A great city is being thrown into chaos

[DemocratSinceBirth]

No words...

[B2G]

1. by THREE people. nt

[cwydro]

3. Took only two

to throw Boston into chaos.

Amazing.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. I understand the argument that you are more likely to get killed by a shark than a terrorist ...

I understand the argument that you are more likely to get killed by a shark than a terrorist or something like that...However there is a huge psychic cost that is not easy to measure.

[cwydro]

5. Yes.

Well said.

Back in the mid 70's, my family was traveling a great deal. There were a lot of hijackings during that time.

I was about 17, and I nervously eyed every "middle eastern looking" person that boarded our flights. My parents laughed at me.

[B2G]

9. There have only been 569 fatal shark attacks

on record. In TOTAL. In the entire WORLD.

You do the math.

[bemildred]

6. It's amazing how easy it is, given sufficient motivation.

An angry human is the most dangerous animal on the planet.

[Fumesucker]

7. I disagree

A coldly calculating human is the most dangerous animal on the planet.

[bemildred]

8. Well, you really need both.

And your average Joe Blow may not be up to the job. But there are still plenty of guys who are, and well experienced from their activities in the Middle East too. We are seeing examples with great regularity these days. Not a week goes by.

[KingCharlemagne]

11. "Fire and Ice":

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

~Robert Frost

[bemildred]

16. T. S. Eliot and Yeats both did good work on that theme too.

We haven't come that far these last 100 years, have we?

[HereSince1628]

10. The news coverage includes glimpses of streets and highways with traffic

that appears to be going about daily business.

Although there is certainly disruption to typical daily activity near the two sites where hostages were taken those communities/neighborhoods don't appear to be in chaos either.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. With your assurances I'm booking a flight to Paris tomorrow.

But you will excuse me if I will leave my loved ones at home.

[HereSince1628]

13. Chaos seems a mischaracterization, but then.. my lying eyes

Synonyms for chaos include words such as confusion, mayhem, bedlam, pandemonium, havoc, turmoil, tumult.

None of those words seems to very well describe what is generally going on -throughout- the city of Paris.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. If you believe three terrorist incidents in a 48 hour time period won't throw a city into chaos...

If you believe three terrorist incidents in a 48 hour time period won't throw a city into chaos there is nothing I can do to disabuse you of that notion.

[HereSince1628]

15. but it looks like Parisians have avoided being thrown into chaos

Quite consistent with a brave people standing in solidarity as a cell of murderous criminals are hunted, now cornered, and apparently soon to be captured/eliminated.

Do I think a city -could- be thrown into chaos by terrorist incidents? I think that's possible.