Dom is ok, not near Boston bombings and fires

[JediTricks]

It looks like they're shutting down Bostonian cell service to avoid cellphones setting off more bombs, either on purpose or accidentally.

We probably won't hear from Dom again for hours through that method, glad he was able to relay his status before that so we could all know, because you're right, that's what really matters.

[138 Scourge]

Man, the fuck gets into people?

I got word of the bombs and was writing a message for Dom when I got his text saying he was okay. What a fuckin relief.

Still, seriously. What gets into peoples heads to do this kind of thing?

[JediTricks]

Some people are cowards, too lazy and too angry to use their minds to address problems so they just create pain and suffering to carry their twisted messages, not caring what damages they do. They are often "true believers" in something or other and feel that's all they need to justify their destruction. Some feel small and weak, and think that bombs can shift them into being big and powerful - but that's not what makes one powerful, the ability NOT use bombs is what makes one powerful. Having the ability that could be twisted to kill but the wisdom and strength of character not to allow that ability to harm others, that's real power, and it's something these scumbags will unfortunately never understand, because these terrorists - domestic and foreign alike - only care about their own results being fulfilled.


Currently, the NY Post is reporting a bunch of crazy shit that the Boston Police are saying is untrue, from dozens dead to a Saudi national as a suspect in custody, the Boston Police are saying that stuff is not true.

[Onslaught Six]

I think it really speaks to the comraderie of this board that the first thing most of us did upon hearing this news was make sure Dom was okay.

I actually completely forgot about Dom's location, in relevance to it, until I saw Scourge and 86's tweets about it. (I went into self-imposed Internet exile a few minutes after it happened, because I was trying to be productive.)

Anyway, I am glad to hear he's fine. I'm kinda anxious to know what the motivation of this was, guess we'll find out in the coming reports. It's tense.

I'm not. I'm sick of shit like this getting the media attention, because all it does is justify those actions. It's the kid who acts out for attention.

[Dominic]

Thanks guys. I am fine. A friend of mine was in the area (working as a reporter). He ended up being stuck there for several hours just because he could not find a route out that he trusted. Another friend of mine typically runs in marathons, but he apparently (and uncharacteristically) skipped this year's event.


Generaly replies:

Two bombs went off. A third was reported to have been found and destroyed. A friend of mine knows a number of first responders. He heard of at least 4 more devices in/around the Back Bay. There was also a suspicious package found in/near Harvard Yard in Cambridge (about a mile or so away). The fire reported at the JFK library is confirmed as being unrelated.

3 dead, including a kid. As it turns out, the kid was affiliated with UFO (one of the wrestling promotions that I help with). I do not recognize the name or face, but it is entirely possible that I have seen that kid more than once.

There have been all these stories in the last few years about would-be bombers being caught before they could carry out the bombing, or the FBI finding them out and giving them fake explosive devices. Not that we know who did this yet, but it was only a matter of time before someone somewhere would succeed. It's terrible.

Agreed, police/security organizations have no margin for error. There have been reports of somebody dropping off backpacks around the area that was bombed. But, I recall reports about car bombs at the State Department when the WTC was destroyed back in '01. There is more than enough miscommunication during and immediately following an attack that we have to be willing to reconsider initial reports.


A back-pack ban is all but impossible to enforce in Boston, espcially in May. The city is pock-marked with college campuses. In a few places, one can only travel a few blocks (or less) without crossing from one campus to another. Students commonly use back-packs. Additionally, the city has a *huge* homeless population, and they often carry one or more bundles.

I carry a large backpack, and I dress "ghetto fabulous". I more than fit the profile of a suspicious person. But, i was not stopped on my way in this morning because there are so many people with bundles who ride during rush hour. (If everybody is speeding, who does a cop pull over.)

During the DNC in 2004, there was a backpack ban in place around the (then named) Fleet Center and significant restrictions on at least two of the train lines (the ran track by/under the Center). I went in to Boston once that week, and I saw more than a few back-packs in the vicinity of the venue. Just outside of the cordon, backpacks were ubiquious, and there were enough people to make an attack "worth it".

Boston is ripe for "Palestine Tactics". By this I mean causing general and decentralized mayhem over a broad area. Palestinians have done very well for themselves by taking out the odd pizzeria or mall store. While the small attacks may not kill as many people or cause as large of a disruption, they do enormous social and economic damage over time. I hope that yesterday is not a sign that we will be seeing more of that sort of thing, here or abroad.

I've never understood these sorts of attacks. Even from a Devil's Advocate's perspective.

Terrorism is essentially the use of fear to encourage or discourage action from a target group. Setting off a bomb in a crowded place is going to scare the hell out of people.

It looks like they're shutting down Bostonian cell service to avoid cellphones setting off more bombs, either on purpose or accidentally.

We probably won't hear from Dom again for hours through that method, glad he was able to relay his status before that so we could all know, because you're right, that's what really matters.

There was also a question of keeping comm lines open for officials. (Remember, texting was allowed. In mechanical terms, text signals could be triggers as well.) I did not lose service, and actually made two phone calls (one on a cell the other on a landline) while checking on people. My uncle (who is not comfortable texting) lives further outside of the city on the same side (north) as I do. I was able to get through to him no problem. And, I made another call (using my cell) to a friend who lived about as far west of the area as I am north. That call went through as well.

It's the kid who acts out for attention.

Exactly.

The best thing to do is punish that child.



As bad as yesterday was for those who were immediately affected, I am personally dreading the inevitable conspiracy theories and childish thinking that tend to follow this sort of thing.

It was suprising how fast things got back to normal locally. Within 4 hours (maybe less) local stations were more or less back to normal programming. Entertainment blocks were running normally and such. When I went to get coffee after dinner, a pop station was playing in the background. I would not expect constant national coverage, but I did expect more coverage locally.


Dom

[Shockwave]

Well we're all glad that you and your family are ok and weren't among the dead/injured. Apparently we have a family friend from England who usually runs in the marathon but he also did not participate this year. I do want to apologize for my rather generic response to the text message, I was unaware of what had happened when I received it. I found out here a few minutes later and was suddenly glad to already know that you were ok.

[Dominic]

No worries. I ran in to somebody this morning who only found out a few hours earlier. (She left work yesterday having managed to avoid anyone talking about it. And, she did not turn on the TV or radio until this morning.)

I easily could have gone in to the early evening hours without finding out on a normal Monday.

[Onslaught Six]

As bad as yesterday was for those who were immediately affected, I am personally dreading the inevitable conspiracy theories and childish thinking that tend to follow this sort of thing.

It's already happening, and makes me glad that my normal Internet is out, and that I have to squeeze by on someone else's wifi that I'm picking up.

[Gomess]

British media is, of course, getting paranoid about the upcoming London marathon. Not *too* much scaremongering yet, but it's only a matter of time.

Honestly, the very idea that the London marathon will be targeted by the same culprits is... well, whatever.

[Dominic]

Given how little we know about who executed yesterday' attacks, it is impossible to rule anything out. (There were a number of bombs on/around Boylston Street and another probable bomb at Harvard. This is a good indication of there being more than one attacker.)

There is also the fact that yesterday proved that a marathon is a possible target. I know that London's police are institutionally more aggressive than most other cities' departments (largely through institutional habits built while dealing with the IRA). But, things can slip through, as evidenced by the transit bombings a few years back.


On a related note, the Westboro Baptists (America's most well known hate group) is planning a protest in South Boston (centered on the funeral for one of the victims). And, apparently, Anonymous is planning a counter-rally. As if having two inflammatory groups is such proximity (at a time like this no less) were not bad enough, South Boston (Dorchester) has long been a powder keg on its own.



Dom