Filed in 1952, it took another ten years until the patent was granted in October of 1962. Attributed to H. L. Craig and others, the patent explains its basis. "...it becomes necessary, for purposes of toxicological warfare, to prepare relatively large quantities [of ricin] in a high state of purity," write the authors.
A semi-technical explanation.
PROTECTING TRAFFIC LIGHTS FROM NUCLEAR ATTACKOn July 22, the House Armed Services Committee spent time listening to experts describe the threat of electromagnetic pulse attack on the United States. In such an attack, one or more ballistic missiles carrying high yield nuclear weapons would be detonated in the sky over the United States, generating electromagnetic storms which would destroy Yankee civilization by short circuiting electronics.
THE BAD GUY FOREIGN LEGIONThe United States is set upon by bad guys. We know this because it is in the news every day. The bad guys are hovering, waiting for a moment of weakness. Then they will kill and destroy.
The presence of the bad guy can also be regarded as one more totalistic reference from the war on terror ...
The full stories in National Security Notes:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/nsn/nsn-040723.htm
― George Smith, Saturday, 24 July 2004 19:40 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 July 2004 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)
So, it's a general clearinghouse for public information on just about everything in national security and the war. It also does a great deal with satellite recon.
― George Smith, Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:07 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)
― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:27 (twenty-one years ago)
― George Smith, Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:29 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)
hmm
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 16:30 (twelve years ago)
Washington (CNN) -- [Breaking news update at 12:25 p.m. Wednesday: Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, says one of his home-state offices received a "suspicious-looking" letter and alerted authorities. "We do not know yet if the mail presented a threat," Levin said.]
White House mail handlers identified a "suspicious substance" -- possibly the poison ricin -- in a letter sent to President Barack Obama the same day a similar letter was found in a Senate mailroom, the Secret Service said Wednesday.
Both letters arrived Tuesday at off-site postal facilities set up after the 2001 anthrax attacks and have been sent to laboratories for additional tests, authorities said.
"A letter addressed to the president containing a suspicious substance was received at the remote White House mail screening facility," Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary said. The Secret Service, FBI and Capitol Police are investigating, he said.
The FBI said later that the envelope "preliminarily tested positive for ricin," a deadly toxin with no known antidote. But initial tests can be "inconsistent," and the envelope was sent to a laboratory for additional tests.
"Additionally, filters at a second government mail screening facility preliminarily tested positive for ricin this morning," it said. "Mail from that facility is being tested."
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 16:39 (twelve years ago)
has this mailing-a-poison tactic ever worked, seems so weird to continue trying it
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:01 (twelve years ago)
The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to several news media offices and two Democratic U.S. Senators, killing five people and infecting 17 others
It was only 12 years ago. HTH.
― ARE YOU HIRING A NANNY OR A SHAMAN (Phil D.), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:04 (twelve years ago)
huh yeah I forgot there were actual fatalities from that
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:06 (twelve years ago)
Who was responsible?
― Tom D (Tom D.), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:08 (twelve years ago)
there was a suspect who committed suicide before charges were supposedly going to be brought, but the evidence was primarily circumstantial. i think his actions were suspicious enough to suggest he may have done it but we'll probably never really know, from everything i've read.
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:10 (twelve years ago)
which is to say: wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks#Bruce_Edwards_Ivins
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:11 (twelve years ago)
Yeah, I wiki'd it, weird story
― Tom D (Tom D.), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:11 (twelve years ago)
yeah that was bizarre. suicide remarkably convenient.
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 17:15 (twelve years ago)
NYTimes says ricin suspect arrested.
― Pope Frank is the messenger of your doom (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 23:54 (twelve years ago)