https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROrpKx3aIjA

Fertilizer plant burning near Waco. First responders on the scene. And then…

“It was a small fire and then water got sprayed on the ammonia nitrate, and it exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb,” said Jason Shelton, a clerk at the Czech Best Western Hotel in West. “I live about a thousand feet from it and it blew my screen door off and my back windows. There’s houses leveled that were right next to it. We’ve got people injured and possibly dead.”

Early casualty reports are sketchy — we all know that drill — but a local EMS commander feared there could be dozens dead.

So, about that ammonia:

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Universal gun-purchase background checks “failed” in the Senate today, 54 to 46.

That’s 54 votes in favor. In Constitutional terms, more than half. Which is also generally regarded as winning.

Except for, y’know, the “filibuster”. Which is defined as “some internal Senate rule that has nothing to do with Article I, Section 3, and can be easily dismissed at will.”

White House spokesbot Jay Carney was angry, but he promised the Administration wouldn’t quit: “We believe there is a path, a very difficult path, to get to 60 votes.” White House spokesbot Jay Carney did not mention that the “very difficult path” is only there because Harry Reid wimped out on getting rid of it.

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CNN and AP are reporting an arrest in the Boston Marathon bombing. The suspect is due in federal court.

And the updates begin…

CNN seems to be walking back its report, but the Boston Globe is confirming. So we’re still good with two media sources.

Update 2: And, everybody walks it back. BPD and US Attorney deny reports.

Update 3: TPM has gleefully compiled CNN’s Journey to There and Back.

“The complaint says Jenny Sanford confronted Sanford leaving her Sullivans Island home on Feb. 3 by a rear door, using his cell phone for a flashlight.” —Court filing by the Ex, charging the Hiker with repeatedly violating their divorce settlement. Mark Sanford has a date with the judge two days after the SC congressional election. [AP]

Update: Ex-Gov/Ex-Husband responds:

I did indeed watch the second half of the Super Bowl at the beach house with our 14 year old son because as a father I didn’t think he should watch it alone.

Our dad took us to a Dirty Harry movie at 14, but we don’t think it was as violent as the Super Bowl.

Update 2: And, the Republicans cut him loose…

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Another ugly day, another necessary distraction. Some things just ain’t natural.

[via Know Your Meme]

With today’s news that the Boston Marathon bombs were packed inside pressure cookers, folks are pointing to sources that say such devices are You-Know-Brown-Skinned-Who’s terror weapon of choice, such as this 2010 DHS report:

Rudimentary improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using pressure cookers to contain the initiator, switch, and explosive charge (typically ammonium nitrate or RDX) frequently have been used in Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Pressure cookers are common in these countries, and their presence probably would not seem out of place or suspicious to passersby or authorities.

Well! That certainly settles it! Except…

Because they are less common in the United States…

“Less common”. Meaning not exactly frequent, but not entirely unknown.

And definitely not unknown to the melanin-deprived set:

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The “Gateway Pundit” is far from alone in rushing to persecute an innocent victim of the Boston Marathon bombing — Hi, Pam! — but his eagerness to visually identify the not-suspect is illustrative:

Let’s run down that post, taking care not to name the poor guy, who’s suffered enough…

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