14 ms·

Explosions near Boston Marathon finish line

• noonespecial 14y ago
  The worst part for me (and I really am feeling bad about this) is that I should be concerned about the victims right now, but I can't stop thinking about what freedoms I'll be losing as a result of this.
  • twoodfin 14y ago
    Seriously? Because you had so much more freedom in 1999?
    • Zikes 14y ago
      You haven't traveled much lately, have you?
    • ConceitedCode 14y ago
      At least I could take nail clippers on an airplane in 1999.
      • UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
        You still can today. That is a myth. http://www.seatguru.com/articles/tsa_prohibited_items.php http://www.seatguru.com/articles/tsa_prohibited_items.php
        • mrtron 14y ago
          I have had nail clippers removed from my bag by the TSA recently.
          • UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
            Here is TSA's own blog saying nail clippers are allowed: http://blog.tsa.gov/2008/01/lighters-nail-clippers-and-lithium.html http://blog.tsa.gov/2008/01/lighters-nail-clippers-and-lithi... http://blog.tsa.gov/2009/05/tsa-urban-legends-nail-clippers.html http://blog.tsa.gov/2009/05/tsa-urban-legends-nail-clippers.... http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/12/tsa-response-to-claim-that-nail.html http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/12/tsa-response-to-claim-that-nail.... http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/12/updated-tsa-response-to-claim-that-nail.html http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/12/updated-tsa-response-to-claim-th...
            • moens 14y ago
              wtf? The OP just (implicitly) agreed that this was the case, and that nail clippers had been taken anyway... who reads the TSA's blog?
        • thedufer 14y ago
          It is a myth that taking nailclippers is TSA policy. This has not stopped them from doing it anyway.
      • pekk 14y ago
        People die and lose their limbs, and your first move is apparently crying about how the government takes away your nail clippers.
        • moens 14y ago
          100's of people die and lose their limbs in an tragic, yet oddly sensational event, and your first move is to decry a person angry about how the government uses similarly sensational events to systematically impose restrictions of freedom on (more or less) the entire world. Once bit twice shy. Muzzle your fkng dog.
        • jlarocco 14y ago
          Harsh as it may be, the people dying and losing their limbs will have no direct impact on my life, or on most other people's lives. It's a tragedy for their friends and loved ones, but I'm not in that group, so it's a very abstract thing - I feel bad, but it won't affect me personally. Losing freedom has the potential to affect me personally, so I'm more concerned about it. And I don't necessarily agree it's too early to discus the consequences of this. The authorities on the scene are handling the immediate situation, and there's very little to be done from 2K miles away.
          • Zancarius 14y ago
            > And I don't necessarily agree it's too early to discus the consequences of this. The authorities on the scene are handling the immediate situation, and there's very little to be done from 2K miles away. I agree. Chance are, the friends and family who are directly affected by this aren't going to be trawling through comments on HN--there are more pressing concerns. The rest of us, and maybe this will sound equally harsh, need to divorce ourselves from the emotional impact if there's nothing we can do (or donate to the appropriate organizations if so inclined). Right now, there's little that can be done, and even less information still. That leaves the most objective option as what we're doing right now: That is to say the discussion of potential policy changes. I'm not sure this event is significant enough to affect anything on a large scale (e.g. TSA on every street corner), but you do have to wonder what changes might be made to future marathons as a consequence. I don't necessarily think that's harsh as much as it is objective.
    • kanja 14y ago
      Are you kidding? We're demonstrably less free today than 1999. The TSA springs to mind, the patriot act..
  • debt 14y ago
    ah jesus. relax.
  • pekk 14y ago
    If you are feeling bad, why are you saying it? This feels like you are standing on a soapbox and it's hard to think you are actually sorry for it when you are doing it intentionally.
    • benatkin 14y ago
      Because guilt isn't an emotion that can always be trusted.
    • noonespecial 14y ago
      I'm just a dude facing a big stab of mental dissonance right now. I'm not trying to push a political agenda. My brother ran in and finished the marathon last year. I didn't make it out to see him and I wish I had. So the first thing I feel is dread, it takes a moment to resolve that he wasn't there, and then I think will I ever be able to get close enough to reach out my hand to him as he comes down the final stretch again or did I miss that chance forever? Will it be all police cars, dogs and jersey walls from here on out? This sucks.
      • Terretta 14y ago
        > Will it be all police cars, dogs and jersey walls from here on out? The video from the camera man on the ground at the finish line shows countless cops at the finish line. All that police presence did not prevent the detonation.
    • chadillac83 14y ago
      Feeling bad about having a legitimate stance in the face of a tragedy isn't cause for self censorship. It might be social pariahism, but it's not cause enough for one to bite their tongue.
    • smrtinsert 14y ago
      because he desperately needs attention and right now boston has it.
      • ryguytilidie 14y ago
  • tomjen3 14y ago
    Thousands die every day, but freedoms should persist. Besides with a little luck this is North Korea and we don't have to loose any more freedoms (do we even have more to lose?)
    • w1ntermute 14y ago
      Are you really asking whether we have more freedoms to lose in the same sentence that you mention North Korea? Really?
      • b-ryan 14y ago
        You seem to be implying that because North Korea is less free than us, we are completely free with nothing to lose. That's pretty faulty logic. Better to be aware of the freedoms we are losing (even though we still have many) than to risk ending up like North Korea.
        • w1ntermute 14y ago
          > You seem to be implying that because North Korea is less free than us, we are completely free with nothing to lose. That's pretty faulty logic. Better to be aware of the freedoms we are losing (even though we still have many) than to risk ending up like North Korea. Clearly my point completely flew over your head. I was only commenting on how ridiculous it was that tomjen3 claimed that we had already lost all our freedoms in the very same sentence that he mentioned a country that is far more oppressive than our own.
          • b-ryan 14y ago
            Good point. I misread tomjen3's original comment.
  • ConceitedCode 14y ago
    Couldn't agree more so. What "precautions" and new reforms are we gonna see in the name of security?
    • w1ntermute 14y ago
      No doubt some "reforms" will be implemented that will funnel even more money into the pockets of lobbyist-using companies and big-time campaign donors.
    • larrys 14y ago
      "we gonna see in the name of security" Watershed events always create these emotional knee jerk reactions. As opposed to "well we can save lives by driving 50 mph instead of 70 mph but since that's legacy we aren't likely to not consider the impact on society as a whole by lowering the speed limit."
    • numbsafari 14y ago
      Who knows. But after every crisis there should be a post mortem and we should learn from what went wrong. And why does every change in policy and approach have to be seen as a threat to anybody's freedoms? Not that many of the short-sighted response aren't just that, but this sort of knee jerk reaction seems just as unhealthy.
      • Osiris 14y ago
        There's no way to prevent every crisis. Just because something bad happens doesn't mean that there is something that you could have done to stop it. Sometimes people just need to realize that things happen and we don't have to pass new laws and regulations every time something bad happens.
        • njittam 14y ago
          a security reseacher made a bomb from stuff he bought after going trough the costums at schiphol. so most of the security is just show off.
        • 14y ago
  • mathattack 14y ago
    When 9/11 hit my first thought was, "Travel is really going to suck now." When the Bali bombing hit, I thought, "I've been to that bar, holy sh*t!" This time around I'm thinking, "I know some people who were running." Reaction to issues is tied to how much you can personally relate to the victims. It's also why 2 people dying in a stream in your neighborhood seems so much more relevant than 100,000 people dying in an earthquake halfway around the world.
    • deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
  • diminoten 14y ago
    I'm not worried about me as much as I'm worried about the poor citizens of the country these people are from, if it's a foreign group.
  • zobzu 14y ago
    Sounds legit to me. Do you feel bad about the hundred of people murdered every day? I don't. Its just that they aren't on the news. I'd feel bad for the people i remotely know, or for the families if I were to meet them, but otherwise.. it's not any different. It's bad, but doesn't make one feel bad - and that's perfectly fine.
    • joonix 14y ago
      Speak for yourself.
      • level09 14y ago
        what he says actually makes perfect sense. thousands of syrians are dying everyday, and I don't see much mentions about them on HN for example. yes you will feel bad, but you will quickly move on and forget about it as long as it doesn't relate directly to you.
  • narrator 14y ago
    The first thought on my mind was what mysterious 1000 page bill is going to show up and get rushed through congress because of all this?
    • MrBlue 14y ago
      Problem, reaction, solution.
    • narrator 14y ago
      My second thought is how weird it is that for the next couple of days the attention and focus of a 100s of millions of people's will be directed at the circumstances surrounding the deaths of perhaps 20 people of no particular notability. It's as if these are the only 20 people that died lately. The attention and focus of the public in this modern era of global communications is a strange thing.
    • Maxious 14y ago
      Would you like Federal Information Security Amendments Act, Cybersecurity Enhancement Act or Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA)?
  • mbesto 14y ago
    No worries, you're simply thinking pragmatically, when everyone else is emotional. The killings are nothing but a mode of transport for destruction of freedom.
  • ne0codex 14y ago
    Another thing to focus on is the infrastructure. Telephone lines and data networks must be clogged, it just goes to show how much we need reliable networks and data infrastructures for such vital occurrences!
  • gyardley 14y ago
    The most likely change to your freedoms is 'none whatsoever' -- tragedies on this scale don't threaten society as a whole and therefore are dealt with by existing laws.
    • CamperBob2 14y ago
      9/11 didn't threaten society, either. Just a few nutcase cultists who got lucky with a single attack that they couldn't sustain.
      • gyardley 14y ago
        Perhaps. That wasn't particularly evident at the time.
    • jmgrosen 14y ago
      How is the scale of this disaster any different than that of Newtown's? That has obviously had a large political impact.
      • gyardley 14y ago
        I doubt Newtown will have much of a legal impact.
  • jenius 14y ago
    I feel like everyone expects a reaction and increased security and such, but sometimes this type of reaction won't be fruitful. What could we learn from this -- check every trash can for a bomb at every big event? There are an unlimited number of places you could hide a bomb. If someone trying to blow people up saw the 'reaction' being checking every trash can, they would just learn not to hide their bomb in a trash can. There's just no chance we can prevent disasters like this with security increases alone. I feel like at this point that we should be examining who did it, and what caused them to do it rather than how it could have been prevented with security measures. Get to the root of the problem and solve it there, rather than a surface-level patch. Was it a mental health thing? Was it spurred by our culture of violence and/or attention to violence? Was the attacker after a specific person? Certainly not easy to find out these answers, but would probably be effort better spent than checking trash cans. I'm sure there will be some silly knee-jerk response that serves no good for the public and likely just inconveniences everyone. I'm also sure that people working in the government understand these short-term reactions are almost always useless. Why does it continue happening?
    • rayiner 14y ago
      Is there some "silly knee-jerk" response to every such event? I don't remember the knee-jerk response to the Oklahoma City bombing. Or the Atlanta Olympics bombing. Or the first WTC bombing. Or the attempted 2010 Times Square bombing. The response to Sandy Hook is better described as "belabored" rather than "knee-jerk." As for 9/11, that involved 3,000 people dead and the collapse of a major American icon. It killed more people than the Pearl Harbor bombing and involved direct costs and losses approaching $100 billion.[1] Jury's still out on whether it was a "silly knee-jerk" response or a reasonable wake-up to the threat of global islamic terrorism. [1] http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57292565/cost-of-911-in-dollars/ http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57292565/cost-of-911-...
      • wtallis 14y ago
        The response to even the most serious disasters can qualify as a "silly knee-jerk" if the response does little or nothing to ameliorate the disaster or prevent another one. 9/11 was bad, but that still doesn't justify security theater.
  • 6thSigma 14y ago
    The fact that this is the top comment for this thread makes me sad.
    • noonespecial 14y ago
      To be quite honest, me too. I expected it to just be background radiation: I too feel badly, conflicted and confused. I didn't expect this. Sitting at the top like that it really does start to look like soap-boxing or attention whoring. Apologies all, I really didn't mean it that way.
      • anigbrowl 14y ago
        Well stop agonizing about it and delete it then. I'm not saying that to be snarky, I'm pointing out that it's something useful you can do right now to get it off the top of the page.
        • Zancarius 14y ago
          That doesn't accomplish anything useful. A day or two from now, someone who hasn't yet seen the thread will wonder what the "deleted" part of the conversation was for. The best thing to do if you disagree with the position of the OP's comment is to upvote other siblings. Personally, I think this discussion is interesting because it addresses in real time the implications of what this attack might be (if any).
        • noonespecial 14y ago
          Good news. Looks like someone upstairs noticed and knocked it to the bottom. Thank you, moderators.
          • anigbrowl 14y ago
            All's well that ends well,then. I understand you didn't expect it to become the top comment.
      • Zancarius 14y ago
  • doron 14y ago
    I think it largely depends on who will be found as the culprit. If it would be found that this is an Islamist terror attack the aftermath will be much more pronounced then a scenario where the blame will be on say some extreme right wing group. Much of the lose of freedom we all suffer from is due to entrenched xenophobia becoming political agenda, it seems much harder to enact changes when the criminals are white Americans ala Timothy McVeigh or some horrific mass shooting
    • ctdonath 14y ago
      Culprit (Saudi national?) may have been found. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_suspect_guard_y2m8cJO29uC2PDGIjYBalO http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_susp...
      • MrBlue 14y ago
        Culprit? I think Patsy is a better word.
      • mbesto 14y ago
        You do realize you just linked to a NY Post article right?
      • tptacek 14y ago
        This is a rumor BPD already shot down, after NY Post ran the story.
      • danielweber 14y ago
        I remember when they found the 9/11 bombers in a Boston hotel, too. While figuring out who did this will be very very important, right now it's not something the public should worry about.
  • youngerdryas 14y ago
    Of course, because you are spoiled, whining nerd, who has no idea about real suffering.
    • 3pt14159 14y ago
      Fuck off. How much blood has the western world lost to achieve freedom, privacy, and a government by the people for the people? We cannot continue to allow the enemy to terrorize us into giving up our liberties. Also, fuck off with the "whining nerd" shit.
      • youngerdryas 14y ago
        Terrorists are exploiting our freedoms so security may make you wait for your latte...oh look those people died hope I don't have to wait.
    • coldtea 14y ago
      If you're not for the third world then you have no idea at all about REAL suffering. A bomb in a sports event? That's suffering people eat for breakfast around other parts of the world.
  • bargl 14y ago
    Why is this the top thread? I'm being serious here... I honestly don't understand how this got all the way up to the top where as others of much greater worth (IMHO) sit below...
    • noonespecial 14y ago
      I agree totally. I'd delete it if it would take it from the top instead of leaving the discussion there behind a curious "deleted". I've scrolled down and up-voted as many of those more valuable comments as I could. I encourage everyone who reads this far to go and do the same. As I said, I thought this would be a "one voice among many" kind of post, not become the lightning-rod of this thread. Parent is right. Go read the better stuff.
    • ctdonath 14y ago
      Because most people think violent attacks on high-profile innocents is more meaningful than, say, the merits of blogging without an audience.
  • mladenkovacevic 14y ago
    It'll probably kick-start an invasive drone surveillance bill and some unrelated oil-rich country being turned into dust. I wish this was hyperbole but based on previous US reactions this makes the most sense.
  • waffle_ss 14y ago
    If anything a successful terrorist attack should be a condemnation of the freedom-sacrificing mechanisms that have been put in place like the PATRIOT Act. They just failed.
  • losvedir 14y ago
    For what it's worth, I upvoted this question despite so many comments bemoaning its existence. The facts will be fleshed out over time on the regular news, so I see less value in comments just parroting that. Rather, (if this is to be discussed on Hacker News at all), I'd prefer it to be about the ramifications of the event, and especially how it relates to technology, or laws/regulations that foster the development of technologies. I'm a Bostonian (at work about a mile from the explosions), and I wish everyone would just cool their jets a bit until more is known about what's going on.
  • wavesounds 14y ago
    They're going to be searching peoples bags on the subway tomorrow, no mention of the 4th amendment given.
• tibbon 14y ago
  Another explosion just happened at the JFK library according the police scanner. Or a fire. Could be unrelated. There was another bomb they found downtown and set off in a bomb squad van in a controlled way (heard it on the scanner and another friend living down there confirmed hearing that). I'm impressed at the police response- very organized.
• recoiledsnake 14y ago
  Edit: Boston police reporting at least 2 dead, 22 injured and 10 people losing limbs. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/15/explosion-reported-near-finish-line-boston-marathon-spokesman-says/ http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/15/explosion-reported-near... Looks like there were two explosions. Picture: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BH6fCgFCQAERWMB.jpg:large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BH6fCgFCQAERWMB.jpg:large More details http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro/Explosions-reported-near-Boston-Marathon-finish-line/-/11971628/19757044/-/ktnc1wz/-/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro/Explosions-reported-nea... "Witnesses said several victims lost limbs, and the area was being evacuated. Many of the injured appeared to be spectators who gathered for the 117th running of the race." Many more pictures(warning NSFW Gore): http://deadspin.com/explosions-reported-at-the-boston-marathon-473008941 http://deadspin.com/explosions-reported-at-the-boston-marath...
  • deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
  • pinaceae 14y ago
    https://twitter.com/letsrundotcom/status/323874395632328706/photo/1 https://twitter.com/letsrundotcom/status/323874395632328706/... this looks really bad.
    • deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
      • rdl 14y ago
        Based on all the photos I've seen, I'd estimate 10 pounds of ANFO per device.
        • rdl 14y ago
          Or a bunch of black powder, really. Multiple smallish devices in bags in a public place is totally within the angry or crazy lone wolf threat profile. I really hope it is that vs anything more organized.
• deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
• Killswitch 14y ago
  Crazy people.. Another image [NSFW]: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BH6fwFvCUAA-PWb.jpg:large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BH6fwFvCUAA-PWb.jpg:large
  • deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
  • mcphilip 14y ago
    [NSFW] That's really disturbing...
  • justplay 14y ago
    horrible , is that blood floating around ?
    • revscat 14y ago
      Yes.
    • gngeal 14y ago
      No, it's strawberry jam, can't you tell? (I'm sorry for the sarcasm, you've sort of asked for it. I'm officially curious: what else did you think it was?)
  • shocks 14y ago
    You should add a NSFW tag. Fuck... :(
    • Killswitch 14y ago
      I apologize.
      • shocks 14y ago
        No worries.
  • bjhoops1 14y ago
• danso 14y ago
  Dennis Crowley was running the marathon and tweeted that he and thousands of other runners have been stopped at mile 26: https://twitter.com/dens https://twitter.com/dens
  • robbiet480 14y ago
    Mile 26 was dedicated to Newtown
• cinquemb 14y ago
  Makes me think where's Stellar Wind when it's needed… edit: "Thoſe who would give up Essential Liberty to purchaſe a little Temporary Safety, deſerve neither Liberty nor Safety."
• uptown 14y ago
  Live video feeds: http://www1.whdh.com/video/7newslive/ http://www1.whdh.com/video/7newslive/ http://www.myfoxboston.com/category/235888/fox-25-live-video-stream http://www.myfoxboston.com/category/235888/fox-25-live-video...
• tunesmith 14y ago
  Just before noon PST it seems like.
• antr 14y ago
  >Boston scanner: "EMS is reporting another device" in front of Mandarin Hotel https://twitter.com/katz/status/323878815245946880 https://twitter.com/katz/status/323878815245946880
  • antr 14y ago
    c'mon, people have smartphones. companies like facebook, twitter, foursquare, etc know your location and should be able to push notifications alerting people to stay away/at home. EDIT: Thanks for the downvotes guys, here I was trying to show a real need. I've been calling friends in NY/Boston the past 30min asking to see if they are OK + stay at home.
    • nwh 14y ago
      Strangely enough, iPhones do have an ability to receive geographic-targeted alerts like this. I've seen them used for severe weather warnings. They look like this — http://i.imgur.com/gWrDXFD.jpg http://i.imgur.com/gWrDXFD.jpg
      • ConstantineXVI 14y ago
        Most current (~2012) cellphones do in the US, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Mobile_Alert_System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Mobile_Alert_System (I'm unclear on how these are delivered within the network, seems to be SMS but I can't source that)
        • mrb 14y ago
          I was in Hawaii 2 weeks ago, and they were broadcasting these types of alerts to my girlfriend's phone (Android 4), to warn about a risk of flash floods. Android was even using text-to-speech to read the alert out loud, and automatically, which woke us up during the night!
          • ConstantineXVI 14y ago
• justplay 14y ago
  I wish everyone should be safe.
• uptown 14y ago
  Reuters live-updating feed: http://live.reuters.com/Event/Boston_Marathon_Explosion http://live.reuters.com/Event/Boston_Marathon_Explosion
• UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
  North Korea, Al Qaeda, racists, or something else? I honestly think anyone could claim responsibility but given the high explosives and the seemingly professional nature of the attack I'm guessing either NK, AQ, or a false-flag to start a war on the Korean peninsula. edit: Nice downvotes? We cannot speculate who?
  • smacktoward 14y ago
    It is waaaaay too early to be speculating who's behind it. Nobody knows any details, early reports from the scene of a terrible event like this are frequently confused and contradictory. Speculation at this moment is just firing shots in the dark.
    • UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
      I suppose you're right. Just strange, things have been so quiet for so long. The US is leaving Afghanistan, Iraq - apart from some sectarian violence has been quiet, and now this? My mind just goes back to NK. With the heightened tensions and such... Seems too convenient.
      • freehunter 14y ago
        It's not productive to speculate as to who is responsible. It could be anyone, or it could be a complete accident (gas leak?). Pointing blame before even the most basic facts are known is really, really poor.
        • UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
          A double gas leak? Without subsequent fire? Just boom and it is gone? I don't think so. This was a bombing. Nobody is pointing "blame." But we can discuss who the likely suspects would be.
          • belorn 14y ago
            There exist other material that go boom beyond gas. Just to take a random pick, maybe a truck with industrial chemicals was parked near. The majority of goes boom but a chunk get thrown away and just later goes boom too. Double explosion, but no detonated explosives. Not saying its likely, but we really should start listing on what police say first before jumping directly to bombs.
• ChrisBland 14y ago
  if the raw video streams from all of the surrounding areas were provided to the internet as a collective, I would bet they could trace the source 10x faster than the police.
• Grovara123 14y ago
  ur about to finish running a fucking marathon... you grew up in Kenya... trained your whole life... BOOM
• tunesmith 14y ago
  Boston marathon start times 2013 EDT: 9:00 am Mobility Impaired 9:17 am Wheelchair Division 9:22 am Handcycles 9:32 am Elite Women 10:00 am Elite Men & Wave One 10:20 am Wave Two 10:40 am Wave Three Explosion happened somewhere around (edit) noon PST, 3pm EDT. A little before. Elite women marathon times are in the 2:15 and slower range. Elite men are 2:05 and slower. Not sure about likely times for the earlier groups.
  • JPKab 14y ago
    Noon? Umm, are you on the west coast? I think you are using start times in East Coast time and then doing calculations based on the explosion occurring West Coast time..... The elites were long, long over the finish line when this happened.
    • tunesmith 14y ago
      Thanks - I misread. I updated the comment.
  • thatthatis 14y ago
    Your explosion time is off. Happened around 3pm Eastern
    • tunesmith 14y ago
      So that means it'd correspond to finish times likely for amateur runners with times in the 4:20 - 4:40 range, averaging 10 - 11 mins/mile.
      • mikestew 14y ago
        The finish clock on the video is correct, but it's very likely for third wave runners who started forty minutes after the first wave. So they finished in 4:09, but 4:49 from the start of the elite race. Made no sense to me at first because I was in the first wave, was walking back to my hotel 4:09 after my start, but heard nothing. Tacking on forty minutes makes the timeline add up, as I was napping by then (and wondering why sirens were interrupting my nap).
• o0-0o 14y ago
  Fire Dept Live Feed: http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/497/web http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/497/web
• eruditely 14y ago
  Can someone just run a plain marathon without having to worry about this in modern civilized life? Come on. This isn't even crime, this is just insanity.
  • lukifer 14y ago
    I'm willing to bet that running in a marathon is still statistically safer than taking the same trip in a car. No more how much modern life keeps improving, tragedies will happen, whether by natural disasters or nutjobs. Actively fearing that which is outside of your control is pointless.
    • JacobJans 14y ago
      No, it's not pointless. It lets us plan, alerts us to potential consequences, and motivates us to take action that might have a long term impact, among many other things.
    • SoftwareMaven 14y ago
      And yet I'm sure we will all see some more civil rights displaced as fearmongers jump at the opportunity. :(
    • eruditely 14y ago
      I've made no claims of my fear of marathons or that I will not attend them, I'm afraid of the total risk of conducting such affairs in life, I'm not the person who avoided planes because of 9/11 forever afterward. It was merely a simple remark of disgust.
    • pjreddie 14y ago
      Well walking is way more dangerous per mile than driving, this was touched on by Steve Levitt in Super Freakonomics, it looks like in Britain the mortality rate is about 10 times higher per vehicle mile http://road.cc/content/news/68212-dft-casualty-statistics-rank-driving-cycling-walking-and-motorcycling-risk http://road.cc/content/news/68212-dft-casualty-statistics-ra.... Of course, that is general foot transportation. Marathons have different risk factors, you aren't going to get hit by a car (if it's a well organized marathon with a set path and stuff) but I bet there are a lot of medical issues that arise from marathons and overexertion. If I were a betting man, I'd think the marathon was probably more dangerous.
• chamblin 14y ago
  A Boston Police, Fire, EMS Scanner feed is available here: http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/6254/web/?rl=rr http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/6254/web/?rl=rr
• deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
• xbryanx 14y ago
  Video of the explosion (very poor quality) - http://deadspin.com/heres-video-of-the-moment-the-boston-marathon-bombs-ex-473015503 http://deadspin.com/heres-video-of-the-moment-the-boston-mar...
• w1ntermute 14y ago
  Yet another example of how "News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5549054 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5549054
  • freehunter 14y ago
    Or, for the people who are in Boston or know anyone who is in Boston, this news is a very important notification. I don't think the news media was responsible for this incident.
    • thorum 14y ago
      I don't think w1ntermute was suggesting the news media were responsible for the incident.
      • jacquesm 14y ago
        To some extent they are. Assholes like the people that set this up love the press and the press loves them in a way. Every time some jerk kills off a bunch of innocents there is money to be made and without a platform I wonder how many of these idiots would do their deeds. Media and crime like this feed off each other.
  • SwitchLock 14y ago
    Ignorance is bliss. My cat knows it best. Not a care in the world.
• austenallred 14y ago
  While this is buggy/not ready for release, here's a way to follow this on social media. http://fastlane.grasswire.com/ http://fastlane.grasswire.com/ PS. Here's our launchrock page if anyone cares http://grasswire.com http://grasswire.com
  • film42 14y ago
    JUST FYI: This is camping on a simple dev server, so I'm sorry it keeps going down. I'm doing my best to keep it online. Thanks!
    • austenallred 14y ago
      Should be up now
  • zalew 14y ago
    if it's yours: nice, but consider refresh rate of 'media' a bit lower. I can't read the captions before it's pushed down.
    • austenallred 14y ago
      Will do. It is by no means ready for release, but you know...
      • zalew 14y ago
        cool, I get it. I see there is a lot of ux polishing ahead, but I like the overal concept. an on/off button for auto-refresh may be a good idea. signed up for the notification email.
      • meta 14y ago
        This looks to be shaping up well. Might I suggest a new word for "Favorites" though. Maybe it is silly but it seems odd to me to Favorite gore pictures et. al. "Important" or "Impactful" or something else might be a better word when the content could be that of loss and suffering.
• stevenameyer 14y ago
  It's horrific to see this happen. I hope that people make it out of this ok, and they get to bottom of who did this. Seeing these kinds of senseless attacks on the innocent is just disgusting.
  • TallGuyShort 14y ago
    Agreed. I try to be very understanding of the fact that it is usually the winner that decides who is the "good guy" and the "bad guy" in history, but doing something like this is "bad guy" regardless of the reason. Nothing but a senseless tragedy. My thoughts are with anyone who has friends and family affected.
    • tomjen3 14y ago
      Agreed. I mean if you hate a country you blow up their military or you call in a bomb ahead of time so that nobody gets hurt. In addition one explosion could be accidental, two not so.
  • no2empire 14y ago
    Drones are flying over Afghanistan and Pakistan right now, atatcking innocent families. A Zionist invasion of Palestine in the 1940s is pushing into Gaza, the West Bank, southwest Syria, and innocent Palestinians are being killed daily - with US backing. The US is doing this all over the world, or enabling it. It's a laugh to see the people who invaded Iraq and tortured prisoners in Abu Ghraib getting on their high horse. The chickens are just beginning to come home to roost in this case.
    • acuozzo 14y ago
      Incorrect.
    • potatolicious 14y ago
      I'm still waiting for the part that justifies mass murder.
    • stevenameyer 14y ago
• deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
  • bluetidepro 14y ago
    I think there is already 3 confirmed dead... [1] [2] [1] http://www.ibtimes.com/update-3-dead-explosions-rock-boston-marathon-finish-line-multiple-injuries-reported-video-1193311 http://www.ibtimes.com/update-3-dead-explosions-rock-boston-... [2] https://twitter.com/edhenryTV/status/323881163619962881 https://twitter.com/edhenryTV/status/323881163619962881 Update: (4:35PM EST) "A federal law-enforcement source confirmed to The Post there are at least 12 dead and nearly 50 injured." [3] [3] http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/two_explosions_at_boston_marathon_iMR0LCkcwASg0RQfVsH1yI http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/two_explosions_at_bost...
    • deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
• uptown 14y ago
  Looped "Vine" of the explosion: https://vine.co/v/bFdt5uwg6JZ https://vine.co/v/bFdt5uwg6JZ Video of second explosion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMYObtjToU&feature=youtu.be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMYObtjToU&feature=youtu... Second angle of both explosions: http://bcove.me/qwi5k6ap http://bcove.me/qwi5k6ap
• ralphleon 14y ago
  Why do the top links on reddit stop leaving the front page? This link was #1 for about 10 minutes: http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1cen7i/explosion_at_the_boston_marathon/ http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1cen7i/explosion_... and now has vanished, along with all other sponsored links. A horrible tragedy like this seems leagues more important than the current top link: http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1cebz2/spotted_cookie_monster_at_work_today/ http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1cebz2/spotted_cookie...
  • wtallis 14y ago
    I don't know what happened to the /r/worldnews post, but that subreddit's rules do say that it's for non-US sources and news. Also, that post linked to a Gawker site, which for many is reason enough to kill it.
    • ralphleon 14y ago
      Seems that some other, far better source, should have replaced it by now. There were a few up-in-coming, but they too vanished.
    • ralphleon 14y ago
      Now trending from a more valid source: http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1cerrp/boston_marathon_explosions_dozens_wounded_as_two/ http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1cerrp/boston_mar... During disasters such as this, I appreciate reddit's scale (and diversity) for up-to-date information in the comments.
      • deleted 14y ago
        [deleted]
  • taurussai 14y ago
    That's because the mods keep removing it -- reddit will have some contract with telegraph.uk or other such websites (they pay reddit for the higher traffic)
  • 14y ago
• shocks 14y ago
  Reddit thread being updated right now. http://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/1cen3t/there_was_just_an_explosion_at_the_boston/ http://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/1cen3t/there_was_just_...
  • sampo 14y ago
    Successor thread: http://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/1cf17c/boston_marathon_explosions_live_update_thread_2/ http://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/1cf17c/boston_marathon...
• mindcrime 14y ago
  Holy shit... my cousin and his wife were supposed to be there, as his wife was running in the marathon this year. Still haven't managed to get in touch with them, but my cousin's sister heard from them... they were a block away when the first explosion happened. %@#%! I'm... shit... don't know what to say, other than being very happy they are still alive. But apparently there's been a bomb threat at the hotel across the street from theirs, so they're still kind of panicking. Jeeezzz....
  • joetek 14y ago
    If you know someone who was running the marathon and haven’t heard from them, you can see if they logged times here: http://raceday.baa.org/individual.html http://raceday.baa.org/individual.html
    • mindcrime 14y ago
      Turns out my cousin's wife got injured in training and didn't run today. They were just there to cheer on some friends who were running. Last I heard they were OK, but, as you can guess, the flow of detailed information in and out of Boston is pretty patchy right now.
      • cema 14y ago
        SMS seems to be working better than mobile voice.
        • callahad 14y ago
          SMS will probably not go through at the moment: "Cellphone Service Shut Down in Boston" http://bigstory.ap.org/article/official-cellphone-service-shut-down-boston http://bigstory.ap.org/article/official-cellphone-service-sh... "A law enforcement official says cellphone service has been shut down in the Boston area to prevent any potential remote detonations of explosives."
          • 14y ago
• mdesq 14y ago
  The Boston Marathon just issued a statement and used the word "bombs." Not sure if that's just a hasty description, but that is the word they used.
  • scarmig 14y ago
    [Some random unsourced people on the internet are saying that...] Police are saying they're finding multiple secondary devices, as well. I'm guessing they're not talking about cell phones.
• icpmacdo 14y ago
  higher quality MSNBC footage of the explosion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3fMukiYAs1w# http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3...!
• sGrabber 14y ago
  Hoping for everyone to be safe. Lets not panic and spread the fear. Let authorities do their work
• moneypenny 14y ago
  Two of my friends flew over from the UK and were running in it, it happened right in front of Chris, luckily he's ok, she's ok. Fucking bombing bastards.
• mindcrime 14y ago
  Another source to listen in to Boston emergency communications: http://tunein.com/radio/Boston-Police-Fire-and-EMS-Scanner-s146109/ http://tunein.com/radio/Boston-Police-Fire-and-EMS-Scanner-s...
• belorn 14y ago
  I am seeing a lot of comments which makes assumptions about this being detonated explosives. Has there been any confirmation about this?
  • revscat 14y ago
    https://mobile.twitter.com/BostonDotCom/status/323886877746790402 https://mobile.twitter.com/BostonDotCom/status/3238868777467... This tells me the Boston PD found one or more devices and are in the process of detonating them.
  • TallGuyShort 14y ago
    I wouldn't call it "confirmation" at this point, but emergency services have been reporting the discovery of "secondary devices", so it does appear to be something intentional and not something along the lines of an accidental gas line explosion.
  • 6thSigma 14y ago
    The two explosions were on opposite sides of the street. Take from that what you will.
    • betterunix 14y ago
      Honestly, I would wait for the evidence that those were actually bombs. It sounds like it could have been terrorists, but it also sounds like it might have been a utility failure of some sort, like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_New_York_City_steam_explosion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_New_York_City_steam_explo... Now, there are reports that the police have found additional bombs and are dismantling them; if true, then that would mean that this is an attack of some kind and not just an accident. Still, I would wait for a reliable, official statement before jumping to conclusions. [Edit: Looks like there is now some kind of official statement from the fire department about finding additional bombs, so I guess that settles that.]
  • mindcrime 14y ago
    Listening to BFD radio, you hear a lot of chatter about additional "secondary devices" and "suspicious packages" even now. Apparently they have a large group of bomb-sniffing dogs they are moving around to check these things out.
• intopieces 14y ago
  Since the news is bad for me and ignoring it would make me happier, should I just forget about it?
  • bcoates 14y ago
    Yes, probably. The bell tolls for thee and all that, but unless you're directly involved somehow or are in a position to do something about it, there is very little point to focusing your attention on it. This goes double if you have tendencies to obsess or get depressed about bad news like this.
    • intopieces 14y ago
      I think I won't take your advice and instead will text my friends at MIT to make sure they weren't running the Boston Marathon this year. Everyone should do what they think is best. As for me, being informed is one way I stay intellectually engaged and interact with my peers. So I'll continue to do so.
  • PeterisP 14y ago
    Most likely. While I offer my condolences to the victims and their families, this isn't the most fatal or most gruesome incident even this month - simply this one happens to involve white western people, so it will be considered by news agencies as more important than the civilian suffering in Syria, Afganistan, North Korea, Somalia or Mexican drug wars. If you and your relatives are safely far away from Boston, then your happiness would benefit from ignoring the news. Just as what people do when they and their relatives are safely far away from Syria etc.
    • vor_ 14y ago
      Perspective is always something that one should maintain, but I can't help but roll my eyes at any response to bad news that invokes the phrase "white western people". It makes your viewpoint seem politically motivated.
      • 14y ago
• swalsh 14y ago
  This is the craziest thing. Last Friday, my fiance (works near Boston) said she had to leave early because someone called in a bomb threat. We laughed it off "ha someone wanted to go home early on a Friday..." no idea if related, but crazy...
• MrFoof 14y ago
  I live in Charlestown, which is Boston's northeasternmost neighborhood, which is actually across the Charles River. For the past hour I've nothing but ambulances going down 99 or along 93.
• orangethirty 14y ago
  Short video right before second explosion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMYObtjToU&feature=youtu.be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMYObtjToU&feature=youtu...
• spitx 14y ago
  Secondary explosions ( and/or fires ) reported (on MSNBC shortly before Chris Jansing took over coverage at 4PM EST) at the JFK Library and another undisclosed location. Footage of black fumes from (allegedly) the JFK Library has been briefly shown before cutting back to the coverage of the main explosion at the Boston marathon. The fire at the library has been initially reported to have been controlled. No casualties or injuries have been reported. A curious mention of "manuscripts" (not being damaged) has been reported (on MSNBC) as well. CNN is yet to report any such secondary explosions as of the current time (4:10 PM EST). CNN has also not shown any footage of black fumes from a different location. The fumes at the Boston marathon explosions were distinctly white in color.
  • SODaniel 14y ago
    The fire at the JFK Library has just been reported as mechanical and non-suspicious or 'affiliated' with the explosions. Source: http://www1.whdh.com/video/7newslive/ http://www1.whdh.com/video/7newslive/ 7-news live broadcast Update: https://twitter.com/BostonGlobe/status/323886879453892609 https://twitter.com/BostonGlobe/status/323886879453892609 It was an intentional and controlled detonation of a 'device'.
    • rabidonrails 14y ago
      Bloomberg quoting AP: 2 additional devices found and being dismantled in Boston right now. (3:24p CST)
      • BrianPetro 14y ago
        > UPDATE: One report was of unexploded device on the glass footbridge over Huntington Ave near Copley place
    • BrianPetro 14y ago
      > RT @ReutersUS: Boston police confirms another explosion at JFK Library #breaking
      • deleted 14y ago
• corin_ 14y ago
  "A confirmed explosion at the JFK library, we're going to need to deploy resources there" on the EMS scanner just now - that's a third?
• deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
• shocks 14y ago
  Via reddit -> Update 25: Scanner: Confirmed explosion at JFK Library.
  • SODaniel 14y ago
    http://www1.whdh.com/video/7newslive/ http://www1.whdh.com/video/7newslive/ Just confirmed that the fire at JFK library was unrelated and mechanical? Source?
    • shocks 14y ago
      I found that ^^ on reddit, but also http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22159004 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22159004 reported (via a Boston based journalist student) a third explosion at the JFK library. Apparently the third explosion was caused by the police to destroy a suspicious device.
• ritonlajoie 14y ago
  broadcastify seems to not handle the pike in traffic. Here is a working link for the boston police scanner http://www.broadcastify.com/scripts/playlists/1/6254/-5464221596.m3u http://www.broadcastify.com/scripts/playlists/1/6254/-546422...
• jQueryIsAwesome 14y ago
  Well, TSA will start checking marathonists anytime soon. Ban me or whatever you need to do but the reality is that one bomb and Americans cry, while at the same time incentivate thousands of bombs and deads in Mexico for their useless "war on drugs" and also creating pointless wars around the world (eg. Iraq)
  • oinksoft 14y ago
    Classless.
  • pekk 14y ago
    You are making political excuses for murder.
    • jQueryIsAwesome 14y ago
      Murder is political when americans do it? And I'm not making excuses, all murders are inexcusable including american ones.
    • alan_cx 14y ago
      Please learn the massive difference between "excuse" and "reason". It drives me insane when people try to explain something, and someone replies, "oh, that that excuses it, does it?".
      • deleted 14y ago
        [deleted]
• erpa1119 14y ago
  bloomberg reporting two more devices have been found
• deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
• darxius 14y ago
  Its things like this that really make me wonder how we can progress as a society with nutjobs like this. Without sounding like a hippy, the world is filled with so much violence and hate. If these people (and they're all over) put more effort into building society instead of destroying we could really progress. It takes a special kind of asshole to do this.
  • illuminate 14y ago
    I don't see the point in imagining a world without psychopaths. It'd be lovely, but no amount of societal structure will ever remove them, we can only try to reach them whenever possible and lessen their influence on others.
    • andreasvc 14y ago
      That's a pretty cynical world view. I think a lot of bad stuff happens for reasons that could be taken away given better social structures, e.g., people who are abusive because they were abused themselves, desperation because of poverty, etc. There are probably psychopaths which simply have the genetic disposition for that, but violence perpetrated for ideological reasons is definitely something that society could address one way or another.
      • sk5t 14y ago
        Likely we can reduce the incidence of destructive acts somewhat, but it seems improbable to eliminate them entirely... with billions upon billions of humans roaming the planet, a few minds are bound to go off the rails.
    • icebraining 14y ago
      It should be noted that multiple studies indicated that terrorists don't have a bigger share of psychopaths than the general population. Average people can convince themselves and/or be convinced to maim and kill if they believe their cause is just. This does not in any way mean we should excuse them, any more than I would let a rabid dog attack me just because I recognize it can't be expected to follow ethical behavior.
• bluetidepro 14y ago
  Update: (4:35PM EST) "A federal law-enforcement source confirmed to The Post there are at least 12 dead and nearly 50 injured." [1] [1] http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/two_explosions_at_boston_marathon_iMR0LCkcwASg0RQfVsH1yI http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/two_explosions_at_bost...
  • warfangle 14y ago
    the post isn't necessarily a reputable rag to be linking to as a source...
• IanDrake 14y ago
  Anyone ever see the movie "Four Lions"? Basically it's a dark comedy about a bunch of jihadist trying to bomb the London Marathon, but fail because they're incompetent. Too bad life doesn't always imitate art. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Lions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Lions
  • kohanz 14y ago
    I watched it this weekend. Very eery feeling right now. Sadly, although they "fail" in the movie, they do take out at least a few innocent citizens.
  • flyinRyan 14y ago
    Actually weren't these bombers incompetent? How many people were running in this marathon? As far as I understand, if the bombs would have went off about 10 minutes earlier it would have been really bad.
    • DanBC 14y ago
      Depends what their aim is. If the aim is to kill maximum people then yes, they were lousy bombers. If their aim was to cause fear and disruption by demonstrating the ability to detonate two explosive devices within seconds of each other, at a very busy location that's had some security screening, but with the advantage of not killing many people - then they succeeded.
      • flyinRyan 14y ago
        I don't get that. Who ever did this is getting caught, so showing what they could do is pointless. They won't remain free long enough for a repeat performance. What other motivation could they have had then creating terror? Hundreds of dead is a lot more terror than three.
• krcz 14y ago
  Do you think IRA (or one of its forks like Real IRA, Continuity IRA or one IRA extremist supporter) might have been involved? Today US supreme court has ruled to give tapes containing testimony to Irish police: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/15/ira-tapes-police-supreme-court http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/15/ira-tapes-police-su... .
  • CleanedStar 14y ago
    This idea is completely inane. The Volunteers declared war against the England that was on their soil in 1916, that they would shift suddenly to a war against the U.S. is ridiculous. Also, purposefully killing civilians gathered en masse without warning is more along the lines of British Army terrorism (Bloody Sunday, Amritsar), not the Irish volunteers who give warnings and tend to attack military targets, back when they did so. Also, the ruling came somewhat unexpectedly, a few hours before this happened. That's a short space of time to set up a bombing of a marathon. This bombing was obviously planned for days, if not weeks in advance.
    • krcz 14y ago
      Was it just the verdict that was uncertain or it even was unknown that it was to be given today? If it's the second, I have to agree.
    • anu_gupta 14y ago
      Honestly, WTF are you talking about? The Harrods bombing, the Lloyds building, Eniskillen were all aimed at civilians. Take your biased ignorance elsewhere please.
      • nailer 14y ago
        The police were notified about the Lloyds / Bishopsgate bombing and the Harrods bombing by the IRA, who has a long history of doing that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Bishopsgate_bombing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Bishopsgate_bombing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrods_bombing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrods_bombing The Eniskillen bomb was aimed at British soldiers and thus no warning was given. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day_bombing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day_bombing
• kohanz 14y ago
  Thoughts and prayers with the victims and their families. I just watched the movie "Four Lions" this past weekend and anyone who has seen it may have the same eery feeling I currently do.
• dvt 14y ago
  A friend of mine from MIT was at the race. Luckily, he walked away unscathed. I hope all of your friends and family from Boston are safe and sound. I would argue that this is not the time for political discussions.
• seanhandley 14y ago
  Explosions kill people :-( Search on this page for "civilian" and "child" for examples of "legal" murder of innocent people: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drone_strikes_in_Pakistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drone_strikes_in_Pakist...
• seanhandley 14y ago
  Explosions kill people :-( Search on this page for "civilian" and "child" for examples of "legal" murder of innocent people: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drone_strikes_in_Pakistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drone_strikes_in_Pakist...
• arjn 14y ago
  CBS News reports - police confirm (somewhat) that these were bombs and mostly likely planted in Trash cans. Also, it appears at least 1 other unexploded bomb found and disabled by the Boston Police Bomb Squad. (may be more then 1 found)
• ignostic 14y ago
  Our behavior is interesting, given the post I just read on how news is so rarely worth reading and watching. I see a lot of people at work looking for the latest updates. Someone’s watching TV in the next room – they’re just repeating everything over and over, mixing in the new tiny details they learn. I’m really sad about this, but where I know no one in Boston and can’t do anything about it, I’m just going to check back tomorrow when we know more rather than working myself up looking for the latest like I usually would.
  • goostavos 14y ago
    > I know no one in Boston and can’t do anything about it, I’m just going to check back tomorrow when we know more rather than working myself up looking for the latest like I usually would. To the best of my ability, I'll do the same. There's nothing we can currently do. The news for the next 24 hours will be nothing but the newscasters making assumptions, bad connections, and conjecture. The rest of the time will be filled with interviews from people "on the ground." We'll gain nothing from watching it. I feel like the smallest, tiniest "fuck you" I can muster to the person who did this is to spend this time working on something to make a slice of society marginally better, rather than spending the night passively absorbing all the negativity and sorrow he/she has caused.
• mathattack 14y ago
  They police are saying, "Don't use your cellphones, as they can set off other devices." Is there real science behind this?
  • lazugod 14y ago
    Science behind what?
    • mathattack 14y ago
      Can random usage of a nearby phone trigger remotely detonated bombs?
      • lazugod 14y ago
        If the bombmaker wants random cellphone usage to trigger it, yes.
  • jauer 14y ago
    I'd say mostly BS, unless the bomber is a technical idiot. If any random cellphone freq can set it off, it could be set off before the bomber drops it. Being detonated by cell phone, maybe setting all numbers but one to a ringer of silent and then using the speaker would seem more plausible, but figuring that out probably takes more time than they can spare right now.
  • evan_ 14y ago
    sounds like a corruption of the (mistaken) idea that they shut off cell service to prevent the bomber from dialing other devices to set them off
• mathattack 14y ago
  From the comments, "Roupen Bastajian, a 35-year-old state trooper from Smithfield, R.I., had just finished the race when they put the heat blanket wrap on him and he heard the first blast. "I started running toward the blast. And there were people all over the floor," he said. "We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs. A lot of people amputated. ... At least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing." Read more: http://livewire.wcvb.com/Event/117th_Running_of_Boston_Marathon#ixzz2QZEToLHh http://livewire.wcvb.com/Event/117th_Running_of_Boston_Marat... The #s will probably get much worse than 2 and 23.
  • PeterisP 14y ago
    Whoever did this is getting their terror/propaganda effect - 30 people with lost limbs will have a much higher media impact than 300 dead in, say, an airliner bombing.
  • cscurmudgeon 14y ago
    There is something extremely hellish about marathoners missing legs.
  • deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
• UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
  A witness/first-responder just said he is a veteran and he said he recognised the smell as cordite. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordite http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordite PS - This is a witness who was talking to BBC News UK.
• spitx 14y ago
  Boston police triage numbers: For families of the victims, primarily: 617-635-4500 (Mayor's Hotline) If you have any information about the explosions and/or were at the site of explosions: 1-800-494-TIPS NYPOST reporting that a suspect has been identified and is being held under guard at a hospital: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_suspect_guard_y2m8cJO29uC2PDGIjYBalO http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_susp... Update: Steve Silva's Ground Level View Video (Boston.com) http://live.boston.com/Event/Live_blog_Explosion_in_Copley_Square/72926110 http://live.boston.com/Event/Live_blog_Explosion_in_Copley_S...
• uptown 14y ago
  Authorities ID suspect as Saudi national in marathon bombings, under guard at Boston hospital http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_suspect_guard_y2m8cJO29uC2PDGIjYBalO http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_susp... EDIT: Two media outlets reporting conflicting information, so not sure if this is reliable information.
  • khuey 14y ago
    The NY Post is the only one reporting this, and they're not exactly known for accuracy.
    • jamesaguilar 14y ago
      I was about to argue that making something up about this was beyond the level of inaccuracy that NyPost might stoop to, but then I realized I do not know. I guess we will find out soon enough.
  • anigbrowl 14y ago
    I wouldn't trust the NY Post at all. They're also still reporting 12 dead even though everyone else is saying 2. http://www.inquisitr.com/620300/ny-posts-saudi-national-story-untrue-bpd-spokesman-says/ http://www.inquisitr.com/620300/ny-posts-saudi-national-stor... Also denied about 15 minutes ago by the Boston Commisioner of police.
  • tptacek 14y ago
    The BPD already shot this down. Don't breathlessly follow the initial reports; they're chaotic, reporters are incentivized to jump the gun.
  • manish_gill 14y ago
    Yeah, pretty sure it was the case of being a Saudi nearby the explosion. 10-to-1 this is a domestic issue. If it was international terrorism, wouldn't someone have claimed responsibility by now?
• shill 14y ago
  This photo is amazing. https://twitter.com/BGlobeSports/status/323889004246343681/photo/1 https://twitter.com/BGlobeSports/status/323889004246343681/p...
  • ricardobeat 14y ago
    To me it looks like they didn't really know what to do at this moment. What is the standard police procedure?
    • anigbrowl 14y ago
      This is mere seconds after the explosion took place, with the smoke still drifting through the air. Already they've made it to the side of the most obvious casualty; I can't really see the basis for your comment.
      • andypants 14y ago
        They are all facing away from the explosion. The first explosion happened on the side with the flags, you can see the smoke is thickest there. Just pointing out an observation. There could be other officers already on the scene of the explosion, and these guys are handling the crowds.
        • ricardobeat 14y ago
          Yes. At least four of them are running away from the bomb site, the other two are staring at a fallen athlete. Maybe they though he was shot or something, I just can't make sense of it, hence the question.
          • toyg 14y ago
            After 9/11 (and umpteen IED in Iraq and Afghanistan), it was drilled into most emergency services personnel NOT to rush on the site of an explosion, for fear of secondary devices. These guys are doing that: moving people away from the blast area, both for their safety and to make it easier for paramedics and bomb squad to reach it, while helping whoever cannot move. I usually don't like police forces the world over (and Boston has some nasty precedents), but this picture makes them look well-trained, reactive and downright heroic -- which is probably not the case, they're just professionals trying to do their job.
• denzil_correa 14y ago
  A third explosion is confirmed at JFK library by Ed Davis, commissioner of police.
• mikeleeorg 14y ago
  Google's Person Finder: http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions
  • SatvikBeri 14y ago
    We're in Boston and have successfully found people with this. Highly recommended if you can't get in touch with someone you know.
• deltaqueue 14y ago
  Slightly off topic, but is anyone else confused by the fact that several runners in this video[1] reacted to the explosion but did not turn and proceeded to keep running? These people weren't exactly leading the pack (at a 4+ hours finish time), so my guess is that they are just severely deprived of nutrients and aren't processing what's happening, but it's still a bit baffling to me why some didn't turn to see what was going on. [1] https://vine.co/v/bFdt5uwg6JZ https://vine.co/v/bFdt5uwg6JZ *EDIT - thanks to those who confirmed. My confusion is now totally irrelevant after seeing the finish-line view of the same people[2]. It just took them a few seconds to register and they were just in a running flow. [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046MuD1pYJg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046MuD1pYJg
  • cadetzero 14y ago
    To be totally honest, if you heard a huge explosion behind you, would YOU stop to see what happened? Personally I'd book it harder.
  • sigzero 14y ago
    Yup, at that stage you are focusing on "the goal" and that is pretty much it.
  • purephase 14y ago
    If you've ever run a marathon, you'd know. 4 hours is still a pretty decent time for 26 miles and, for most runners, the last leg up to finish line is usually a pretty exhausting/euphoric time. Aside from your own heartbeat and breathing, you really don't notice much else. To me, it looks like they respond physically to the shockwave but are not mentally registering anything other than the finish line.
    • jlees 14y ago
      Agree, that close to the finish line I would have done the same. Especially as everyone would be pushing so hard because it's Boston.
  • msandford 14y ago
    I raced bicycles in college and I can say with confidence that after a 4-6 hour training ride I was wiped out physically and mentally. Had an explosion gone off when I was in that state and only a few blocks from home I would have made sure I was OK and kept pedaling for gatorade and a shower. I don't see their behavior as terribly puzzling given my fairly extensive experience with an exhausted state of mind.
• nealyoung 14y ago
  High quality video of the explosion: http://www.boston.com/video/viral_page/?%2Fservices%2Fplayer%2Fbcpid2080955193001&bckey=AQ~~%2CAAAAAA6piHY~%2CDqRT40XOAr8XmRt9Lw9Lza1eXkXEagX8&bctid=2303076923001 http://www.boston.com/video/viral_page/?%2Fservices%2Fplayer...
• SODaniel 14y ago
  According to AP cellphone service is being suspended to avoid allowing 'detonation of remote devices'. Source: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/official-cellphone-service-shut-down-boston http://bigstory.ap.org/article/official-cellphone-service-sh... 4.14 pm Central.
  • tunesmith 14y ago
    This report was later retracted I think.
• sigzero 14y ago
  Do we really need to "see" the explosions and mangled people?
• ConceitedCode 14y ago
  Reddit user in boston giving great updates as he hears them. http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/1ceng3/boston_marathon_explosion_nsfw_gore/ http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/1ceng3/boston_marathon_...
• denzil_correa 14y ago
  The Boston Globe has uploaded a footage at the moment of explosion at the Boston Marathon. This one shows how the moments panned out. The best I have seen so far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046MuD1pYJg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046MuD1pYJg
• ConceitedCode 14y ago
  Just learned about google person finder. http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions/ http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions/
• bitsoda 14y ago
  Relevant: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5551069 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5551069
• tbrooks 14y ago
  Really PG? https://twitter.com/paulg/status/323909260826259457 https://twitter.com/paulg/status/323909260826259457
  • youngerdryas 14y ago
    Just a little too soon after, only a couple hours, combined with confusion over for-profit status makes it look tone deaf but it is really not. People are suffering - help suffering people.
    • dhimes 14y ago
      As pg tries to explain, it's not a YC company but a charity he supports (and therefore knows about) and it's also one that he thinks can help people get (afford) medical treatment.
      • tbrooks 14y ago
        It doesn't matter whether its a non-profit or for-profit, charity or business, or whether pg personally benefits from Watsi flourishing. He's using the events in Boston as a way to promote a service that has nothing to do with the horror occurring in Boston. I'm not saying Watsi isn't great -- it is. But this isn't the time or place to call attention to Watsi. It's tasteless and rude.
        • pjzedalis 14y ago
          He only called attention to those who were not directly involved with the event. Nobody injured or within range to have a traumatic experience from the event was reading pg's twitter feed and getting offended. Only you were.
        • Aga 14y ago
          I like the practicalness of the advice. It might actually lead to some good in this world. It's times like this when people stop to think about other human beings and might actually act on something. Unfortunately during normal times we are really bad at that.
• mgxplyr 14y ago
  So much for quitting news.
• shocks 14y ago
  Google Person Finder: http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions/ http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions/ Hopefully this can put someone's mind at ease. :(
• rickyconnolly 14y ago
  Authorities ID suspect as Saudi national in marathon bombings, under guard at Boston hospital http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_suspect_guard_y2m8cJO29uC2PDGIjYBalO?utm_source=SFnewyorkpost&utm_medium=SFnewyorkpost http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_susp...
  • tptacek 14y ago
    This is a rumor BPD shot down after NY Post ran it.
• deleted 14y ago
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• brownbat 14y ago
  CBS LOCAL reports that security footage shows man with multiple backpacks near the scene before explosion, reporters suggest devices were placed in trashcans, and police have recovered at least one unexploded device: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/04/15/several-hurt-in-explosions-at-boston-marathon-finish-line/ http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/04/15/several-hurt-in-explos... Update: Police commissioner Ed Davis claims there is no suspect in custody: http://www.businessinsider.com/live-boston-mayor-holds-press-conference-2013-4 http://www.businessinsider.com/live-boston-mayor-holds-press... Original NY POST reporting: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/two_explosions_at_boston_marathon_iMR0LCkcwASg0RQfVsH1yI http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/two_explosions_at_bost... http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_suspect_guard_y2m8cJO29uC2PDGIjYBalO http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/authorities_under_susp... WBZ NEWS 1030 is reporting that a Saudi national was tackled and turned into police, they are questioning him, but he's cooperating and denies any involvement. live feed: http://tunein.com/radio/WBZ-NewsRadio-1030-s27704/ http://tunein.com/radio/WBZ-NewsRadio-1030-s27704/
  • anigbrowl 14y ago
    I wouldn't rely on the NYPost, at all. They're still saying the death toll was 12 when everyone else says it was 2.
  • untog 14y ago
    Boston Police says they have no idea where NY Post is getting it's information from.
• Wrycw 14y ago
  Obama about to go live to speak on this: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
• deleted 14y ago
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• spitx 14y ago
  Person walking on roof of a building near the site of the incident at the time of explosions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQJsyqAOofg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQJsyqAOofg
  • andypants 14y ago
    I keep seeing this get posted all over the place. People want to spread this photo for some reason. It's a fucking silhouette made up of 20 pixels. It's a person on a roof who was likely watching the event. People are so desperate for somebody to blame, this is just ridiculous.
• brownbat 14y ago
  Hi Res video of the explosion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046MuD1pYJg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046MuD1pYJg
• wellboy 14y ago
  :( Anybody knows who's behind this?
• RivieraKid 14y ago
  I'm quite astonished by the disproportionate media attention and hysteria. For comparison 55 people died today in an Iraq bombing and about 80 people die every day on the U.S. roadways.
  • chadillac83 14y ago
    I tried explaining this to someone earlier... apparently it's not a numbers game because of assumed risk. There is little to no risk to watching a marathon, whereas living in Iraq or speeding on the highway there is implied risk. I'm not trying to discredit what you're saying, just pointing out why people (my friend and probably a lot of others) go into hyper sensitive reactionary mode.
    • RivieraKid 14y ago
      I would say it's surprise factor combined with sensitivity to terrorist attacks.
      • rayiner 14y ago
        That and people aren't robots. A bombing in Boston means more to someone in New York than does one in Iraq, and purposeful taking of innocent life means more than accidental death.
        • scarmig 14y ago
          Well, the innocent people being blown up in Iraq certainly weren't accidentally being blown up. And we had a much bigger role in creating the situation in Iraq than we did the situation in Boston...
          • rayiner 14y ago
            A bombing in Boston hits home to people in New York, because people can relate to their countrymen better than they can to random people on the other side of the planet with a different culture and history. This is human nature.
• meerita 14y ago
  I wonder the reasons of doing this.
• uberuberuber 14y ago
  In the sturm und drang that has resulted from this tragedy, and the weeks to come of hand wringing about terrorists/crazyfolk/etc across the major news networks, I hope against hope that we can stow our reptilian brains for a brief while… In the 3 hours that have passed since the top comment was made, 205 people in the US have died from heart disease(1), an almost entirely preventable disease. This observation may be construed as heartless, insensitive to the victims, and "if it were your X then it would be different"… but I contend that each time we act like chimps and allow our attention to be drawn to the latest epidemiologically insignificant tragedy we lose as a species. A van distributing a year's supply of aspirin to the fleeing masses would have been more helpful than any ambulance.. (1) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm
  • Wintamute 14y ago
    Well said.
  • DigitalJack 14y ago
    I think there is a small bit of difference between you choosing to live your life in such a way that heart disease will be your end, vs someone else deciding to blow your limbs off.
    • AlexandrB 14y ago
      Now that is insensitive. People have died of heart disease at all ages. It's not a lifestyle choice FFS.
  • nandemo 14y ago
    I've never quite understood that argument. It's not about it being insensitive, just irrelevant. It seems to have an implicit but completely unsupported premise that every death is equal. First, there's age: deaths from heart disease tend to happen at old age. In most cultures, death at old age is considered less tragic than the death of an infant or young adult. Also, there's the perceived "naturality" of death: death by natural causes is considered less tragic and less repugnant than murder. And finally there's the fear aspect: a specific murder of A by B for reason X is repugnant but it doesn't necessarily makes other people fear for their lives, while a bombing in a public setting makes people worry that they and their loved ones might be targets too.
• dakrisht 14y ago
  Devastating. Horrific.
• brettcvz 14y ago
  Timeilne: http://tech.mit.edu/V133/N18/explosions.html http://tech.mit.edu/V133/N18/explosions.html
• joshguthrie 14y ago
  Twilio put up an app to call your family if needed: http://callyourfamily.twilio.ly/ http://callyourfamily.twilio.ly/ Not a Bostonian but The Hub's been my hometown when I spent some time in the US... My prayers go to all of you.
• traughber 14y ago
  I found this unreal set of photos on Flickr from before and immediately after the explosion. Includes high res photos of the crowd: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hahatango/sets/72157633252445135/with/8652827185/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/hahatango/sets/7215763325244513...
• supervillain 14y ago
  So timely, gives more reasons to oppose the immigration reform next week.
• deleted 14y ago
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• ChrisNorstrom 14y ago
  If this continues I wonder if we're going to start seeing drones with "Persistent Stare" (24 hour recording of a massive area that creates an enormous video of the entire city) employed over American Cities. Had one been used already, they would have been able to take the video, slowly reverse it to see who dropped off the package in the dumpster, and then follow that person back to their home or business. Thus finding out who did it.
  • jchavannes 14y ago
    Not sure if you did it on purpose, but you just perfectly described ARGUS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGxNyaXfJsA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGxNyaXfJsA
    • ChrisNorstrom 13y ago
      Yes, I forgot it was called ARGUS. Argus would be perfect, as horrifying as the privacy concerns are, I'm not sure there is any expectable of privacy in being outdoors in public. The ability to fight nearly every kind of crime would be astronomical. From finding who dropped off a dead body and the home they went back to, to busting meth labs, illegal arms dealers, kidnapped children, missing persons. My only worry is, this will be used against people simply smoking pot or other things that aren't morally wrong but legally punishable.
• joering2 14y ago
  Can someone explain me what this news has to do with hacker news, IT, programming, hacking??
• ok_craig 14y ago
  Right on time to make us all forget about Gitmo.
• huherto 14y ago
  Guys, I was watching the marathon about a mile from the finish line. I saw how a great celebration turned into sadness and fear. But as sad as this made me feel, it made me feel even worst that this is what my loved family is living in Mexico every day. Just across the border from this beautiful country. As important as this is, shouldn't every child be as valuable no matter where they are born? Today, I saw a lot of anger on my friend's faces, but it seems that as long as it is not happening here it doesn't matter that much, it seems that only Americans are entitled to feel safe.
  • austenallred 14y ago
    A second tragedy need not make the first less tragic. Americans mourn tragedies in America more than those outside of their borders because they hit closer to home.
• deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
• bialecki 14y ago
  Ridiculous and sad are the two emotions that come to mind. I've run the Boston Marathon and plan on running again next year (want to re-qualify, but will likely run with a charity anyway). I grew up close to the route and have spent pretty much every April watching family or friends run. It's ridiculous because I don't know how else to describe it and sad because a great tradition is going to change, likely in unfortunate ways, for the foreseeable future. It's just an empty feeling, like memories from the years before will never be possible again. If you've never run a marathon, and especially a big one, it's a unique experience. Rarely are elite athletes on the same course/playing field with "regular" people and all being cheered on (with no barriers) by residents. Watch any footage and you'll see onlookers almost bump into the fastest men/women in the world (hell, they even give out cups of beer at BC). Talk about feeling close to a community and feeding off their energy, I can't think of anything else like that. It's sad that something like that has likely changed forever. I hope more than anything in the coming months and years this disruption/incontinuity can be turned into a positive that makes the event even better, that the community will overcome everything that's happened. I'm confident it will, but right now it's just sad.
• np422 14y ago
  Americans, please don't start another war because of this.