Well, it looked like a bomb and acted like a bomb, so in reality it was a bomb.
Just not an intentional one, even though it seems this one’s been ticking away for several years. His mistake is thinking this was deliberate and planned.
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I think the deliberate nature is what separates bombs from explosions.
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This is a fascinating one. A lovely bride is getting her wedding snaps done when, boom – she appears unhurt (although her dress gets a workout) – and then you can see the wave front moving down the street away blowing out glass as it goes.
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It’s amazing the death count is as low as it is (though I assume it’s going to be higher before this is over). I could imagine 135 people dying in just one of those knocked-down buildings.
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This seems like a decent workup, that arrived at 1.98 kilotons.
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Yes - we figured it out, I thought he was referring to the video in the article, not the church video in the comments, thanks.
Someone embedded it up-thread.
Devastating.
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Thanks. Missed that. I looked up the business behind her and this wedding party was about 4,000’ away.
Close to the 2.9KT force of the Halifax Explosion of 1917, which killed 2000 people, the largest human-caused explosion before Trinity. Also involving a port and explosives detonated unintentionally.
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There’s a great book The Curse of the Narrows by Laura Mac Donald. I suspect if you know about the Halifax explosion you are either Canadian or you may have already read this book.
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Haven’t read the book, but guilty as charged on being a Canuck. The parallels are striking. In Halifax hundreds came out to gawk at the fire that presaged the explosion, many blinded as a result. In Beirut people got out their phones; I suspect in many cases with similar consequences.
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Twisted Sifter has some perspectives I haven’t seen before:
I am so much reminded of the Anthony Bourdain, “No Reservations” episode.
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That first clip where the person recording is really close, has to be one of the scariest clips I have ever seen. If that would have been me, I would need new underwear and probably new pants as well!
More big bangs:
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Footage of the aftermath reminded me that it was 75 years ago today that the people of Hiroshima were bombed. Horrifying to see such devastation.
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I was just coming to post that (and @atl)… The Guardian had more, too:
She’s lovely and that gown is gorgeous.
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Yes, was really glad to see they are going to be OK. May their next attempt go a bit more smoothly.
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She’s a doctor here in the US, he’s awaiting a Green Card to head on over. It’s a pretty shitty situation, but this particular story is a unicorn chaser if I’ve ever seen one.
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They are a lovely couple. I grieve for their home country.
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She speaks out here in a BBCNews Vid.
Brave woman.
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