Statistically, aren't most of us more likely to be struck by lightning than be affected by an act of terrorism? Compared to the myriad of other possible dangers we face on a daily basis, realistically, terrorism just isn't that much of a threat. Not to say we shouldn't be thinking of making our lives safer in every way possible, but it seems we've blown this way out of proportion to its actual likelihood of happening. I mean, if we were really concerned with safety it would make more sense to declare war on auto accidents wouldn't it?
I'll get back to you after the next attack.
Try to imagine the impact of a dirty nuke, actual nuke, chemical weapon, destroying chemical factories on any US major city. To dismiss this possibility when Al Quaeda has stated such actions as their goals, and after obtaining permission from whatever Iman religious leader to do such attacks, and after numerous terrorist bombings in other countries before and after 9/11, there is much more evidence that some really horrible mass mass mass casualty attacks are coming. The radical Islamic terrorist do not have a goal of "irritating America." They stated goals are to destroy Israel and America. They see us as evil and The Satan...and that was before we invaded Iraq.
Of course a case can be made now that risk from terrorism is overblown. The same minimizing justifications were made during Hitler's public rantings before he started invading.
Thanks for a good post, Acourvil.
Regarding trying to know a little more about her, I ran across this:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/09/23/in_hawaii_sympathy_for_mitstudent/
I expected her to be bright and talented on paper, or she would not be going to MIT from Hawaii. None of that really makes any difference in the few minutes surrounding the event...not even if it was intentional or stupidity.
One item that continues to be left out of the details I have read is where exactly was this Playdo originally, and what color was it? It is pretty obvious as I said earlier that she did not have this in her hands while driving a car, so the idea that she was using it like Silly Putty to excersise her hands is not believable.
She made this to look like a suicide vest, and I am guessing the Playdo was a part of the costume, and she tried to pull it off with her hands once she realized her mistake, and where the police found it once outside.
On a humanistic level, I'm glad she is alive, but I would have had no problem if the officers had reacted with deadly prudence at such a provacative event. I have no question that they would have been supported by most of the public and government if they had shot and killed the girl.
but I think the Massachusetts State Police had to handle this as an actual threat (which they did) It's also tacit for terrorist to have someone, do something like this so they can video tape it and study it for a future attack. 
