<p>I wondered about this also, and then realized the boy and his family were probably quite some distance away from the first blast and, like so many others, started running when they realized what had happened. They were probably almost on top of the second bomb when the first one exploded and, unknowingly, ran right into it.</p>
<p>Absolutely horrifying. And the tragic thing is that that second bomb could have been anywhere . . . those people who fled from the first explosion had no way of knowing what they were running into. It could have happened to any of them. Ironically, the only people whose safety was assured were those who ran towards the first explosion instead of away from it . . .</p>
<p>As more details start to come out (person carrying heavy black duffel bags and placing items in/by a trashcan, use of pressure cookers with ball bearings, nails, etc) I think everyone who took photos or videos at the race yesterday will be checking their shots for any possible inclusion of someone carrying bags. And there was so much media around and so many cameras set up to film at the finish line. Surely something will surface. Add to that that store and/or online sales of pressure cookers, ball bearings, etc will be checked and check-out line films scrutinized, etc. The circuitboard they found may have some identifying information on it as well. There is so much more available nowadays to track down even miniscule leads that did not exist when the unabomber and others were reigning their terror, that I think they WILL find the perpetraator. I also suspect that they know more than they are sharing publically. I have a relative who works for Homeland Security. Wish he’d be willing to share top secret info… But alas…</p>
<p>The Times Square bomber was an Islamic lone wolf whose work wasn’t particularly sophisticated. It is just very hard to tell. Pressure cooker bombs are used in Afghanistan, which my niece’s Marine husband told me and which was confirmed by the AP today. We have a long history, as 07DAD pointed out of terrorism here from the left, the right, the green, the Islamist and others. </p>
<p>It keeps running through my head that my mother always said that she wouldn’t have a pressure cooker because they are dangerous.</p>
<p>jymI think you are correct. Once they identify the brand of pressure cooker they will locate where they are sold. Will a store have records of someone buying multiple pressure cooker in one day for example.</p>
<p>NYMomof2, I always thought that my mother was making this up and, having never considered building a bomb, I was absolutely shocked. I truly didn’t know pressure cookers were dangerous.</p>
<p>zm, I never thought of them as bombs; in fact, until today I had never heard of using pressure cookers as bombs. But they do cook under high pressure. In the old days, they used to explode. Now they have more safeguards, but I still don’t trust them.</p>
<p>I guess for bomb purposes, they close them tightly with the explosive materials inside, and pressure builds up until they explode?</p>
<p>Apparently, the whole world knew how to build these bombs. I don’t know what possesses people to use their time and abilities to do these things.</p>
<p>Sorry - I am not trying to go off topic. I was raised in the Boston suburbs. Spent many years watching the marathon - along the route as well as close to the finish line. One year I even sold Marathon programs - walking through the crowds yelling " A Marathon is just not a Marathon unless you have a program!" I know I am saying the obvious but…this just makes me so incredibly sad! </p>
<p>I LOVE my hometown and I am really PROUD of how they have handled the situation thus far!</p>
<p>Pressure cookers - they always scared me too!</p>
<p>The third victim was a Chinese graduate student at BU, I gather female from the pronouns. Two other Chinese BU grad students were with her at the marathon. One of them, also female, was seriously injured. The third student was not hurt.</p>
<p>So sad for the families, thousands of miles away.</p>
<p>Johnny Kelly
The Hoyts
Clam chowda
The Wellesley College Scream Tunnel
The guy who used to run in the moose head
Cheering on strangers by name (write your name on your shirt and the crowd will keep you going)
Marathon route neighbors giving water and bananas to runners</p>
<p>What are your favorites? What will you be looking forward to next year when the marathon is back stronger than ever?</p>