I am remembering this, so it may need massaging in details, but if I remember correctly, the use of substances like bentonite or kaolin in biological weapons is to facilitate the particles sliding by each other so they won't clump -- during the explosion of a bomb device. Pollen is plenty rough on its edges (required by most bee legs), and aerosolizes just fine in air currents, as do lycopodium spores, which are also rough, and frequently used in science classes to form colloidal suspensions in air which are then exploded to demonstrate [take your pick, mining disasters, grain elevator explosions, etc.].

A second note, not that bentonite is really relevant anymore except with Brian Ross, it is a key ingredient of kitty litter. For this reason many persian cats have been under surveillance since 2001.

In a 1999 interview with The Washington Post, Duley described her background as a motorcycle gang member and a drug user. "Heroin. Cocaine. PCP," said Duley, who then used the name Jean Wittman. "You name it, I did it."

The therapist who just happened to be in a local newspaper article right before accusing Ivins of all sorts of things, suggested by another reader here as a way to pump up her credentials, is in ANOTHER article in 1999 under a different name as being a "biker; heroin, cocaine, AND pcp user". And remember, the original Irvin stories last week were promoting him as being evaluated for being psychotic, NOT ALCOHOL TREATMENT, which is the only thing Duley is supposedly licensed for.

This is unrealistic. Is Duley an agent, and if so, what was she infiltrating in 1999?

The "attempted murder" was remote and I wouldn't bet on it. Duley's report is all we have and she may have been coached.

When she initially reported threats, he was hospitalized (voluntary admission) but he signed himself out after, I think, 6 days. Why didn't they keep him? Maybe they thought he wasn't crazy or maybe the powers that be didn't mind if he suicided. Sheppard Pratt is supposed to be a decent place but I don't know who was pulling the strings. Duley didn't file for restraint order until Ivins was out of he hospital for eight days. Please don't ask me why. (Don't hold me to it but I think I saw someplace it was suggested by the FBI -- maybe so they could feed a lot of lurid stuff to the MSM through her without "breaking rules" about divulging information on folks who haven't been charged with anything.)

Anthrax isn't a good way to go and he was at home so exposing others would be a problem. Tylenol isn't so hot either. He claimed to Duley he had a gun and now FBI is claiming that as well. Doesn't sound like a violent man to me, may have gotten the gun for protection, not to kill himself. He must have been terrified.

Have heard no evidence aside from Duley that he was a "revenge killer." Suspect she was fed that by someone else or had a fevered imagination.

Here's the link for the audio. See what you think of it.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/audio/national/20080802scientist.mp3

Bizarre seems as good a word as any.

"Ivins attorney

He seems to have been an advocate, however, how was he appointed? And given his clients emotional state, why did he enable his release from the safety of the institution? Did the institution tape Ivins private phone conversations? It seems odd that they would let him make so many calls. What drugs was Ivins on while in the hospital? Were those drugs continued after he was released? Some anti-anxiety drugs can cause explosive anger."

Don't know how he got attorney. May have thought Ivins didn't need to be in or was worse off in hospital than out. Don't know about tapes but I bet the FBI wouldn't have wanted to pass up that opportunity. Duley may have recorded as well. Drug regimen in or out is a big question mark. I sure would like to know.

"Duley was not his therapist. She was in group therapy with Ivins."

I'm not sure where this started but I've seen it elsewhere and it's not true. There have been serious questions about her credentials and her ability to cope with someone experiencing the stress Ivins was subjected to but she certainly considered herself his therapist and wrote that on the restraint request.

Thanks for the transcript. That's a help. We've been posting a lot about the hearing and Duley but I haven't had the time or the inclination (I'm a lousy typist) to transcribe it.

I'd be shocked, shocked if the the WaPopos buried another lede:

Shortly before she sought a "peace order" against Ivins, Duley had completed 90 days of home detention after a drunken-driving arrest in December, and she has acknowledged drug use in her past.

In a 1999 interview with The Washington Post, Duley described her background as a motorcycle gang member and a drug user. "Heroin. Cocaine. PCP," said Duley, who then used the name Jean Wittman. "You name it, I did it."

Hey -- and who says Jean Duley lacks expertise in working with sociopaths?

Social expertise, clinical expertise: what's the big diff?

Gee. Wonder if her buddies in the motorcycle gang always just let Jean bogart her personal heroin/PCP/cociane stash....or if she ever shared a dose or two of her hard drugs with anyone else?

And I wonder what the Federal statute of limitations is for “sharing”? Is that like “distribution”?

Gee. Wonder the statute of limitations for “distribution” is?

Oh well: I’m sure she was never around anyone who "trafficked".

Wonder if Jean Duley (alias Jean Wittman) first ran into criminal trouble when she was using opiates? Or cocaine? Or PCP? Or other DEA controlled “you name it”?

Naah. Feds and local law enforcement never force former opiate abusers/"hard drug" abusers into serving as informants — do they?

Bonus wonder: what criminal charges show up (or were sealed) for Jean Wittman? Any drug diversion(s)?

Naah — the WaPopos would have already checked that out, right?

I’d be shocked, shocked if they hadn’t.

(h/t FDL contributors re the WaPo article)