World Trade Towers and Pentagon Attacked 1215
The World Trade Towers in new york were crashed into by 2 planes, one on each tower, 18 minutes apart. Nobody really knows who did it, but the planes were big ones. Normally I wouldn't consider posting this on Slashdot, but I'm making an exception this time because I can't get news through any of the conventional websites, and I assume I'm not alone. Update We're having server problems. Sorry. Updated info, both towers havecollapsed, pentagon hit by 3rd plane. Part of it has collapsed.
Try the BBC (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:News so far (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:News so far (Score:3, Insightful)
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Are you BRAIN-DEAD?
Re:The Internet Cannot Keep Up/Message To the assh (Score:2, Insightful)
Yeah it was probably some Middle-Eastern terrorist like the guy that blew up the Federal building in Oklaho... errr, never mind.
oh man (Score:3, Insightful)
that said, i hope everyone is ok. the two towers make a great target for anyone. i didn't work that high up, but i can't imagine walking the stairs. they're plain concrete stairs without windows or anything. in a time of panic like this, it would be easy to get hurt simply trying to evacuate.
i really hope everyone is ok.
Re:i only hope (Score:2, Insightful)
Accident...? (Score:4, Insightful)
I really don't see how this could be an accident. The rule is that any airplane accident is a combination of at least three different errors/factors.
However. Any urban area, especially one with such a dense traffic, is at all times under radar surveillance and Air Traffic Control. Unless a number of people simultaneously had their braincells commit mass suicide, this could (or should) not have happened.
I fear that this is the result of terrorism. And if the news say different, I'll be very skeptical. After all, if it were terrorism, what does this show to the US public? That they're vulnerable at any time. Not exactly a sentiment the Powers That Be would like to instill to their voters...
And one last thing. Whatever this turns out to be, and as much as people all over the world are glued to their PCs or TV sets for news, there's one thing to remember here. It's not 'exciting', it's not 'fun'. It's tragic. These were real, live people...and the news channels are having a field day.
What America really needs (Score:1, Insightful)
Straight from the Borg's mouth (Score:1, Insightful)
MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
NEW YORK, Sept. 11 -- Two aircraft slammed into the World Trade Center in New York on Tuesday, in what was immediately speculated to be a terrorist attack. The FBI reported that a hijacking might have taken place just before the crashes. Police and ambulances were rushing to the scene.
THE AIRCRAFT struck about a half hour apart, starting fires and sending smoke billowing out of the skyscrapers. The first crash happened shortly before 9 a.m. ET.
MSNBC.com reporter Martin Wolk, who was inside one of the towers, said the lights flickered and then a loud bang was heard. People panicked and started to flee the building.
When they reached the lobby, smoke started to fill the building and people could see debris falling and many cars outside were damaged. "It was sheer pandemonium, people were screaming and crying, afraid to go outside because of the falling debris," Wolk said. "We looked up and it looked like the top 20 floors were in flames."
Another bystander described a barrage of debris raining down on the sidewalk below. About 9 a.m., a second aircraft was seen crashing into the other tower. Broadcast cameras already watching the scene filmed the second plane ram the tower.
Large holes were visible in sides of the 110-story buildings. The tops of the twin towers were obscured by the smoke.
Thousands of pieces of what appeared to be office paper came drifting over Brooklyn, about three miles from the tower, one witness said.
A video freeze shows a plane just before it hits the center some 18 minutes after the first crash.
Terrorism was speculated given that the center was bombed on Feb. 26, 1993, killing six people and injured more than 1,000 others.
The FBI said it was investigating reports of a hijacking. A United Airlines employee said he had heard reports that an American Airlines jet had been hijacked and was one of the two aircraft that flew into the center. It was not clear if there were passengers on board.
New York airports and the Lincoln Tunnel reportedly were closed as a precautionary measure.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Re:What America really needs (Score:2, Insightful)
Watch for the attack on your rights! (Score:4, Insightful)
Congress typically feels the need to respond after some high profile incident like this. There is no way at this time to know what accually happened, or how to prevent this. (Much less how to prevent this without trampeling your rights). Still congress wants to do something, so they appear to have the ebst attentions. Odds are this will be used to trample on your rights.
We had it coming... (Score:5, Insightful)
Now, a couple things.. this is bad, this is really bad..
Apparently it was Palestinian terrorists that
did it (so TV is reporting)..
If it really was Palestinians, as much as I hate to say this.. I sort of understand..
before I start, I am a normal American white guy, am open minded, and think every race in the world has a right to their own safety and piece (including Americans).. I have absolutely nothing to do with the Arab israeli conflict (I am not arab, or Jewish, or anything like that), nor do I know any of either side closely at all..
But I was in Isreal once on business, and I saw what the Israelies do to the Palestinians, and what I saw made me sick to be an American because of how our government supports what the Israelis do to those people..
Basically, the isrealis take palestinian land bit by bit to make settlements for Israelis only, and shoot/run over/kill Palestinians with the guns, helicopters and bullets that we, America give the Israelis.
We dont report these travesties on American news (though you can get it on the BBC, CBC and other foreign outlets, and watch Israelis shoot with machine guns, 12 year old arab kids throwing rocks).
It is worse than south Africa, and I go as far to say, that the Israelis have put the Palestinians in concentration camp like conditions for the last 20 years or so, bulldozing their houses for their land, shooting their kids, controlling their land, their economy and choking them off one by one..
And when other countries like the Africans try to tell the truth (yes, the Israelis are racists..absolutely, they have dual licence plates for Palestine cars, dont let them drive on the same roads as Israelis, and occupy their country).
And we, the United states government, give more money, bombs, guns and weapons to Israel than to any other country in the world in foreign aid.., knowing (and allowing0 the Israelis to shoot, maim and rob more palestians of there property, lives and freedom.
And we have been doing that for 20 years now at least..
What else should we have expected really?
This terrorism really sucks,
also look at what we have been doing too the last 20 years.. and why a people felt so driven to do this to us..
Re:Unconfirmed report... (Score:4, Insightful)
try your local newspaper site (Score:2, Insightful)
the AP. and they are not being slammed
sarcasm, folks (Score:5, Insightful)
Here we all are -- on Slashdot. I'm at home, and I bet that I won't go to work until late this afternoon. Most of the country is in similar shape. No missle defense shield could help this. In fact, I'm not sure that *anything* could help this. If half a dozen guys decide to hijack airplanes and crash them into major buildings, no defense shield or anything else will help.
Manhattan Shutdown! (Score:1, Insightful)
Apon getting back home I find out that both towers are now rubble! Cell phones are not functional in the New York/New Jersey area.
How long do you wager befor we go to war? Im putting bets on troop movements befor the sun comes up tommorrow.
PS-> Why is Slashdot fucked up today?
The biggest casualty (Score:5, Insightful)
Constitution. Whenever a tragedy likes this occurs, the government always announces a get tough on terrorists policy that will have no effect on the psychopaths who do this, but will severely limit our rights.
The huge loss of life is bad enough. The subsequent loss of what truly represents what this country stands for will be intolerable.
Re:We had it coming... (Score:1, Insightful)
If Bin Laden, Declare war! (Score:2, Insightful)
Give us Bin Laden in 24 hours or we oficially issue a Declaration of War and us ALL of our weapons available
Radical, yes? Emotional, yes? It is time to screw politics and use some brute force.
Re:We had it coming... (Score:1, Insightful)
DONATE BLOOD (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:An interesting test (Score:5, Insightful)
It is terrifying, but what really scares me... (Score:2, Insightful)
To me it is obvious that he must literally have ben waiting for a chance like this to show off his all-new weaponry and proof why the military budget had to be increased beyond all sensibility.
Not to speak of the people no longer caring about how he fucked up the US economy.
Definitely some people's butts will be kicked as hard as possible for this - I am just afraid most of them will have not more to do with this than the poor souls that were caught in the towers.
shivering,
Fionn
Re:We had it coming... (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:We had it coming... (Score:1, Insightful)
WWF on a large scale (Score:1, Insightful)
What is he going to get up to while the world is distracted watching the fight?
Problem with terrorist activity of this sort (aside from the tragedy itself, of course) is that it just gives our "leaders" more excuses to take away more of our rights, all in the name of freedom.
Any bets on how long before the internet somehow gets the blame?
you little bag of piss (Score:2, Insightful)
Explain to me, in real empiracal facts, how he 'fucked up' the US economy. Come on man! Grow up and quit being some pathetic parrot. People like you are slaves to your own hate and malice, so that you don't realize that you are nothing but a puppet for those who wish personal power. STOP BEING HYPOCRITICAL! If you want to throw this or that accusation against ANYONE, then you had damn better be both judging yourselves and your pathetic little corrupt political parties by the same standards as well.
I pity you and anyone like you, as you are both slave and slave beater at the same time. Hitler loved people like you.
As for budgeting the military, then perhaps you can now follow that up by saying that ALL government programs that are NOT ALLOWED BY THE US CONSTITUTION should be abolished? Well? Oh, wait, that would be applying consistency, logic and reason. Instead you would rather be the yipping little chihuahua that only barks and maybe nips at heals of the real problem... You my tyrant loving friend are the PROBLEM not part of the solution.
Re:Century 6, Quatrain 97 (Score:2, Insightful)
Previously this quatrain supposedly "predicted" the TWA flight 800 disaster. Before that it was thought to predict a nuclear attack on NYC.
As I say, Nostradamus only predicts the past. I've never seen anyone use his work to accuratly predict any future event
Re:We had it coming... (Score:2, Insightful)
You do not attack civilians.
I hope they nuke the frelling bastards behind this.
TURN IMAGES OFF (Score:2, Insightful)
New perspective (Score:2, Insightful)
This is a sad sad day for palestine (Score:4, Insightful)
But now, this attack will rate up their with the loss of the Battleship Maine and the attack on Pearl Harbor. Who ever has done this has doomed themselves, and they have destroyed Palestine as well.
If you are religious this would be a good time to pray that no nukes are used in retaliation. There will be retatliation. Even God can't stop that.
Stonewolf
I saw it happen. (Score:4, Insightful)
Please, if anyone wants to help, go see your local red cross, and donate a few pints of blood. We are going to need it.
Re:We had it coming... (Score:4, Insightful)
With regard to your words about atrocities, both sides are equally guilty of brutality. Don't lay all the blame on Israel. The main reason why we side with the Israel, aside from the Holocaust, is the fact that SEVERAL leaders of Middle eastern nations have vowed to ELIMINATE the Jews. Not "get our land back," or "defend ourselves and our way of life," but ERADICATE the jewish people. All Jews everywhere. By aiding Israel we are not participating in a mass extinction, we are trying to prevent one from happening.
Zeus_tfc
Re:We had it coming... (Score:4, Insightful)
If Palestinins did this, they have killed any chance for poeace in this generation - and the real killing is probably just beginning.
As a side note, if our airline security is so good these days, how come they were abler to use 3 (or is it 4 - just heard Camp David got hit, don't know if this is true or not) airplanes as weapons?
Don't take it out on your Arabic neighbours (Score:5, Insightful)
Stay off the phone (Score:1, Insightful)
As emergency crews and tactical teams need communications more than anyone right now, stay off the phone.
Nationwide, the telecommunications systems of the US are FLOODED. Everyone is trying to call freinds and relatives to spread the news and try to get more information. The emergency response teams across the nation are experiencing MAJOR difficulties with communications because of the overloaded infrastructure.
Please spread the word (IN PERSON) stay off the phone!!!!
Re:We had it coming... (Score:2, Insightful)
just think about how the countries surrounding Israel would treat a large Israeli minority that acted like the Palestinians do, and Israel seems a whole lot less like the bad guy.
MIRROR site with PICS and VIDEO (Score:3, Insightful)
here is a mirror with pics that seem to have been taken from a digital camera.
As well as video of a plane hitting a tower and one of the towers collapsing.
I wish my server luck...
ender-
Re:FUCK YOU!!! (Score:4, Insightful)
I think I heard that one before.
Did it work then ?
Re:NSA and CIA SIGINT ? (Score:3, Insightful)
What if the arguement could be made that by invading your privacy, this tragedy could be prevented.
(Such an arguement will likely be made in the near future. For privacy advocates, now is a very important moment - Expect a landslide of legislation to improve America's SIGINT capabilities, both domestic and abroad.)
-jerdenn
Re:We had it coming... (Score:4, Insightful)
That won't solve anything. I have family in Ireland, and we well know the result of that kind of an attitude. The right way forward is much harder than just bombing the crap out of a random Islamic country. It's down to GWB to do the right thing.
Regarding airline security: this is the result of the US having had it so EASY for the last 40 years. As a friend said, none of us (Euros) would have been surprised for something like this to have happened at any time, virtually, since the 1982 massacres in Beirut at least. Not to mention the many, many, many other countries around the war that the US has picked on to protect their trade interests, or to prop up some dictatorship.
Do not seek revenge against the wrong people (Score:4, Insightful)
Plea for peace (Score:3, Insightful)
FWIW, I'm not a citizen of the U.S. nor do I live there.
Violence induces more violence. Retaliation will only lead to more deaths. If you are a citizen of the U.S. of America, please write your representative right now and ask him to join a plea for peace. Historically the U.S. reaction to this kind of attack is to counter strike. It's highly probably that it's already being planned or even carried on. That will solve nothing. You might get even, but that achieves nothing. The death will not come back and the attack has been already recorded on the books of history. At this point in time, counter attacking is irrational and puts not only the lives of U.S. citizens at risk, but those of lots of people all arround the world, too.
Re:Osama's threats and Palestinians celebrating(li (Score:1, Insightful)
Do we become terrorist, ourselves? (Score:4, Insightful)
Oh, great! This sort of revenge attitude is precisely the kind of thing that which whe terrorists want, and the kind of thing that leads to more of these terrorist attacks.
-
We get attacked, and innocent people die, so
- we go out and 'punnish' innocent people who are vaguely associated with the cause of the killers.
- switch sides and go to step one.
Hatred and random violence are not the appropriate responses to violence. Hatred comes from fear. Generating fear in random people on the other side is only going to create an opening for those who wish to generate more hatred against us.Most notably: attacks against innocents only vaguely associated with the terrorist only helps the cause of the terrorists. It makes more people desperate and angry -- feeding the machinery of the terrorists. This is the last thing we want.
Never Again? They're the first to pass it on... (Score:3, Insightful)
Israel COULD have had credibility as an idea if they'd tried to create a Switzerland of sorts, a promised land flowing with milk and honey where people were free to worship as they pleased and proudly declare their heritage without fear of persecution.
But instead, they decided to found the nation on principles of xenophobia and entitlement and death and suffering to anyone who opposed them. That's the main reason why the arabs detest them.
It's sad, because I am sure that not all Israelis are like the guy who killed Yitzak Rabin, or Ariel Sharon. They are most likely human beings who would like to live out their lives as best they can and let their neighbors do the same. Most palestinians are probably like that, too.
Frankly, I don't think any power in that region is capable of fairly governing it.