Things I Don’t Understand
From today’s GR Press –
LOWELL TOWNSHIP — A 65-year-old Lowell woman was undergoing facial surgery early today after a homemade bomb flew about 40 feet through the air on Monday, went inside a passing car she was riding in and burned her, police said.
Frances Bernadette Thomas was being treated at Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus for serious injuries.
Kent County sheriff’s deputies said a 20-year-old Lowell man was at a friend’s house in the 13000 block of Grand River Drive about 6:30 p.m. when he filled a foot-long metal pipe with gunpowder and a paper towel. The man lit the explosive, which flew through the car window, striking Thomas.
What could possibly be going through someone’s head when they do something like that? I was a pretty heedless young man at age 20, I guess. Multiply that heedlessness by a factor of N and you get bomb throwing?
July 5th, 2005 at 2:03 pm
Maybe he was thinking “Happy 4th of July”?
Our neighbors across the street had some mongo (pony keg-sized) fireworks last night, and enough to last for over an hour. A few times cars going by had to stop in the middle of the street to allow a given firework to fizzle out. At one point I muttered “Now you know how it feels to be on patrol in Baghdad, fucker” to a a big-ass Escalade.
I even documented a few minutes of it, but sadly the lo-res streaming version messes up my lovely “feet in the flicker of candlelight” shot. :-)
July 5th, 2005 at 2:07 pm
I dunno, man, I don’t think of bombs made of *metal pipes full of gunpowder* as being for the sake of patriotic visual excitement, but maybe I would if I was a 20 year old in Lowell.
We were driving around town and saw a lot of pretty extreme homemade fireworks on our way to and from the show downtown, but nothing approaching a foot long pipe full of gunpowder, as far as I know.
July 5th, 2005 at 5:43 pm
You and I both knew a guy in high school (we’ll call him Jerry M.) who regularly made pipe bombs for his own entertainment. This was a guy who was fascinated with ninjas, collected weapons and later went into the army (military police). I have no idea what the army made of him, but I think he’s long since out of it now.
So far as I know, however, he never was stupid enough to throw a pipe bomb through a car window.
July 5th, 2005 at 6:06 pm
Just curious. Are fireworks legal in Michigan? In New Jersey, even sparklers are against the law. (http://www.usfireworks.biz/legal/nj.htm)
July 5th, 2005 at 6:51 pm
Kids these days. Sheesh. I blame MTV. :)
July 6th, 2005 at 6:38 am
On the one hand, I can understand why he made it. When I was 8 I dreamt up the same thing using a toilet paper tube. On the other hand, when I was 8 I was smart enough to realize it probably wasn’t a Good Idea.
Lastly, he didn’t throw it. Based on the material it was made from, I bet my bottom dollar it did the bottle rocket thing.
So while I don’t think he should be charged with maliciousness, I DO think he should get nailed for negligence, and do some pretty serious reparations.
July 6th, 2005 at 10:14 am
Some fireworks are legal in Michigan. Not pipe bombs, I’m prety sure.
Id’ forgotten about Jerry M, Jim. This would be totally up his alley.
July 6th, 2005 at 10:41 am
Yeah. I kinda figured about the pipe bomb part. :)