Two huge explosions at finish line of Boston Marathon

[Bob Juch]

Breaking news, more to come. TV showing many ambulances being loaded.

[Bob Juch]

It's looking like intentional homemade bombings (IED). TV showing very bloody sidewalk.

[silverscreenselect]

Sadly, it's a typical tactic that bombers in the Middle East use. Set off one bomb, then set off a second after rescue workers arrive.

[SportsFan68]

This is heinous. I posted today's observation too soon.

[Ritterskoop]

I think real terrorists would have done more damage and would have made the explosions happen when the premier athletes were finishing, not hours later.

We've been sticking with CNN - we switched to Fox once just for comparison, and they were yelling about 3 dead and saying there could be more devices. Both could be true, but I appreciate the restraint of better journalists who say they don't know yet, rather than being in a hurry to scare everyone.

Our thoughts are with everyone who has been hurt.

[Bob Juch]

[Bob Juch]

NBC says 2 dead 27 major injuries.

[silverscreenselect]

I think real terrorists would have done more damage and would have made the explosions happen when the premier athletes were finishing, not hours later.

People who set off explosive devices at major public gatherings and kill or injure dozens of people are real terrorists. They may not be as well trained, well skilled, or well equipped as others but they are just as real.

[Kazoo65]

This is just sick.There are some local people running in the Boston Marathon, including a doctor and his daughter.  They've been getting a lot of press from our newspaper. 

[dimmzy]

I'm just sick about this. AGAIN.

Let's join Canada.

[Jessie]

This is just so messed up! What the hell is wrong with people these days?

[BackInTex]

I have two friends there (that I know about). This is his 10th time running the marathon. His wife goes along for the support.

They are both OK. She was less than a block away, he about 4 blocks, when the explosions happened. They are in their hotel room overlooking the square now.

[Bob Juch]

I think real terrorists would have done more damage and would have made the explosions happen when the premier athletes were finishing, not hours later.

People who set off explosive devices at major public gatherings and kill or injure dozens of people are real terrorists. They may not be as well trained, well skilled, or well equipped as others but they are just as real.

These may very well be "real" terrorists. They've found and disarmed two more IEDs. The T has been totally shut down.

[Bob Juch]

They're treating this as if it might be the beginning of other attacks. They have increased the security perimeter around the White House and have greatly increased airport security.

[Bob Juch]

A bomb went off at the JFK Library. No word on injuries.

That's what the Police Commissioner said during a new conference but they're saying it was just an electrical fire now.

[Bob Juch]

Live feed here: http://www.wistv.com/story/21982414/rep ... n-marathon

[Bob Juch]

Boston. Fucking horrible.

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity."

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

[dimmzy]

Bob,

That is a great quote. I wish I had said it. After being just sick about it, I realized that next year, the Boston Marathon will be BIGGER THAN EVER. There will be a lot of tears, but a spirit of defiance will be there. We shall always overcome ...

[ghostjmf]

They are blowing up my city & I am f*cking mad. One of the dead is confirmed as an 8-year-old child.

[Ritterskoop]

My earlier reaction dint come out like I meant it to.

I apologize.

[clem21]

I know no one wants to hear it but I need to rant so I'll do it here. I had flashbacks to 9/11 today too as I'm sure most New Yorkers did. And we've had bombs and shootings since then and kept going. But this feels different.

It made me so fucking angry.

Don't get me wrong, I was scared too. I was texting multiple friends in Boston, including my own old running partner who I still run with once a month and was running Boston - his favorite race. (He was on pace to finish at 4:00, but had to pull out at the 20 mile mark with a pulled hamstring. Thank G-d.) I was worried and upset, but still - mostly angry.

Angry because running is where we go to get away from all this. Running transcends politics and war. It's just pure joy bottled up in the simple exercise of putting one foot in front of another. And some coward or cowards went after that. My friend sent me a photo this morning of a station early in the race where a Boston resident was giving out free Gatorades, towels, and bananas. Just because. That's what runners are like. These people are my friends. And I had to watch people who were about to realize their dream, or do something they've been training for for months and years. I saw the unflattering man tights that are the sure sign of a runner, and the foil wrap that speaks of more accomplishment than a trophy ever could. I had to watch them running away. And screaming. And crying. That's what was chosen as a target for attack today. And it made me mad.

So tomorrow I'll get up and I'll still be angry. And after an angry morning class, (First Amendment Theory so I can swear as much as I like) I'll go outside and I'll run uptown. I don't know how far I'll go, or where I'll end up, but I do know I won't be mad anymore when I finish. I know this because I know what every runner knows.
When you're running, the anger tends to simply fade away.

It's just too damn fun.

G-d bless you all. Go run. You'll see. It'll make any horrible day just a tiny bit better.

[MarleysGh0st]

I know no one wants to hear it but I need to rant so I'll do it here.

That was a well-said rant, clem.

I think many of us are feeling a lot of what you said, whether we run or not. I just don't know what to say, anymore.

[Vandal]

A touch of class from our friends in the Windy City:

[T_Bone0806]

Nice work, Tribune. Some things point out how silly (although fun) sports rivalries are in the grand scheme. If it would bring back those 3 people and heal the countless injured, I'd take a 0-162 Yankee season...and sit through every game.

That came off sounding trivial and flippant, which wasn't my intent. What I mean to say is...


God Bless Boston.

[Vandal]

Well said, T Bone.