If there was ever any doubt that there are a LOT of crazy folks running loose out on the streets, this story should remove all the doubt completely!
The Smiley Face Bomber
Lucas Helder is a terrorist who managed to combine an insane motive with an equally insane plot to create one of the strangest news stories of the decade. Helder was a polite college student into politics, pot, and new age theories. He also planted 18 pipe bombs seemingly at random across the Midwest in the spring of 2002, badly injuring six people.
His exact motives remain unclear, though letters he left at the crime scenes suggest they included bringing down the government, proving ghosts exist, and teaching people about astral projection. But before any of goals lay a more direct aim for his plot. According to the Helder himself, his intention was to coordinate the bombings so that when plotted on a map they would resemble a gigantic smiley face.
That was his master plan—to scorch a smile across the Midwest in fire. Some reports state he did this so people would know not to be frightened of him, others to show he had the best intentions, and yet others because he’s just plain nuts. Since he was declared mentally ill and unfit to stand trial, it’s likely that we’ll never really understand his reasoning.
What worries me the most about folks like this is how they seem to be almost invisible to the rest of us. How do we not spot the signs that something is very wrong with them? Surely someone somewhere noticed something, ya think? I know that I am going to start watching my neighbors a bit closer from now on!
Needless to say, we'll have our coffee in the kitchen again today.Just to cold to sit outside just yet!
And they walk among us...
ReplyDeleteCold here too, Mr. Hermit. A whopping 14 degrees. I'll bring some Dunkins!
You just nerver know what's going on inside another petsons head......scary times....as my hubby likes. to quote "May we be cursed to live. in interesting times"
ReplyDeleteI feel we don't see it because we are all so wrapped up in our own lives that we don't really look at others any more. How many times have we heard about a person lying on the sidewalk and people just walking around them? Do we even "listen" when someone talks? People need to start caring about others again. We are having a heat wave , 10 degrees this morning.
ReplyDeleteHow can we understand the mind and intentions of a person like that? I guess it would help if we were a little crazy, too.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary and the one with such a weird thought process is very scary. I can't believe his parents didn't see that something was terrible wrong with their son.
ReplyDeleteWell maybe I can understand. I've seen it before.
It was quite chilly here again this morning. Pass the pot please.
Because 'them' are 'us'. We ALL have our peculiarities. It's whether or not we act upon them that keeps us from being locked-up.
ReplyDeleteWell not to gloat or anything but it is a balmy 45 degrees here on the Sonoran Desert. How about some prickly pear jelly and fresh baked scones with our coffee?
Hey Phyllis...
ReplyDeleteScary thought, isn't it?
Donuts sure sounds good!
Thanks for the visit this morning!
Hey Mamahen...
Interesting times indeed! Not sure I really want to know what's going on in their head!
Thanks for coming by today!
Hey Linda M...
I do believe you are right about that!
Well, I'm glad the temps are getting warmer for you, but 10 degrees is still just a tad chilly!
Thanks for dropping by today!
Hey Dizzy...
Got to be a little crazy to even start to understand their thought process, I reckon!
Thanks for coming by this morning!
Hey Jo...
Sometimes it's like the ones closest to them are the last to know anythings wrong! Crazy!
Hey Judy...
ReplyDeleteActually, that prickly pear jelly sounds pretty good! Haven't had any in a while!
Guess some of us don't have the checks and balances built in that keeps us from doing bad stuff!
Thanks for coming by this morning!