Bombs ....

[maximus]

By the way folks, any of you heard the bomb explosion on the JW. Marriot hotel in Jakarta (Indonesia) that killed 15 people and injured 200 people ? Very bad incident.

When travelling to Jakarta, we frequently stayed at that hotel, because they have a special rate for our company. Somehow, this time we choosed to stay at the Hyatt Hotel. Lucky us. The blast destroyed the entire hotel's lobby area, and 20-30% of the ground and second floor. Very scary. I was there yesterday to take pictures. Very horrific view, blood and body parts are everywhere, almost as bad as the bomb in Denpasar, Bali (200 killed, 300+ injured) ...

When I covered the Bali bomb, I cant sleep for 2 nights in a row. The stench of burned flesh ... It seems that I just cant get that stench off my body/hair. even though I bathed and bathed. What's wrong with people these days ? bombing others for fun ?

[manywhere]

What's wrong with people these days ? bombing others for fun ?

Two words: media exposure.
The israelis and palestines are excessive users of media through their killing sprees, like I care about them... :roll: But every day someone is killed there, and I wish that the media could stop wasting their time at them :evil:
The same concerns al Queda (or however their name should be spelled,but I don't give a damn about them either), who probably are behind this bombing in Jakarta, or ?

Sorry for the flaming above, but I do hate the unneccesary killings and terrorisms going on in the world! :soapbox:

I guess the world could need a :grouphug: and some more of them :hippy:...

[TopDog]

When I covered the Bali bomb, I cant sleep for 2 nights in a row. The stench of burned flesh ... It seems that I just cant get that stench off my body/hair. even though I bathed and bathed. So your a journalist or press-photographer? Or just very interested in burned bodyparts?

I can't see I totaly agree with "manywhere", I care about the world going to hell... but he's right about media exposure. Behind these terror-organisations there are mad leaders that only care about one thing... getting on the news! And since small car-bombs and kidnappings don't get much publisity any more, they "have" to be more extreme (like Bali and 9/11).

[maximus]

So your a journalist or press-photographer? Or just very interested in burned bodyparts?

My fulltime job requires lots of travelling, combined with my hobby is in photography ... so I took a freelance job as a photographer for a singaporean newspaper. When bali was bombed, I happened to be assigned in Jakarta, so I took 2 days off, went to bali, and took pictures. A LOT of pictures. That is the only moment when I took 500+ pictures in one event. Filled up 1 GB CF and a 256 SD. That place was very scary. I dont even have the nerve to be there after sunset. The stench .. was unbearable, even with a micromask.

I can't see I totaly agree with "manywhere", I care about the world going to hell... but he's right about media exposure. Behind these terror-organisations there are mad leaders that only care about one thing... getting on the news! And since small car-bombs and kidnappings don't get much publisity any more, they "have" to be more extreme (like Bali and 9/11).

These dudes mentioned that they are targeting americans ... but they bombed a hotel that is heavily visited by local people. What's up with that ?

[David Prahl]

These dudes mentioned that they are targeting americans ... but they bombed a hotel that is heavily visited by local people. What's up with that ?

Remember, these aren't smart people! You have to be insane or derranged to want to kill innocent people. Wouldn't it be great if we could just try not to kill anyone for a single day? 24 hours without murder???

[Janak Parekh]

These dudes mentioned that they are targeting americans ... but they bombed a hotel that is heavily visited by local people. What's up with that ?
Remember, these aren't smart people! You have to be insane or derranged to want to kill innocent people. Wouldn't it be great if we could just try not to kill anyone for a single day? 24 hours without murder???
No, it's not that, unfortunately. In some extremist circles on both sides, "innocent bystanders" aren't that -- if you associate with the enemy by using the same facilities, you must be the enemy.

It's thinking like that which is making our world, sadly, a worse place to live.

Maximus, I'm glad to hear you're OK (physically at least if not mentally). Be careful. (I guess I can say the same thing for myself, too. :()

--janak