Boston, alive

I survived another round of bomb blasts. Terrorists all over seem to be really bad at this one thing-- blowing me into pieces. Observations as someone who was 50m from the blasts:

1) I'm writing this point first because I just read this article on The Atlantic. Those in reddits who're 'hunting' for the bombers online through images are vigilantes like black and white, and using technology to hide their true identities does not make them any less of vigilantes than any other point in time. Some who consider themselves more technologically sophisticated on the internet seem to consider themselves invulnerable gods who are never wrong, the likes of whom the world has never seen. They ignore the lessons from history (RE: bitcoin and those who believe it's a 'totally new thing') and everything else mankind has learned from its follies. This is a rant for a whole post. Here's the gist: technology does not/should not mean the end of democracy and a functioning state.

2) The bombs were not designed to kill. They were designed to hurt, create panic, maybe severe limbs, but not hurt people. To begin with, they were not nearly powerful to create major damages. Second, one of them was placed in a trash can-- which actually deflected most of the impact of the blast upwards. The potential for damage was so much higher than it actually was.

3) Either it's a really, really incompetent and unenthusiastic international terrorist group, or one of those bitter people who's angry at someone for some reason or other. I strongly believe it's the second.

4) The response was amazing. Not only by cops and doctors, but medical volunteers, people younger than I am, who rushed with stretchers and wheelchairs towards the blasts seconds after they happened.

5) This merits a different post too but here's the gist anyway: comparing those blasts to those in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria etc. is completely wrong, so so wrong and misguided, and doesn't get the basic concept of context in political analysis. America spends a LOT more per person for security than they do, and American is KNOWN for its relative security(at least from bombs. the crazies will never let it be safe from guns). I have a lot more to say on this. Maybe later.

6) Marathon runners can be quite attractive.