# 1000 Cell Phones, terrorists, and stupidity- **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 13, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546 "2006-08-13T14:19:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/41 "2006-08-15T03:04:11Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] I was being sarcastic. I gotta admit that I’m a little bit confused about the 1,000 cellphones = exploding bridge thing. I must be missing a step here. [/QUOTE] Thanks for clarifying your post. What you are missing is that the local authorities in this case are a bunch of morons. Of course, they’ve been trained to BE morons about terrorists by the Homeland Security Crew. Notice that the FBI is distancing themselves from this one. That’s because these types of individuals have been buying and reselling cell phones for at least a year now. This is old fucking news. And the FBI knows it but the locals don’t. So, by Friday, when they let these poor bastards go, the local prosecutor will say he made a mistake. No fookin’ shite! You’re not missing anything. Local authorities, egged on by the incredibly burdisome, overly-paranoid, etc. regulations which have been handed down by the fucktards at Homeland Central, are caught up trying to do their job, but they are gonna be wrong 9/10 times, because of the fuctards at…wait…I"m repeating myself. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/42 "2006-08-15T03:07:23Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] . As to the bridge pictures (and I thought they had some info on flight schedules or something like that…I might be mis-remembering)…well, that might be suspicious -XT [/QUOTE] That was the “terrorist cell” buying phones in Marietta, OH. (HOme of Jonathan Chance–Hi, Jon). There ain’t enuf smileys to express my contempt for the Dept. of Homeland Security and their role in this and other similar fiascos. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/43 "2006-08-15T03:09:15Z")
You guys need to get crackin on those tin foil hat smileys sam…I think they’d be quite popular. 😛 -XT ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/44 "2006-08-15T03:13:05Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] What you are missing is that the local authorities in this case are a bunch of morons. [/QUOTE] I particularly loved the statements by the chief: [QUOTE=Caro Police Chief Ben Page] The cell phones can be used as detonators. [/QUOTE] Yes, that or making phone calls. > [@](#): > > Batteries can be disassembled and used to make methamphetamine. It has been recently discovered that they also allow you to use the phones (as detonators, of course) without a power cord! > [@](#): > > Obviously there’s something wrong here Truer words… ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/45 "2006-08-15T03:16:30Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] Using a cell phone to detonate a bomb is certainly feasible. [/QUOTE] And the other 999 would be for… (I know that sounds like I’m being a wiseass, but I understand 1 or two for this purpose, but 1,000?) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/46 "2006-08-15T03:17:57Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] BTW, I think its BS too… [/QUOTE] Your meter is working properly then. The British plane plot and this incident provided a nice pair for calibration. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/47 "2006-08-15T03:20:10Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] “Hello, Ahkmed? Light the fuse.” [/QUOTE] And that, Sir, is the high point of my long and tiring day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/48 "2006-08-15T03:21:12Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Your meter is working properly then. The British plane plot and this incident provided a nice pair for calibration. [/QUOTE] 😛 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/49 "2006-08-15T03:28:35Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] Thanks for clarifying your post. [/quote] I’ll endeavor to be less obfuscatory a wiseass. > [@](#): > > What you are missing is that the local authorities in this case are a bunch of morons. That sucks. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/50 "2006-08-15T03:52:16Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] What you are missing is that the local authorities in this case are a bunch of morons. [/quote] > [@Scylla](#): > > That sucks. Well, not for you or me. But those poor buggers in the van just lost a week of making money. Maybe I’ll start a thread asking **Bricker** if they can sue the authorities? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/51 "2006-08-15T04:10:18Z")
The thing is, even if 1000 cellphones + 15 Arab guys + whatever else **did** add up to reasonable suspicion, there was no need for it to be headline news. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/52 "2006-08-15T04:14:51Z")
I wonder what the reaction’s going to be when someone notices that the guys who’ve been fencing cell phones over here for years are predominantly Iranian. What’s funny, though, is that they operate side-by-side with the street dealers selling stolen and knock-off brand goods, who are almost all Israeli. I’m honestly thinking we have a working out Mideast peace by just turning the whole place over to organized crime. People fighting for profit tend to be a whole lot more reasonable than people fighting for god. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/53 "2006-08-15T04:16:42Z")
[QUOTE=me] …we have a working out Mideast peace… [/QUOTE] We have a **starting point for** working out Mideast peace… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/54 "2006-08-15T04:33:20Z")
When Americans can’t buy cell phones in bulk… The terrorists have won! ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/55 "2006-08-15T07:34:06Z")
Laugh if you want to guys, but the news about British breaking the airliner plot and about the cell phone “terrorists” are effective. GW is up to 55% approval for his handling of counter terrorism according to a recent Newsweek poll. Sometimes I worry that the American experiment in self-government has failed. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/56 "2006-08-15T07:42:53Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] Laugh if you want to guys, but the news about British breaking the airliner plot and about the cell phone “terrorists” are effective. GW is up to 55% approval for his handling of counter terrorism according to a recent Newsweek poll. [/QUOTE] That has GOT to be horseshit. Do you happen to have a cite for it? I just…I mean, I just CAN’T believe that his numbers are that high! :smack: -XT ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/57 "2006-08-15T07:53:31Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] That has GOT to be horseshit. Do you happen to have a cite for it? I just…I mean, I just CAN’T believe that his numbers are that high! :smack: -XT [/QUOTE] Not handy, but it was on Hardball and Countdown today. It’s only on terrorism. On everything else his pants are still down around the ankles. Overall approval rating was around 38%. But the terrorism scare tactic seems to work as far as counter-terrorism goes. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/58 "2006-08-15T08:05:22Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] Not handy, but it was on Hardball and Countdown today. It’s only on terrorism. On everything else his pants are still down around the ankles. Overall approval rating was around 38%. But the terrorism scare tactic seems to work as far as counter-terrorism goes. [/QUOTE] My statement of the results might have been just slightly off. The actual result of 55% was in answer to the question, "Who would do a better job with counter-terrorism. Bush and the Republicans got 55% and Democrats 37-38%. This is almost a completer reversal in the Newsweek poll answer to that question from last May. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/59 "2006-08-15T16:16:33Z")
Samclem wins- [3 Dallas-area suspects known to resell phones In Michigan, FBI says nothing indicates men have terror links](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4117318.html) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546/60 "2006-08-15T23:41:03Z")
[QUOTE=astro] Samclem wins- [3 Dallas-area suspects known to resell phones In Michigan, FBI says nothing indicates men have terror links](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4117318.html) [/QUOTE] From **astro’s** links: > [@](#): > > Mobh said the three men are among dozens of individuals in the competitive market of buying goods from Wal-Mart and other deep discounters and reselling them to other stores that mark them up and sell them retail or wholesale. Ah! don’t you just love the smell of capitalism in the morning? Fuck Homeland Security for making people paranoid. When will people learn to use their best instincts in matters like these, and quit acting like sheeple in their quest to run in lockstep with the current administration. It started with WMD, and this cell phone crap is only the latest incarnation. And it won’t be the last. Doesn’t anyone have any common sense anymore? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000-cell-phones-terrorists-and-stupidity/368546.md?page=4)