It was only a matter of time.

[Dreamstalker]

Propane tanks have a safety valve to release the pressure if it gets too hot; Mythbusters tried to blow up a propane tank in a fire and IIRC they failed (and proved the effectiveness of the valve; they had to do a fair bit of work to disable it).

A quote from someone interviewed on BBC: "A lot of these wanna-be terrorists are idiots". If this was an organized group, the act itself was a bit inept (as in someone saw it and it never actually went boom).

[Wingates_Hellsing]

It has been reported that the propane tanks would not have detonated and that the gasoline would have simply burned (probably blow out the windows initially).

[jackfaire]

I believe in freedom of speech but sometimes you really think they should understand just because you can say something doesn't make it a good idea.

(Interviewing security) So what your saying is that if they had shot you here it all would have worked out?

Yes ma'am but then they didn't count our secret weapon a dog and his damned kids.

[Arcade Man D]

They've arrested a "suspect".

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/04/new...pt=T1&iref=BN1

Even better, the guy talked while being questioned, even after he was read his Miranda rights. Once again proving that you don't have to suspend liberties and rights to get stuff done.

[lordlundar]

Then again, from the list of contents that I read, it wouldn't have caused that much of an explosion either.

agreed. The list of items read to me as a list of what special effects crews use to make a big fireball. Flashy, but relatively safe.

Some reports said that it could have ripped the car in half.

Not to dismiss you draggar, but did they cite a source for that theory? Lately the big news networks are using their own theorists to be the first one out with the story, at the cost of accuracy.

[Rapscallion]

Not to dismiss you draggar, but did they cite a source for that theory? Lately the big news networks are using their own theorists to be the first one out with the story, at the cost of accuracy.

My first thought was more that bigger bangs sell more newspapers.

Also, most sensationalist journalism goes along the lines of a journo bellowing something at someone possibly in the know from across a crowded room and whatever response they get it gets written up as a variant on, "An expert in the field indicated that it had the potential to..."

Rapscallion

[lordlundar]

My first thought was more that bigger bangs sell more newspapers.

Also, most sensationalist journalism goes along the lines of a journo bellowing something at someone possibly in the know from across a crowded room and whatever response they get it gets written up as a variant on, "An expert in the field indicated that it had the potential to..."

Rapscallion

It's more of the fact in this case how in one breath they're saying how tragic it would have been if it went off, and in the other saying exactly how the bomber fucked it up, all without referencing a single expert. Sorry, I don't have much faith in these reporters being an expert in anything apart from how to be a news celebrity, and even then I could probably find better sources.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

The guy I heard on the news was on the bomb squad that investigated the device (I'm fairly certain he was in charge). He indicated that the propane couldn't have detonated, and, in the unlikely event that the gasoline did, it wouldn't do more than blow out the windows and maybe the roof. After that it would have just burned.

[Skelly]

It has been reported that the propane tanks would not have detonated and that the gasoline would have simply burned (probably blow out the windows initially).

And the 250 pounds of fertilizer in the car? Urea based. AFAIK, that won't explode, no matter how much diesel or nitromethane you mix it with. Need to be ammonium nitrate fertilizer for that. I honestly have no idea what this loser tried to acheive. It sort of reminds me of Wimp Lo from Kung pow: "Pay no attention to Wimp Lo, we purposely trained him wrong... as a joke. "

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Hmmm, the article and newscast I saw didn't mention any fertilyzer. just fireworks, gas, and the propane tanks.

[Skelly]

Hmmm, the article and newscast I saw didn't mention any fertilyzer. just fireworks, gas, and the propane tanks.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ssquaresuv.jpg

[lordlundar]

It sort of reminds me of Wimp Lo from Kung pow: "Pay no attention to Wimp Lo, we purposely trained him wrong... as a joke. "

Yeah, I get the feeling this guy watched too many movies and thought "I could do that!"