memeorandum: How influential was the Rogoff-Reinhart study warning that high debt kills growth? (Tim Fernholz/Quartz)

1:15 PM ET, April 17, 2013

Top Items:

David Sirota / Salon:

Let's hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American — There is a double standard: White terrorists are dealt with as lone wolves, Islamists are existential threats — As we now move into the official Political Aftermath period of the Boston bombing — the period that will determine …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, CNN, The Jawa Report, Tim Wise, NewsBusters, Atlas Shrugs, Outside the Beltway, Shot in the Dark, Weasel Zippers, Restoring Liberty, Mediaite, Jihad Watch, protein wisdom, Right Wing Watch and Post Politics

Dale Russell / Atlanta News, Weather …:

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Boston Marathon bomb — The bomb that exploded at the finish line of Monday's Boston Marathon sent shock waves across the country. Crime scene photos obtained exclusively by FOX 5 Atlanta are the first look at what is left of the first deadly device.

Discussion: Fox News, Wall Street Journal, Quartz, Deadspin, Doug Ross, Gawker, Mediaite, Ed Driscoll, Hot Air, nation.foxnews.com, New York Times and iOwnTheWorld.com

Susan Tran / WHDH-TV:

EXCLUSIVE: New pics from moments before, after blasts — BOSTON (WHDH) — Photos sent to 7News by a viewer show the scene just before and right after the bombs went off on Boylston Street. — 7News has provided these pictures to the FBI as they continue their investigation.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, U.S. News, ABC News, Telegraph, The Right Scoop, Scared Monkeys, The Gateway Pundit, CNN, Doug Ross, Riehl World News, The Boston Globe and New York Post

CNN:

Boston Marathon bombs have hallmarks of ‘lone wolf’ devices, experts say — (CNN) — The devices used in the Boston Marathon attack Monday are typical of the “lone wolf:” the solo terrorist who builds a bomb on his own by following a widely available formula.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Weasel Zippers, Restoring Liberty, Politico and AMERICAblog

Amy Davidson / News Desk:

The Saudi Marathon Man — A twenty-year-old man who had been watching the Boston Marathon had his body torn into by the force of a bomb. He wasn't alone; a hundred and seventy-six people were injured. But he was the only one who, while in the hospital being treated for his wounds …

Discussion: The Week, Wonkette, Mediaite, Hullabaloo, CNN, Gawker, Boston Herald, Taylor Marsh, New Republic, Macleans.ca, Talking Points Memo and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Chris Buckley / New York Times:

China Mourns the Death of a Student in Boston Blast — HONG KONG - Mourning for a Chinese student who was the third victim killed in the Boston Marathon bombing rippled across her home country on Wednesday, when Internet sites and news reports described and celebrated a young woman whose ambitions …

Discussion: FP Passport, nyconsulate.prchina.org, The Week, CNN, Obsidian Wings and Business Insider

CNN:
Boston Medical Center has two patients in critical condition …

Discussion: New York Times, NationalJournal.com, Weasel Zippers, The Week, WorldViews, The Daily Beast, Lynn Sweet, Business Insider, Macleans.ca, AMERICAblog and Politico

Ben Levine / Deadspin:
I Watched The Marathon Bombing From Above. These Are My Photos.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and The American Conservative

Tim Rohan / New York Times:
In Grisly Image, a Father Sees His Son

Discussion: Washington Wire, Telegraph, Macleans.ca, ABCNEWS, The Atlantic Wire, U.S. News, Business Insider and The Week

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:
Bring on the Next Marathon

Discussion: JustOneMinute and Hit & Run

Jade Walker / The Huffington Post:
Lu Lingzi Dead: Boston University Graduate Student Identified As Third Fatality In Marathon Bombings

Discussion: Firedoglake, Bloomberg, Foreign Policy, Associated Press, Riehl World News and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Alexander Mooney / CNN:

Suspicious letter addressed to Obama — (CNN) - A letter addressed to President Barack Obama that contained a “suspicious substance” has been intercepted at the White House's off-site mail facility, a Secret Service spokesman said Wednesday. The letter arrived Tuesday …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Raw Story

CNN:

Suspicious letter for Obama intercepted, Secret Service says — Washington (CNN) — White House mail handlers identified a “suspicious substance” in a letter sent to President Barack Obama the same day one suspected of containing the poison ricin was found in a Senate mailroom, the Secret Service said Wednesday.

Discussion: Business Insider, Taylor Marsh, Mediaite and Towleroad News #gay

Justin Sink / The Hill:

New poison letter sent to Obama; police clear packages at Capitol — Authorities said Wednesday they had intercepted a letter to the White House that tested positive for ricin poison. — The Secret Service acknowledged the letter addressed to President Obama contained a suspicious substance …

Discussion: The Hill and Outside the Beltway

Fox News:

Letter sent to Obama tests positive for ricin, FBI says — The FBI has confirmed that a letter addressed to President Obama has “preliminarily tested positive” for ricin, a day after lawmakers said another letter sent to the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Roger Wicker tested positive for the same substance.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

U.S. News: Letter sent to Obama tests positive for ricin, officials say

CNN:
Portions of Senate office buildings evacuated

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Politico:
Ricin found on letter to Obama; police investigate packages on Hill

Discussion: NPR, CNN and Gawker

John Bresnahan / Politico:
Letter sent to Roger Wicker tests positive for ricin

nbcmiami.com:

Sen. Manchin: Background Checks Won't Survive Today's Vote — Potential GOP supporters out front on immigration won't risk second battle with conservative base on guns, Manchin tells NBC News.. — In this April 10, 2013 file photo, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., left, and Sen. Patrick Toomey …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Taylor Marsh, The PJ Tatler, The Raw Story, ABCNEWS and Arizona Republic

Talking Points Memo:

Kelly Ayotte Will Oppose Senate Gun Background Checks Deal — Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) said Wednesday that she will oppose a Senate deal proposing to expand background checks on the purchases of firearms known as the Manchin-Toomey admendment. — “I believe that restricting the rights …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Slate, Weasel Zippers, Hot Air and Washington Free Beacon

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
NBC: Manchin Concedes That Background Checks ‘Will Not Get The Votes’

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Bruce Smith / bigstory.ap.org:

AP: Ex-wife says former SC Gov. Sanford trespassed — You are here — Home » United States House of Representatives » AP: Ex-wife says former SC Gov. Sanford trespassed — CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford must appear in court two days …

Discussion: Ballot Box, Politico, The Fix, Daily Kos, FishbowlDC, Prairie Weather, CNN, Hot Air, Post Politics, Roll Call, National Review and House Majority PAC

The Post and Courier:

Jenny Sanford accuses Mark Sanford of trespassing at Sullivan's Island home — Republican congressional candidate Mark Sanford is accused of trespassing at his ex-wife's home and faces a court appearance two days after the 1st District special election, according to published reports that surfaced late Tuesday night.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress and The Week

Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:

Why Republicans Suddenly Became Afraid Of Their Own Budget Shadow — Republicans spent the last four years criticizing Senate Democrats for failing to pass a budget resolution, and for operating outside of what's known as “regular order” on Capitol Hill, resorting instead to informal processes and “back room deals.”

Discussion: Washington Post and Booman Tribune

Cameron Joseph / The Hill:
House Dems show better first-quarter fundraising than at-risk Republicans

Discussion: Yahoo! News and The Political Carnival

Jon Schuppe / nbcnewyork.com:

Anthony Weiner at 2nd Place in Democratic Mayoral Poll by NBC New York/Marist — Disgraced former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner could mount a serious Democratic primary challenge against City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, whose lead in the mayoral race is slipping, a new NBC New York/Marist College poll shows.

Discussion: Guardian, Politicker, Associated Press, Hot Air, Capital New York, msnbc.com and Outside the Beltway

First Read:
First Thoughts: Background-check measure expected to fall short

Discussion: Marist Poll, Mother Jones, Wonkblog, CBS New York, Outside the Beltway and The Hill

Paul Krugman:

Further Further Thoughts On Death By Excel — A few somewhat unrelated notes on the Reinhart-Rogoff fiasco: — 1. I thought I remembered another recent Excel disaster — and sure enough, spreadsheet coding played a role in the London Whale disaster at JP Morgan:

Discussion: Business Insider, Quartz, The Mahablog, FP Passport, The Tell and Marginal Revolution

David Taintor / Talking Points Memo:

NBC News: More Search Warrants Could Be Issued Wednesday — Federal prosecutors are preparing more search warrants in the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombings, and those warrants could be issued as early as Wednesday, NBC News' Michael Isikoff reported Wednesday on MSNBC's “The Daily Rundown.”

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

‘Daily News’ doctored front-page photo from Boston bombing — Detail from the original photo (left) and the News' version. via Charles Apple — Looking for answers for nypost.com, Rupert Murdoch and Col Allan rely on a standby general: Jesse Angelo — The New York Post was derided Tuesday …

Discussion: NY Daily News, Politico, Mediaite, Weasel Zippers and Poynter, more at Mediagazer »

Alexander Bolton / Ballot Box:

Paul considering White House bid — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a star among Tea-Party voters, said Wednesday that he is considering a presidential bid in 2016 and will decide next year. — “I want to be part of the national debate. Being considered is something that allows me to have a larger microphone …

Discussion: CNN, Politico and The Raw Story

WFAA-TV:

Wife of former Kaufman County JP arrested on capital murder charge — KAUFMAN - Kim Williams, the 46-year-old wife of former Kaufman County Justice of the Peace Eric Williams, was arrested and charged with capital murder. — Authorities have not revealed whether the charge is related to her husband's arrest.

Discussion: NPR and The Raw Story

New York Times:

Bearing Arms: Internet Gun Sites Ease Illegal Sales — The want ads posted by the anonymous buyer on Armslist.com, a sprawling free classified ads Web site for guns, telegraphed urgency. — Feb. 20: “Got 250 cash for a good handgun something.reliable.” — Feb. 27: “I got 200 250 cashlooking …

Discussion: Hit & Run, Daily Kos, The Plum Line, Gawker and The Reaction

Rep. Peter T. Hansen / susan the bruce:

Vagina's and Children First! — The NH House recently passed HB 135, a bill aimed at repealing parts of the so-called Stand Your Ground law that was passed by the last legislature. — A great deal of hysteria has ensued. One would think that the many urgent problems that beset our state …

Discussion: Salon, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, ThinkProgress, She The People, The Huffington Post, Gawker and The Raw Story

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Congressman Says Bombings Reveal Danger Of Immigration Bill: ‘Radical Islamists...Are Trained To Act Hispanic’ — During an appearance on CSPAN's Washington Journal on Wednesday, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) claimed that this week's bombings of the Boston Marathon should give pause …

Discussion: Mediaite and The Raw Story