Comments on: Who is Osama bin Laden? http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 19:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: IanGun http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099521 IanGun Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099521 I'm less shocked by this than I am that there is now a whole generation that is growing up with their understanding of our country warped by terrorism, war and a security state mentality instead of as the home of democracy and freedom. Kids just entering college pre-9/11 are now in or approaching their thirties. Little children spent their whole childhood in a war state, with family members and neighbors off in other countries fighting "the enemy." How are these people going to vote and shape our country's future? Maybe we can peek into their values through the television that is produced for them; every drama has a terrorism angle and torturers are no longer bad guys, they are the ones trying to save lives. I think their ignorance of Bin Laden is just a reflection of our media culture,but I shudder to think what today's youth believe are acceptable practices from our national government in the name of security.... I’m less shocked by this than I am that there is now a whole generation that is growing up with their understanding of our country warped by terrorism, war and a security state mentality instead of as the home of democracy and freedom. Kids just entering college pre-9/11 are now in or approaching their thirties. Little children spent their whole childhood in a war state, with family members and neighbors off in other countries fighting “the enemy.” How are these people going to vote and shape our country’s future?

Maybe we can peek into their values through the television that is produced for them; every drama has a terrorism angle and torturers are no longer bad guys, they are the ones trying to save lives. I think their ignorance of Bin Laden is just a reflection of our media culture,but I shudder to think what today’s youth believe are acceptable practices from our national government in the name of security….

]]> By: Germanico http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100036 Germanico Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100036 They are old enough to remember Yahoo as a search engine, and they dont know who Osama was? They are old enough to remember Yahoo as a search engine, and they dont know who Osama was?

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100037 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100037 helps sometimes to know who somebody wasn't, too. Here's a useful list from the Guardian newspaper, listing the top ten myths about Bin laden: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/03/osama-bin-laden-10-myths-cia-arsenal Apparently, some wrongly believe him to be a fan of the Arsenal soccer club. helps sometimes to know who somebody wasn’t, too.

Here’s a useful list from the Guardian newspaper, listing the top ten myths about Bin laden:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/03/osama-bin-laden-10-myths-cia-arsenal

Apparently, some wrongly believe him to be a fan of the Arsenal soccer club.

]]> By: smartaleck http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100550 smartaleck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100550 "[W]riting real questions" into search engines is no longer an irrational thing to do. Because of the great proliferation (in numbers) and growth (breadth and depth of material covered, and level of detail available) of Q+A and forum sites (both general and highly subject-specific), framing a question in conventional, or "natural language" terms will often lead directly to the most specific, relevant, and detailed of answers. Obvious caveat: "often" ≠ "always." I can't say for sure that "real questions" will necessarily yield *better* results than the traditional keyword(s) approach, but I would bet that they often do, and rarely, if ever, yield worse outcome sets. Try a few experiments; I'd be very surprised if your results don't support this. *such as... about.com answers.yahoo.com ask.com answerbag.com ask.metafilter.com askville.amazon.com bukisa.com grupthink.com questionhub.com squidoo.com trueknowledge.com kgbanswers.com wiki.answers.com ...to name just a few. “[W]riting real questions” into search engines is no longer an irrational thing to do.
Because of the great proliferation (in numbers) and growth (breadth and depth of material covered, and level of detail available) of Q+A and forum sites (both general and highly subject-specific), framing a question in conventional, or “natural language” terms will often lead directly to the most specific, relevant, and detailed of answers.
Obvious caveat: “often” ≠ “always.”
I can’t say for sure that “real questions” will necessarily yield *better* results than the traditional keyword(s) approach, but I would bet that they often do, and rarely, if ever, yield worse outcome sets.
Try a few experiments; I’d be very surprised if your results don’t support this.

*such as…

about.com
answers.yahoo.com
ask.com
answerbag.com
ask.metafilter.com
askville.amazon.com
bukisa.com
grupthink.com
questionhub.com
squidoo.com
trueknowledge.com
kgbanswers.com
wiki.answers.com

…to name just a few.

]]> By: Alan http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099528 Alan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099528 First thing I said when I heard bin Laden died is "He was still alive?" Seriously, these kids where little in 2001. And they were still little when the Iraq War started in 2003, at which point the War on Terror changed focus. Even GW Bush said he wasn't concerned with Osama bin Laden at that point. The focus of the wars have been on nameless, faceless "Islamic terrorists". There's been little news of bin Laden since then, except the occasional audio tape. Really, I'm not surprised that some kids don't know. And if you had to pick an age group to be the bulk of searches for "Who is Osama bin Laden", wouldn't be teens? If it was 20-30 year olds, wouldn't that be just a tad bit more worrisome? For the record, my two teenage kids said there was a lot of talk yesterday at school about the killing, but neither mentioned that no one was unfamiliar with bin Laden. First thing I said when I heard bin Laden died is “He was still alive?”

Seriously, these kids where little in 2001. And they were still little when the Iraq War started in 2003, at which point the War on Terror changed focus. Even GW Bush said he wasn’t concerned with Osama bin Laden at that point. The focus of the wars have been on nameless, faceless “Islamic terrorists”. There’s been little news of bin Laden since then, except the occasional audio tape. Really, I’m not surprised that some kids don’t know.

And if you had to pick an age group to be the bulk of searches for “Who is Osama bin Laden”, wouldn’t be teens? If it was 20-30 year olds, wouldn’t that be just a tad bit more worrisome?

For the record, my two teenage kids said there was a lot of talk yesterday at school about the killing, but neither mentioned that no one was unfamiliar with bin Laden.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099273 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099273 Who is Anwar-Sadat? Who is Che Guevara? Who is Malcolm X? Who is Grigoris Lambrakis? Who is Mahatma Ghandi? Who is Benito Mussolini? Who is Vladimir Lenin? Who is Rasputin? Who is Robespierre? Who is Loius XVI? Who is Guy Fawkes? Who is Francisco Pizarro? Who is Julius Caeser? Who is Jezebul? Who are countless others killed in the name of deciding who is right and who is wrong? Even when they themselves are guilty of the same? We're wretched creatures. Several thousands of years of bloodshed, condemnation of said bloodshed, celebration of the same, and blood begetting blood. Nothing changes. One side's hero is the other side's villain. And we'll keep killing for as long as our species ekes out a miserable existance on this desolate rock. ~D. Walker Who is Anwar-Sadat?
Who is Che Guevara?
Who is Malcolm X?
Who is Grigoris Lambrakis?
Who is Mahatma Ghandi?
Who is Benito Mussolini?
Who is Vladimir Lenin?
Who is Rasputin?
Who is Robespierre?
Who is Loius XVI?
Who is Guy Fawkes?
Who is Francisco Pizarro?
Who is Julius Caeser?
Who is Jezebul?

Who are countless others killed in the name of deciding who is right and who is wrong? Even when they themselves are guilty of the same?

We’re wretched creatures. Several thousands of years of bloodshed, condemnation of said bloodshed, celebration of the same, and blood begetting blood.

Nothing changes. One side’s hero is the other side’s villain. And we’ll keep killing for as long as our species ekes out a miserable existance on this desolate rock.

~D. Walker

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100041 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100041 oh hey the link also gives the answer to a question asked above. Osama bin Laden was six foot five inches tall. That means that I would probably have called him 'stretch', 'bean pole' or 'moose', if I had known him as a teenager. oh hey the link also gives the answer to a question asked above.

Osama bin Laden was six foot five inches tall. That means that I would probably have called him ‘stretch’, ‘bean pole’ or ‘moose’, if I had known him as a teenager.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1101834 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1101834 It's not "one of the most significant things in history". Seriously. It's just another attack, like so many in the past, that have killed people. Why you find it significant is because it happened in the US, where such a thing hasn't happened for quite some time. But yes, it is significant since at that time, apart from a handful, most people at that time in the world were sympathetic to the US, including muslim countries. That has changed now, with half the world pretty much hating the US, thanks to it's post- 9/11 response. This might prove to be a huge mistake by US. It’s not “one of the most significant things in history”. Seriously. It’s just another attack, like so many in the past, that have killed people. Why you find it significant is because it happened in the US, where such a thing hasn’t happened for quite some time.

But yes, it is significant since at that time, apart from a handful, most people at that time in the world were sympathetic to the US, including muslim countries. That has changed now, with half the world pretty much hating the US, thanks to it’s post- 9/11 response. This might prove to be a huge mistake by US.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100811 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100811 hey itz vry simple.. teen agers dn knw cos dt twin tower attack ws lyk decade old n most of d kids wer in a age dt wont interest in an attack... all dey gt 2 worry ws bout who had d best bicycle in neighbourhood... rit!!! hey itz vry simple.. teen agers dn knw cos dt twin tower attack ws lyk decade old n most of d kids wer in a age dt wont interest in an attack… all dey gt 2 worry ws bout who had d best bicycle in neighbourhood… rit!!!

]]> By: archmagetrexasaurus http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099533 archmagetrexasaurus Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099533 The list was of people who were killed in the process of deciding right from wrong, not a list of heroes or a list of villains. New category: humans. Okay, now you're in the same category as Osama bin Laden. The list was of people who were killed in the process of deciding right from wrong, not a list of heroes or a list of villains.

New category: humans.

Okay, now you’re in the same category as Osama bin Laden.

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099791 Brainspore Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099791 The ignorance of blissfully oblivious youth isn't the problem. The problem is that there are people out there who see Yahoo! Answers as a good resource for filling the gaps in their knowledge of the world around them. The ignorance of blissfully oblivious youth isn’t the problem. The problem is that there are people out there who see Yahoo! Answers as a good resource for filling the gaps in their knowledge of the world around them.

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100047 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100047 Oh, one other thing. From the article I linked to: "Bin Laden appears to have been an intense, shy and pious youth who married young and spent an inordinate amount of time studying scripture." Let that serve as a loud clear warning to parents. And to us all! Oh, one other thing. From the article I linked to:

“Bin Laden appears to have been an intense, shy and pious youth who married young and spent an inordinate amount of time studying scripture.”

Let that serve as a loud clear warning to parents. And to us all!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100304 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100304 I was 6 when the Berlin Wall fell and 8 when the Soviet Union fell, and I can remember these events quite well for one reason: My father sat me down to witness what was happening, and he told me "Remember what happened today, because someday your kids will be reading a history book and ask you what it was like to be there, and it'll be your job to tell them, much like I'm doing now." It really isn't these kids' fault they don't know, it's our fault for not explaining it to them, for not being open and honest, for being too sheltering in some cases. My blissful ignorance of youth was shattered at the beginning of my senior year of high school, when on a clear autumn day I sat in US History class and watched 3000 of my countrymen die live on CNN. For the first time in my life I was awakened to the fact that people in the world would be happy to kill me just because I'm an American. It's not an experience you soon forget. I still flinch seeing the footage on TV. I was 6 when the Berlin Wall fell and 8 when the Soviet Union fell, and I can remember these events quite well for one reason: My father sat me down to witness what was happening, and he told me “Remember what happened today, because someday your kids will be reading a history book and ask you what it was like to be there, and it’ll be your job to tell them, much like I’m doing now.”

It really isn’t these kids’ fault they don’t know, it’s our fault for not explaining it to them, for not being open and honest, for being too sheltering in some cases.
My blissful ignorance of youth was shattered at the beginning of my senior year of high school, when on a clear autumn day I sat in US History class and watched 3000 of my countrymen die live on CNN. For the first time in my life I was awakened to the fact that people in the world would be happy to kill me just because I’m an American.
It’s not an experience you soon forget. I still flinch seeing the footage on TV.

]]> By: yhn http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100561 yhn Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100561 Well canadians should keep there noses out of american's business, especially when they are misinformed *cite* "success of his capture"- Ugly Canuck. hate to break it to you, but he is dead. we shot him. maybe if you were more informed on current events you wouldn't look so dumb right now. i hope you respond, but i doubt your attention span is long enough to. Well canadians should keep there noses out of american’s business, especially when they are misinformed *cite* “success of his capture”- Ugly Canuck.
hate to break it to you, but he is dead. we shot him. maybe if you were more informed on current events you wouldn’t look so dumb right now.
i hope you respond, but i doubt your attention span is long enough to.

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100051 Brainspore Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100051 <blockquote>Schools don't actually teach recent history. Not really.</blockquote> I wasn't taught anything about the Vietnam war until high school, and even then it was only a few pages in my history textbook. I think a lot of educators steer away from recent history because it's too politically charged.

Schools don’t actually teach recent history. Not really.

I wasn’t taught anything about the Vietnam war until high school, and even then it was only a few pages in my history textbook. I think a lot of educators steer away from recent history because it’s too politically charged.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099284 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099284 It is better that they're looking him up at all rather than staying ignorant. It is better that they’re looking him up at all rather than staying ignorant.

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099288 Mister44 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099288 Face. Palm. I realize some of these kids were maybe too young to remember... but it isn't like his name hasn't been spoken since, or there are special reports in magazines and on TV. Really - WTF are they teaching kids? 9/11 is one of the most significant events in history. Do they not cover it? Do they not cover the basic who, what, when, where? This is another reason to home school. People are too placated with smart phones and Snooki. They have a world of knowledge at their finger tips, and they use it for inane and banal research into pop culture. Face. Palm.

I realize some of these kids were maybe too young to remember… but it isn’t like his name hasn’t been spoken since, or there are special reports in magazines and on TV.

Really – WTF are they teaching kids? 9/11 is one of the most significant events in history. Do they not cover it? Do they not cover the basic who, what, when, where? This is another reason to home school.

People are too placated with smart phones and Snooki. They have a world of knowledge at their finger tips, and they use it for inane and banal research into pop culture.

]]> By: travtastic http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100312 travtastic Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100312 I think I envy them. I think I envy them.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100316 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100316 SaraFenix: "Don't jump to conclusions about the youth, they're a lot more advanced than we were at that age." I have to strongly disagree. Kids always have an aptitude for adopting the new, regardless of their generation. Just because they can work that newfangled internets thing and own powerful networking and communication devices like iPhones, doesn't make them any more advanced than the youth of any generation. Doesn't make them take it for granted any less, either. As they say, youth is wasted on the young. SaraFenix:

“Don’t jump to conclusions about the youth, they’re a lot more advanced than we were at that age.”

I have to strongly disagree. Kids always have an aptitude for adopting the new, regardless of their generation. Just because they can work that newfangled internets thing and own powerful networking and communication devices like iPhones, doesn’t make them any more advanced than the youth of any generation. Doesn’t make them take it for granted any less, either. As they say, youth is wasted on the young.

]]> By: sixta http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099296 sixta Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099296 Who uses yahoo as a search engine? Who uses yahoo as a search engine?

]]> By: HD http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099808 HD Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099808 Since he has only been wanted in connection with the 1994 WTC garage bombing and not 9/11, I don't see why teenagers or anyone else should have his name on the tip of their tongues or why his death is particularly significant, unless you're in the anti-terrorism business. Thinking Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind of 9/11 and the leader of some terrorist group which has remained extremely dangerous to US citizens as has been reported without basis for the last decade is propaganda and I'm actually proud our teens have seen through this nonsense and ignored these unproved stories. And if he's not wanted for 9/11 then why did we invade Iraq over their failure to hand him over after 9/11? WHY? Since he has only been wanted in connection with the 1994 WTC garage bombing and not 9/11, I don’t see why teenagers or anyone else should have his name on the tip of their tongues or why his death is particularly significant, unless you’re in the anti-terrorism business.

Thinking Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind of 9/11 and the leader of some terrorist group which has remained extremely dangerous to US citizens as has been reported without basis for the last decade is propaganda and I’m actually proud our teens have seen through this nonsense and ignored these unproved stories.

And if he’s not wanted for 9/11 then why did we invade Iraq over their failure to hand him over after 9/11? WHY?

]]> By: Symbiote http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100064 Symbiote Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100064 I think I would have the same reaction to things that happened in the 1990s. I'm aware of the events, but sometimes someone older mentions a name and I don't recognise it. I can/could tell you there was - War in Bosnia - IRA bombings in the UK - Kosovo War Looking at Wikipedia, I'm aware that these wars happened in my childhood, but didn't remember them - Gulf War - Rwandan civil war - Chechen War The wars blur together. Wars in Eastern Europe always seemed to be on TV (here in the UK), and worried me a lot more than wars in Africa. I don't remember any names for these events, except relating to the IRA (being the longest and most local "war" the politics of that continued to be in the news for years -- also as I had a couple of bomb scares at school when I was 10 or 11). I think I would have the same reaction to things that happened in the 1990s. I’m aware of the events, but sometimes someone older mentions a name and I don’t recognise it.

I can/could tell you there was
- War in Bosnia
- IRA bombings in the UK
- Kosovo War

Looking at Wikipedia, I’m aware that these wars happened in my childhood, but didn’t remember them
- Gulf War
- Rwandan civil war
- Chechen War

The wars blur together. Wars in Eastern Europe always seemed to be on TV (here in the UK), and worried me a lot more than wars in Africa. I don’t remember any names for these events, except relating to the IRA (being the longest and most local “war” the politics of that continued to be in the news for years — also as I had a couple of bomb scares at school when I was 10 or 11).

]]> By: travtastic http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100321 travtastic Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100321 Hell, I was glued to the TV during the Persian Gulf War, and I wasn't even a teenager yet. There is no ignorance of youth at 13, and if there was I don't see why it would be some sublime period to fondly recollect. Hell, I was glued to the TV during the Persian Gulf War, and I wasn’t even a teenager yet. There is no ignorance of youth at 13, and if there was I don’t see why it would be some sublime period to fondly recollect.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100323 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100323 You mean besides the video he released in 2004 where he takes credit for the attacks? You mean besides the video he released in 2004 where he takes credit for the attacks?

]]> By: Manny http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099556 Manny Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099556 I've settled on starting with natural-English questions in Google. Usually, the best answers are on pages that explicitly answer that question anyway, so a hit on the exact question is very good. It also seems to help Google figure out how your search terms are related and give better hits that don't happen to have that exact question in them. If I get too much noise, however, I dust off my classic search-fu. I’ve settled on starting with natural-English questions in Google. Usually, the best answers are on pages that explicitly answer that question anyway, so a hit on the exact question is very good. It also seems to help Google figure out how your search terms are related and give better hits that don’t happen to have that exact question in them. If I get too much noise, however, I dust off my classic search-fu.

]]> By: Kaden http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100580 Kaden Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100580 Nope, you didn't live in fear during any of those periods... you were a strong and hopeful leader nation. You fought back when needed, and you fought fair. People respected the United States. Nowadays, not so much. You're afraid of brown people. You're afraid of more than 3 ounces of liquid on airplanes. You condone torture. Your country is a remorseless bully to the rest of the world and to it's own most vulnerable citizens, and you can't even get 'invading a non industrialized country' right. Your sun is setting. Nope, you didn’t live in fear during any of those periods… you were a strong and hopeful leader nation. You fought back when needed, and you fought fair. People respected the United States.

Nowadays, not so much. You’re afraid of brown people. You’re afraid of more than 3 ounces of liquid on airplanes. You condone torture. Your country is a remorseless bully to the rest of the world and to it’s own most vulnerable citizens, and you can’t even get ‘invading a non industrialized country’ right.

Your sun is setting.

]]> By: floraldeoderant http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099813 floraldeoderant Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099813 @D. Walker -- Henceforth you shall be called... Mr. Chuckles. @D. Walker — Henceforth you shall be called… Mr. Chuckles.

]]> By: msbpodcast http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100071 msbpodcast Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100071 That's is the hope and the tragedy of having short lives and even shorter memories. How many survivors are left of any event. The sky getting filled with cement dust as the towers fell across the street from my apartment and the electricity going out will always be with me, but to anyone who was not there it gets a bit unreal. Its the distance in space that the easiest to overcome. To all the people who were too young to be affected by the event, it stays unknown. They are the ones who are in danger of a repetition. That’s is the hope and the tragedy of having short lives and even shorter memories.

How many survivors are left of any event.

The sky getting filled with cement dust as the towers fell across the street from my apartment and the electricity going out will always be with me, but to anyone who was not there it gets a bit unreal.

Its the distance in space that the easiest to overcome.

To all the people who were too young to be affected by the event, it stays unknown.

They are the ones who are in danger of a repetition.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1100583 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1100583 i was a junior in college and old enough to race down to the local Red Cross and donate blood!! Wow!!! i was a junior in college and old enough to race down to the local Red Cross and donate blood!! Wow!!!

]]> By: manch3go http://boingboing.net/2011/05/02/who-is-osama-bin-lad.html#comment-1099305 manch3go Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099305 Of course, just because someone searched for "who is Osama Bin Laden" doesn't necessarily mean they have never heard of him. It could be a legitimate way to search for more details on his background and origins. IMO it's incredibly important to understand how an apparently normal Saudi guy evolved into the most wanted terrorist on the planet and to understand why he hated the West (and the US in particular) to the point he organised such terrible atrocities. Of course, just because someone searched for “who is Osama Bin Laden” doesn’t necessarily mean they have never heard of him. It could be a legitimate way to search for more details on his background and origins. IMO it’s incredibly important to understand how an apparently normal Saudi guy evolved into the most wanted terrorist on the planet and to understand why he hated the West (and the US in particular) to the point he organised such terrible atrocities.

]]>