Sunday Night Open Thread: Comparing Terror Plots

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 09:15:37 PM EST
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Who wants to read about an informant-induced, non-operational terror plot in NYC that never was going to get off the ground when you can watch Homeland? It's much more compelling and about as real as the chances of a "lone wolf" pulling off a terror attack under the watchful, ever-present eye of the NYPD.

They were watching him for two years. Here's the Complaint. His website, which was being monitored, is trueislam. Here's his You Tube page. The informant was in this with Pimanetel -- they purchased stuff together and started building the bomb together at the informant's apartment, according to the complaint. Contrary to news reports (sloppy reporting), the complaint clearly states Pimentel was arrested with the components at the informant's apartment, not his own. They could have stopped this at any time.

The Inspire Magazine article (it's not a manual) has been all over the web since 2010. (Anyone can buy the Anarchist's Cookbook on Amazon -- there's even a Kindle version.)

Was it important to stop Pimentel? Of course. Did NY dodge an imminent bullet? Hardly.

Also on tonight: A new Next Iron Chef and Boardwalk Empire.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

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Sunday Night Open Thread: Comparing Terror Plots | 46 comments (46 topical)

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Chris Wallace still lives in a bubble (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by Edger on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 10:07:55 PM EST

but now it's beginning to sound like someone pumped all the air out.

"I think I'm in touch with what most people are thinking," Wallace insisted.

-- link - if you have nothing better to do ;-)

hilarious (5.00 / 1) (#35)
by The Addams Family on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 12:38:24 PM EST

. . . still lives in a bubble but now it's beginning to sound like someone pumped all the air out

GETS: "good enough to steal," as William Burroughs used to say


: I imagine it's tough being Chris (none / 0) (#36)
by Edger on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 12:43:02 PM EST

rarified air and all... ;-)

"Holes were drilled into pipes;" (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by Mr Natural on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 11:16:16 PM EST

...sulfur was scraped off of matches; nails were ready to be used as shrapnel; and some sort of wires were used to fashion an ignition device, the official said.

Pathetic. Another half wit loser goaded into half-ass action by a probably paid professional informant.

sulfer? that means he at most was trying to make a crude black powder. If he'd had even a shred of brains, he'd have known that he could have bought it off the shelf.

It's hard to tell who's dumber, the perp or the Police State apparatchiks who believe we believe them when they cry Wolf.

: Actually I heard about a kid who stuffed an empty (none / 0) (#7)
by Mr Natural on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 11:22:49 PM EST

CO2 gas cartridge with match heads when I was a kid. He did manage to set it off, unintentionally, a crude low velocity explosion, propelling a piece of the fragmented metal CO2 cartridge case (they look like whippets cartridges) through the carotid artery in his neck. R.I.P.

Homeland (5.00 / 2) (#13)
by ruffian on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 06:38:33 AM EST

Some parts of it get better week by week, like the Brody story and the Saul story. But the Carrie story gets worse and worse. I Just don't believe Claire Danes in that role anymore. Nor do I believe the role at all. Her trying to run that whole sequence last night (I won't give too much away) from her cell phone was just unbelievable. As are her supposedly outstanding spy skills which anyone can see a mile away. Hint to counterspies: when she acts like a lying, eye rolling 16 yr old - she is. I find myself longing for a Mad Magazine parody.

I figured out Showtime's mistake, at least for my taste. They should have cast Laura Linney in the Homeland role and Claire Danes in The Big C. Is it too late to swap?

We had such high hopes (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 08:38:22 AM EST

Since I got fixated on the eye rolling (none / 0) (#26)
by ruffian on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:29:13 AM EST

it is really hard to watch. Maybe she uses it as an interrogation technique. I would tell he anything if she would just stop looking at me and reacting to every word.


She even rolled her eyes (none / 0) (#27)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:31:21 AM EST

when his wife walked out onto the porch. I'm not a professional cheater, but her reaction to that just seemed disjointed as heck. But she is bipolar


: Her eyes are multi-polar (none / 0) (#32)
by ruffian on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 12:28:50 PM EST

: Yes, her reaction was so out of (none / 0) (#33)
by ruffian on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 12:34:11 PM EST

context to the situation. It was a 'choose her or me' reaction, when that was not on the table at all in the conversation or situation. No reason at all to show hostility to the wife.
Stuff like that separates a first rate show from the rest of the pack. I mean, no one rolls eyes or shows exasperation more than Jennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan on Dexter, but it is always perfectly placed and modulated.

Photoshop and UC-Davis (5.00 / 2) (#19)
by CoralGables on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 08:44:46 AM EST

Lt. Pike now has a place in the art world

I like... (5.00 / 2) (#25)
by kdog on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:26:46 AM EST

"Pepper Spray is a vegetable now."

Soon to be found in public school cafeterias!


Facebooked (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:31:51 AM EST

That was too priceless.


: The founding fathers is my profile picture now :) (none / 0) (#29)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:32:16 AM EST

Wow, it's almost 0 C. Time to get out my (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by observed on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 09:45:18 AM EST

sunbathing gear!

If you are interested in seeing a tear-inducing (none / 0) (#1)
by oculus on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 09:26:39 PM EST

movie, check out "Destinations," which has gorgeous visuals of Hawaii. George Clooney as the father! Directed by the person who also directed "Sideways."

The Descendants? (none / 0) (#2)
by CoralGables on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 09:57:04 PM EST

Whatever! (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by oculus on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 10:13:18 PM EST

I punched up (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by CoralGables on Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 10:17:01 PM EST

"Destinations" and got "Bikini Destinations". Figured it could include Hawaii, but didn't think I was in the right genre.


"Bikini Destinations".... (none / 0) (#20)
by kdog on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 09:26:55 AM EST

I think I saw that one on Skin-emax.

The script left a lot to be desired:)


yes (none / 0) (#34)
by The Addams Family on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 12:36:25 PM EST

The script left a lot to be desired

. . . while the cinematography left little to the imagination


: I'm amazed there is still... (none / 0) (#38)
by kdog on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 01:03:07 PM EST

a market for such films in the internet era, which leaves nothing to the imagination. "Bikini Destinations" type fare is now a quaint reminder of a bygone era, like the Victoria's Secret catalog.
I suddenly feel old:)

LOL. Yes, it is on my list! (none / 0) (#12)
by ruffian on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 06:30:24 AM EST

whatever it is called.


I love it. (none / 0) (#16)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 08:31:57 AM EST

I do that all the time. I see a great movie and get on here and write, "Hey, go see Decandence!"


Head of entire UC system: (none / 0) (#8)
by oculus on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 12:02:52 AM EST

UC Pres. YUDOR

SITE VIOLATOR (none / 0) (#11)
by caseyOR on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 04:01:07 AM EST

I wasn't sure, but the link gives it away.

Check out Hell on Wheels on AMC (none / 0) (#14)
by BobTinKY on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 07:22:26 AM EST

at 10 after Boardwalk Empire.

Commercial interruptions suck though.

Calling Dexter fans (none / 0) (#15)
by ruffian on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 08:29:18 AM EST

I was reading in another forum that some people have a theory that Prof. Gellar is really dead and is appearing to Travis like Harry appears to Dexter. Intriguing!

Also, even though I know that a Dexter/Deb rift is the only way the story can go, it breaks my heart and I'm not sure I can watch.

I was half asleep last night trying to watch (none / 0) (#18)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 08:40:36 AM EST

But it has bothered me that Dexter can spot a killer a mile away, but nobody has "spotted" Gellar and his picture is being shown all over the place.


: Yeah...I'm still not convinced either way (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by ruffian on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:22:58 AM EST

since Travis was chained to the floor last night...
Keeping me guessing, which is good.

UC-Davis Update (none / 0) (#22)
by CoralGables on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:05:04 AM EST

"UC Davis announced today that the chief of the campus Police Department has been placed on administrative leave pending a review of officers' use of pepper spray against protesters."

paid (5.00 / 2) (#23)
by CST on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:12:45 AM EST

LOL... (5.00 / 3) (#31)
by kdog on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 11:25:15 AM EST

if we pepper-spray our bosses like Officer Piker did, do we get a paid vacay? Cuz that would be mighty tempting...

Silly me, thats felony assault...termination, no unemployment, do not pass go do not colect 200 dollars.


These law enforcement officers are represented (none / 0) (#39)
by oculus on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 04:38:32 PM EST

employees entitled to notice and hrg. You don't support due process because they are law enforcement?


: I support due process for all.... (none / 0) (#40)
by kdog on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 05:31:44 PM EST

equivalent to that kinda due process...where do I sign?
People get held without bail for pulling a stunt like that, never mind paid vacation.
I'm "outnumbered" 2-1 if I get stopped by a squad car solo...is that legal justification for violence in a "volatile situation"?
Nope...just a case of different rules different fools.

UC Davis Chancellor "calls on" (none / 0) (#30)
by oculus on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 10:50:39 AM EST

DA to review pepper-spraying incident: Sac Bee

When we watched Bloomberg (none / 0) (#37)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 12:53:13 PM EST

last night and then they showed the car blowing up due to a pipe bomb device my husband said, "That was shown completely to frighten people and served no other purpose". I suppose he hoped to use the threat as a way to justify his response to OWS among other things.

The FBI wrote him off as an incompetent wacko (none / 0) (#42)
by Mr Natural on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 06:36:51 PM EST

The FBI concluded that the 27-year-old Pimentel "didn't have the predisposition or the ability to do anything on his own," one of the officials said.

And NYPD says w/i an hour he would have (none / 0) (#43)
by oculus on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 08:02:21 PM EST

constructed workable explosive device. How do they know that?


: Because no one would believer 45 minutes? (none / 0) (#44)
by Mr Natural on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 08:40:35 PM EST

45 minutes from I-raq, Baby, ...

Background on UCPD Lt. Pike: (none / 0) (#41)
by oculus on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 05:47:12 PM EST

Sac Bee

That he makes $110,000 yr. as a UC cop (none / 0) (#45)
by shoephone on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 09:08:48 PM EST

is astonishing and highly questionable


: That surprised me too. (none / 0) (#46)
by oculus on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 09:10:49 PM EST

: I doubt it was all salary (none / 0) (#47)
by sj on Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 11:21:26 PM EST

Most cops I know (and I know and am related to more than a few) supplement income substantially doing rent-a-cop security at events and nightclubs.

: California is famed for overpaying (none / 0) (#48)
by Mr Natural on Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 11:55:14 PM EST

members of successful organized public sector employee influence groups. For example, see the bankruptcy of Vallejo.