March 31, 2004
FRIES WITH THAT?
An Italian anti-burger activist experiences the rare phenomenon of drive-thru detonation:
Posted by Tim Blair at March 31, 2004 02:41 AMAn apparent attempt to blow up a McDonald's drive-in restaurant in northern Italy was foiled on Sunday but the suspected terrorist died when his car exploded with him strapped inside.
Witnesses said a man, later identified as Moustafa Chaouki, a native of Casablanca, drove his Fiat Tempra into the queue of cars waiting at the restaurant in Brescia, 100km east of Milan, at 10 pm. His car contained four cylinders of kitchen gas, each with a capacity of more than 70 litres.
I guess he was grilled to perfection...
Sorry, this one is ripe for bad jokes!
Of all the burger joints in all the towns in all the world, he drives into mine.
Posted by: Bryan C at March 31, 2004 at 03:04 AMThere's a bit of bad science in the news article, though:
"It was fortunate that [firefighters contained the explosion], otherwise, the cylinders could have exploded, firing lethal metal fragments ... and possibly igniting other cylinders of carbon dioxide belonging to the restaurant which were close to the burning car."
Carbon dioxide gas doesn't ignite - it's a byproduct of combustion.
Posted by: Hal at March 31, 2004 at 03:25 AMThings that make you go BOOOM!
(HINT: remember the track to the "New McDonalds Menu" ads from last year in Australia)
I'm sorry but,
"AH HA HA HA Ha Haaaaa !"
That is one of the funniest tings I have read in a while (okay, funny in a black humor sort of way...)
Posted by: Carl in N.H. at March 31, 2004 at 03:31 AMMust have been all of that waiting and waiting. And waiting.
Posted by: Murpho at March 31, 2004 at 03:37 AMI prefer my terrorists charcoal grilled. He should have gone to Burger King.
Posted by: David Gillies at March 31, 2004 at 03:59 AMMoustafa now sleeps with the pickles. (Old Italian saying).
Posted by: Murpho at March 31, 2004 at 04:03 AMIs it just me, or does just a LITTLE time in europe make you fall for incredibly idiotic causes?
Posted by: Joe at March 31, 2004 at 04:04 AMWho would ever want to be a "McDonalds Martyr"? These people are insane
Posted by: Oktober at March 31, 2004 at 04:15 AMI keep picturing the Hamburglar in a suicide bomber vest.
Posted by: dorkafork at March 31, 2004 at 04:20 AMActually I would say the man was char broiled...
Posted by: Christopher at March 31, 2004 at 04:24 AMIsn't terrorists 'accidently' blowing themselves up a sign that the security forces have some infiltration?
Posted by: Ross at March 31, 2004 at 04:25 AM"Anti-burger activist?" Doesn't that mean you order Filet O'Fish instead of the Big Mac?
Posted by: Ron at March 31, 2004 at 04:26 AMAlso from the article:
Last year, a Palestinian with a Kuwaiti passport, Al Khatib Muhammad, died in his car after it exploded close to a synagogue in the town of Modena, 160 kms south-east of Brescia. The crime is still unsolved.
Hmmm... Let's see... Palestinian exploding in a car near a synagogue... Um, Meteor strike? Yeah, that's it.
Posted by: Vexorg at March 31, 2004 at 04:39 AM"You wanna be fried with that?"
I'm guessing Jose Bove is jealous.
Posted by: charles austin at March 31, 2004 at 04:46 AMOf course, reading your titles first might save me some embarrassment when I refresh the screen after posting a comment.
Posted by: charles austin at March 31, 2004 at 04:59 AMCarbon dioxide gas doesn't ignite - it's a byproduct of combustion.
As Hal says, a bit of bad science in the article. We can hope that the firefighter meant the metal fragments might have caused the CO2 cylinders to explode (they were under pressure, after all).
Must have been all of that waiting and waiting. And waiting.
And then, when you get to the window, they tell you they're all out of chocolate shakes!
"Anti-burger activist?" Doesn't that mean you order Filet O'Fish instead of the Big Mac?
Only on Fridays, and this was a Sunday.
Posted by: PJ/Maryland at March 31, 2004 at 08:20 AM"Moustafa now sleeps with the pickles. (Old Italian saying)."
But is he halal?
Posted by: Craig Mc at March 31, 2004 at 11:24 AMLast year, a Palestinian with a Kuwaiti passport, Al Khatib Muhammad, died in his car after it exploded close to a synagogue in the town of Modena, 160 kms south-east of Brescia. The crime is still unsolved.
What is there to solve? What kind of car it was?
Posted by: ilibcc at March 31, 2004 at 12:20 PMHeating a CO2 cylinder can result in an explosion, because the gas expands rapidly when heated. A CO2 cartridge of the size used in a pellet gun or seltzer bottle will rattle windows if tossed in a fire. The ones used in carbonation systems are liable to blow their valves off and become hazardous projectiles.
I believe that the auto was actually a Fiat Tempura. They were known for...
this is just too easy.
Posted by: JCJ at March 31, 2004 at 03:56 PMWas this guy Italian or Moroccan? You said he was "An Italian anti-burger activist" but the report said he was a native of Casablanca.
Posted by: Chris at March 31, 2004 at 04:00 PMHe was upset Mickey D's dropped the supersizes.
Posted by: Tommy Shanks at March 31, 2004 at 04:39 PMI'm an Italian anti-burger activist. Whenever I see a burger I am compelled to rip it to shreds with my teeth. Grrr!
Posted by: Sortelli at March 31, 2004 at 07:13 PM"I want the manager! There is Muslim in my burger!"
"Our burgers are flash burned."
Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge at March 31, 2004 at 10:25 PM