April 15, 2013.


Two explosions near the finish line of Monday’s Boston Marathon have left at least three people dead and more than 130 injured. The devices, which a government official tells TIME were “crude” in construction, detonated on the sidelines of the racecourse, causing both runners and spectators to flee in every direction. A pair of white smoke clouds enveloped the sidelines.
News continues to come in from the scene of the blasts; follow TIME’s live blog here. TIME also interviewed two people on the scene — one a runner, one a worker in a nearby office — who witnessed the chaos firsthand:
Elise Piatkowski, nearby office worker:
I was in my office, which overlooks the finish line. I felt and heard the first explosion and then the second one shortly after. I came out to the windows and saw all the smoke and looked down onto the sidewalk and saw a lot of blood on the sidewalk.
At that point, everybody just decided to evacuate the building and get out of the center of the city. We pulled the fire alarm and ran down the stairs, and it was very, very chaotic and confusing. There were people running, people crying. There were people injured all over the place, people carrying a young boy whose leg was bleeding, another sitting on the curb holding her neck, and her friends were screaming for help.
Everybody I was with was saying “head toward the water,” so everyone started walking or running toward the Charles River. We were warning people who didn’t know what had happened not to go toward the center of the city.
It was hard to pinpoint the exact smell of the explosion, but it just smelled like an explosion, smelled like chemicals, and it was very confusing because a lot of people were just carrying the injured away from the scene. It seemed as we were fleeing the scene, we continued to see injured people, so (we had a difficult time ascertaining) where the explosions happened, if there were more. Ambulances kept coming in.
We just continued to walk along the Charles River, trying to get away. I was with a co-worker in the seaport area, and he was trying to guide us. We’re in the west end of Boston near Mass General, hoping that we’re safe.
Dana McLaren, marathoner:
I had finished the marathon; I had picked up my bag and was walking back toward my hotel. I was a couple of streets north of Boylston when I heard one explosion.
My first thought was: there’s a bomb, a really loud bomb. It’s not normal for a finish cannon to be happening at that point in the race.
So I booted up my phone, got in touch with my family, and I heard people around me talking about a bomb, so I assumed that’s what it was. I kept walking to the hotel … I saw people walking away from the finish line, crying and distraught.
There was a smell, a smell that something bad had happened. I lived in New York City during 9/11 so I know what an explosion smells like. The room I’m in now is the central location where my friends are; we are trying to pack up and get out of town, but we’re not sure about the trains. We were supposed to leave the city half an hour ago.


ISML 2013: Action resumes with Aquamarine 1


ISML 2013: Action resumes with Aquamarine 1

By JR Salazar
April 15, 2013

Action resumed in the 2013 International Saimoe League with the start of the regular season. The contenders and pretenders were separated on Match Day 1 of the Aquamarine Necklace period. Due to a massive turnout in voters, results were delayed for one hour and thirty minutes. Here is a roundup of the day's action in the Nova and Stella Divisions.

NOVA DIVISION

In the Nova Division, Kobato Hasegawa defeated Inori Yuzuriha 5934-4030, Mashiro Shiina took out Sena Kashiwazaki 5695-4213, Kuroyukihime blew apart Yozora Mikazuki 6280-3580, Yui of Sword Art Online (who will be referred in future ISML bulletins as Yui from this point forward) knocked down Fuuko Kurasaki 5761-3747, Asuna Yuuki routed Suguha Kirigaya 6633-2838 and Yui Kotegawa won a 4446-4427 thriller over Subaru Konoe.

Momo Beila Deviluke prevailed over Meiko Honam 5067-4536, Shouko Kirishima defeated Karen Araragi 4844-4493, Nyarlathotep stunned Aria Holmes Kanzaki 5051-4370, Shinka Nibutani whipped past Erio Touwa 5260-4441, Ririchiyo Shirakiin dismantled Tsukihi Araragi 5039-4107 and Kurisu Makise squeaked by Keiko Ayano 4961-4800.

Wrapping up Nova play, Karuta Roromiya defeated Mei Misaki 4737-4366, Touka Takanashi won a 4793-4776 nail-biter over Mikan Yuuki, Homura Akemi defeated Rea Sanka 4716-4576, Rikka Takanashi slammed Eru Chitanda 5563-4345, Nanami Aoyama cruised past Shinobu Oshino 5417-4017 and Rin Natsume prevailed over Noumi Kudryavka 4235-3989.

STELLA DIVISION

The usual suspects were on top in the Stella Division. In Stella play, Azusa Nakano defeated Kirino Kousaka 5125-4873, Taiga Aisaka roared past Mio Akiyama 5342-4791, Ruri Gokou 6230-3975, Yui of Angel Beats! (who will be referred to in future ISML bulletins as Yui-nyan from this point forward) annihilated Holo 6166-3539, defending champions Kanade Tachibana sliced and diced Shana 6750-3461 and Ayase Aragaki bowled past Ui Hirasawa 5805-3866.

Last Order pulled of a 4903-4815 upset of Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere, Victorique de Blois edged Illyasviel von Einzbern 4601-4525, C.C. defeated Masami Iwasawa 4856-4536, Saber slashed past Tomoyo Sakagami 5316-4228, Charlotte Dunois snuck past Kyou Fujibayashi 4646-4501 and Yui Hirasawa rocked Hitagi Senjougahara 5137-4541.

Wrapping up Stella play, Nagisa Furukawa defeated Rin Tousaka 4769-4552, Konjiki no Yami upset Hinagiku Katsura 4791-4326, Nymph defeated Konata Izumi 4682-4562, Eucliwood Hellscythe whipped past Mikoto Misaka 5410-4933 and Haruhi Suzumiya overpowered Mato Kuroi 5805-4105.

Match Day 2 of the 2013 International Saimoe League Aquamarine Period is scheduled for April 16, 2013. Vote for your favorite candidates at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.