OT: Explosions at the Boston Marathon

[Buffalo Wings]

So now they're saying that no other explosives were found? This is exactly why I hate how everyone races to be the first to report things.

 

This is why I wait...because the news outlets are so geared on winning the race (no pun intended) and say they were the first to report it, it's usually wrong. IMO, it's better to wait a couple of days and let things clear out before we get the real facts.

 

And I also hate the political spins from this. This one isn't as bad, but when the Albany Times Union posted bullets from the president's 6:00pm press conference on their facebook page, the first comment I saw was "Oh, shut up, Obama".

 

In the wake of this event, nobody is Democrat or Republican. They'll go back to being split by sometime this afternoon, but there's no need to shoot down the president when he simply offer's the nation's condolences and support for victims of a bombing on our own soil.

[Eleven]

Regrettably, 100% serious.

 

I didn't know anyone took the Post seriously. I know that your political views are not exactly in alignment with those of the editors of the New York Times, but the Post?! It's the National Enquirer, but with a focus on politics rather than Hollywood. (For the record, the only newspaper I currently subscribe to is a conservative one, and a trustworthy one: WSJ.)

 

I'm glad that I haven't seen any news outlet--Post, NYT, or whatever--blame a religious/national group yet. I think we've learned our lesson from Oklahoma City.

[nfreeman]

I didn't know anyone took the Post seriously. I know that your political views are not exactly in alignment with those of the editors of the New York Times, but the Post?! It's the National Enquirer, but with a focus on politics rather than Hollywood. (For the record, the only newspaper I currently subscribe to is a conservative one, and a trustworthy one: WSJ.)

 

I'm glad that I haven't seen any news outlet--Post, NYT, or whatever--blame a religious/national group yet. I think we've learned our lesson from Oklahoma City.

 

With the NYP, I think there's a tendency to judge the book by its cover -- and the NYP certainly invites this. But if you get past the in-your-face headlines and the page 6 stuff, it's an excellent paper.

 

I agree about withholding judgment until the facts are in.

[Claude_Verret]

I will pray for them to get waterboarded and butt-raped for the brief remainder of their lives.

 

That might be a good start.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2...cnn-disqus-area

[Kristian]

Don't know what to say.

[spndnchz]

Don't know what to say.

 

it's okay to grieve however you want or not say anything. As long as you don't celebrate what happened it's all good.

[PASabreFan]

Martin Richard died in the attack. A hockey name (sort of; I can't see it without thinking of Rico), a hockey fan, a good kid and only eight years old. This pic is going to break your heart.

 

[shrader]

Martin Richard died in the attack. A hockey name (sort of; I can't see it without thinking of Rico), a hockey fan, a good kid and only eight years old. This pic is going to break your heart.

 

 

The other two are a 29 year old girl from Medford (town my fiancee teaches in) and a Chinese grad student at BU. The Chinese girl is apparently straight out of China.

[darksabre]

Martin Richard died in the attack. A hockey name (sort of; I can't see it without thinking of Rico), a hockey fan, a good kid and only eight years old. This pic is going to break your heart.

 

 

Ugh. :(

[WildCard]

Okay, I'm doing the hyper-sensitive a favor here and am masking my thoughts so they aren't unintentionally exposed to them.

 

I've moved on past the shock and awe part of the story; the blast, the wounded, the people who saved the wounded, the initial facts, the burgeoning investigation. Phase two will develop rapidly. If you don't want to step into phase two of this narrative, don't look at my comments. If you don't have a stomach for realism, don't look. Don't b*tch to me if you don't like what you read, because you have been warned.

 

 

 

No truthers yet? No one wants to posit that this was the opening salvo by the Obama Administration in an attempt to become President for life?

 

 

What other cynicism can I drop in here...oh, yes, I am amazed that the right-wing hasn't been implicated yet. I only watched about an hour of coverage last night, flipping between Fox, CNN and MSNBC and it's stunning that they haven't called, yet, for legislation that would somehow handles instances like this.

 

 

This is going to become very political very soon. This will be used to justify more cameras placed just about everywhere, and justify some other freedom-constraining laws just like Sandy Hook was used, almost immediately, as a justification to restrict gun rights.

 

 

I hear all of the chatter now about the investigations on-going, and, I am not convinced at all in the "resolve" of a lot of the bureaucrats saying things like "who ever did this will feel the full weight of justice...".

 

 

If it's some radical Islamist group that originates in Dubai...what then? Will Obama send Seal Team 6 in again to pull some double-taps? Maybe. I think bin Laden was an out-lier - a bid to seal an election.

 

 

 

 

Pretty accurate on this I'd say. Caught Bin-Laden, overhauled gun-control, first african-american President, took large steps in foreign relations in the middle-east, potential North Korea conflict, first President after the 2nd largest economic recession in U.S. history, and now whatever fallout there will be from this? Sounds like he's gonna have quite a section in the books when he's all done.

 

I don't wanna be the guy to throw Grassy knoll scenarios around, especially so immediately after a tragedy like this, and I honestly don't think this would be a case of one of them, but it always stops and makes you wonder when the reigning party happens to benefit so much from adversity. On one hand, in adversity there lies opportunity, so such a universal principle can't really be constricted in such a manner as violent outbursts in the U.S. as someone will always find a way to benefit from chaos in any scenario, but when Bush retains Presidency in outstanding form and his popularity sky-rockets after 911 and Obama manages to pursue his legislation after an unprecedented shooting in Sandy Hook, when the benefits to their personal endeavors happen to be so clear, I can't help but wonder.

 

OTHO, it's like I said, someone will always benefit from chaos/adversity because therein lies potential for someone to arise from the situation and make what would have looked bad in good times now good in bad times (things never change in prosperity, it is only when something goes wrong do we see change). So the fact that the most influential political figure in the country happens to benefit from tragedy shouldn't be surprising because they are merely given an opportunity to thrive. Some,like FDR, make the most of it and go full-scale, revamping a nation towards their vision and doing so successfully. Others, like GWB, implement a ######-ton of policies that fail miserably-it's all in how you seize the opportunity.

 

Bottom line, Obama has been given his opportunity throughout his Presidency, however miserable they may be, only time will tell how he forges his legacy, and our own prosperity for that matter.

[spndnchz]

Oh Dear God. I'm balling my eyes out.

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/04/16/when-doing-your-job-more-than-doing-job/QOdqUtt5oeZREmbUmhhbJI/story.html?s_campaign=sm_tw

[Claude_Verret]

Martin Richard died in the attack. A hockey name (sort of; I can't see it without thinking of Rico), a hockey fan, a good kid and only eight years old. This pic is going to break your heart.

 

 

I saw that picture in the article I linked above yesterday and I immediately see a dark haired version of my own 8 year old. Spitting image. And the mother and sister gravely injured. I hope the father is eventually able to gather the strength to carry on, I'm not sure that I could.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Martin Richard died in the attack. A hockey name (sort of; I can't see it without thinking of Rico), a hockey fan, a good kid and only eight years old. This pic is going to break your heart.

 

 

Oh Dear God. I'm balling my eyes out.

 

http://www.bostonglo..._campaign=sm_tw

 

:cry:

 

Sad, sad day, week, month, year ...

[spndnchz]

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Suspicious-Letter-President-Obama-Ricin-Letter-Senate-203405261.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_NYBrand

 

This again?

[PASabreFan]

http://www.nbcnewyor...FlowTwt_NYBrand

 

This again?

 

I guess the point is just to tweak us, because the sender would have to know there's no way Obama's secretary walks in with the day's mail and tosses it on the desk.

[SwampD]

http://www.nbcnewyor...FlowTwt_NYBrand

 

This again?

See what happens when you try to ban assault weapons and cut defense spending?

[gomper]

Oh Dear God. I'm balling my eyes out.

 

http://www.bostonglo..._campaign=sm_tw

 

You're right Spndnchz. Truly, truly heartbreaking.

[Randall Flagg]

See what happens when you try to ban assault weapons and cut defense spending?

Are you proposing that more defense spending and more assault weapons would have stopped this?

[LGR4GM]

See what happens when you try to ban assault weapons and cut defense spending?

sarcasm?

[spndnchz]

See what happens when you try to ban assault weapons and cut defense spending?

 

Too soon.

[TrueBlueGED]

Is it really so hard to keep the tinfoil hat stuff out of here? At least Sizzle had the thoughtfulness to make his visible only to those who wanted to read it.

[LastPommerFan]

Is it really so hard to keep the tinfoil hat stuff out of here? At least Sizzle had the thoughtfulness to make his visible only to those who wanted to read it.

 

You want to keep the tin foil hat stuff out of an internet message board?

 

I don't think you understand how the internets work.

[Weave]

You want to keep the tin foil hat stuff out of an internet message board?

 

I don't think you understand how the internets work.

 

Tin foil hat stuff is the best part of the internet. But I'm not ready to enjoy any of it attached to this bombing just yet.

[SwampD]

sarcasm?

Only slightly

Are you proposing that more defense spending and more assault weapons would have stopped this?

Is it really so hard to keep the tinfoil hat stuff out of here? At least Sizzle had the thoughtfulness to make his visible only to those who wanted to read it.

I just find it interesting that whenever a Muslim farts in Jersey City we hear about all kinds of "chatter", but whenever it's (I'm assuming) a domestic white guy angry at our gov't (Atlanta, OKC) it's radio silence. That's not tinfoil hat stuff.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Tin foil hat stuff is the best part of the internet. But I'm not ready to enjoy any of it attached to this bombing just yet.

 

Today's developments with the letters and who they are going to has me unnerved. I think this country is divided enough with agendas, and if there will be links and shaping to the marathon......just enjoy every day you can. Apple Pie and Ritchie Cunningham's America is gapping away.

 

No matter what, this entire situation blows.

 

I have one thing to comment on as far as the marathon site. While many are saying the finish line was chosen because there would be the most coverage there and the most people that would blend in, I am having a hard time seeing why that site would be chosen by someone who wanted to inflict maximum damage. The street is commercial and was packed far down. The selection of a site just feet away from a fully staffed medical tent with hundreds of doctors, EMTs, police, military, equipment, wheelchairs.....and a line of ambulances ready to go.......and the fact that the devices were crude and placed low to the ground where more lethal hits to the torso and head could be avoided......those things all say to me this was agenda driven, and not number driven. Almost as if they may have wanted to limit the actual casualties but have a grand enough event to capture the world.That scares me. Who or what agenda?....no clue.