Shadowrun

Off-topic => Off-off-topic => Topic started by: Wolfboy on <05-08-12/1723:37>

Title: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: Wolfboy on <05-08-12/1723:37>
Alright i'll let you find your own links but last week's "May day" festivities almost had a big bang to go with them according to the radio news that I listen to. Apparently 5 "anarchists" that were also members of the "Occupy Wall street/Cleveland" movement purchased from an FBI undercover agent several pounds of supposed "C4" and then attempted to blow up a major bridge in the Cleveland area with the fake plastic explosive. Either once they had driven off from the purchase site or when they were driving away from the attempt to bomb the bridge they were arrested on federal charges.

I'm sorry but how stupid do you have to be. Anyone with a lick of sense should know that attempting to purchase high explosives on the black market in the US is a SETUP!

your thoughts?
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: CanRay on <05-08-12/1823:25>
Why use C4?  Dynamite and TNT is a lot easier to get and harder to trace.  ...  What, I grew up in a mining town in CANADA.  We could get dynamite before we could drive to go prospecting.
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: Marak1972 on <05-08-12/1857:08>
Thats how I lost some hearing in my right ear
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: Fallen_Raven on <05-10-12/1338:57>
You can buy all of your materials at a hardware store, why would you bother buying controlled explosives.
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: CanRay on <05-10-12/1407:50>
You can buy all of your materials at a hardware store, why would you bother buying controlled explosives.
"The Anarchist's Cookbook", as written by Michael Bay?
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: JustADude on <05-10-12/1528:38>
You can buy all of your materials at a hardware store, why would you bother buying controlled explosives.

Because, Fallen_Raven, one's likelihood of pursuing an illegal and dangerous objective is generally inversely proportionate to one's ability to actually successfully prosecute that objective. Therefore a person with the mental acumen and technical knowledge to do things the way you suggested would have a very low probability of actually doing so.

In other words: "Only idiots try to blow up bridges".
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: Crossbow on <05-10-12/1657:45>
Affiliation with a group is not representing them.  "Occupy" is dedicated to non-violent protest and has denounced the affiliation, the 'bombers' have also made the distinction.

Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: CanRay on <05-10-12/2104:55>
In other words: "Only idiots try to blow up bridges".
Depends on the bridge, depends on the time.

*Puts "A Bridge Too Far" into the DVD Player*
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: Fallen_Raven on <05-11-12/0044:42>
You can buy all of your materials at a hardware store, why would you bother buying controlled explosives.
"The Anarchist's Cookbook", as written by Michael Bay?

More along the lines of "Everything I was told not to do in Chemistry Class." You don't need to annihalte the bridge to take it out of comission, just make it too expensive to repair.

You can buy all of your materials at a hardware store, why would you bother buying controlled explosives.

Quote
Therefore a person with the mental acumen and technical knowledge to do things the way you suggested would have a very low probability of actually doing so.

Fair enough. As usual I'm probablly overthinking things.
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: CanRay on <05-11-12/0152:01>
More along the lines of "Everything I was told not to do in Chemistry Class." You don't need to annihalte the bridge to take it out of comission, just make it too expensive to repair.
Considering that I grew up in a mining town, that's a long ass list.

And I was only in Chemistry class for three days!   :o
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: FastJack on <05-11-12/0809:26>
In other words: "Only idiots try to blow up bridges".
Depends on the bridge, depends on the time.

*Puts "A Bridge Too Far" into the DVD Player*
Good movie.
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: Wolfboy on <05-11-12/1729:50>
agreed fastjack, though i prefer "Bridge over the River Kwai"

the only reason i can think of is that "Platique" explosives are considered by the layman to be more powerful as well as moldable. Personally, and if i was doing it I would probably use Dynamite, but would prep the bridge in such a way that it would come down as if by a pro demo company.
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: Loki on <06-14-12/2149:18>
Aside from the perps being dumb enough to buy explosives and thus getting caught, this illustrates the total epic fail that is the domestic war on terror and the lie of how much danger we are in. Look around you at common events and place you attend, how many are safe from Oklahoma City style attacks or suicide drivers? With our cheesecloth borders and the ingredients for ANFO being available at farm supply stores you'd think at least one group of jihadi would give up on planes and grab the low hanging fruit.  The sad thing is to be "safe" would require such draconian security in all aspects of life that it makes North Korea look free.

Sorry, /rant about government fearmongering off
Title: Re: political BS aka how stupid can you be?
Post by: CanRay on <06-14-12/2338:18>
agreed fastjack, though i prefer "Bridge over the River Kwai"

the only reason i can think of is that "Platique" explosives are considered by the layman to be more powerful as well as moldable. Personally, and if i was doing it I would probably use Dynamite, but would prep the bridge in such a way that it would come down as if by a pro demo company.
Dynamite and TNT, easy to get, easy to learn how to use, hard on you if you screw up.  ;D