For those of you that don't know, I've been playing this stupid internet spaceship game called 'EVE Online' for over 6 years. Of all the MMO games out there, EVE is the most ruthless, cruel and merciless space simulation in existance. This is because it is entirely player driven. It is not for children. It is played by top businessmen, professors, and government officals from all over the world.
I am a former member of the 'Goonswarm Federation' and I have talked to 'Vile Rat' many times over the last two years on Jabber...I never knew what he really did for a living.
American diplomat Sean Smith, killed in Libya protests, is mourned by his EVE Online gaming community Sean Smith, one of the U.S. diplomats killed in the violence in Benghazi, was also vital to the diplomatic success of the online gaming community EVE Online, many of whose 400,000 users are mourning him today.
Sean Smith gave his life in the service of American diplomacy, but, strangely, he also spent much of his free time online entangled in intergalactic political intrigue.
Smith, a U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer, was killed Tuesday night alongside Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens and two other Americans in an assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.
As the U.S. mourned the deaths of those who worked toward a freer Libya, a worldwide community came together to remember “Vile Rat,” as Smith was known in EVE Online.
EVE is an intensely complicated sci-fi roleplaying game played by a community of about 400,000 people. It has its own economy, complete with corporate espionage and backroom deals, and a player-elected government that meets in person in Iceland. (The Council of Stellar Management — Smith was a member.)
As tensions mounted over a protest outside the consulate before the attack, Smith was chatting with EVE Online friends and sent the eerie message, “assuming we don't die tonight.”
By Wednesday morning, hundreds of in-game space stations had been renamed in tribute to Vile Rat.
Ned Coker, publicist for developer CCP Games, told the Daily News that Smith was “a true force” in the EVE Online community.
Dr. Erlendur Thorsteinsson, the game’s software director, remembered meeting Smith and his wife Heather several times at player get-togethers and through his work with the Council.
Smith — who also leaves behind two young children, Nathan and Heather — previously served in Baghdad, Pretoria, Montreal and The Hague, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday.
He was an Air Force veteran with 10 years in the Foreign Service who was in Libya for what was supposed to be a brief, temporary mission.
EVE blogger Alex Gianturco wrote a memorial post, remembering past occasions when Smith would duck out of chats due to incoming fire.
“If you play this stupid game, you may not realize it, but you play in a galaxy created in large part by Vile Rat’s talent as a diplomat,” Gianturco wrote. “No one focused as relentlessly on using diplomacy as a strategic tool.”
Another blogger, “Seleene,” knew Smith in person after meeting through EVE, and described him as “a genuinely warm and funny guy.”
And on an official EVE forum, the thread announcing that Smith had been killed swelled to more than 30 pages of memorial messages.
Many players who lauded his in-game diplomacy said they had no idea about his work in the real world.
abartkewicz@nydailynews.com
"Approval ratings go up and down for various reasons... An example is the high post 911 support for GWB even though he could be said to be responsible for the event." --- Box A Rox '9/11 Truther'
Melania is a bimbo... she is there to look at, not to listen to. --- Box A Rox and his 'War on Women'
REPORTS: No Live Ammo for Marines Marine blogs say U.S. embassy did not authorize service members to carry ammo
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Too bad the Marines that guard these people are not allowed by the Obama bureaucrats to have live ammo in their guns
It is too bad. Ronny RayGun did a similar injustice to the Marines in Beirut. Marines know how to fortify and protect a building, and especially a military building like their own barracks in Beirut. The White House ordered the Marines there to keep a low profile with minimum show of force. The result: The death toll was 241 American servicemen: 220 marines, 18 sailors and 3 soldiers.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
It is too bad. Ronny RayGun did a similar injustice to the Marines in Beirut. Marines know how to fortify and protect a building, and especially a military building like their own barracks in Beirut. The White House ordered the Marines there to keep a low profile with minimum show of force. The result: The death toll was 241 American servicemen: 220 marines, 18 sailors and 3 soldiers.
A truck with the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of TNT had nothing to do with it. It had to drive inside the compound past two sentry posts and through a barbed wire fence to do it. The Sentries were at condition four (no magazine inserted and no rounds in the chamber), but at least they HAD guns and ammo.
The setup at the Libyan embassy was an absolute joke.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
A truck with the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of TNT had nothing to do with it. It had to drive inside the compound past two sentry posts and through a barbed wire fence to do it. The Sentries were at condition four (no magazine inserted and no rounds in the chamber), but at least they HAD guns and ammo.
The setup at the Libyan embassy was an absolute joke.
The Marines in Beirut were ordered to use minimal force and minimal security. There were no spike strips, no cement barricades, no obstacles to prevent a vehicle from driving past the sentry and into the building.
As I posted... Marines know how to defend a building and fortify it against attack. They were not allowed to proceed. At the Beirut airport they were given a similar mission. Secure the Airport, but ordered NOT to take the high ground surrounding the airport. The result... and impossible mission, they were under sniper fire for most of their mission there.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The Marines in Beirut were ordered to use minimal force and minimal security. There were no spike strips, no cement barricades, no obstacles to prevent a vehicle from driving past the sentry and into the building.
As I posted... Marines know how to defend a building and fortify it against attack. They were not allowed to proceed. At the Beirut airport they were given a similar mission. Secure the Airport, but ordered NOT to take the high ground surrounding the airport. The result... and impossible mission, they were under sniper fire for most of their mission there.
I'm not disagreeing the marines were put at an unnecessary disadvantage in Beirut. But it still took a huge truck bomb to do the damage. Gov't is supposed to learn from its mistakes..no matter how you slice it, or Embassies should have had better security.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
I'm not disagreeing the marines were put at an unnecessary disadvantage in Beirut. But it still took a huge truck bomb to do the damage. Gov't is supposed to learn from its mistakes..no matter how you slice it, or Embassies should have had better security.
We agree.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
It was the Marines in EGYPT that were not permitted to carry live ammo, not Libya.
Sean was killed in the initial attack, Ambassador Stevens was unaccouted for 12 hrs, and is now thought to have been totrured before being killed.
Obama went back to sleep.
"Approval ratings go up and down for various reasons... An example is the high post 911 support for GWB even though he could be said to be responsible for the event." --- Box A Rox '9/11 Truther'
Melania is a bimbo... she is there to look at, not to listen to. --- Box A Rox and his 'War on Women'
Poor Box - he still lives in the past (almost 20 years ago) ... someday maybe he'll start living in the present.
No Rusty... The Beirut bombing was in 1983... almost 30 years ago. 20 years ago, Clinton being elected president... and before that was DaddyBush. Then Reagan. (Rusty isn't much on math, or history, but he likes to type!)
Rusty might to well to remember George Santayana words: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Indeed -- the incident in question was close to THIRTY years ago and although it occurred under the watch of a former California actor that was one of my Mother's favorites -- the order to be lightly armed was given by the career Defense Department personnel inside the compound. However --- this incident further points to the incompetence of this administration and the liberal extremism they tend to display from time to time.
"Return the Democratic Party to it's Pro-Life roots and remove control of it from the Neo-Liberals!
I am as awesome as a man can be, especially when I am passionate about something. ~ Glryinthhighest
"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
Better quote this to Obama, because he's almost mirroring Jimmy
"Approval ratings go up and down for various reasons... An example is the high post 911 support for GWB even though he could be said to be responsible for the event." --- Box A Rox '9/11 Truther'
Melania is a bimbo... she is there to look at, not to listen to. --- Box A Rox and his 'War on Women'
No Rusty... The Beirut bombing was in 1983... almost 30 years ago. 20 years ago, Clinton being elected president... and before that was DaddyBush. Then Reagan. (Rusty isn't much on math, or history, but he likes to type!)
Rusty might to well to remember George Santayana words: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
Ah, so you're mind is even further back than I gave you credit for ... try living in the present man, the past is over, it can't be changed.
Vilerat" Benefit Raises $100,000 Andy Chalk 26 September 2012 5:41 pm
A fundraiser for the EVE Online player killed during the attack on the American consulate in Libya has more than doubled its original goal.
Sean "Vilerat" Smith was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department and also a long-standing and highly regarded member of the EVE Online community who, in the words of Goonswarm leader The Mittani, "had influence over the grand game and the affairs of Nullsec [that] cannot be overstated." He was tragically killed on September 11, along with U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and security personnel Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, in a riot at the consulate sparked by the low-budget film Innocence of Muslims.
Shortly after his death, a member of the Something Awful community launched a fundraiser to help Smith's family cope with his loss and also to establish a college fund for his two children. And then something awesome happened: In less than 12 hours, donations totaled more than half of the fundraiser's original goal of $50,000, leading organizers to double it. And now that goal has been hit, and so it's been raised again, to $150,000.
"I do not know how to express my gratitude on behalf of my children," Smith's wife Heather wrote in response to the outpouring of support. "I am so very touched at the love and support you all have shown us and I will read each and every post made in honor of Sean. Peace and love to all of you. Hold your family close and remember what is important."
The "Benefit for Sean Smith's Family" runs until December 1. All funds raised go directly to Smith's wife; donations may be made at YouCaring.com.
"Approval ratings go up and down for various reasons... An example is the high post 911 support for GWB even though he could be said to be responsible for the event." --- Box A Rox '9/11 Truther'
Melania is a bimbo... she is there to look at, not to listen to. --- Box A Rox and his 'War on Women'
Thanks for the story Buck! These are things we would have never know. You made it more personal. Thanks!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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