Loose Units: The Podcast
Loose Ends 234 - Exploding Pagers
In breaking news, a string of pager explosions has wrought havoc across Lebanon - John gives Paul and update.
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- Broadcast on:
- 19 Sep 2024
- Audio Format:
- other
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Hello and welcome to Loose Units Loose Ends, a weekly spin-off podcast, where we sometimes go off topic and sometimes stay on topic. Basically, it's a true crime podcast where myself, Paul were homing and my dad, John were homing, get together. And this is our little release valve at the end of each week. And dad, I understand something terrible has happened. I woke up this morning to do my word or puzzle. Yeah, Christine finds very annoying because the whole apartment becomes illuminated with my phone. You can tell the brightness down, right? Surely. I can, but I don't. Okay, okay. So, overnight something. So, it's not so much, it's so horrendous on so many levels, but it's very dystopian and very, very scary and frightening. And you don't know what I'm about to say, do you? No, I don't. This is really... Yeah, it's terrible. In Lebanon overnight, 11 people were killed. 4,000 had been injured. You ready for this? By, do you know how the Hezbollah communicate with each other? No. They use pages. All their pages exploded simultaneously across Lebanon. Yeah. All the pages exploded. And there's video footage of one exploding in a shop. Of course, innocent people are being killed. An eight-year-old girl. But there's one that goes off in this shop, and you just see this, and here, this explosion. Now, it's pretty obvious, in my opinion, as to who's behind it. I just typed in Hezbollah pager. And what I got was, and this is from the ABC News, 28 minutes ago, Hezbollah pager's explosion live updates. Israel blamed for synchronized explosions across Lebanon. 11 people were killed in about 4,000 injured. After Hezbollah pager's exploited in a series of blasts across Lebanon on Tuesday evening. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Isn't that terrifying to think? Dad, this is... Oh, my God. No, but it's so depressing, because what I find, aside from the politics behind this incident, is how on earth do they have the technology? To remotely detonate. Okay. Thousands of pages. Look, my... Okay, I'm curious as to how the actual explosion happened, because pages are not... Look, not to stay obvious, but pages aren't like... Pages don't have within them the things required. No, I know, but the thing is that all these pages are the latest new pages, that the Hezbollah are purchased in the last three to four months. Okay, so this is a big plan here. This is just... Dad, this is so bad. And where do people carry pages? They carry them generally on their waste, sometimes in their breast pocket. But the thing that disturbs me, aside from the fact that it's... I mean, people actually dream up these. There are people that get together in rooms, in buildings, in real time, to discuss and plan, and figure out how best to kill people. It's very, very disruptive, but I think that's using a word that's a little bit tame for what we've... It's early days. It's only happened recently, but... Yeah, 28 minutes ago. Yeah, but one of the first things that came to mind for me was if they can do it, assuming it's cross-border, and people are sort of all over the place geographically, simultaneous explosion, what is to stop people doing that if you've got a pager on a plane? Well, they set them off simultaneously, I assume. Yeah. Right? So they had no way of knowing... I'm assuming they had no way of knowing exactly where each of these people was. Yeah. Which means... I mean, Dad, that... Ugh, hence the high number of injuries in civilians, I'm reading here. Here we go. The United States had no involvement in Tuesday's Page of Bluffs in Lebanon. A Pentagon spokesperson told a news briefing, and this is a quote. "To my knowledge, there's no U.S. involvement in this at all. Again, it's something we're monitoring. Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said." Okay. Obviously, U.S. is tied at the hip to Israel. They have extremely tight bonds here, but I've got footage up of the... Okay. Okay. Yeah, some happen in hospitals. This is... Okay. Wow, this is nasty. Jesus Christ. Look, I will say something. When you set off explosive devices, unknown to people in things that aren't meant to blow up simultaneously across wide areas and hurt a lot of civilians, that doesn't sound like a military operation. That sounds like terrorism to me. In terms of the methodology, that is, you know what I mean? Except that it's aimed at Hezbollah. They're the intended... But they've obviously got, you know, they'd have family that they've been close by. They have to go simultaneously so that they don't pre-warn anyone. So it has to be an instantaneous multiple event, so that not one person can then get on a mobile and say, "Look, this is happening. This is about to happen. I've seen this happen." It's just that, you know, Kristen and I were sitting here trying to figure out what is it inside a pager that has the ability? Well, they're quite small. Well, obviously, I mean, obviously it can receive a phone signal, which means you can send a remote detonation, like a small electronic, whatever. But you couldn't put that much explosive in a pager. They're very small. And I was going to say, I just watched, I think some of the video footage you mentioned. Did you see it in the supermarket? In the grocery store? Yeah. Right. So obviously, what you can actually see, and I'm shocked at the level of... It's quite graphic in terms of the suddenness. But it's CCTV footage inside a grocery store, and there's an older gentleman towards the front of the shot looking at some fruit. And then there's a bang. You can't hear it. But he gets blown backwards, and it's clear the point of impact is near his waist or his groin, where it is clipped, was built, or whatever. Then he's on the ground. Again, you don't see any blood or gore, but I don't think anyone else gets hurt. But that's not a quick way to go. I don't think there's enough explosive in one of these things to actually kill somebody. So I'm looking at the death count 11 to date. That's at this stage. At this stage. And thousands injured, it said. Yeah. And that's from Reuters. That's not for some press release from Hezbollah, I believe. So it seems like an extremely... Okay, here's the thing. This is going to sound bad. If you're going to kill someone, you want to make sure you're going to kill them, right? A pager seems like a needlessly broke. But it's scary too. Yeah, and kind of unreliable way to kill people, right? Well, it has killed a few people. There'll be more that will pass away. But it's also the insidious fear that is planted amongst the population, thinking that, wow, this is something that can be done. It's just when you think it's all been done, it's there are people out there. You wonder whether these pages were actually purpose made. So I don't know, things will come to light. I will read one more paragraph from this. In regards to the actual, I would say, "Inefficiency on needless cruelty of a device, that big blowing up at that range. Footage shown at hospitals and shared on social media appeared to show individuals with injuries of varying degrees, including to the face, missing fingers and gaping wounds of the hip where the pager was likely worn. But last did not appear to cause major damage or start any fires. See that's what I'm saying. I mean, yeah, it's killed. I don't know how many pages were actually. Here we go. How many pages? How many pages? No comment from Israel. This is 46 minutes ago. Pages used by Hezbollah detonated simultaneously. There we go. Across Lebanon, south and east, including the capital Beirut, from about 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday. These areas are strongholds of the militant group. So it's being called an Israeli cyber attack by Lebanon's foreign ministry. But I'm very curious to see what, because the IDF hasn't commented. The US has again said we don't know what's going on here. They've got nothing to do with it. But this is really bad. I had no idea about the story. No, can you imagine being the person whoever it is that actually pressed the button? You know, are they psychologically sort of protected by feeling that it's just sort of a, like almost like a computer game, where you hit the button, but you don't necessarily you know, hear the explosions. That's the danger with, that's the danger with drone strikes as well. You know, on this real, there's a real detachment. Yeah, so that's the the latest news. And I'm recovering well. Good. Which is great. And I believe you and Tegan again. Jewelry can say many things on your wedding day. As a wedding band, it can say, this is a forever symbol of our forever love. As a gift to your wedding party, it can say, thanks for standing up there with us. 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But when it comes to those financial goals, whether it be saving for home renovation, growing your child's college fund or travel, life can make it difficult to stay the course. By working with a dedicated Merrill Advisor, you get a personalized plan and a clear path forward. Having the bullet your back helps your whole financial life move with you. So when your plans change, Merrill's with you every step of the way. Go to ML.com/bullish to learn more. Merrill, a Bank of America company. What would you like the power to do? Investing involves risk, Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fender, and Smith, Inc., registered broker dealer, registered investment advisor, member SIPC. I have a bit of a mini break. Yeah, we're heading across to, I won't say where, but we're going on a small holiday after an extremely stressful work period. So we've got a break plan, a very small break. And then on Saturday night, I headed to the ABC to do a shift on overnights. Fantastic. So, yeah, Sunday morning is when I'll be doing my show. Okay. One day, is it one day six or two days six? I should know. Are you interviewing me? I would like to, yes. Okay, let me know. This one will likely be via the phone. Oh, I'm happy to get out of it and go into the ABC. I know, I just, I'm in that. I like the vibe. I know, I think on Sundays, that last hour is pre-recorded. Okay. So it would be really, so I'd almost want to, I'd almost want to pre-record something with you. But actually, in very vague news, I might be hosting a fortnight of overnights quite soon. I didn't know that. I just found out last night. Hot off the press. Very hot off the press, very vague. So, Dad, the idea is that if I'm doing, let's say I'm doing two weeks, I would like you in once each week. Cool, cool. Yeah. I'm, yeah, I'd love to. I'm heading over to Malley after we cease recording. No, cease recording. I haven't been over there for a long time. And I'm looking forward to Mondays recording of loose units. Yeah, me too. Speaking of loose units, by the way, Dad, I was sent a bunch of links to a few think pieces, not think pieces, you know, academic papers, basically, saying that people who find true crime relaxing in a sort of like a danger zone, in terms of you should be worried about this person's mental health. I don't agree. You don't agree? Nah, I came home yesterday and watched R2, American true crime records of interview. We've won about a lady that she puts her partner in a suitcase. What? And she does it up. She was intoxicated. She videotaped him trying to get out screaming, saying, I can't breathe. And then she's saying, fuck you. Okay. She doesn't, she then falls asleep. He dies when the police come round. Yeah. And during a record of interview, they seize her phone. And she doesn't remember videotaping the entire, what is essentially in, in American terms, second degree murder. And they show her the video. She thought she'd erased it. There's eight minutes of her partner inside a suitcase, basically on the verge and then ultimately dying due to suffocation. And she's actually, during the video, the bag is actually because of two videos. And the second video, the bags actually moved and it's upside down. And you can hear her basically saying to him what a creep is. And then she tries to tell the police that it was just a game of hide and seek. How's that? So hang on. It's disturbing. When did you, how did you get this? I know it's on, it's on YouTube. Why would you want something like that? Because I find it. No, I said relaxing. No, I do find it relaxing. You found that relaxing? Not necessarily relaxing, but it was interesting. I certainly don't become agitated because I find it fascinating. If I look, look, engaged is one thing I'm talking about. I'm talking about relaxing. Well, I just found it, you know. Deeply upsetting. Oh, Mike. No, I didn't find it deep, the upsetting. I found it. You have to get the context of the whole, you know, of her domain. I find those into these very, very difficult. And I think there was that amazing Netflix documentary about the guy who killed his daughters and put them out. That is, that's next level. And I found that horrendous and very difficult to watch. That was, that's terrible. But the, I think you, you could agree that the worst part was watching the record of interview with the dad. Remember? Yeah. I mean, just. It's one of the most terrible cases. We did discuss it. It's something, that was a really, and without taking from the death of all people, if you regard every life as being equal to a degree, yes, that is correct. However, and we all know this, or most of us know this, that when it involves children, it's, I think it's, it's, it's, it's way worse because of the innocence and the, the lost potential. It's, you can tell a lot about people. By the way, they treat those who are less powerful than themselves. You can, you can tell a lot about them. Okay. Sorry, just to tell you something, Paul, quite off the calf. Yeah. And we talk about, you know, what people watch, etc. But Christine and I over the last few nights have been, we've, we've almost, dare I say, become obsessed with North Korea, in a bad way. Right. We have- Morbidly fascinating. Morbidly fascinating. We watched a 75th anniversary display, military display. Yeah. It went for more than one hour, and that's in Korean. No English text, and it is like opening up the book written by George Orwell, 1984. One of the things that struck Christine and myself as the tens and probably hundreds of thousands of soldiers march past their, their mighty ruler. The soldiers, when they open their mouths and smile and bear their white teeth to the almighty, they all look as though they are walking skeletons with a little bit of flesh glued onto the bone. Yeah. They all look as though they're suffering from moderate anorexia. They're gaunt. It's so dystopian. It's such a unique place. And as you use the word, it is, it is fascinating. But in a very, very, it's almost unbelievable. But we have been watching over the last few nights, a lot of stuff on North Korea. And I think it's a fascinating place. And I would consider, weirdly, going there to North Korea. Yes, for a say, a five day break. Just go south. No. Again, that lack of ability to relax properly is just, I mean. It's so interesting though. Dad, I mean, you know, if you, if you, there's only one hotel in North Korea, Pyongyang, you're allowed to stay in, there's only one hotel. Yeah. The second, you can't leave that hotel and just go walking. Every time you take photographs in North Korea, they have people that are assigned to you, that come and check every single photograph. If you take any photographs of the statues of the most holy and worshipful and venerated leaders, if you don't include the entire body, in other words, if you missed out their shoes, that photograph has to be destroyed because you are not paying respect. Right. It's, it's, Kim Jong-un is not, is not a, it's a nightmare situation is what you're dealing with. I'll just say, just go to dad, just go to South Korea. Apparently, it's amazing. Apparently, it's amazing the music through the fashion of the people. It's just apparently the best. I've, I've always wanted to go to South Korea. North Korea, though, it's like, do you want to go into a fire and just stand there burning alive? I would rather die. It seems terrible. I can't even imagine the room service at that hotel. The, the, the, the national North Korean airline. Can you guess what its rating is in terms of five stars? Probably better than Target. Um, well, there you go. Is that sponsorship? It's zero stars. Okay. Yeah. It has no stars. It's, it's, but I find it fascinating. Yeah, it's interesting. So, you know, it's been, it's been an interesting morning in terms of our subject matter. Yeah. And look, you know, we will be back on Tuesday with a new episode of loose units. The shadow files, but listen, folks, it's been an absolute pleasure. Really nice catching up. Sorry about the dark news. Obviously, this thing in Lebanon is terrifying and upsetting. And I, I, you know, where I wasn't actually aware of it. And I am now and now so are you. And now I'm sad, but I'm going off for a break. I'll be on the radio on the weekend. Dad's going to golf and do his thing and have a great weekend, folks. And we will see you very, very soon from all those units. Bye everyone. Cheerio. Discover Hydro, the best kept secret in fitness. Hydro is the state of the art at home rower that engages 86% of your muscles, delivering the ultimate full body workout in just 20 minutes. From advanced to beginner, Hydro has over 500 classes shot worldwide and taught by Olympians and world class athletes. For a 30 day risk-free trial, go to hydro.com and use code row 450 to save $450 on a Hydro Pro rower. That's h-y-d-r-o-w.com code row 450. Need new glasses or one of fresh new style? Warby Parker has you covered. Glasses started just 95 bucks, including anti-reflective scratch-resistant prescription lenses that block 100% of UV rays. Every frame is designed in-house with a huge selection of styles for every face shape. And with Warby Parker's free home trion program, you can order five pairs to try at home for free. Shipping is free both ways, too. Go to warbyparker.com/covered to try five pairs of frames at home for free. Warby Parker.com/covered. Hi, this is Jonathan Fields, host of The Good Life Project, where each week I talk to listeners about investing in their future by increasing their own vitality. But when it comes to those financial goals, whether it be saving for a home renovation, growing your child's college fund or travel, life can make it difficult to stay the course. By working with a dedicated Merrill Advisor, you get a personalized plan and a clear path forward. Having the bullet your back helps your whole financial life move with you. So when your plans change, Merrill's with you every step of the way. Go to ml.com/bullish to learn more. Merrill, a Bank of America company. What would you like the power to do? Investing involves risk. Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fender, and Smith, Inc., registered broker dealer, registered investment advisor, member S.I.P.C. [BLANK_AUDIO]