Brazilian concert fire

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323375204578267570104041576.html?mod=WSJWorld__RIGHTTopStories

A fire that seems to have been accidentally ignited by performers swept through a crowded nightclub in the small town of Santa Maria in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing mainly college students. The students came to a club called Kiss to hear a popular group called Gurizada Fandangueira play Brazilian country music. Around 2 a.m. at least one performer lit what was described as an emergency traffic flare and waved it around to the beat.
The disaster ranks among Brazil's deadliest fires in decades and many images of the aftermath are unprintably gruesome. Often a macabre scene of intertwined bodies piled together so thickly that the nightclub floor is all but covered. A rescue worker told reporters there were so many bodies it was hard to reach the back of the club. Brazilian officials are expected to investigate whether the exits were clearly marked and whether the nightclub had exceeded capacity. At least 232 people were killed in the fire at the club and at least 116 were injured, many from inhaling smoke. The Brazilian military used helicopters to transport grave cases to hospitals in the state capital Pôrto Alegre.

This is an unbearably tragic thing to hear about happening in the world. I can not imagine what it would be like to be the people in the fire who could not get out of the club and were stuck in the smoke and flames. Or to be the family members who lost ones precious to them because they chose to go have fun at a club. It is both hard and incredibly easy to believe that this fire was caused by a flare lit by one of the band members. I can't imagine what would have possessed them to do this though in such a venue. It was a horribly dumb thing to do. I can not think of a worse death than to be burned alive. The amount of those killed in this accident and not necessarily even able to be easily identified as their flesh would have burned away. It is terrible to have to wonder wether the exits were working or if there were too many people in the building just because the owner wanted to make more money. I hope that both Brazil and the families and friends effected by this disaster are able to reach peace and that nothing like this happens in the future.

Greek Mall Bomb 1/20/13

Two Wounded in Bomb Blast at Greek Mall
By ALKMAN GRANITSAS

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324624404578253423434568716.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsFifth

Two security guards were slightly injured Sunday in a bomb blast at an indoor suburban shopping mall north of the Greek capital. The blast caused modest property damage, and was preceded by warning calls almost an hour beforehand. The blast comes after recent attacks against journalists and the country's governing center-right party that has awakened fears of a new terror campaign by radical Greek leftist groups. Other incidents include, unidentified gunmen fired shots at the offices of Greece's ruling conservative party, a series of bomb attacks against five prominent journalists, and the targeting of the brother of Greece's government spokesman. The attacks resemble past strikes by Greece's shadowy left-wing urban guerrilla groups and appear to be linked to recent efforts by Greek authorities to crack down on self-styled anarchists, illegally occupying buildings in the center of Athens. The mall bombing was a rare attack on a commercial target. The timing of the blast and placement of bomb has also raised unease, possibly signaling a new trend or shift away from past such attacks. Previous bombings have generally aimed at minimizing casualties. Many are conducted in the middle of the night, and aren't aimed at the ordinary public or tourists.

I think that it is crazy that these attacks are happening. I also sincerely hope that they are not in fact being switched to targeting civilians. In a country that is experiencing so much national hardship, one would hope its people would band together. Also, the fact that Greece supports a working democracy makes it astonishing that the attacks would be coming from a political party upset about losing. It is a good thing that the calls came in or else many more people may have been injured. I would however like to know where the tips came from and how the callers knew so far in advance. Even though I don't agree with the attacks I can see why they would be targeting to opposite political party, but targeting journalists who are just sharing the stories they're told to get is a cold move. Journalists have the power to make or break parties or candidates in democracies, so getting on there bad side isn't something I would go for. Greece needs to be helped so that they can shut down these potentially terroristic threats once and for all. And also the people in Greece need to realize that they must work together if they want to even save their country and continue to be a people. I wish the best of luck to all those who have been and will be effected by this unnecessary conflict. People truly are crazy.

About me

My name is Ian Carstens and I am fifteen years old. My favorite things to do are listen to music, read, and travel. I have been reading since kindergarten and listening to music longer. As far as travel, when I was two I moved to our city from San Diego. I have been to Hawaii, the Bahamas, Laos, Thailand, Japan, Greece, France, and Italy. Plus various states. My favorite place I have been is Thailand and it was great to learn about the people’s culture. My favorite book would have to be either “Daemon” or “Full Tilt” and I have read both multiple times. My favorite band is currently “The High Kings”. Additional information includes things like, there are four people in my family, my favorite color is blue, and my favorite ice cream is chocolate.