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MrRING

Android Futureman
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Aug 7, 2002
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This story is pretty weird. A report went out that a mailed package exploded at a university mail center. The package contained a rambling conspiracy nut message. However, now they are saying that there is nothing that could cause an explosion in the package, though the person who opened it sustained some injury to his hand from the non-explosion.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/14/us/n...oston-package-detonation-wednesday/index.html
Northeastern University reopens after a package that an employee said exploded didn't contain explosives, source says

By Aya Elamroussi, John Miller, Rob Frehse and Holly Yan, CNN

(CNN)Northeastern University in Boston reopened Wednesday after an employee reported being injured by an exploding package.

The campus is now "secure and open" with beefed up security, the university said Wednesday afternoon.

On Tuesday evening, an employee said a hard plastic case exploded in Northeastern's virtual reality lab.

The employee told investigators that when he opened the package, it depressurized with the force of an explosion, law enforcement sources said.

But Boston Police and FBI bomb technicians didn't find any evidence of explosives nor an initiation system capable of causing an explosion, a source briefed on the investigation told CNN.

And the package wasn't sent to the lab through the postal service, according to multiple sources.

The package did contain a rambling note that criticized Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and the relationship between academic institutions and the developers of virtual reality, several federal law enforcement sources told CNN.

CNN has reached out to Facebook for comment.

The 45-year-old man who opened the package suffered minor hand injuries, university and law enforcement officials said.

"Events such as the incident that took place on our Boston campus last night can create or heighten anxiety for many of us," said a joint statement from David Madigan, Northeastern's provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and Kenneth Henderson, chancellor and senior vice president.

"We would like to underscore what was communicated to our community last night: Multiple law enforcement agencies have determined that the campus is safe and secure."

The university serves more than 16,000 undergraduate students, according to last year's enrollment report.

Northeastern is offering support services such as confidential counseling for students and staff, the university said.

A multi-agency response

Police were called to the scene around 7:18 p.m., Boston Police Superintendent Felipe Colon said Tuesday night.

About a minute after the initial call, a Northeastern University police officer arrived at Homes Hall, said Michael Davis, chief of the university police department.

University police announced the scene was "contained" just before 10 p.m.

"It's very important to note our campus is secure," Davis said during the news conference.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu praised law enforcement's response.

"We want to make sure to emphasize that this is of the utmost priority, the safety and well-being of all our young people here," Wu said.

The FBI Boston Division coordinated with the Boston Police Department, FBI spokesperson Kristen Setera told CNN.

The FBI offered the full resources of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, its evidence response team and special agent bomb technicians to assist in the investigation, said Jason Cromartie, assistant special agent in charge.
 
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The "depressurized" allusion may be the key to explaining this incident. According to the Associated Press' follow-up report:

The official described the case as a “Pelican-style” case. Pelican is a company that makes hard cases designed to protect sensitive equipment.
FULL STORY: https://apnews.com/article/explosio...n-university-8402d28b64bcb8fd032486f56ce478fa

Pelican (brand) hard cases are the sort of serious protection used for delicate items in industrial / field settings. They're watertight and reasonably airtight. My first guess is that the case was internally pressurized (e.g., by ambient heat) and blew open with force once the clasps were released.
 
The "depressurized" allusion may be the key to explaining this incident. According to the Associated Press' follow-up report:


FULL STORY: https://apnews.com/article/explosio...n-university-8402d28b64bcb8fd032486f56ce478fa

Pelican (brand) hard cases are the sort of serious protection used for delicate items in industrial / field settings. They're watertight and reasonably airtight. My first guess is that the case was internally pressurized (e.g., by ambient heat) and blew open with force once the clasps were released.
Not unlike flight cases, which often have a screw knob which allows you to seal/unseal the case before/after opening/closing.
 
Pelican (brand) hard cases are the sort of serious protection used for delicate items in industrial / field settings. They're watertight and reasonably airtight. My first guess is that the case was internally pressurized (e.g., by ambient heat) and blew open with force once the clasps were released.

They're also surprisingly expensive to be chosen randomly by some nutter.

My guess would be that the case contained something - er - biological, which had - um -fermented - in transit, causing gas buildup.

:puke2:

maximus otter
 
This story is pretty weird. A report went out that a mailed package exploded at a university mail center. The package contained a rambling conspiracy nut message. However, now they are saying that there is nothing that could cause an explosion in the package, though the person who opened it sustained some injury to his hand from the non-explosion.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/14/us/n...oston-package-detonation-wednesday/index.html
I've had some pretty nasty paper cuts in my time - are they sure it wasn't that? :chuckle:
 
...Pelican (brand) hard cases are the sort of serious protection used for delicate items in industrial / field settings. They're watertight and reasonably airtight. My first guess is that the case was internally pressurized (e.g., by ambient heat) and blew open with force once the clasps were released.

I have owned a Peli case for several years (I think it's the older version of the 'Storm') which has a pressure valve by the carry handle on the long side. These are for equalising internal and external air pressure, which is kind of important where a hard case is water and/or air tight (or virtually so) when clipped shut.

They're also surprisingly expensive to be chosen randomly by some nutter...

This is true, and mine would also cost a fortune to post anywhere (they aren't light even when empty). However, it's worth pointing out that Peli produce a 'Micro' range - small, postable, and much cheaper than the big boxes (similar to the small cases OtterBox produced before they decided to focus entirely on phone cases). These too have valves on them.

There are many cheaper copies of the 'Peli' - with and without valves.

(Peli used to state that their cases were guaranteed against everything but meteor strikes and children. I believe that this is no longer the case; I suspect some spoilsport in their legal department has insisted they be more specific, and less jocular.)
 
(Peli used to state that their cases were guaranteed against everything but meteor strikes and children. I believe that this is no longer the case; I suspect some spoilsport in their legal department has insisted they be more specific, and less jocular.)
Or, someone in the legal department had several children and realised one of those claims was not viable. :)
 
Update ... It would appear this incident was a staged hoax. The motive behind it has not yet been determined.
Northeastern University employee staged bomb incident, faces federal charges, FBI says

An employee has been arrested and charged in connection with a reported explosion last month at Northeastern University, the FBI said Tuesday.

The FBI said Tuesday that Jason Duhaime, 45, of San Antonio, Texas, the former New Technology Manager and Director of the Immersive Media Lab at Northeastern University, was charged in the reported explosion on Sept. 13. ...

Shortly after the incident, investigators began to question the verity of Duhaime's claims because no explosive material was found at the scene inside Holmes Hall, and the man's injuries were not consistent with those typically suffered during an explosion. ...

"I have probable cause to believe that certain information provided by Duhaime to the 911 operator and to the federal agent—namely that he was injured by 'sharp' objects expelled from the Subject Case and that the case contained a threatening letter -- was fabricated by Duhaime," an FBI Special Agent wrote in an affidavit filed on Monday. "Evidence discovered during the FBI’s ongoing investigation indicates that Duhaime himself authored the threatening letter. ..."

A school-owned laptop in Duhaime's Northeastern office contained a file of the bomb threat letter, written hours before the incident, investigators said. ...

Duhaime faces charges of conveying false information and hoaxes related to an explosive device, making materially false and fictitious statements to a federal law enforcement agent. Each charge carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Duhaime was arrested Tuesday morning in San Antonio ...

No other persons are expected to be charged in connection with the incident. ...
FULL STORY: https://www.wcvb.com/article/northeastern-university-boston-charges-jason-duhaime/41514612
 
I have owned a Peli case for several years (I think it's the older version of the 'Storm') which has a pressure valve by the carry handle on the long side. These are for equalising internal and external air pressure, which is kind of important where a hard case is water and/or air tight (or virtually so) when clipped shut.
Wow. I always wonder what that was. Now I know.
 
I have owned a Peli case for several years (I think it's the older version of the 'Storm') which has a pressure valve by the carry handle on the long side. These are for equalising internal and external air pressure, which is kind of important where a hard case is water and/or air tight (or virtually so) when clipped shut.



This is true, and mine would also cost a fortune to post anywhere (they aren't light even when empty). However, it's worth pointing out that Peli produce a 'Micro' range - small, postable, and much cheaper than the big boxes (similar to the small cases OtterBox produced before they decided to focus entirely on phone cases). These too have valves on them.

There are many cheaper copies of the 'Peli' - with and without valves.

(Peli used to state that their cases were guaranteed against everything but meteor strikes and children. I believe that this is no longer the case; I suspect some spoilsport in their legal department has insisted they be more specific, and less jocular.)

? So, were you a secret agent or just an arbitrageur?
Duh! I just realized you can't possibly answer in a believable fashion here, and maintain your secrecy privacy. Never mind :)
 
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