There's a saying among francophone technicians in Québec; it has something to do with the ring they wear and keeping their fingers out of their noses.

Engineers are brilliant and theoretical geniuses, but the guys I'd be terrified of are the techs who build the engineers' conceptions.

By  Steven Alleyn, at Tuesday, July 03, 2007 6:26:00 PM  

When you look at these guys, then at Harold Shipman, the doctor who killed hundreds without anyone even noticing, it's obvious that we're dealing with a bunch of total amateurs. Come on guys, if you're going to blow yourselves up show some professionalism!

By  Marcus, at Tuesday, July 03, 2007 8:19:00 PM  

al-qaeystone?

By  michael greenwell, at Wednesday, July 04, 2007 10:24:00 AM  

A colleague with a background in bomb disposal opined to me that some of the ALF were relatively competent at bomb-making compared to this bunch; in his professional opinion, the devices as described barely even counted as bombs.

By  Simon Bradshaw, at Wednesday, July 04, 2007 4:43:00 PM  

I think you put your finger on the problem of medical workers making bombs.

Bring me the sanitation department.

By  Renegade Eye, at Thursday, July 05, 2007 4:40:00 AM  

Well, at least the Scots have come a long way in such matters since the time of Darnley. When I was at Cambridge I met a certain Ross Anderson who has since gone on to being one of the world's leading security experts. This thread reminded me that he, at least, has had practical experience in blowing things up as part of his cursus honoris. It is curiously absent from his bio at wikipedia, so I have taken the liberty of putting some stuff about it on his talk page.

By  P.M.Lawrence, at Thursday, July 05, 2007 11:55:00 AM  

I am an engineer of some renown and no offence, but you're talking out your fat arse.

By  Dr Maroon, at Thursday, July 05, 2007 1:31:00 PM  

Dr Maroon, try Googling on:

"Salem Hypothesis" engineers creationism

and you'll see what I mean.

No offence intended to engineers.

By  Ken, at Thursday, July 05, 2007 6:47:00 PM  

Dr. Maroon - I trained as a tech (and ditched it for writing) and I'm just being irksome. No offense was meant, just some inter-professional ribbing.

By  Steven Alleyn, at Friday, July 06, 2007 2:07:00 AM  

You all worry too much.
I cannot be offended.
What good sports you all are. I might come back

By  Dr Maroon, at Friday, July 06, 2007 9:11:00 AM  

Ayman al-Zawahiri, who it is believed designed the 11.09.2001 attacks, was a doctor...then again 1.) he didn't do the work himself and 2.) he;s a surgeon, meaning botht that we should refer to him as "Mr" and that he might have a practical if nasty streak.

By  Anonymous, at Saturday, July 07, 2007 3:29:00 AM  

I can't help but be reminded that many an IRA bomb didn't go off because 'Crown forces' had interfered with them beforehand. Makes you wonder whether this failure of 3 could be for similar reasons - but stunning incompetence just as likely .

By  Southpawpunch, at Saturday, July 07, 2007 1:27:00 PM  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rs9sinZJ_4

By  Anonymous, at Sunday, July 08, 2007 1:21:00 AM  

I'm an engineer, and I completely concur with Ken on this. If we're going to evangelize for atheism, we need to start with the engineers.

By  s9, at Sunday, July 08, 2007 7:39:00 AM  

The incredible inefficiency of The Mad Doctors (tm) was a blessing. And, as P M Lawrence opines, whizz-bangs are actually pretty simple to construct, especially if you're not too concerned by personal survival (I wonder whether any of the CUSFS bombardiers are still exploding things these days?).

The trouble is, that next time it'll work. And not only the usual suspects may have a go - I think it's almost inevitable that some racist loons decide to have a go at a mosque or two. Hopefully the slope-head racists are as inept, but somehow I doubt it.


Bob Shaw

By  Bob Shaw, at Sunday, July 08, 2007 11:46:00 AM  

Oh, I forgot to mention, in my description of racists above, the phrase 'in-breeding'. Sorry about that!


Bob Shaw

By  Bob Shaw, at Monday, July 09, 2007 11:40:00 AM  

Inbreeding is nature's way of telling us that racism is a bad idea.

By  Ken, at Monday, July 09, 2007 12:02:00 PM  

Of course every dunderheid knows that you should aways make two devices per "job"....oops to much information....ther si nothing to see here ...move along!

By  Sparks, at Thursday, July 12, 2007 8:06:00 AM  

I'm an engineer, and I follow THE BOOK to the letter. I'm leery of engineers that would allow darwin to test their designs for them.

http://www.aisc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Bookstore&Template=/Ecommerce/ProductDisplay.cfm&Productid=2283

By  Anonymous, at Thursday, July 12, 2007 3:36:00 PM