Plane Skids Off Runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport

Not exactly breaking news, but this morning, a Delta Airlines plane tried to land in the snow safely at LaGuardia Airport and crashed into a fence in addition to skidding off the runway, according to CNN and various other sources.

LaGuardia Airport is apparently drenched in snow as the National Weather Service had issued a winter storm warning for New York and, as a result of the incident, LaGuardia Airport is closed for the remainder of the day.

According to the New York City Fire Department the cause of the incident was a fuel leak on the plane’s jet-engine.

My Ray of Sunshine for today is:  Thank God there were no injuries or casualties suffered as a result of the incident.  The whole thing could have been a lot worse.  Although it was scary for passengers, we must remember that no casualties occurred.  This is a beautiful thing.  Hug your families tighter.  We never know what can happen.  Keep spreading the love to one another and let all those you care about know it.  Even in incidents where prevention occurs, we must be grateful for life, which we all are hopefully.  This serves as yet another reminder.

(Photo courtesy of Steve Blaze via Twitter).

The C.I.A. Reportedly Bought & Destroyed Nerve Agent Rockets During Occupation of Iraq

According to the New York Times, American officials have said that the C.I.A.working with American troops, reportedly purchased the nerve agent rockets nuclear weapons from 2005 through 2006 after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Operation Avarice, as it was known, was run out of the C.I.A. station in Baghdad, in collaboration with the Army’s 203rd Military Intelligence Battalion and teams of chemical-defense and explosive ordnance disposal troops, officials and veterans of the units said.

Many of the rockets recovered seemed to be in poor condition, some were empty, and others held a nonlethal liquid substance.  But others contained the nerve agent sarin, which analysis showed to be purer than the intelligence community had expected given the age of the stock.

The New York Times conducted an investigation that found that the military had found old chemical warheads and shells in Iraq and that Americans and Iraqis had been wounded by them, but the information was withheld from the public by the government.

The purchases were made from an individual Iraqi source who was eager to sell his stock, officials said. The amount of money that the United States paid for the rockets is not publicly known, and neither are the affiliations of the seller.

My Ray of Sunshine for today is: I think it was fantastic that these nuclear weapons were recovered by the C.I.A. as this ensured that these weapons wouldn’t be used by terrorists.  The C.I.A.’s level of quick ability to take the weapons off the market is admirable.  If this news isn’t positive, I don’t know what is.

Teen Struck and Killed Outside Lincoln-Way Central High School

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Dylan Wischover.  Wischover was struck and killed by a truck outside Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox, IL this morning.  Wischover was a 17-year-old student at the school. He was pronounced dead at Silver Cross Hospital.

My Ray of Sunshine goes out to Wischover’s family and friends. Remember to always remember Dylan as a kind and caring person.  Remember the good times that you had with him.  He would want you to celebrate his life through the memories you had together. I never met Dylan, but I know what it’s like to lose a friend who was so young.  I know this is a tragedy, but Dylan lives on in all of you, his family and friends. Let all of your emotions out. That’s all a natural part of grieving. In your grief, try to stay as positive as you can when the time is right for you. My heart goes out to all of you.