Boston Marathon Bombings - Day Two

Yesterday I said that ball bearing were used in the Boston marathon bombings, and that a Saudi national was in custody. Today there are reports that ball bearings were not used, and that the Saudi national is not a suspect.

Mea culpa.

By nature and training I usually err on the side of caution. I prefer not to speak out or take a position until I'm sure of the facts. In this case I let my emotions take precedence over by thoughts.

Lessons learned:

1. Think before you speak (I keep re-learning this one...).

2. Don't expect the mainstream media to accurately report the facts. (Another lesson I have a hard time learning...).

Final Thought:

We in this country have been incredibly lucky so far. America in general is a very soft target. We have a large number of public gatherings (festivals, sports events, concerts, etc.) and open public facilities (schools, parks, malls, etc.). Instructions and materials for building explosive devices are readily available. It's a wonder there haven't been more of these events. I'm sure some have been prevented that we've never heard about, but like the saying goes, we have to be successful 100% of the time - the terrorist only needs to win once.

Given the publicity this bombing has received, I expect more attempts in the months to come.

Given the public's desire for security, I also expect more attacks on our personal freedoms.

Either way, the terrorists win...

UPDATE: Now it appears that there were ball bearings used after all. I'm just going to quit posting about this until things settle down.