by balck radicals to bomb the Statue of Liberty.The video was just posted today....

When she was arrested in Afghanistan last month, Aafia Siddique allegedly had in her possession maps of New York, a list of potential targets that included the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the subway system and the animal disease center on Plum Island, detailed chemical, biological and radiological weapon information that has been seen only in a handful of terrorist cases, as well as a thumb drive packed with emails, ABC News has learned.

Aafia Siddique Had a List of Targets in New York & Chem-Bio Weapons Information in her Possession When she was arrested in Afghanistan last month, Aafia Siddique allegedly had in her possession maps of New York, a list of potential targets that included the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the subway system and the animal disease center on Plum Island, detailed chemical, biological and radiological weapon information that has been seen only in a handful of terrorist cases, as well as a thumb drive packed with emails, ABC News has learned. That haul of information has led multiple government sources...

An open letter to the people of France: Bonjour! We in America are still very thankful for the Statue of Liberty. She is a fine lady. She still stands for freedom and huddled masses and all of that. But let's face it, she needed to dress for a baseball game like everyone else here. So we thought you should know that we have taken a few, um, liberties. Major League Baseball announced more details Thursday about the "Statues on Parade" that will have everyone talking. It is going to be the most amazing celebration of the Statue of Liberty since...

Great icons may suffer great misunderstandings in which erroneous mythology grows to obliterate the real meaning of an important symbol. Probably the most misunderstood image in America is the Statue of Liberty, which is surely burdened with more wrong ideas than any other symbol in our history. First and foremost, Lady Liberty was never designed as a welcome mat for immigrants, those huddled masses about whom we hear so much sentimentality. The real name of the statue is "Liberty Enlightening the World" which states the true meaning. Indeed, the sculptor's intent was for the statue to inspire millions around the...

WASHINGTON — Section 776 of the immigration bill is obscure, to say the least. Senators aren’t debating it, bloggers aren’t railing about it and chatterers aren’t fulminating over the provision tucked in “Subtitle F — Other Matters” under “Title III — Miscellan-eous” of the mammoth bill. So here’s the story behind one little paragraph in a sweeping bill that could change the way America welcomes immigrants in the 21st Century. The Statue of Liberty has symbolized hope for waves of newcomers — tired, poor, huddled, yearning to breathe free and start a new life. Section 776 literally would reopen the...

Despite pleas and tongue-lashings from elected officials, the crown of the Statue of Liberty will remain off-limits to visitors for safety reasons, the National Park Service said Wednesday. The narrow stairway to the top of Lady Liberty would endanger visitors if a fire or smoke condition occurred, park officials said. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn-Queens), who along with other elected officials publicly called for the crown's reopening and introduced legislation to do so, criticized the park service decision Wednesday after he received its written response last week. "Almost five years after Lady Liberty closed following the 9/11 attacks, the parks service...

Tourists won't be climbing back up to the Statue of Liberty's crown. That's the word from the National Park Service to lawmakers, some of whom have been fighting to reopen the crown following the 2001 terror attacks. The crown has been closed out of concerns that fire and terrorism hazards for the cramped spiral staircase could not be overcome. "For the better part of three years now, they've been dancing around this issue," said Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., who has sought to force the National Park Service to reopen the crown. "This is the first time they've said they're not...

"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame With conquering lims astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-brigded harbor that twin cities frame, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pom!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breath free, The wrechted refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift...

WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted Thursday to reopen the Statue of Liberty's crown, which has been off limits to the public since Sept. 11, 2001, because of terrorism fears. The reopening provision was tucked into a larger immigration bill whose prospects are still uncertain. Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Robert Menendez, D-N.J., added an amendment to the bill requiring the Department of the Interior, the nation's main conservation agency, to reopen the stairs leading up to the crown within 60 days of the bill's passage. "For too long, it has cast a long shadow over New York Harbor as those...

<p>A sketch of a gun-toting Statue of Liberty is fast becoming the most popular piece of amateur propaganda created in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.</p> <p>Created by Eliza Gauger, a 17-year-old student from Bellingham, Washington, the skillful drawing of "Mommy Liberty" has been reprinted in newspapers across the country and has been turned into posters, coffee mugs, T-shirts and baseball caps.</p>

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are symbols that used to be etched in the minds of millions of American immigrants. They are still living symbols for millions of other Americans who were born here and trace their ancestors to the Old World. To go and stand where your grandmother came to America, and see across the water to the lights of New York City still may leave a lump in your throat. A hundred years ago most immigrants came to the U. S. after a long sea voyage. They left behind the Irish potato famine or being drafted...

The NJDEP Public Meeting on January 27, 2001 at Liberty State Park was the culmination of the battle against Mayor Bret Schundler's and the park's Development Corporation's proposal for a commercial, privatized Waterpark at Liberty State Park. The vast majority of over 600 people at the public meeting (and of the thousands of communications to Trenton) opposed the Waterpark. Many elected officials and mayoral candidates opposed the Waterpark. It wasn't a good day for Bret, not for a man running for Governor. Though he had retreated from Waterpark support only 3 days before the public meeting because of the writing...

CHICAGO, May 6 (UPI)by Gene Korpowski -- A terrorist tries to sneak a bomb hidden in a lunch bag onto Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty. As he passes through an X-ray machine at a security screening station, images of the bomb are sent over an encrypted, wireless broadband network to a command center in New York City. Bomb technicians evaluate -- and alert the U.S. Park Police, who nab the suspect.This is not a scene from "The Interpreter," the latest thriller starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn -- it is a new technological capability the government has employed...

WASHINGTON, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Yellowstone National Park are the clear front-runners in a national survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) that asked Americans to name the top American treasures they would like to visit. Results showed a true appreciation for the nation's natural and historic sites. The top ten selections, in order, were:

Ah, the French. How to think of them? There is an easy default answer: kindly and gratefully. After all, they helped us in the Revolutionary War, gave us Alexis de Tocqueville and the Statue of Liberty, and to this day feel a keen republican spirit in harmony with America's own. Sure, we have had our spats. But when the chips are down, you can count on France to be on our side, more or less, and to supply some great wine if it is needed. ...Before 9/11, 77% of Americans held a favorable opinion of France. By March 2003, only...

Nice Systems aids security at the famous American landmark using its smart video solutions, Israel21c reported. The Ra'anana-based company has been working with the U.S. Park Police responsible for the site’s security, and installed its technology throughout the complex prior to its re-opening two months ago. The Nice solution uses IT-grade video networking and management, delivering images and advanced analytic applications to the park police to help protect the 117-year-old national monument. The Statue had been closed to tourists since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and was reopened amidst warnings of further terror attacks on strategic buildings and...

Nice Systems is helping to secure the newly reopened Statue of Liberty complex using its smart video solutions, the Ra'anana based company said Tuesday. The company has been working with the United States Park Police in charge of protecting the statue, and installed its solutions in the complex in time for its opening on August 3, 2004. The company would not disclose the value of the contract. The Nice solution uses IT-grade video networking and management and delivers images and advanced analytic applications to the park police to help protect the 117-year-old national monument. The Statue was closed to tourists...

Anti-war demonstrators held the Statute of Liberty hostage for several days in 1971, possibly 1972, displaying the American Flag upside down. Does anyone have any recall or information regarding this event? I was recently informed that Kerry could have been with this group.

NEW YORK - Hailed once again as a "beacon of hope," the Statue of Liberty welcomed back huddled masses of tourists Tuesday for the first time since it was shut down after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Interior Secretary Gale Norton was on hand to officially open the doors, and a military choir sang George M. Cohan's "It's a Grand Old Flag" before the crowd rose for the national anthem. "This beacon of hope and liberty is once again open to the public, sending a reassuring message to the world that freedom is alive in New York and shining...

The Statue of Liberty has been opened to the public for the first time since the 11 September 2001 attacks. The ceremony took place amid a heightened terror alert, but New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it was right not to postpone it. "To stay home and lock our doors is what the terrorists want", he said, and Americans would not be "coerced". Millions of dollars of donations have been raised to install a state-of-the-art security system for the landmark. 'Freedom' After a rendition of the national anthem from a military band, site superintendent Cynthia Garrett told the crowd the...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Statue of Liberty reopens to visitors on Tuesday for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks following security and safety improvements paid for by more than $30 million in donations. But what should be a festive event is shadowed by criticism that the crown on America's best-known symbol remains off-limits and that Washington has failed to respond to New York's pleas for more aid to protect high-risk buildings. The national monument in New York Harbor was closed nearly three years ago as a security precaution after Islamic extremists killed nearly 3,000 people in...

NEW YORK -- Sandwich chain Subway Restaurants today said it was ending a promotion at its German franchises that used an image of a fat Statue of Liberty. The promotion sparked outrage from a leader in the U.S. Congress. Subway spokesman Kevin Kane said the promotion, which ended today, may have been pulled ahead of schedule. "The staff over in Germany has been contacting us daily because they feel bad," Kane said. "They may have said 'OK let's wrap this up.'" At issue was a tray-liner at Subway's German franchises promoting the documentary "Super Size Me," which links the U.S....

August 2, 2004 -- Although officials cited only financial institutions in their latest terrorist warning, authorities will pay close attention to the Statue of Liberty, which opens to the public tomorrow for the first time since 9/11. City cops will monitor the famous landmark via air and sea with its aviation and harbor patrols, according to NYPD officials.

A nonprofit charity that solicits donations for the Statue of Liberty pays its executives excessively high salaries, has done a poor job overseeing the millions of dollars it collects and has tried to undermine the efforts of other organizations to raise money for the preservation and operation of the national monument, according to Congressional investigators. The Senate Finance Committee began examining the work of the charity, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, in April after news reports, including articles in The New York Times, raised questions about the organization's role in efforts to partially reopen the statue after it was...

Statue of Liberty to Reopen Aug. 3 The Associated Press Jun 30, 2004 WASHINGTON (AP) - Visitors to the Statue of Liberty, closed to the public after the Sept. 11 attacks because of security concerns, will not be allowed up the cramped circular metal staircase into the crown when the 151-foot symbol in New York Harbor reopens on Aug. 3. For the first time, visitors will need reservations for tours at specific times, in an effort to eliminate the hours-long lines that marked most trips to see the 118-year-old statue. The public will be able to view the statue's interior...

Are they vicious foreign terrorists, scheming to blow up New York? Or just a couple of wide-eyed visitors from abroad, snapping sentimental photos of the Statue of Liberty and other tourist cliches? ~~~snip~~~ The issue came up again yesterday, as U.S. officials announced they'd expelled two Iranian security guards. These two gentlemen, unnamed, were working on Third Avenue at the Iranian Mission to the United Nations. They are now back in Tehran. U.S. envoy Stuart Holliday, speaking to the reporters at the UN, picks up the story there: "These individuals were moving around New York City and essentially taking photographs...

Free spirits frolic at Fremont festivities By Diane Brooks Seattle Times staff reporter It was a great day to be naked. But we only can hope those bicyclists mixed some sunscreen with all that psychedelic body paint and glitter that so vividly depicted the flamboyant heart of Fremont. Seattle welcomed summer yesterday with its 16th annual Solstice Parade, a joyous, 75-minute celebration of all things wild and pagan. "I love it, because it's not 64 big sparkly floats with beauty queens on top waving, and people politely applauding when they go by," said volunteer traffic controller Chelsea Teller, who coordinated...

Publication:The New York Sun; Date:Apr 14, 2004; Section:Front page; Page:1 How Kerry’s Group Plotted Against Statue of Liberty By JOSH GERSTEIN Staff Reporter of the Sun     In an era marked by militant demonstrations, it stands out as one of the most dramatic: the Christmastime takeover of the Statue of Liberty by angry Vietnam veterans.     On Sunday, December 26, 1971, 15 members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, the group that John Kerry was a prominent member of, barricaded themselves inside the monument and hoisted an upside-down American flag from Miss Liberty’s crown.     The action at the Statue of Liberty...

Lady Liberty will soon invite visitors to view the Manhattan skyline from her vantage point in New York Harbor but unfortunately not from the traditional outlook. Those who have been waiting patiently for the Statue of Liberty to reopen after its abrupt closing on Sept. 11, 2001, will be disappointed that the customary trek to the top of the statue to behold the extraordinary vista from Liberty's crown will no longer be permitted. The change is attributed, as usual, to homeland security. Welcome to post-9/11 paranoia. Starting in July, Lady Liberty will accept visitors only by reservation and only to...

NYC Mayor: Statue Of Liberty Should Reopen, 'Can't Let Terrorists Win' NEW YORK -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the Statue of Liberty should be reopened, even if every tourist who visits it has to be escorted inside by a police officer. The 118-year-old statue has been closed since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks for security reasons. "You can't let the terrorists win," the mayor said Monday. Last week during a news conference at the base of the statue on Liberty Island, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton said that an observation area in the statue's pedestal would be reopened...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Access to the Statue of Liberty, which has been closed since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, will be relaxed beginning this summer, although tourists will still not be allowed inside the statue itself. Pledges of $7 million in donations, including a $100,000 gift from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, will finance upgrades that were necessary before the monument could be reopened. Secretary of Interior Gale Norton said Tuesday that the observation deck on the statue's pedestal will be reopened sometime in late July. Currently, tourists can visit Liberty Island but are not allowed inside the 151-foot statue or...

Nassau County Aviation Unit intercepts small plane (12/28/03) WOODBURY - Nassau County's Aviation Unit intercepted a small plane that flew into LaGuardia's airspace without permission. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials say it happened just before 2 p.m. Sunday. The craft, a Mooney M20C,allegedly entered the airport's space and didn't respond to air traffic controllers before landing at Republic Airport. An FAA spokesman says authorities are investigating reports that the plane circled the Statue of Liberty.

American Express is turning to Gangs of New York helmer Martin Scorsese to produce and narrate a documentary about the Statue of Liberty as part of a nationwide campaign to re-open the national monument, which has been closed down to tourists since the September 11th attacks. Although the monument itself is off limits, the grounds of Liberty Island have been open to the public. Scorsese made the announcemnt on Tuesday, along with New York's mayor Michael Bloomberg and American Express chairman and CEO Kenneth Chenault, in the city's Battery Park. The special is slated to air on January 15th on...

Lady Liberty to America: Can you spare a dime? Mayor Bloomberg helped launch a nationwide fund-raising campaign yesterday to raise $5 million to reopen the Statue of Liberty. The landmark has been closed because of security concerns since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, although Liberty Island remains open. And while the federal government doles out millions of dollars in homeland security funds to out-of-harm's way states such as Wyoming and North Dakota, it hasn't forked over enough dough to reopen the nation's most enduring symbol of freedom. "It's great that people want to help open Lady Liberty again, but...

NEW YORK (AP) - A nonprofit group is looking for private donations to fund security improvements needed to reopen the Statue of Liberty, off-limits to the public since the Sept. 11 attacks. The federal government already has spent millions of dollars on upgrades, but about $5 million worth of security measures still are needed before visitors can go inside the 151-foot-high statue, National Park Service spokesman Brian Feeney said. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, which oversaw Lady Liberty's restoration in the 1980s, offered to help raise the funds, Feeney said. The Statue of Liberty National Monument, a 58-acre island...

<p>BORDEAUX, France — Vandals in southwest Bordeaux torched a replica of the Statue of Liberty and cracked the pedestal of a plaque honoring victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.</p> <p>The crowned head of the 8-foot-tall statue was blackened by fire and its eyes were marked with red paint, apparently to symbolize tears of blood, an official at the mayor's office said.</p>

BORDEAUX, France - Vandals in this southwest Bordeaux torched a replica of the Statue of Liberty and cracked the pedestal of a plaque honoring victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The crowned head of the 8-foot-tall statue was blackened by fire and its eyes were marked with red paint, apparently to symbolize tears of blood, an official at the mayor's office said. The statue and the Sept. 11 plaque are beside each other in a square near the city center. The mayor of the southwestern city, Alain Juppe, condemned Wednesday's pre-dawn attack, saying the statue's message is especially...

Pennsylvania Man Advocates Return of Statue of Liberty (White Oak, PA) -- With war looming in the Middle East, and the controversial objections from the French, a White Oak, Pennsylvania man has come up with an idea for the United States to make a strong stance against France. Josh Wander has started a website, called www.giveitback.net, in which he advocates returning the Statue of Liberty. Wander says that America would make a strong statement by getting rid of the statue, which was a symbol of friendship and peace from France in the late 1800's. The site has logged over one...

OK, if nobody else will do it, I'm going to patch up this spat between the United States and France. As you know, our two nations are not getting along, as evidenced by the high-level meeting in Paris last week, during which French President Jacques Chirac and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, in what aides described as ''a frank exchange of views,'' bit each other. Yes, relations are at an all-time low. The French view us as a bunch of fat, simplistic, SUV-driving, gum-chewing, gun-shooting, mall-dwelling, John Wayne cowboys who put ketchup on everything we eat, including breath mints....

Just check it out. What hubris! Do you suppose her campaign authorized this button?