Transcript of President Bush's address
From cnn.com
Transcript of President Bush's address to a joint session of Congress on Thursday night, September 20, 2001.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President Pro Tempore, members of Congress, and fellow Americans, in the normal course of events, presidents come to this chamber to report on the state of the union. Tonight, no such report is needed; it has already been delivered by the American people.
We have seen it in the courage of passengers who rushed terrorists to save others on the ground. Passengers like an exceptional man named Todd Beamer. And would you please help me welcome his wife Lisa Beamer here tonight?
(APPLAUSE)
We have seen the state of our union in the endurance of rescuers working past exhaustion.
We've seen the unfurling of flags, the lighting of candles, the giving of blood, the saying of prayers in English, Hebrew and Arabic.
We have seen the decency of a loving and giving people who have made the grief of strangers their own.
My fellow citizens, for the last nine days, the entire world has seen for itself the state of union, and it is strong.
(APPLAUSE)
Tonight, we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.
Posted by Balandar
Thursday, September 20, 2001 9:42 PM EDT
OOC: Community Reaction to U.S. Disaster
From uo.stratics.com
There's not much I can say about recent events, other than that it's hit the Catskills community pretty damn hard. We've received a lot of reaction to it in our mail, and I thought I'd post it.
Thanks to everyone who submitted, but my mailbox has been overfilled with screenshots to the point that I haven't been able to receive new messages. Anyone submitting an image at this time, please upload it to another site and send me the link.
Brian Yamada submitted the following memorial images.
Lady Pandora sent this in:
In light of the recent nation-wide tragedy, the Children of Darkness would like to publically extend their condolences to our fellow players in the New York and Washington DC area that may have suffered a loss of a loved one due to this unbelievable attack on human kind.
We would like to hold a candlelight vigil to remember those that lost their lives in this horrible act of terrorism on Friday Night at 9 PM EST at Lord British's castle in Trammel. We ask that everyone show up with a candle (or light source) and come to pay their respects.
On an off game issue, we would like to remind everyone that blood is the source of life, and many many pints are needed to help those injured. If your health allows, please do your part to donate blood to your local Red Cross Center.
Posted by Balandar
Thursday, September 13, 2001 11:19 PM EDT
Bush, Pentagon prepare response
From http://www.msnbc.com/news/627028_asp.htm
Sept. 13 — President Bush, Congress and the Pentagon on Thursday pledged a sustained military campaign against terrorists, beginning with Osama bin Laden, who U.S. officials said they had determined was directly responsible for the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SOURCES told NBC News’ Jim Miklaszewski on Thursday evening that based on “overwhelming” evidence, the Bush administration had concluded that the al-Qaeda organization run by bin Laden had executed the breathtaking operation in which U.S. jetliners were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
NBC’s Norah O’Donnell reported that a sustained military attack on bin Laden, the exiled Saudi millionaire who has vowed to destroy the United States, would likely include air, land and sea forces. Two aircraft carriers are in the Arabian Peninsula region, each carrying 75 bombers capable of launching long-range missiles.
The Washington Post reported on its Web site that the Pentagon planned to call several thousand reservists to active duty in the next few days. Defense officials told the Post that the activation would likely mark the start of a much larger military mobilization in the wake of Tuesday’s terrorist strikes.
Bush informed lawmakers that military aircraft were patrolling the skies over Washington and seven other cities, according to Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia’s delegate to Congress.
Earlier Thursday, Bush told reporters that allies around the world had vowed to help him “whip terrorism.”
The Associated Press quoted government officials as saying the Bush administration was pressuring Pakistan to close its borders and allow U.S. jets to fly over its airspace.
Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani military ruler whose government has been accused of backing Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, pledged full cooperation Thursday in the general fight against terrorism and dispatched a delegation to Afghanistan for talks with Taliban leaders.
India’s external affairs minister, Jaswant Singh, told The Times of India newspaper that India would provide logistical help or a staging ground for a U.S. military operation.
........
Posted by Balandar
Thursday, September 13, 2001 10:57 PM EDT
Player Owned Bartenders Published
Player-owned bartenders (listed in Testing for Next Update) have now been published to all shards, and will be active shortly after their next scheduled maintenance period.
Note that the bartenders will not be active immediately. In order to enable players to purchase bartenders, we must first wipe and reset all current non-essential NPCs, including shopkeepers and creatures. This will not affect stablemaster NPCs, players’ pets, or player-owned vendors. This wipe will be done on Friday morning, Sept. 14th CDT, and players can expect to see a low creature spawn for a short time until the numbers have returned to normal.
This change will be added to Latest Game Updates once the bartenders are active on all shards.
Posted by Balandar
Thursday, September 13, 2001 10:16 PM EDT
Auto House Refresh
We understand that many travel and communication avenues, businesses, financial institutions, etc. have been hampered or closed due to yesterday's events, which has no doubt caused many players difficulties in accessing their UO accounts. We are also aware that yesterday was a day for helping others and a day of concern for family and friends. Due to the seriousness of this occasion, we will be refreshing all houses automatically this afternoon in order to help players who may have been unable to access their accounts.
Posted by Balandar
Wednesday, September 12, 2001 7:51 PM EDT
Bush Addresses the Nation on Hijacked Planes
BUSH: Good evening.
Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors.
Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.
The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.
Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.
America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world.
I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.
America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.
Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: ``Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me.''
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.
None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.
Thank you. Good night and God bless America.
Posted by Balandar
Tuesday, September 11, 2001 8:18 PM EDT
Assault on America
For news about what has happened.
http://www.foxnewyork.com/
"World Trade Center Collapses In Terrorist Attack; Washington Also Hit
NEW YORK (AP) -- In one of the most horrifying attacks ever against the United States, terrorists crashed two airliners into the World Trade Center in a deadly series of blows Tuesday that brought down the twin 110-story towers. A plane also slammed into the Pentagon as the government itself came under attack. Thousands could be dead or injured, a high-ranking New York City police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Authorities had been trying to evacuate those who work in the twin towers when the glass-and-steel skyscrapers came down in a thunderous roar within about 90 minutes after the crashes, which took place minutes apart around 9 a.m. But many people were thought to have been trapped. About 50,000 people work at the Trade Center and tens of thousands of others visit each day.
American Airlines initially said the Trade Center was hit by two of its planes, both hijacked, carrying a total of 156 people. But the airline later said that was unconfirmed. Two United airliners with a total of 110 aboard also crashed -- one outside Pittsburgh, the other in a location not immediately identified. Altogether, the planes had 266 people aboard.
"This is perhaps the most audacious terrorist attack that's ever taken place in the world," said Chris Yates, an aviation expert at Jane's Transport in London. "It takes a logistics operation from the terror group involved that is second to none Only a very small handful of terror groups is on that list. ... I would name at the top of the list Osama bin Laden."
President Bush ordered a full-scale investigation to "hunt down the folks who committed this act."
Within the hour, the Pentagon took a direct, devastating hit from a plane. The fiery crash collapsed one side of the five-sided structure.
The White House, the Pentagon and the Capitol were evacuated along with other federal buildings in Washington and New York.
Authorities in Washington immediately called out troops, including an infantry regiment. The Situation Room at the White House was in full operation. Authorities went on alert from coast to coast, the U.S. and Canadian borders were sealed, all air traffic across the country was halted, and security was tightened at strategic installations.
"This is the second Pearl Harbor. I don't think that I overstate it," said Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.
In June, a U.S. judge had set this Wednesday as the sentencing date for a bin Laden associate for his role in the 1998 bombing of a U.S. embassy in Tanzania that killed 213 people. The sentencing had been set for the federal courthouse near the World Trade Center. No one from the U.S. attorney's office could be reached Tuesday to comment on whether the sentencing was still on.
Afghanistan's hardline Taliban rulers condemned the attacks and rejected suggestions that bin Laden was behind them, saying he does not have the means to carry out such well-orchestrated attacks. Bin Laden has been given asylum in Afghanistan.
Abdel-Bari Atwan, editor of the Al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper, sad he received a warning from Islamic fundamentalists close to bin Laden, but did not take the threat seriously. "They said it would be a huge and unprecedented attack but they did not specify," Atwan said in a telephone interview in London.
In the West Bank city of Nablus, thousands of Palestinians celebrated the attacks, chanting "God is Great" and handing out candy.
American Airlines initially identified the planes that crashed into the Trade Center as Flight 11, a Los Angeles-bound jet hijacked after takeoff from Boston with 92 people aboard, and Flight 77, which was seized while carrying 64 people from Washington to Los Angeles.
In Pennsylvania, United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 en route from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco, crashed about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh with 45 people aboard. United said another of its planes, Flight 175, a Boeing 767 bound from Boston to Los Angeles with 65 people on board, also crashed, but it did not say where. The fate of those aboard the two planes was not immediately known.
United's pilots union said United Flight 175 crashed into the Trade Center. But the airline had no immediate comment.
An emergency dispatcher in Westmoreland County, Pa., received a cell phone call at 9:58 a.m. from a man who said he was a passenger locked in the bathroom of United Flight 93, said dispatch supervisor Glenn Cramer.
"We are being hijacked, we are being hijacked!" Cramer quoted the man as saying. The man told dispatchers the plane "was going down. He heard some sort of explosion and saw white smoke coming from the plane and we lost contact with him," Cramer said.
Evacuations were ordered at the United Nations in New York and at the Sears Tower in Chicago. Los Angeles mobilized its anti-terrorism division, and security was intensified around the naval installations in Hampton Roads, Va. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., was evacuated.
At the World Trade Center, "everyone was screaming, crying, running, cops, people, firefighters, everyone," said Mike Smith, a fire marshal. "It's like a war zone."
Jennifer Brickhouse, 34, from Union, N.J., who was going up the escalator into the World Trade Center when she "heard this big boom."
"All this stuff started falling and all this smoke was coming through. People were screaming, falling, and jumping out of the windows," from high in the sky, she said.
"I just saw the building I work in come down," said businessman Gabriel Ioan, shaking in shock outside City Hall, a cloud of smoke and ash from the World Trade Center behind him.
Nearby a crowd mobbed a man on a pay phone, screaming at him to get off the phone so that they could call relatives. Dust and dirt flew everywhere. Ash was 2 to 3 inches deep in places. People wandered dazed and terrified.
The planes blasted fiery, gaping holes in the upper floors of the twin towers. About an hour later, the southern tower collapsed with a roar and a huge cloud of smoke; the other tower fell about a half-hour after that, covering lower Manhattan in heaps of gray rubble and broken glass. Firefighters trapped in the rubble radioed for help.
"I have a sense it's a horrendous number of lives lost," Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said. "Right now we have to focus on saving as many lives as possible."
The death toll on the crashed planes alone could surpass that of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, which claimed 168 lives in what was the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil.
"Today we've had a national tragedy," Bush said in Sarasota, Fla. "Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country." He said he would be returning immediately to Washington.
The crashes at the World Trade Center happened minutes apart, beginning just before 9 a.m.
Heavy black smoke billowed into the sky above one of New York City's most famous landmarks, and debris rained down on the street, one of the city's busiest work areas. When the second plane hit, a fireball of flame and smoke erupted, leaving a huge hole in the glass and steel tower.
John Axisa, who was getting off a commuter train to the World Trade Center, said he saw "bodies falling out" of the building. He said he ran outside, and watched people jump out of the first building. Then there was a second explosion, and he felt heat on the back of neck.
People ran down the stairs in panic and fled the building. Thousands of pieces of what appeared to be office paper drifted over Brooklyn, about three miles away.
Several subway lines were immediately shut down. Trading on Wall Street was suspended. New York's mayoral primary election Tuesday was postponed. All bridges and tunnels into Manhattan were closed.
David Reck was handing out literature for a candidate for public advocate a few blocks away when he saw a jet come in "very low, and then it made a slight twist and dove into the building."
Terrorist bombers struck the World Trade Center in February 1993, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others.
"It's just sick. It just shows how vulnerable we really are," Keith Meyers, 39, said in Columbus, Ohio. "It kind of makes you want to go home and spend time with your family. It puts everything in perspective," Meyers said. He said he called to check in with his wife. They have two young children.
In New York, "we heard a large boom and then we saw all this debris just falling," said Harriet Grimm, who was inside a bookstore on the World Trade Center's first floor when the first explosion rocked the building.
"The plane was coming in low and ... it looked like it hit at a slight angle," said Sean Murtagh, a CNN vice president, the network reported.
In 1945, an Army Air Corps B-25, a twin-engine bomber, crashed. into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building in dense fog.
In Florida, Bush was reading to children in a classroom at 9:05 a.m. when his chief of staff, Andrew Card, whispered into his ear. The president briefly turned somber before he resumed reading. He addressed the tragedy about a half-hour later."
Posted by Balandar
Tuesday, September 11, 2001 1:32 PM EDT
Today's attacks against the USA
I received this ICQ message today.
"There will be an OOC memorial held at Empath Abbey tonight for those who lost their lives in today's attacks against the USA. Please pass this message along."
This will be all night long.
Posted by Balandar
Tuesday, September 11, 2001 1:24 PM EDT
Client Patch 3.04m
We will be releasing a client patch on Tuesday, September 4th at approximately 10:00 AM. This patch is the same patch that was previously released and reverted on August 30th, and contains the following changes:
- 2D gameplay window can now be resized without restarting the client
- When in a party in 3D, the player's status bar will have heal/cure buttons
- Improvements to the "Last Shard Used" button functionality in the 3D client
- The character creation templates have been revamped
- Book crash fixed
- Players will not always be put in Britain when not using Advanced creation mode. They are put in a random starting city.
- Players will no longer be asked if they wish to proceed with criminal acts while in Trammel.
- New characters will now start with 80 stat points.
- Many crashes and other bugs have been addressed in this patch.
The current versions should now be 3.0.4m (2D client) and 3.0.4m Build 74 (3D client).
NOTE: Windows 95 users that have not upgraded to Winsock 2 may receive the error “missing winsock32.dll”. To fix this problem, these users should download and install the new version of Winsock, which can be found here.
Also important to note: Users attempting to log in while using UO Assist may receive the error "The IGR time limit has been met." Until UO Assist is patched by Tugsoft (its parent company), players will need to log in without UO Assist.
Posted by Balandar
Tuesday, September 4, 2001 9:04 PM EDT
Going to Ilshenar with 2d Client Illegal
Greywolfe (Online Community Moderator) posted on this locked thread here on the official UO Boards :
Going to Ilshenar without the Third Dawn client is an exploit. It is illegal. Also, please remember that any alterations you make to your client to do so are in violation of the ToS.
Posted by Martok
Monday, September 3, 2001 11:32 AM EDT