So the finalists for the design of the World Trade Center memorial have just been announced. Each entry, no surprise, seems worthy and thoughtful. My only comment, if anyone cares, is that several of these designs depend upon electrical illumination for their effects, which seems like a bad idea. Their use of light is often surprising and ingenious, but I'd rather see a lasting, permanent monument that would retain its meaning without any human care, even if the power were to fail (or, say, if this country were to cease to exist). Maybe this is just my classical side speaking, but there's no guarantee that these memorials will still be plugged in after two thousand years, and it'd be nice to have something that will speak eloquently to people in the fortieth century, even as a ruin, after all the lights have gone out.