NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #8 *Arrest*

[MIG214222]

I stand corrected. Surgery was L-5, lower back, not neck.

L5, lower back screws: looks pretty standard, those screws should eventually be removed (after fusion) bc they 'loosen' then 'they' become the source of pain.
MOO

 

[Parsnip]

It reads like an engineer’s manifesto. Full disclosure: I’m Princeton engineering, with easily 20 close friends since childhood involved with Penn engineering. My texts have lit up like Christmas lights since Altoona. The analogy: Ted K was Harvard physics, where you say in 30 pages what could be said in layperson speak in 3 paragraphs. That is the way of the physicist. Engineers are the reverse, sparing text, not a lot of emotive exploration, there’s an analytical detachment and a declarative fierceness. That substack reads to many as an engineer’s manifesto. Practical, not theoretical.

There’s also the fact that it launched on Substack. That’s the platform to expect for a guy like this, and it has timing of future posts. He had the laptop open at McDs. What was he doing?

Could be fake. Jury is out, metaphorically. But if it’s a fake, it’s like one of those lab grown diamonds … indistinguishable to the jewelers who are supposed to assign worth.

Yale linguist and Penn psych here. I can’t make any sense of your post.

 

[Surfbrah]

The person I saw at his hearing today is not the sort of person who accomplishes what he has academically, and not the personality who has the discipline to plan something like this over many months. There is a Jekyl and Hyde contrast.

Yes, agreed. The kid in the valedictory speech is calm, together, and a portrait of mental stability. (I know it’s only one speech, but it seems representative of the person friends describe.) The man in today’s pics and video is anything but. I wonder if he’s off his meds or experiencing a mental schism of some kind.

 

[justtrish]

I know nothing about this particular surgery, but in the UK there's real reluctance to carry out some forms of surgery such as hip and knee replacements too young because each device used typically only lasts so many years and the surgery can only be repeated a couple of times. Could similar considerations apply in this case?

Yes the same is true here in the US. I had hip surgery at the age of 40. My ortho dr discussed repair and replacement both with me. It was my desire to return to running and living life more actively so he said if I followed the after surgery protocols there was no reason I couldn't get back to those things if I had a repair.. replacement of a hip would mean no running and limiting impactful activities because they only last so long and they can only do so many replacements.

I was diligent with doing what he said and 6 months after surgery, I was running again and pain free. There are times it acts up and I take it easy.

Altoona police taking threats to officers and community members seriously, police chief says​

From CNN's Michelle Watson
Community members as well as police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, are receiving threats in the wake of Luigi Mangione’s capture, Altoona Deputy Chief of Police Derek Swope told reporters Tuesday.

“We have received some threats against our officers in building here. We’ve started investigating some threats against some citizens in our community,” Swope said. “We’re taking all those threats seriously.”

Swope also called Mangione’s case “polarizing.”

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/brian-thompson-luigi-mangione-unitedhealthcare-shooting-12-10-24/index.html

This is so disgusting and really makes me sad.

 

[TTF14]

L5, lower back screws: looks pretty standard, those screws should eventually be removed (after fusion) bc they 'loosen' then 'they' become the source of pain.
MOO

I think most of us know nothing about this so thank you for your insight.

 

[m00c0w]

For those among us unaware, what is Substack?

It’s basically a blogging and newsletter platform. There’s a post on one random blog (that Substack told newsweek was not created by LM) that folks are touting as the real manifesto… I guess the one he was actually found with wasn’t salacious or anti-capitalist enough or something. Have to gin up something to keep the revolution… revolutioning.

JMO

 

[EBW321]

It reads like an engineer’s manifesto. Full disclosure: I’m Princeton engineering, with easily 20 close friends since childhood involved with Penn engineering. My texts have lit up like Christmas lights since Altoona. The analogy: Ted K was Harvard physics, where you say in 30 pages what could be said in layperson speak in 3 paragraphs. That is the way of the physicist. Engineers are the reverse, sparing text, not a lot of emotive exploration, there’s an analytical detachment and a declarative fierceness. That substack reads to many as an engineer’s manifesto. Practical, not theoretical.

There’s also the fact that it launched on Substack. That’s the platform to expect for a guy like this, and it has timing of future posts. He had the laptop open at McDs. What was he doing?

Could be fake. Jury is out, metaphorically. But if it’s a fake, it’s like one of those lab grown diamonds … indistinguishable to the jewelers who are supposed to assign worth.

You are awesome. This was a great explanation. Now that you reminded me of the engineer personality aspect, I should have noticed that. Makes much more sense.

 

[10ofRods]

Sorry, 10, I disagree.

He emerged from the police car already enraged, shouting and struggling against the police. When you watch the video the pinch lasts for a second or two, as a momentary restraint so they could continue bringing him into the building.

Immediately after they release the momentary hold on his neck, he is still shouting and making his grandiose pronouncements, able to easily twist his neck to continue yelling.

JMO from watching that clip numerous times.

Then let me revise.

He's likely going to be enraged and shouting into the future, so it's important that LE get a grip on how to handle him.

Dozens and hundreds of perps are unruly. Most of the time, LE (where I live) tries hard to anticipate that, so as to avoid awkward photos like this one - which benefits the perp, IMO. In these circumstances.

The real issue is: are criminal defendants disallowed by law from speaking in court? No, they are not - not exactly. A judge can cause them to face contempt charges (which should happen in cases like this - but we all know that to someone who is facing life in prison, that's not much of a disincentive).

The defense got a good photo op. It was not necessary. If he had still been yelling inside the court, let judge and bailiff deal with it (it's part of Justice, after all).

If people don't think the police actions are viewed askance by many Americans, then I don't know what to say. This particular guy has way more popular support than he should - and as someone whose own life work has been about primitive rebellion and Robin Hood-like attempts to gain public opinion, well, do people really not see how badly this reads to the public? This is the highest profile case of its type. It's going to go on for a long time.

His shouting is going to continue to be a problem. Is he going to be deemed seriously mentally ill because he has his viewpoints? Really? That's not usually how psychiatric diagnosis works. In mental hospitals, we see people like this all day, every day - and using a neck pinch is very, very rare. Why not use the same techniques as we do in mental hospitals? I work in hospitals for the criminally insane and cringed.

OTOH, this is a small town in PA. I live in a big city, with way more attention paid to such incidents in court (at least locally).

He was, according to MSM, shouting at reporters, trying to be heard. This will resonate with many Americans. He knows what he's doing.

IMO

 

[justtrish]

His lawyer said that he told him to shut up, and I guess he was a completely different person in court. He also exited calmly, without making a stir.

I imagine this won’t be happening again.

That outburst was pretty incredible though. Lots of images of him sneering in the direction of the press, and that was well before the deputies got hold of him.

If he was having mental health issues that caused this angry outburst, would he be able to contain himself just because his lawyer said he should?

I think that was a show for the media and his lawyer said knock it off it isn't a good look.

 

[Agatha3]

All of his friends say that he was so kind and such a ‘good example’ to others. It’s sad to see the destruction.


And more and more friends that speak about him being an exceptional person, student, friend and athlete does fit with this being totally out of character for him.

It was said that he was never political, combative or negative. He was very pleasant to be with. ‘Everything that is being said is the opposite to what we know’.

Could the no-sex thing have ruined a relationship and then he flipped?

 

[caradana]

For those among us unaware, what is Substack?

Totally cool question to ask! Wiki has a solid description: Substack - Wikipedia. The short answer is, it’s a platform that edgy journalists like and build followings on, among others, and it’s exactly where many would expect LM to be posting longform circa late 2024. It might be a fake; if it is, it’s a fake in the perfect place. If it’s fake, it’s a paste necklace at Tiffany’s. Hope that helps.

 

[acutename]

Poor, helpless ivy league rich boy, last seen jogging and cycling, claims that unrecommended back surgery (that he demanded) prevents him from living a full life. Therefore, he decided to shoot someone in the insurance industry.

If anyone wants to imitate this, journalists need to reframe the message.

was it published that he demanded the surgery? I do know that they are reluctant to operate on "young"backs because the younger a person is, the more likely the body can heal without intervention (personal friend with a disc problem at about age 30- drs were unwilling to operate and it did heal spontaneously eventually).

 

[10ofRods]

His lawyer said that he told him to shut up, and I guess he was a completely different person in court. He also exited calmly, without making a stir.

I imagine this won’t be happening again.

That outburst was pretty incredible though. Lots of images of him sneering in the direction of the press, and that was well before the deputies got hold of him.

We shall see. I assume he'll change tactics as the days go by, but I do believe he has now discovered he has what he wants:

the Public Lens.

Sneering, acting out - but publicly shown to the rest of us. I too think that his jailers will figure out the ways that are most used to prevent things like this from happening. They can't stop the sneers. Looks like he's obeying his lawyer - and that will be key to his future conduct. Put him back in civilian clothes, bow to his food requests, give him the sense that his lawyers are on his side and he will reform himself.

Neck pinching should be minimized, esp when cameras are rolling.

IMO.

 

[Surfbrah]

If he has spondy (ugh) can't spell the full word, so lots of people just call it "spondy".
It's an ongoing instability vertebral slippage issue. It would have been there before the surfing incident, but surfing incident could have caused it to the point where surgery would have been needed or recommended. It can also exist with minimal symptoms or without any. All of this is MOO....But if he has spondy this is how it seems to work....

I'm not saying he has it, but others have alluded to it. It's also one of the more common conditions in teens and young adults.

Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis - OrthoInfo - AAOS

Spondylolysis (spon-dee-low-lye-sis) and spondylolisthesis (spon-dee-low-lis-thee-sis) are common causes of low back pain in children and adolescents who participate in sports that involve repeated stress on the lower back—such as gymnastics, football, and weight lifting.

orthoinfo.aaos.org

If he has spondy (ugh) can't spell the full word, so lots of people just call it "spondy".
It's an ongoing instability vertebral slippage issue. It would have been there before the surfing incident, but surfing incident could have caused it to the point where surgery would have been needed or recommended. It can also exist with minimal symptoms or without any. All of this is MOO....But if he has spondy this is how it seems to work....

I'm not saying he has it, but others have alluded to it. It's also one of the more common conditions in teens and young adults.

Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis - OrthoInfo - AAOS

Spondylolysis (spon-dee-low-lye-sis) and spondylolisthesis (spon-dee-low-lis-thee-sis) are common causes of low back pain in children and adolescents who participate in sports that involve repeated stress on the lower back—such as gymnastics, football, and weight lifting.

orthoinfo.aaos.org

 

[RookieWebsleuth2024]

was it published that he demanded the surgery? I do know that they are reluctant to operate on "young"backs because the younger a person is, the more likely the body can heal without intervention (personal friend with a disc problem at about age 30- drs were unwilling to operate and it did heal spontaneously eventually).

You are right, and I've heard this too, specifically from my orthopedist. Spines tend to create domino effects, you fix one thing, another thing goes wrong. So there has to be a really good reason why someone should have back surgery. Physical therapy also helps as long as it is consistent.

 

[Tiff23fr]

BBM
In one of the notes, which was first reported by CNN, Mangione allegedly weighed what could be better than “to kill the CEO at his own bean counting conference.”

Luigi Mangione considered using bomb to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in twisted ‘to-do’ list — but then he changed his mind: sources

In one note, Mangione allegedly weighed what could be better than “to kill the CEO at his own bean counting conference.”

nypost.com

Link back to CNN as initial Source was 2 hrs ago.

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/brian-thompson-luigi-mangione-unitedhealthcare-shooting-12-10-24?t=1733885920498

 

[Chimera]

I stand corrected. Surgery was L-5, lower back, not neck.

Yes, thanks for the correction and the pic.
I knew there was one from his socials(FB ?), but I was too late to make a screenshot.

Makes the mild pinch to the base of his neck less alarming.
I also wondered if LM threw himself against, or kicked, that open door ?
That loud bang sounded angry.
Omo.

 

[caradana]

Could the no-sex thing have ruined a relationship and then he flipped?

If I could offer my MOO: I don’t think sex drove this guy, ever. I think from a sociological perspective he’s a man interested in masculinity, in health, in the psychology of manhood, but I see nothing to suggest that he found firsthand sex to be a driver. There are no ex-girlfriends popping up, no texts with them, no one who kinda lived with him, no one who is talking about encountering him on dating apps.

Does this sound really weird? I’m confident it does to people in “normal” American environments! … I know a lot of men like this. I live in a major city, I have spent decades in an environment where men of uncommon, edge-case talents gravitate. LM prior to say six months ago would’ve been a classic member of this community.

Do I think he liked sex? Sure. I just don’t think it drove him. This is a man who loves rabbit holes and personal introspection. Philosophy was more interesting than Redtube.

 

[10ofRods]

was it published that he demanded the surgery? I do know that they are reluctant to operate on "young"backs because the younger a person is, the more likely the body can heal without intervention (personal friend with a disc problem at about age 30- drs were unwilling to operate and it did heal spontaneously eventually).

Spondylolisthesis does not and cannot "heal" spontaneously. It can fuse itself or one can have it surgically fused. It only gets worse. There is no reversal of it. Age is not a factor in "reversing" it. Older people can sometimes have spontaneous fusing of the spine - but that's not the same thing as medical fusing/fixing of the spine.

I have had this disorder for 20 years, with a fall (caused by it) that made it worse about 15 years ago. I have been offered surgery - but also told that arthritic fusing might do just as well (no hope of being pain-free with either). The initial injury that led to it occurred when I was 17, it just got worse and worse. I had never even heard of it.

But as I type this, my "spontaneous healing" merely means I can walk without a cane, again, and with pain at level 4-5 daily. My own disc problem is exactly the same Dx as Mangione's. It's not uncommon. It's not just a "disc problem," it's a very specific problem.

It results in total destruction of the disc, eventually. Physical therapy helps (so Mangione's attempts to muscle up were more or less warranted). Flight to health after surgical fusion is also a thing - but ultimately, about half of such patients end up right back where they were (in pain). It's common among many professions that involve standing a lot (or standing and bending) but is usually the result of an initial injury.

IMO.

 

[acutename]

He confirms and provides details about it in his reddit posts (verified username from Forbes article above) but I don't believe we've seen an outside source verify it, other than his HI friends? I don't know who would be able to, as no one can verify his medical hx/records without violating the law so not sure what confirmation we could have other than from him and his friends/family.

would be difficult to have surgery like this without some one to drive you to the hospital; help you at discharge IMO