Multiple bombs explode during the Boston Marathon

[Ajfar]

I found this article really interesting. The author describes how the course of event would have went had the Tsarnaev brother turned out to be "Boston Shooters, instead of Boston Bombers". The sad part is I can see the scenario turning out just like the way the author describes it.

Here’s a little mental experiment. Imagine, for a moment, that the Tsarnaev brothers, instead of packing a couple of pressure cookers loaded with nails and explosives into their backpacks a week ago Monday, had stuffed inside their coats two assault rifles—Bushmaster AR-15s, say, of the type that Adam Lanza used in Newtown. What would have been different?

Well, for one thing, the brothers would probably have killed a lot more than three people at the marathon. AR-15s can fire up to forty-five rounds a minute, and at close range they can tear apart a human body. If the Tsarnaevs had started firing near the finish line, they might easily have killed dozens of spectators and runners before fleeing or being shot by the police.

The second thing that would have been different is the initial public reaction. Most Americans associate bomb attacks with terrorists. When they hear of mass shootings, they tend to think of sociopaths and unbalanced post-adolescents. If the Tsarnaevs had managed to carry out a gun massacre unharmed and escaped, their identities unknown, would the first presumption have been that the shooters were Islamic extremists? Or would people have looked in another direction?

Read the rest here: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blog...tcid=obnetwork

[zsayeed]

On cue - albeit late - a bit of Sunday reading from CrapNN for the religious minded people. Front Page material - mind you!


http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/0...gns/?hpt=hp_c1

But the first one: 1. I know the truth, and you don’t.

goes with any one in BC - okay - almost anyone. Especially in the Shahbag and Hefajot threads - both closed single handedly.

[Ajfar]

I went to Boylston Street past weekend. I only visited the location of the first bomb. I saw a lot of people there taking pictures, but barely anyone was talking. You can tell just by looking at people's face, they still can't believe this happened here just a few days ago. While I was there, the governor of Mass walked by right in front of me. He shook some of the police officer's hand, and walked away quickly.