Boston Marathon

[DuckiesDarling]

So far they don't know what exactly happened but two explosions at finish line. 2 dead 23 injured right now. They are mentioning seeing packages and there were other "controlled" explosions. Right now my prayers go out to Boston and to the families of all injured and dead.

[Mr. Suck]

:( I also will keep the people who were injured or killed and their families in my thoughts as well.

[Mr. Suck]

taken from NY Post: Investigators have a suspect — a Saudi Arabian national — in the horrific Boston Marathon bombings, The Post has learned. Law enforcement sources said the 20-year-old suspect was under guard at an undisclosed Boston hospital. The man was caught less than two hours after the 2:50 p.m. bombing on the finish line of the race, in the heart of Boston.

[12voltman59]

I guess that terror bombings like what took place in Boston earlier today---whether the source of the terror coming from home grown "terrorists" with all kinds of reasons for doing such a heinous act--or its all apart of what seems to be our now eternal and forever "war on terror"----these sorts of things are part of our new and evolving "normal" "way of the world"--just like we seem to have to accept that weather changes brought on by "climate change" with all the extreme variability in weather conditions that this is bringing us---are also a fact of life.

It really gets rather wearying that we now live in a world that has become so violent and unstable that acts of such terror are almost becoming "commonplace."

[jem_is_bi]

It really gets rather wearying that we now live in a world that has become so violent and unstable that acts of such terror are almost becoming "commonplace."

Your probably right about that Voltman.
It seems we have mentally unstable killers and politically motivated killers and my "religion is better than your religion" killers picking naturally vulnerable targets (like a grade school and a 26 mile marathon) without regard for their victims age, gender, mental status, political status or religious affiliation.
It would be good if we could find a way to motivate these people avoid such conduct without encroachment on reasonable expectation of rights by good people in this country.
These issues are being argued in congress and addressed by the courts and executive branch of government.
But, these days, the underlying motivations and tactics of those involved change so fast.

[R. R. Wayne]

LIfe as we knew it a few decades ago may never return. As a kid I played all day without a worry. We never locked our doors. My parents fed poor people who asked for handouts at the back door. Now we have to be constantly careful. I am glad that I am a senior citizen and grew up in a different era from what our children face to day.

The new Boston Masacare is the work of a dememted individual nd I hope the person(s) responsible are caught and executed.

[**Peg**]

Belle - let us know you are safe and sound please.

[jamieknyc]

Don't worry, Belle is okay. She doesn't live in Boston, btw

[12voltman59]

If there was one thing that was "good" to come from the bombing yesterday in Boston---not only did the "first responders" such as police, firefighters, EMTs, race officials and volunteers, etc rush headlong TOWARDS the fire, smoke and chaos of the situation yesterday, so did "innocent bystanders" who also rushed in to help those in need----many of whom were total strangers to one another---but those people did that without any thought about their own safety--or at least feeling it was worth it to help their fellows in the face of unknown dangers that could have still be lurking.

As writer Ron Susskind said this morning on "Morning Joe"----"We cannot allow ourselves to limit what we do and not take part in things like the Marathon--because if we do--then the terrorists--whoever they are--WIN and that is unacceptable." He also went on to say that he would bet that come next year's edition of the Boston Marathon----there will be more people than normal who come to run----to honor the race and for those who were hurt or injured by the bomb---I also bet that many of those who lost their legs to this bomb---will be there to compete in the race as well.

It is easy to get down about these sorts of things--I know that right now----since I have taken on the role of a caregiver for my ailing father---my nerves are a bit raw and things hit me a bit more than usual----but even in light of incidents like the shootings in Newtown and these bombings---I might get a bit bummed about it all--but overall---I am not gonna let it get me down too much and get too upset about it all.

With Newtown---justice of a sort was meted out to the "perp" of those crimes and let us hope that they soon have not only a good suspect and/or suspects---but they find and arrest that person or those persons and they come to justice.

[onewhocares]

First and foremost, I want to thank you all who have had concern for my family and I. We live 27 miles outside of Boston. We are all safe and sound. The bombing which took place in Boston yesterday, at the finish line of the 117 th running of the Boston Marathon was terrible. I happened to be home on line and watching television when my mother in law who was watching coverage of the Red Sox came came in and told us. Immediately we called friends who worked or lived in the area. My husband works for a company whose flagship store is two blocks away and have a good friend who works in that store. I texted him. He said the store was secure but all phones where cut. Could text but not call.

The latest report I heard at 6:30 PM was as follows. 176 injured, 3 dead - an eight year old boy, a 29 year old woman and a third yet as unidentified person. 17 critical still in hospitals with assorted injuries. Yes, there was a Saudi Arabian man who was seen fleeing from the scene who was detained. A home (presumably his home) was searched right outside of Boston. They are saying he is not a suspect. The two bombs, 12 seconds apart were rudimentary and crude in nature and were thought to be placed in pressure cookers which contained ball bearings and nails of some sort. They were left on the street in black knapsacks. I have been tied up in a meeting so I have not heard anything since that time. Theories are that this is not international terror but homegrown.

One quasi personal information. One of the managers of the store my husband works for took her two young sons to watch the race. They were in the general area of the blasts. The children were so tramatized that one son remains mute, even 36 hours later. That is the bad part.

Now for the good news, if there could be such a thing after this senseless action. If you look at the film of the site ( which I can tell you was taken from a "film bridge" which they set up crossing all of Boylston Street to track each runner as they come across the line, you see folks down, but then immediately you see folks rushing TOWARD the scene and not away. The amount of people who just instinctively went to the aid of those in need has been amazing. There were two soilders who had just come back from Afganastan who just happened to be there and went into army mode and helped. People took off their clothes to make turniquets to save someone from bleeding to death. If I can give you a perspective, the finish line is say at the ten yard line on a football field. Grandstands on either side of the half the field. At about the twenty yard line of the other end of the field is a huge medical tent that is there to treat the runners. It can service 1000 runners for any race related ailments. It is staffed to the hilt. The major hospitals in Boston which treated the wounded are less than two miles east and west of that tent. I would not wish this horror on any city, but Boston is known for its excellent medical facilities and we are grateful they were available. After recent bombings in other major cities, Massachusetts General Hospital saw a need to improve their preparedness. We are not used to large scale terror attacks. So a few years ago they contacted the major hospital in Tel Aviv and had their team come to Boston and train MGH staff. Training paid off.

The resilency of the people of Boston and the surrounding cities and towns is amazing. The marathon route is 26.2 miles I believe and each person along that route and beyond has been affected by this horror. But we have seen an outpouring of generosity, self sacrifice, kindness and actions which I cannot even describe from our fellow Bay Staters. People have taken in those who could not get back to their hotels, or searching for loved ones. 5,000 runners were diverted just half a mile from the finish line. They had no id, cells, clothes or anything as they put their belonging into bags which are transported to the finish lines. Those folks had no water or thermo blankets nor any way to contact their loved ones waiting at the finish line. They cut the cell phone towers to avoid a remote detination of perhaps other bombs. People took those runners into their homes and businesses.

Please keep those who were injured and died in this horror in your thoughts and prayers. My personal request is that when you go home tonight, look around you and see how much those there mean to you and TELL them you love them, for our lives can change in an instant. Next time you see a fireman, policeman, doctor or EMT thank them for the job they do to help, because by the grace of luck we could have been there and not survived.

Belle in Boston

[12voltman59]

Here is a story in the moments just after the bombing took place---a young woman was screaming about being hurt and worried that the shrapnel that hit her was going to leave bad scars----a guy came to her aid who had been wounded in either Iraq or Afghanistan, he first helped calm her down and then he showed her and talked about his wounds and scars, telling her that she will heal from her wounds---of course---its one thing that when you go off to war--or just join the service because you can at anytime be sent into "harm's way"----you can expect to have things happen to you like be wounded in such a fashion----but you sure as hell don't think that when you go to some "fun event" like the Boston Marathon---you are going to come away with being wounded like that!

I know that terror attacks of this sort are rather rare---but that it seems that each and every time that we go out to a mall, a movie, our favorite restaurant, to school, the workplace or wherever----we can become a victim of some random act of violence and destruction.

That my friends----really does SUCK!!!!!

Belle, I am glad to hear that by some chance you had not been down in Boston during the race and that you and yours are all ok!!

To show you how close to things like this it seems we might be----there is a couple that live not far from me and they are the grandparents of the boy who died, and his sister who was injured--I think they are the parents of the father of the family---of course---the wife is also still facing serious health issues and the poor little girl lost one of her legs--once again--if she were old enough to enlist in the service and get deployed to some conflict zone---she might expect to come away minus a few body parts--but not being a young school girl who went with her mom, dad and siblings to go watch something fun like a marathon!!

That is kinda fucked up!!

I am sure though----she will have some guys and gals who lost limbs in our current wars---will come to be her buddies, mentors, friends, protectors and role models on how to deal with such a thing.

I also hope that in a few years---she will compete in the race, set up with her prosthetic leg or legs since I guess she might lose the other one, according to some reports I have heard.

[darkeyes]

It was a stupid, brutal and senseless act for whatever reason... but bigoted fools like this ought to be hung out to dry...http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/muslims-are-evil-lets-kill-them-all-us-tv-commentator-erik-rush-provokes-furious-reaction-with-boston-bombing-twitter-rants-8575176.html. There are times when I feel good about being a human being and some of the stories of how ordinary people reacted with the carnage around them have made me feel good about our kind. It is a pity sadly that among us are people like Mr Rush who all too often make me feel much less good about human beings and thick, cruel bastards like the bombers who drive me to near despair... but the good outweighs the bad and very often, as in Boston, humanity's reaction to senseless brutality brings a smile to my face and lifts my despair:)..,,,

[Cherokee_Mountaincat]

I am So glad that our Belle and Bill and other Bostonian's are fine and well...Muahs to you's guys..
One thing that isnt quite clear to me about this senseless act. How the Hell did they get the pressure cookers to keep a continuous heat in them, resulting in them blowing up if they were outside, on the side walk, in a duffle bag? I work with pressure cookers all of the time, and they need a continuous element of heat to continue building a steady pressure, to the point where they build up too much heat, then blow...(Miss Belle knows what I'm talking about). Were there explosives included in the mix as well?
I'm glad they men were caught..one being killed, actually. I just dont understand people anymore...:(
May all of the ones killed RIP and the ones that are injured and maimed, may they be healed soon.
Sad Cat

[onewhocares]

As you have all learned by now, the two brothers who planted to bombs to explode during the Boston Marathon have been captured. The eldest brother was killed on Thursday after confrontation with police after having killed an MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) police officer in cold blood. Late Friday night after a day of the shut down of the City of Boston and its environs....the second brother was found hiding in a boat two streets over from the lock down neighborhood. He is still in critical condition. Justice will prevail.

Belle in Boston

[Realist]

As soon as I saw the explosion on the news, I thought of you, Belle!

Glad you're OK and hope none of your friends were hurt.

I feel so sorry for those who got in those assholes' way!