Explosions at finish line of Boston Marathon - many serious injuries, poss. fatalities

Cyriacus

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Wow. Ok. I just saw this on the news.

What i wanna know is, why there? I mean, what was the goal? If it was just to take out some innocents i can think of better targets. Why this place and these people?
 

jezr74

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Wow. Ok. I just saw this on the news.

What i wanna know is, why there? I mean, what was the goal? If it was just to take out some innocents i can think of better targets. Why this place and these people?

It's a big event here, it's Patriots day, it's the first day of the school holidays as well.
 

elder999

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arnisador

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If you are snapping photos instead of applying tourniquets you are a piece of ****.

There is value in documenting what happened--for evidence but also for posterity. There are many iconic photos of tragedies that serve an educational purpose. But yeah, it's also easy to just be an opportunistic jerk.
 

Makalakumu

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There is value in documenting what happened--for evidence but also for posterity. There are many iconic photos of tragedies that serve an educational purpose. But yeah, it's also easy to just be an opportunistic jerk.

Personally, it would feel completely unnatural for me to pull out my cell phone and take a picture of a person bleeding out at my feet.

Anyway, I feel sick about this tragedy. These kinds of things tend to reverberate through our society as they take trips through the echo chamber.
 

Cyriacus

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It's a big event here, it's Patriots day, it's the first day of the school holidays as well.

Ah, i see.

And there are runners from a few other countries there as well.

And now it makes sense.

And Elder: We can only hope that the crowds dont get that low in future events. Thats the thing with terrorism. Everyone was there enjoying the marathon, now alot of those people might not go to the next marathon. Or the next one. Or the next one.
 

Cyriacus

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There is value in documenting what happened--for evidence but also for posterity. There are many iconic photos of tragedies that serve an educational purpose. But yeah, it's also easy to just be an opportunistic jerk.

I think someone else said something similar, but photos can bridge the gap between "X people were killed" and "This is what someone whos been blown up looks like. Think about it". However, if it were me, taking photos is the thing id do only after emergency services took over for people such as myself whod be trying to help out.
 
OP
Carol

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The BPD is asking anyone with videos of the blast to submit them.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 

Bob Hubbard

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In a situation like this, my usefullness to those injured is minimal. I'm not trained, and 2+ decades past my limited boy scout first aid training. I can put pressure on a wound, I can call for help, I can follow instructions from someone who does know what to do.
Assuming I were there, and in a position to photograph, I have no idea what to shoot. I'd probably be in shock myself.

But people in a position to do so can be of use. Documenting the tragedy for history, or just maybe catching something that helps the investigation. Photographers, real photographers, not the guys taking snapshots or blurry video, see things differently. We look for the unusual, the out of place, the weird. We look from different angles.

Assuming I was in a position to shoot, I'd try to capture a 360 series around me. Try to think like a forensics photographer, though I' tainted by too much CSI TV and not enough CSI training. I'd try to stay out of the way.

The reality is, I'd probably need to change my pants.

But if I had video/photos I'd make sure there were copies in the hands of the investigators.

The people who could help, who get in the way, who cause problems....just to get a 'money shot'...F em.


===


Death toll's now up to 3 I saw. Over 100 injured. Hospitals picking ball bearings out of people. 5-6 explosives found (including the 3 that went off). Conflicting reports on suspects and descriptions. IED's were small, designed for grapeshot dispersal, brutal things, tore people to shreds. Law enforcement and military mobilized, other cities on high alert.
 

Sukerkin

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With the recent tragedy in my own life I am a bit of an emotional wreck regardless but I came across this and it moved me to tears:

$light.jpg
 

celtic_crippler

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Pictures of the legless guy are all over the internet. I’m not sure if it will “remind” people of anything in the future other than it being a tragic event. People perceive things differently.

For example: two people can view the old photo of the little girl with napalm burns from Vietnam and one will see the horrific result of a failed war for profit and another will simply see collateral damage unavoidable in war. Both may find the photo tragic, but other than that the “meaning” it has for them will vary.

I’m interested to see who gets blamed for the attack and what the repercussions will be.

Of course, if you believe former representative Cynthia McKinney [D] the government’s behind it.

From her Twitter account:
The pattern is becoming too, too familiar. So, Boston cops were having a “bomb squad drill” on the same day as the marathon?

Yup, she tweeted that.

Terrorist organizations have typically been quite boastful in the past, but I’ve heard nothing from the Middle Eastern factions.

Some are speculating “white supremacists” and I’ve even seen some fingers pointed at the Tea Party.

Perhaps it will end up being a single person with “mental illness.” Won’t that be interesting to see played out? A veteran perhaps? Timothy McVeigh was a vet.
 

Tgace

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My wifes cousin (female) finished the Boston in 3:33...minutes ahead of the blast (8 min mile average..thats kick ***). Thank God her husband and kids were not near the blasts.
 

ballen0351

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They were talking to some defense expert from Israel on the radio today he was saying that in his country after attack they try to get the wall repainted area cleaned up and everything back to normal in 6 hours. I have no clue of that's true or not but that seemed like a perfect way to show these cowards you can't hurt us we are to strong for that. He was saying here in the US they will talk about on news for weeks hold fundraisers for Boston restrict even more freedoms for safety sake and the terrorist wins. I tend to agree with him.
 

Xue Sheng

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Not a bad idea...of course Israel would be pretty sure it was any number of terrorist groups that regularly attack and in 6 hours the terrorist group would already have taken credit for the attack....and 6 hours would be a good idea ...unless you are doing a crime scene investigation...then 6 hours might be a bit to quick.

Can't really judge us by Israel standards since they tend to not have as many freedoms as we have here already
 

granfire

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But as soon as they reopen the street there will be three memorials and 140+ candles and stuff. Before the next race a plaque with be mounted on the wall....not much in the way of painting and forget it.....
We will only be allowed to forget it when the next, bigger thing gets blown up....

but honestly, the lack of claims to this event makes me think it's a homespun 'effort'.
Our Middle Eastern friends are only too eager to brag (and collect their paychecks) to dawdle around. In OKC they didn't know at first either....
 

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