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14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

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Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#961

Post by exodust »

ajross wrote: post #731
exodust wrote: post #636

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It wasn't just "something", it was a case with a timer inside and wires and circuits. His "invention" was not anything useful. The only useful function I can think of for such a device, is actually a hoax bomb for drama class. What good is a clock inside a case? I'm getting down-voted to all hell, but that's what one gets for backing one's argument in a den of trigger-happy bigot-hunters. He showed it to his engineer…

> bringing cases packed with electronics [...] adds up to trouble Yeah, seriously. Gotta watch those non-ROHS solder compounds hobbyists like to use. Also, through-hole pins can be sharp and scratchy. This is part of the ridiculous ignorance that has a lot of us upset. At what point did a printed circuit board outside an enclosure become a "weapon"? Are the decision makers in our society (and exodust here) really so…

It wasn't just a circuit board. The whole issue is around it looking like a 'hoax suitcase bomb'. Check google images for the endless list of suitcase bombs. I don't think at any point anyone actually thought it was a threat. The school over-reacted, but they though he deliberately was making something look like a suitcase bomb.

Of course, he's not going to admit that is he. Just an innocent 14yo, who would never make something that looked like a suitbase bomb. Reminder: he's 14. When you're 14, fake suitcase bombs are cool.

Here's a picture of it:

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/10BF6/production/...

Obama says "it's a cool clock". But it runs off mains power, it's enclosed in a small suitcase (hobbyists don't use such enclosures). If you ask me, the kid was going for something that looked "secretive" or "spy games" at the very least.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#962

Post by exodust »

sirtaj wrote: post #641
exodust wrote: post #568

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 'I'm not sure where you got this from either.' The police officer was quoted as saying he was "passive aggressive" when questioned about the device.

Haha wow, have you ever met a 14-year-old?

Yes I have.

The point was that the police said he acted very differently in his video than he did when questioned.

We've only seen his victim video. And finally his clock...

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/10BF6/production/...

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#963

Post by exodust »

dragonwriter wrote: post #640
exodust wrote: post #607

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Handcuffs went too far. But that's a protocol issue for US lawmakers etc. We've all seen protocol out of control in the States for a host of different incidents. No need to react so much in the other direction either, making this kid an ambassador of "freedom to pack electronics in a case and bring it to school" or whatever. He made an error of judgement going against his teacher's advice, and a ton of bricks came do…

> But you can't deny that "radicalization of young Muslims" isn't a thing these days. Radicalization of young Muslims is among the reasons why acts based on bias against young Muslims by authority figures in society is especially problematic, as those acts contribute rather directly to such radicalization, and directly serve the propaganda interests of those actively seeking such radicalization. This would be problem…

So you don't think it's possible that authority figures can initiate acts based on statistics? On research, on scientific data? Or must their motivations always be grounded in bias, unfair discrimination, misguided old-fashioned racial profiling?

The point I was making about young Muslims - I wish it weren't true. But it is true.

Arresting 14yo kids isn't a solution, but neither is patronizingly inviting him and his suitcase clock to the white house.

I'd love watch the video of him checking into whitehouse security with his suitcase clock...

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/10BF6/production/...

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#964

Post by exodust »

mikeash wrote: post #618
exodust wrote: post #607

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Handcuffs went too far. But that's a protocol issue for US lawmakers etc. We've all seen protocol out of control in the States for a host of different incidents. No need to react so much in the other direction either, making this kid an ambassador of "freedom to pack electronics in a case and bring it to school" or whatever. He made an error of judgement going against his teacher's advice, and a ton of bricks came do…

The kid's error was merely in underestimating the danger posed by the authorities. Certainly we can all learn something from this, and the lesson is that a lot of authorities are catastrophically stupid and unbelievably petty. Why should we not make this kid an ambassador of "freedom to pack electronics in a case and bring it to school"? That sounds like a pretty good freedom, and one worth fighting for. Kids should…

I get what you're saying and don't disagree.

I tried to provide a balance point to this discussion, mainly due to the fact that packing the clock into the suitcase wasn't smart (even for a 14yo).

Google 'suitcase bomb' and you'll get endless results. Google 'Arduino enclosure bomb" and you won't get much.

I'm not convinced the kid didn't know it was looking like something from a movie, and I think he was aiming for that look, but he won't admit it. Why do I think this? Because I was 14 once too, and studied electronics just like him. Something that looked like a Suitcase bomb is something I'd want to show my friends.

His clock was mains powered too. Awful design even for a 14yo.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#965

Post by DanBC »

exodust wrote: post #964
mikeash wrote: post #618

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The kid's error was merely in underestimating the danger posed by the authorities. Certainly we can all learn something from this, and the lesson is that a lot of authorities are catastrophically stupid and unbelievably petty. Why should we not make this kid an ambassador of "freedom to pack electronics in a case and bring it to school"? That sounds like a pretty good freedom, and one worth fighting for. Kids should…

I get what you're saying and don't disagree. I tried to provide a balance point to this discussion, mainly due to the fact that packing the clock into the suitcase wasn't smart (even for a 14yo). Google 'suitcase bomb' and you'll get endless results. Google 'Arduino enclosure bomb" and you won't get much. I'm not convinced the kid didn't know it was looking like something from a movie, and I think he was aiming for t…

It's not a suitcase. It's a small pencil case. A bit biggerthan an Altoids tin. The photo is misleading. There's a battery connector that gives some scale.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#966

Post by rtkwe »

vectorjohn wrote: post #931
rtkwe wrote: post #820

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're probably running a much more powerful processor than the school's computers were. The report is from 2009 at the earliest based on the cited forum post. There were some very low TDP processors during the 2000-2009 time frame that were very common in education systems. Core 2 Duo was https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_CPU_power_dissipation_...

You were looking at laptop Core 2 Duo. Desktop was 65 to 105.

Ah my mistake.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#967

Post by nmrm2 »

intopieces wrote: post #787
Lawtonfogle wrote: post #553

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>People HATE TAXES. People HATE paying school tax when they don't have children in school or never had children in school. Or maybe I hate paying school taxes because the schools promote sports as far more important than academics. End of last year I went to the awards ceremony for top performing students in academics and sports... the difference in treatment left me feeling ill in my gut. Exercise serves a purpose.…

>Or maybe I hate paying school taxes because the schools promote sports as far more important than academics. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to change given that sports bring in revenue and academics do not.

> sports bring in revenue and academics do not.

?!?!

In high schools in the US, academics are intimately linked to funding. Sports are not. I guarantee you no teacher or administrator gives a shit about how much money the Friday night concession stand is bringing in. It probably doesn't even cover the electricity bill for the flood lights.

But they do all care a lot about test scores and other (mostly academically-related) metrics that determine how many millions in state/federal funding they receive.

Sports are one of many ways that students can use their free time to learn to socialize, lead, and work in a group. Those are all important skills that are hard to teach in a classroom, and running a sports team (or robotics team or programming competition team or chess club) is a hell of a lot cheaper than running a classroom. And often far more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#969

Post by Lawtonfogle »

nmrm2 wrote: post #967
intopieces wrote: post #787

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Or maybe I hate paying school taxes because the schools promote sports as far more important than academics. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to change given that sports bring in revenue and academics do not.

> sports bring in revenue and academics do not. ?!?! In high schools in the US, academics are intimately linked to funding. Sports are not. I guarantee you no teacher or administrator gives a shit about how much money the Friday night concession stand is bringing in. It probably doesn't even cover the electricity bill for the flood lights. But they do all care a lot about test scores and other (mostly academically-re…

>or robotics team or programming competition team or chess club

And yet these are rare and never given the same prestige that sports does. Being a member of many of those clubs will likely negatively impact your ability to socialize and learn social skills as you will be ostracized by the larger groups.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#970

Post by ceejayoz »

lucio wrote: post #953
lucio wrote: post #655

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LATEST NEWS: Terrorist-sounding-named boy Ahmed Mohamed gets into White House with ticking device! The boy was given safe-passage from a guy named Hussein. Both are being investigated.

I've got it. No jokes on HN.

Jokes can be fine, if they're good.
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