Bomb attack in Boston

[Ban my account ffs!]

Any coverage of the 31 people killed and 200 injured in the multiple bombings across Iraq today?

Guess not, huh?

Events are only as noteworthy as they are novel. 

[Napoleon]

Any coverage of the 31 people killed and 200 injured in the multiple bombings across Iraq today?

Guess not, huh?

 If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it's all "part of the plan". But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds!

[patrick1]

Any coverage of the 31 people killed and 200 injured in the multiple bombings across Iraq today?

Guess not, huh?

Events are only as noteworthy as they are novel. 

Yes, it was on the news this morning. What is your point?  There are plenty of "news" stories that are not worthy of the airtime.  This is not one of them.

[Paul Kemp]

The whole "warzone" thing is probably the difference.

[DrScholl]

Any coverage of the 31 people killed and 200 injured in the multiple bombings across Iraq today?

Guess not, huh?

Not saying it isn't newsworthy, but when it comes to places that have a lot of strife, stories like that tend to get ignored, because they are not really a shock and violence like that tends to be expected.

[Paul Kemp]

I'm really surprised, relieved, and thankful that there have only been three deaths. This could have been a lot worse and I thought it would be from initial reports/photos.

[Boris]

I'm really surprised, relieved, and thankful that there have only been three deaths. This could have been a lot worse and I thought it would be from initial reports/photos.

Apparently that's because the bombs were placed on the ground, causing mostly leg injuries (and amputations) as opposed to afflicting more fatal areas of the body.

[Paul Kemp]

I'm really surprised, relieved, and thankful that there have only been three deaths. This could have been a lot worse and I thought it would be from initial reports/photos.

Apparently that's because the bombs were placed on the ground, causing mostly leg injuries (and amputations) as opposed to afflicting more fatal areas of the body.

Indeed. It also helps (relatively) that it was later in the marathon. I believe first place had finished two hours earlier, which is when I assume it would have been even more busy.

[Benj]

I'm really surprised, relieved, and thankful that there have only been three deaths. This could have been a lot worse and I thought it would be from initial reports/photos.

Apparently that's because the bombs were placed on the ground, causing mostly leg injuries (and amputations) as opposed to afflicting more fatal areas of the body.

At least one of the bombs was apparently in a garbage can, not on the ground directly, which itself probably mitigated the damage significantly as the can would have absorbed a significant amount of the force of the blast. But, yes, the bombs appear to have been low.

[Ban my account ffs!]

So either the low bombs are a sign of potential incompetence... or the attacker got the runners exactly where he meant to. 

But someone attacking a marathon seriously doesn't make sense... which is why there's so much speculation.

[patrick1]

So either the low bombs are a sign of potential incompetence... or the attacker got the runners exactly where he meant to. 

But someone attacking a marathon seriously doesn't make sense... which is why there's so much speculation.

Likely just an access thing on the placement. Dumped in the bottom of the trash bin or the attacker left a bag on the ground.

It really makes perfect sense for a terrorist of any stripe. Tons of people, big event and plenty of video cameras rolling. You get people scared and you get their attention.

The long game for AQ or similar groups in that movement, if this is indeed them, is to just have us overreact and spend a whole lot more money. Awlaki and whatever dead guy #2's name was were pretty clear in this new strategy in INSPIRE.

[Indy Texas]

I'm really surprised, relieved, and thankful that there have only been three deaths. This could have been a lot worse and I thought it would be from initial reports/photos.

Apparently that's because the bombs were placed on the ground, causing mostly leg injuries (and amputations) as opposed to afflicting more fatal areas of the body.

There's something seriously creepy about an attack meant to cut people's legs off at a marathon.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

This was nice to see.

[Blue3]

So either the low bombs are a sign of potential incompetence... or the attacker got the runners exactly where he meant to. 

But someone attacking a marathon seriously doesn't make sense... which is why there's so much speculation.

Well, the explosions didn't target runners. They were on the public sidewalk, targeting the people who were cheering on the runners in the sidelines.

[Blue3]

Does anyone know if anyone has claimed responsibility yet?

Has there been any international response at all?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Does anyone know if anyone has claimed responsibility yet?

Has there been any international response at all?

Well, even if a militant Islamist lone wolf did this, Al Qaida would have some knowledge in advance, and would immediately claim responsibility. They have yet to do so.

[7,052,770]

Who has actually blamed the Tea Party for this?  I really think the Tea Party just made up that people were blaming them so they could complain and politicize...

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

And of course, the WBC apparently intends on picketing the funerals.

[Mr. Morden]

Does anyone know if anyone has claimed responsibility yet?

Has there been any international response at all?

Well, even if a militant Islamist lone wolf did this, Al Qaida would have some knowledge in advance, and would immediately claim responsibility. They have yet to do so.

1) Why would Al Qaeda have advance knowledge of it if it's an Islamist lone wolf?

2) Al Qaeda rarely claims responsibility for their attacks after they happen.  They didn't even claim responsibility for 9/11: http://edition.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/inv.binladen.denial/index.html?_s=PM:US

[Old Man Svensson]

And of course, the WBC apparently intends on picketing the funerals.

Looks like it's time for Anonymous to carpet-bomb them again.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Who has actually blamed the Tea Party for this?  I really think the Tea Party just made up that people were blaming them so they could complain and politicize...

https://twitter.com/P45K/status/324001551083511810
https://twitter.com/proadstudio/status/323991103298760704
https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/323922928913772544 - Implicit claim from Michael Moore
https://twitter.com/sweetberry_nick/status/323927525925478401
https://twitter.com/nielnneh/status/323887456686596096
https://twitter.com/max4mayor/status/324000744103608320
https://twitter.com/KniteOwls/status/323997574455496705
https://twitter.com/Patrick_Brown_/status/323997250198052864

[Marokai Backbeat]

The explicit tea party connection is obviously stretching and dumb, but I don't see it as a ridiculous notion for our minds to jump to some sort of far-right extremist act when this country has a very unfortunate and long history of crazy right-wing terrorism.

[7,052,770]

Who has actually blamed the Tea Party for this?  I really think the Tea Party just made up that people were blaming them so they could complain and politicize...

https://twitter.com/P45K/status/324001551083511810
https://twitter.com/proadstudio/status/323991103298760704
https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/323922928913772544 - Implicit claim from Michael Moore
https://twitter.com/sweetberry_nick/status/323927525925478401
https://twitter.com/nielnneh/status/323887456686596096
https://twitter.com/max4mayor/status/324000744103608320
https://twitter.com/KniteOwls/status/323997574455496705
https://twitter.com/Patrick_Brown_/status/323997250198052864

...
...
...

Aside from Michael Moore, who didn't say Tea Party at all, but merely pointed out the  connection with taxes, are those just random people on Twitter?  Obviously I didn't mean to include random people on the street.  In the what, hundreds of millions?, of people on Twitter, I'm sure you can find anybody to say anything.

[ilikeverin]

It really makes perfect sense for a terrorist of any stripe. Tons of people, big event and plenty of video cameras rolling. You get people scared and you get their attention.

But that's not quite right... unless you're blowing yourself up, blowing up things in such a high-attention location is inevitably going to get you arrested.  Just look at how many videos at how many angles of the explosions have been documented!  There are so many videos of the two hours before the explosions that it's nearly inconceivable to think that the identity of the bombers couldn't be discovered just from them, unless somehow the bombers set things up before the race even started getting set up.  And, from what I've heard, the location where the bombs were set off is high-camera anyway.  Yet, despite those facts, we have just one not-confirmed "person of interest", no one is saying that the likely bomber died in the explosions, and no one has claimed responsibility.

I'm with snowguy here.  This whole thing doesn't make much sense.  Given the camera issues, one might presume this is the work of an amateur, but the precision of the bombs (as well as the scope of the attempted bombing; 5+ unexploded bombs were discovered after the fact) suggests otherwise.  I almost wonder if it was a lone wolf attempting to impress some bigger group; but what's the point of that if you're just going to get caught right away?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Well nobody in the media is (as far as I know) blaming anybody... their job is to report, not speculate.  And  any law enforcement official who publicly speculates should lose his job.  That's blatantly compromising an investigation.