Officials: Explosive Device Found in NY Mailbox at Home of George Soros

[Bud Plug]

Holder's bomb was mis-addressed and the SOP of the USPS is to return it to the sender. As far as we know, sealed US Mail is still respected rather than inspected. Although very recent technology (and animal training) allows for some level of inspection from without, it's over-optimistic to imagine a cash-strapped, deficit-ridden, tax-cutting Administration has already equipped the entire vast system with the latest gizmos.

While every piece of mail is not scanned/screened (as you note), postal employees are trained in the identification of potentially hazardous mail, and the US Postal Inspection Service is then contacted to assess the package using their sophisticated forensic equipment: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radDocs/bombs.htm. These packages tick off a number of boxes in the training that postal workers receive about identifying suspicious mail (excessive postage, weight, irregular packaging, political addressee, etc.).

As I replied to IRIS, a perp could get almost as satisfactory results from well-faked bombs as from real ones, and without causing actual death and injuries among the target's staff.

True, as I noted myself. But why then is the media calling it an "attack"?

I'm curious how you know "…none of the pictures (x rays) of the bombs that have been made public show any detonation devices", and why you think that remarkable. I wonder what you're looking for and not seeing and if you could post a pic or two of such a detail. My own thought is that the first thing a Bomb Squad would do is neutralize, and or remove, the detonating device, before anyone got close enough to take any pictures. But even in place, it wouldn't necessarily feature or even show in the Photo Editor's choice of picture.

No functioning detonation devices have been reported. The pictures I saw were of two of the bombs. I saw them separately on Fox and CNN broadcasts. I tried to find the footage that I saw, but was unable to locate it for you quickly. One picture was a of a sealed pipe with wires. There was nothing attached to it. The other (which was sent to Brennan at CNN) was a sealed cylinder (didn't look like a pipe) that had an electronic timer attached to it, but it has not been claimed that the timer was powered or running. What I was looking for in these pictures, since these were not tripwire or mechanically activated bombs, was a power source, or evidence that they were powered. I didn't see any. While I agree that bomb experts would remove trigger apparatus from the bomb, I also believe they would photograph all of the components if they intended to publish what they found. The significance of this is that, if I'm right, the bomb maker knew he was sending non-functional bombs. That's a pretty sophisticated act for a terrorist, because he bears all the same risks or being caught and charged with the same crimes, but he does no damage.[/QUOTE]

 

[oldjones]

While every piece of mail is not scanned/screened (as you note), postal employees are trained in the identification of potentially hazardous mail, and the US Postal Inspection Service is then contacted to assess the package using their sophisticated forensic equipment: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radDocs/bombs.htm. These packages tick off a number of boxes in the training that postal workers receive about identifying suspicious mail (excessive postage, weight, irregular packaging, political addressee, etc.).



True, as I noted myself. But why then is the media calling it an "attack"?



No functioning detonation devices have been reported. The pictures I saw were of two of the bombs. I saw them separately on Fox and CNN broadcasts. I tried to find the footage that I saw, but was unable to locate it for you quickly. One picture was a of a sealed pipe with wires. There was nothing attached to it. The other (which was sent to Brennan at CNN) was a sealed cylinder (didn't look like a pipe) that had an electronic timer attached to it, but it has not been claimed that the timer was powered or running. What I was looking for in these pictures, since these were not tripwire or mechanically activated bombs, was a power source, or evidence that they were powered. I didn't see any. While I agree that bomb experts would remove trigger apparatus from the bomb, I also believe they would photograph all of the components if they intended to publish what they found. The significance of this is that, if I'm right, the bomb maker knew he was sending non-functional bombs. That's a pretty sophisticated act for a terrorist, because he bears all the same risks or being caught and charged with the same crimes, but he does no damage.

So I'm sure we'll get the minutiae of the USPS involvement in the fullness of time. At least the bits they don't think would be helpful to future terrorists.

If the penalties and risks to the bomber are much the same for fake as for real weapons, and we both agree there would be real effects on the targets, I see no reason to quibble over the media's word choice of 'attack'. It's the word-choice the sender intended and the only sensible one for anyone, until full knowledge after the fact.

Like your sulphur observation, until there's been a bomb-autopsy published we aren't likely to really know much about technical details such as detonators, and they're likely to be censored so other evil folks won't get ideas. But certainly that's another detail that might suggest a particularly nasty and elaborate fake.

People have been alerted, no one has been hurt, vigilance has been increased. Best to wait calmly for the facts to emerge.

 

[IRIS]

What of the Ricin packages earlier this month?

I didn't want to start a whole new thread, just throw in something I felt was a valid point to the topic at hand.

I really like you. You never give up. You can ask that question 1000 times, you'll never get answers from these liberal megaphones. When they don't have acceptable answers, they will just attacking you and ignore to answer your questions. Badkat!! Badkat!!

 

[derrick76]

Domestic terrorism...the far right's favourite pastime. They are the biggest threat to everyday Americans.

Even IRIS knows this.

 

[derrick76]

But in the case of these alleged bombs, democrats quickly finger point to Trump being responsible for tension. What was said in the media over those recent chemical packages? How much coverage and blame was given?

Why stop there? Why not ask about all the threats that were sent Obama's way starting 2007? ...and what about the coverage and the blame given?

Did any take place after Trumps attack on Obama with that birther shyte?

 

[Knuckle Ball]

Why is it so profoundly difficult for people on the Right to just say: “Sending pipe bombs is bad” without all the other whataboutism, victim blaming, etc.

Pretty simple.

 

[Knuckle Ball]

I really like you. You never give up. You can ask that question 1000 times, you'll never get answers from these liberal megaphones. When they don't have acceptable answers, they will just attacking you and ignore to answer your questions. Badkat!! Badkat!!

It’s because we’re not talking about the media. We’re talking about the fact that pipe bombs are being sent to Dems that Trump has targeted. We know you want to change the topic but we’re still kinda stuck on the whole domestic terrorism thing.

Maybe start another thread about the media if that’s what you would rather discuss?

 

[oldjones]

I really like you. You never give up. You can ask that question 1000 times, you'll never get answers from these liberal megaphones. When they don't have acceptable answers, they will just attacking you and ignore to answer your questions. Badkat!! Badkat!!

Except she did get her answer on TERB, and media had reported the story here and abroad. Including the arrest of the culprit who has been charged. What more are you asking for?

By the way, the packages didn't contain ricin. They were ground-up castor beans. A competent chemist could derive some ricin from them in a lab, but no such person was involved. Like the theory that these bombs were just scary dummies, it's possible the wacko who sent the earlier packages just wanted to terrify his targets, not harm them outright.

Over to you: What do you want? A fair and balanced world? Try setting an example. Even if you do that, you'll still have to do what the grown-ups do, and pick and choose your own way through the different stories told from different viewpoints. The name-calling will just make your path harder to see.

 

[IRIS]

It’s because we’re not talking about the media. We’re talking about the fact that pipe bombs are being sent to Dems that Trump has targeted. We know you want to change the topic but we’re still kinda stuck on the whole domestic terrorism thing.

Maybe start another thread about the media if that’s what you would rather discuss?

Sorry! I'm understand your frustrations. So just tell me : How about the RICIN?

 

[Frankfooter]

Here's a good montage of Trump calling for violence.
https://youtu.be/WIs2L2nUL-0

Sounds like it was just another trumptard trying to follow orders.

 

[Knuckle Ball]

Sorry! I'm understand your frustrations. So just tell me : How about the RICIN?

Stop trying to change the subject away from Right Wing terrorism.

Start a Ricin thread if you wanna talk about Ricin and I’ll do my best to answer all of your Ricin-related questions.

 

[apoptygma]

I'm not trying to split hairs, but Ricin is a poison made from castor bean. The packages did test positive for the poison.
So while the chemical letters, were genuine, the alleged pipe bombs remain under investigation.

Can you read?
From your own linked article:
"Bioweapons experts caution field tests are inconclusive and a lab test has to be conducted to confirm that a substance is in fact ricin."

 

[Knuckle Ball]

We're not talking about media either. Its just being noted, that sending chemicals in the mail is equally as threatening.

Certainly sending a pipe bomb is a 'bad thing', and hopefully an investigation will show both how 'genuine' these were in construction, and who they came from.

Unsure how Trump targeted any Democrats, especially in the manner of say Maxine Waters said If You See A Member Of Trump Cabinet, "Push Back" Tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere!"
That sounds a little more clear as organizing a direct threat to listeners.

Sending Ricin to people in the mail is bad. So was the shooting of Steve Scalise. However, if your point is that “both sides do bad things”, I would point out that violence is far more commonly a tactic of the Right- the numbers aren’t even close. I posted a link about this recently in your other thread.

As far as Maxine Waters goes, I was initially supportive of what she had said about yelling at people in restaurants. I’ll admit to getting caught up in the frustration and anger of events at the time but I have re-thought this after these pipe bomb attacks. Though it’s not lethal to yell at someone in a restaurant or an elevator it is aggressive behaviour that the recipient would likely find intimidating.

So is going to a politician’s home and protesting outside his house- even if the protest is “peaceful” it is still kinda creepy in that at some level it says to the recipient, “We know where you live...We can find you.”

That being said, I think Trump’s non-stop fear-mongering, vilifying opponents and critics, embrace of conspiracy theories, claims of a Deep State and a rigged witch hunt, claims that women are making up false lies about men, and insistence that a caravan filled with MS-13 and Muslim terrorists is coming to invade America scares the shit out of a certain segment of the population. They feel that they can’t trust their institutions to protect them as they have been infiltrated and corrupted by shadowy forces and they must therefore, as patriotic Americans, take up arms to defend their country.

This is the hysteria that Trump creates. He feeds off it and revels in it. Unfortunately, Dems gets drawn into it too and find themselves reacting in aggressive ways which then gets used against them. If Dems wanna be part of the solution they need to dial it down.

 

[basketcase]

The Clinton's were targeted by what looks like an attempted domestic terror attack, and the right wingers are already mocking the Clinton's. Sickening!!

They obviously think terrorism is only bad when they can blame Muslims.

 

[basketcase]

Some live questions at the moment:....

Anyone surprised that Bud is trying to downplay attacks/threats against left leaning targets?

 

[basketcase]

...
Actually, the question was meant rhetorically. Yes, the media covered it, but it quickly fizzled too. ...

That tends to happen when the culprit is captured and there is no threat. If this bomber get busted and there is no threat then this too will pass.

I don't recall anyone from the center/left complaining that the fake ricin was getting too much coverage or trying to pretend it was some kind of GOP false flag. What is it about the alt-right crowd that always ends up this way?

 

[Knuckle Ball]

Anyone surprised that Bud is trying to downplay attacks/threats against left leaning targets?

Some things in life are entirely predictable.

 

[Knuckle Ball]

That tends to happen when the culprit is captured and there is no threat. If this bomber get busted and there is no threat then this too will pass.

I don't recall anyone from the center/left complaining that the fake ricin was getting too much coverage or trying to pretend it was some kind of GOP false flag. What is it about the alt-right crowd that always ends up this way?

Alex Jones has established false flag claims as standard operating procedure for the Right.

No one on the Left even considered making such an accusation when Heather Heyer was killed or Steve Scalise was shot. Progressives are generally better educated than Conservatives; they believe in facts/science and are less vulnerable to believing crazy shit.

 

[Darts]

Something fishy here. "Bombs" that don't explode and are easily discovered. All this 2 weeks before the mid-terms.

 

[Knuckle Ball]

Something fishy here. "Bombs" that don't explode and are easily discovered. All this 2 weeks before the mid-terms.

Nobody ever accused Trump Supporters of being the sharpest tools in the shed:

https://twitter.com/thedailyshow/status/778572065146187776?s=21