Who needs to know how to make a bomb?

[Airbrush]

As a kid I loved fire crackers, even on rare occasions cherry bombs and M80s that my brother and I bought in Tia Juana as kids.  However, after grammar school I lost all interest in fire crackers.  What kind of adult wants to know how to build a bomb that can kill or seriously hurt people?   I never searched the internet for instructions on how to build a bomb, but why does that critical info NEED to be available to anyone?  Such instructions should be constantly tracked down and removed from the internet, even if it keeps popping back up.  There could be search and destroy bots that track them down.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Airbrush

[DrP]

I agree with you. As a chemist, everyone expects me to know how to make drugs and bombs....  although I probably could, I don't and probably wouldn't do a very good job of it anyway because, like you, I actively go out of my way to avoid the knowledge. I made a decision NOT to research any of it or even allow myself to get into conversations about how to do these things as I was leaving school  -  my chem teacher said the same thing and I liked and respected her so I followed her example (and your's here) to actively avoid the knowledge as far as possible.

Where I work I had to sign a form saying that I would not make bombs from one of the chemicals we use that could be used as a precursor to an explosive. I thought about it and worked out how it could be converted into something else - it is so, so easy - but I would never even consider it, even for fun. I have a job to keep and a reputation to uphold....  and morally  - I was a christian for many years and still hold dear to the idea of trying to be a good person...  I am with you - I don't even want to know how to make a bomb.

Some things though are taught in school - like stabilizing TNT to dynamite and the history of TNT- so it isn't that easy to stay totally clueless. - One occasion where wilful ignorance is praised maybe?  I am a member at another science site where they discuss energetics all the time. I stay away from those threads.

 

[dimreepr]

 NASA...

[DrP]

8 minutes ago, dimreepr said:

 NASA...

We need to sort world peace out quick so we can jointly collaborate on the first Death Star project   -  you can never be too careful! Jack Black has the right idea:-

 

[Ten oz]

 

[John Cuthber]

And saying that a placard (which you never saw in real life) looks like it's the wrong colour is...  a long way from scientific.

Meanwhile, back at the topic.
I worked with explosives. 
I needed to know how to make a bomb- if only to avoid doing it by accident.

Edited October 25, 2018 by John Cuthber

[Endy0816]

You do need some knowledge in order to know what to watch out for. Was a memorable post on Reddit where several posters were giving police a ration of crap for arresting a man storing, among other bomb making supplies and materials, his own piss... which can be turned into an explosive(Urea Nitrate).

[Airbrush]

22 hours ago, dimreepr said:

 NASA...

You suggest that people who work for NASA need to know how to build a bomb by looking it up on the internet?  NASA engineers are people who play with explosives as adults?

Let me ask a more specific question.  Why does the information for "how to build a bomb" NEED to be freely available on the internet to ANYONE interested?

15 hours ago, Endy0816 said:

You do need some knowledge in order to know what to watch out for. 

Does that knowledge NEED to be freely available on the internet to ANYONE interested?

17 hours ago, StringJunky said:

And that's a fake photo.

Here is a link to two other photos of the "Fake News Fake Bombs" sign.  Scroll down to the 2nd and 3rd photos of the sign.  It looks NOT fake.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-ne-fake-news-bombs-cliinton-obama-sign-20181025-story.html

16 hours ago, John Cuthber said:

I worked with explosives. 
I needed to know how to make a bomb- if only to avoid doing it by accident.

Yes but you DON'T NEED to learn how to make a bomb from the internet.  That should be protected info, for professionals who NEED TO KNOW ONLY.

Edited October 26, 2018 by Airbrush

[Ten oz]

5 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

You suggest that people who work for NASA need to know how to build a bomb?  NASA engineers are people who play with explosives as adults?

Let me ask a more specific question.  Why does the information for how to build a bomb NEED to be freely available on the internet to ANYONE interested?

Does that knowledge NEED to be freely available on the internet to ANYONE interested?

When I was a young kid back in the early 90's several people at the local high school were going around blowing up garbage cans with pipe bombs. They weren't using the internet to figure out how to build their explosives. I have never built an explosive device nor do I currently have any idea how to specific build one. However I assume, perhaps naively, I would be able to build a rudimentary one easily if I bothered to try without the use of the internet. For those who would take the time to educate themselves and invest the time and money in constructing an explosive I don't think availability of specific information on the internet is a limiting factor. 

[Airbrush]

41 minutes ago, Ten oz said:

…...For those who would take the time to educate themselves and invest the time and money in constructing an explosive I don't think availability of specific information on the internet is a limiting factor. 

I think it IS a limiting factor.  Internet knowledge accelerates everything.  How many adults or teens still go to public libraries?  

Why would such insidious knowledge NEED to be available to ANYONE interested in a library or book store?  That kind of info should be protected, for professionals who need to know only !

Edited October 26, 2018 by Airbrush

[Ten oz]

2 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

I think it IS a limiting factor.  Internet knowledge accelerates everything.  How many adults still go to public libraries?  

For fewer than should. 

3 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

For that matter, why would that info NEED to be available to ANYONE interested in a LIBRARY or book store?  That kind of info should be protected, for professionals who need to know only.

Chemistry is useful. Educating oneself on chemical reactions would enable one to figure out how to build an explosive. Just are understand electricity would would enable one to construct a device to electrocute someone. We can't control what people do with knowledge.  

[John Cuthber]

2 hours ago, Raider5678 said:

Regardless, that woman holding the sign doesn't represent a majority of Republicans, and is a red herring.

If they don't agree with it, why are they so happy to be seen with her? Why has Trump not rushed to condemn her?

And, meanwhile, back at the topic.

 

I love the way that people think that "professional people" who know how to make bombs wouldn't use them .

 We have armies. The people in armies know  (and have to know) how to kill people.

So we have a large population of people who know how to kill people- by various means.

 

Do you plan to lock them away to stop their knowledge getting out?

Do you know that the same piss-poor arguments were used when Caxton invented the printing press?

[Airbrush]

19 minutes ago, John Cuthber said:

….I love the way that people think that "professional people" who know how to make bombs wouldn't use them .

 We have armies. The people in armies know  (and have to know) how to kill people.

So we have a large population of people who know how to kill people- by various means.

Do you plan to lock them away to stop their knowledge getting out?

Do you know that the same piss-poor arguments were used when Caxton invented the printing press?

No, I suggest that such insidious information does not need to be WIDE spread.  There is no way to stop all knowledge of insidious subjects, but you can put limits on it.  It seems like a simple project to remove such info from the internet, for starters.

By "professional people" I mean law enforcement experts.  I am surprised at you.  I always admired your arguments, but this argument is weak.

"Do you plan to lock them away to stop their knowledge getting out?"  Are you serious?  No, and that is a dumb hyperbole, worthy of Trump.

Edited October 26, 2018 by Airbrush

[Endy0816]

I would actually say numerous professions and hobbyists have the basic knowledge necessary.

We're surrounded by potential IED components. Only good solution, IMO, is if everyone knows what to watch out for.

...and we can't really go around deleting files. Practical, legal snd moral issues involved there.

 

[John Cuthber]

If we deleted, for example, every reference to  petrol bombs, how long would it be before someone "rediscovered" them?
How long before someone realised that you could take the explosives from  ammunition and repurpose it?

 

[Endy0816]

2 hours ago, dimreepr said:

And what is that?

Just relax and look at the numbers... If only everyone did that...

Thefts or unusual purchases of sensors, potential explosives and pressure vessels. Stuff like R12, able to be turned into toxic phosgene gas, which you might find in older appliances and cooling systems.

[dimreepr]

3 minutes ago, Endy0816 said:

Thefts or unusual purchases of sensors, potential explosives and pressure vessels. Stuff like R12, able to be turned into toxic phosgene gas, which you might find in older appliances and cooling systems.

1

custard is a potential explosive...

[Airbrush]

4 hours ago, John Cuthber said:

If we deleted, for example, every reference to  petrol bombs, how long would it be before someone "rediscovered" them?
How long before someone realised that you could take the explosives from  ammunition and repurpose it?

Most people don't "rediscover" things.  Most people don't realize they can repurpose ammunition.

Most people just look it up on the internet.  It's much easier.

8 minutes ago, dimreepr said:

custard is a potential explosive...

Yes but only a genius such as you would know that.  I never heard of it.  Did anyone else here know that?

18 hours ago, Raider5678 said:

I work on stuff like this a lot, and allow me to elaborate:

It's not simple.

What are you talking about?  If I posted here instructions for building a bomb, do you think nobody would complain?  I would complain.  Then a monitor can remove it.  That is simple.  All you need to do is discover bad stuff and report it.  There can also be bots that do that all across the internet.  Why not?

Edited October 27, 2018 by Airbrush

[dimreepr]

3 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

Yes but only a genius such as you would know that.  I never heard of it.  Did anyone else here know that?

 

A balloon is a pressure vessel...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird's_Custard

Quote

In 1981, a dust explosion occurred at the Banbury factory when corn starch powder mixed with air, forming an explosive mixture.^[6]

 

[Endy0816]

22 minutes ago, dimreepr said:

custard is a potential explosive...

Are you talking about flour and dust?

 

[J.C.MacSwell]

19 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

Most people don't "rediscover" things.  Most people don't realize they can repurpose ammunition.

Most people just look it up on the internet.  It's much easier.

Yes but only a genius such as you would know that.  I never heard of it.  Did anyone else here know that?

What are you talking about?  If I posted here instructions for building a bomb, do you think nobody would complain?  I would complain.  Then a monitor can remove it.  That is simple.  All you need to do is discover bad stuff and report it.  There can also be bots that do that all across the internet.  Why not?

Funny, but when I first saw the thread title, I pictured a bot picking up on it...I'm probably not the only one that thought that

[dimreepr]

1 minute ago, Endy0816 said:

Are you talking about flour and dust?

 

A balloon is a pressure vessel...

[John Cuthber]

1 hour ago, Airbrush said:

Most people don't "rediscover" things.  Most people don't realize they can repurpose ammunition.

It only takes one...

[Endy0816]

@Dimreepr: Ah didn't see all your earlier post.

Yeah, still a concern today in different industries(and vessels). Have to keep it from building up and I think there's fine filters available.

Not really stealthy and still need something to cause a deliberate spark.

Mostly mean metal when talking about pressure vessels.

Fun fact:

Flour explosion appears in Monstrous Regiment by Terry Prachett.

Edited October 27, 2018 by Endy0816

[louis wu]

On 10/27/2018 at 4:15 PM, dimreepr said:

A balloon is a pressure vessel...

Not according to the HSE Pressure vessel regulations (UK Pressure Equipment Directive (Directive 97/23/EC) (PED)).  Only a contained pressure of 0.5 Bar or greater satisfies the requirements for a pressure vessel.