Seems we have an unusually high number of copycat type criminals on the prowl in Amarica these days, and it's spreading to Europe and other parts of the world. Is it attention they are craving?

Do they sit there watching Forensics Files or CSI or some other crime show and suddenly decide, "Man, that was a great murder (or mass killing). I think I'll run out and do something like that. That'll solve all my problems for sure, especially if I kill myself in the end."

Stack smack.

He certainly qualifies as a suicide bomber. He strapped on an airplane to give him the extra power needed to do more damage than simply banging his head against the wall would have done. He wrote a suicide note, so there is no question about whether or not he intended to take his own life while extracting his pound of flesh. Whether or not he qualifies as a terrorist probably depends on the value of such a label from a political standpoint. If his act results in more government regulation of certain activities by reasonable people I would say his act was indeed terrorism although his involvement may not qualify him as a terrorist. If the people decide this act requires all people to be assumed not only capable of such acts but as likely to commit them as not, and call for some additional restraints on freedom, then, his was a failed attempt to highlight his frustration at injustice but not so much of a failure at causing an opportunity to enhance political imbalance.

If, on the other hand, the people decide the only amount of regulation that will prevent such things is the total loss of any freedom, and that is an abomination, then his act may simply go down as that of a drama queen who became more fascinated with the need for personal attention than bringing attention to a global injustice.

If the people refuse to be terrorfied to the point of giving up, he simply got his fifteen minutes of fame.

JOE STACK IN HELL:

"What? I only killed one other person in my crash? I can't do anything right."

Stack was a software engineer and quite upset with the IRS over how software engineers or any contracted engineers are taxed. He quotes Section 1706 of the 1986 Tax Reform Act in his letter.

SEC. 1706. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.
(a) IN GENERAL - Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:

"(d) EXCEPTION. - This section shall not apply in the case of an individual who pursuant to an arrangement between the taxpayer and another person, provides services for such other person as an engineer, designer, drafter, computer programmer, systems analyst, or other similarly skilled worker engaged in a similar line of work."

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE. - The amendment made by this section shall apply to remuneration paid and services rendered after December 31, 1986.
Note:

* "another person" is the client in the traditional job-shop relationship.
* "taxpayer" is the recruiter, broker, agency, or job shop.
* "individual", "employee", or "worker" is you.

He was also disappointed by his earnings in Texas compared to California. He blamed the difference in pay on there being less companies hiring engineers like him. Well, Joe, there is less call for your type of work here. That's why there are fewer companies. You should have checked into that first. The cost of living here is also a generally lower.