# Pipe Bomber drawing a pipe bomb SMILEY?! $#%$!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 9, 2002, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171 "2002-05-09T21:51:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/21 "2002-05-10T04:55:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Klaatu \* > \*\*njufoic and knock knock > You are both assholes to consider this “funny”. People were hurt. > Would you like to check your mail, and have it fucking blow up in your face? > > Fucking assholes. I am too pissed to reply coherently. \*\* I didn’t read this as them thinking this was hilarious funny. More like stupid funny. You have to admit there’s an interesting irony in making a giant smiley face out of bombs. In other words, the bombs themselves weren’t funny. The pattern this fucknugget was going for was funny, in relation to the fact that they were freakin’ **bombs**! jayjay ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/22 "2002-05-10T05:01:09Z")
jayjay, I don’t consider a pattern of any bomber funny. Sure, maybe in Helder’s mind he thought it funny, I don’t. Just because this shithead thought he could hurt people in some kind of smiley pattern, that is funny? Bullshit! I stand by what I said. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/23 "2002-05-10T05:16:49Z")
It stucky me as funny. Forgive me. The only thing that concerns me is that this smiley face business probably makes this more tempting to copycat. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/24 "2002-05-10T05:40:01Z")
I found it funny. Why? Because there’s nothing I can do to take away what happened. Because if I didn’t laugh, I’d cry. Hell, I’m already depressed enough about the condition of this world. This guy, though. . .I’ve always been anti-death penalty. But. . .you know, I saw this guy, and the shirt he was wearing when he got arrested. . .I OWN that shirt. I got Papa John’s garlic sauce on it a couple of weeks ago. I love that shirt. And he was wearing it. If he dies, I’m gonna feel it. Just because of that, and I can’t help it. Obviously a really fucking stupid kid with no idea of what he’s gotten himself into. And completely freaking insane. I feel kind of bad for him, because not only is he going to get the book thrown at him, but he completely deserves it and is going to have no life. The destruction inherent in this world makes me sad. He’s just a part of it. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/25 "2002-05-10T06:49:58Z")
I found the “smiley face” pattern funny in the sense of being absurd. Let’s face it, when you think “bomb spree” you just don’t think “smiley face”. The brain has to do some juggling of concepts. It’s not a knee-slapper, but it is “funny” in at least that way. ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/26 "2002-05-10T08:05:35Z")
I’m a bit confused…now supposedly the guy was starting on the “mouth” when he went to Texas, but then he goes all the way out to Nevada? To draw an ear? The guy’s obviously not playing with a full deck. Even with someone like the Unabomber or Tim McVeigh, you could sort of grasp what their twisted political agenda was. In this case, it seems more like this kid had no coherent sense of purpose in life and wanted the fast track to fame, something to make his existence seem meaningful, albeit in a perverse way. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/27 "2002-05-10T10:20:03Z")
Never in my life have I felt the need to use this smiley more strongly: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/28 "2002-05-10T12:49:23Z")
When I heard this on the news, my first thought was: \*\* WHO INVENTED THE SMILEY FACE AND DID HE DO TIME FOR IT? \*\* Thanks, Cecil. ---
**Author:** ![blanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@blanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blanx)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/29 "2002-05-10T13:17:09Z")
I think the “funny” part of all this is the idea that someone got the requisite materials together, had the will to build several bombs, was willing to injure and possibly kill a host of complete strangers, for the sole purpose of making a smiley face. Not to say that the unabomber’s means for getting his "message"across were legit, but there’s something surreal about going through all of that trouble, and risking that sort of karmic harm, just to draw a stupid 70’s symbol. Especially when you remember the interview that his dad gave with the media asking him to give himself up, saying that the world had heard his message, and he had gotten his views out to the public. A lot of this is whistling past the graveyard, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/30 "2002-05-10T13:29:12Z")
And the moral of the story is: Listen to **ChiefScott**. He knows of which he speaks. pan ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/31 "2002-05-10T14:14:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*[Map of bombing sites.](http://www.msnbc.com/news/747431.asp?0si=-#BODY) (scroll down) \*\* [Here’s a larger map](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020507/161/1i4k5.html). ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/32 "2002-05-10T14:19:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > \*\* > > Well, the local news here in San Fran made a big deal about how he mentioned Nirvana on his website. Nirvana, whose lead singer killed himself and sang bleak lyrics. Nirvana, who if anyone listens to must be a psychotic killer. And on and on they went. I bet if he mentioned Marilyn Manson, the reporters would have jizzed their pants live on TV!!! \*\* Someone that messed up, you’d think he’d play with their heads a bit more and put Charlotte Church and Enya on his website. Nirvana - how cliché. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/33 "2002-05-10T14:28:34Z")
**Kabbes** , do you know what thread your in? You reference the News of the Weird comment here earlier when it was I who used that as an example in a completely different thread and a completely different topic. Nobody said anything about News of the Weird in this thread. Then you say to listen to **ChiefScott** because he knows of which he speaks, but he hasn’t posted to this thread yet. I think you’ve become so befuddled by people’s amusement at these weirdo events that you’ve lost track of which thread you’re in. Settle down buddy. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/34 "2002-05-10T14:34:46Z")
**I** know what **kabbes** meant in reference to **ChiefScott** , and truly, he was a prophet of the end times. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/35 "2002-05-10T14:37:07Z")
psst… **Cnote** … it wasn’t me that mentioned News of the Weird - it was **Klaatu**. I made my first post to the thread just above. The reference to **Chief Scott** is because the man _hates_ smilies. Unless of course I’ve picked the wrong dude. pan ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/36 "2002-05-10T15:01:42Z")
Well hell, I blew that one. Sorry. I’m relived, however, that I don’t have to now explain to you why I found your befuddlement funny too. Sheew. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/37 "2002-05-10T15:17:57Z")
Shit! Reli **e** ved. No _I’m_ befuddled, goddammit! ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/38 "2002-05-10T16:08:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*I bet he listened to rock music too. > > STUPID ROCK MUSIC! > > :: me shakes fist at the world :: \*\* You can do better than that jar. He’s from Minnesota…he went to college at UW Stout…I’m thinkin’ he **ain’t** a Bears fan… ---
**Author:** ![njufoic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@njufoic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njufoic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/39 "2002-05-10T16:30:11Z")
I think the posters in response to Klaatu did a pretty good job of explaining what I meant. This wasn’t funny the way the Sunday comics are funny. More so in an existentialist, theater-of-the-absurd kind of way; the way Catch-22 is funny. For the record, if I had been killed by one of these bombs, I’d hope that my friends would remember me fondly, and have a good laugh over the smiley face thing. I’d be disappointed if they didn’t. -Andrew L ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171/40 "2002-05-10T19:33:13Z")
Well. after reading this thread in a more sober light, I can see your point. Apologies, and the next round is on me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pipe-bomber-drawing-a-pipe-bomb-smiley/108171.md?page=3)