TIL: Building a clock in Texas is illegal

[steppinthrax]

We haven't discussed the recent news. The police knew from the get go that this was not a bomb. It was in the news this morning.

 

[Ichinisan]

We haven't discussed the recent news. The police knew from the get go that this was not a bomb. It was in the news this morning.

Based on what I've heard, I'm pretty sure the teacher that reported it never thought it was more than a hoax bomb. Still, they're required to treat suspected hoaxes seriously too...and I'm glad it didn't cause a school evacuation or require a bomb disposal team to detonate his clock (remember the Mooninite incident?).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Boston_bomb_scare

Hint to media: If someone makes a real bomb and wants it to actually detonate, they don't make the bomb draw attention to itself.

 

[steppinthrax]

Based on what I've heard, I'm pretty sure the teacher that reported it never thought it was more than a hoax bomb.

I didn't go into detail. But there was a news article this morning that detailed an interview with the police chief. He had indicated that they knew it wasn't a bomb from.

 

[steppinthrax]

Based on what I've heard, I'm pretty sure the teacher that reported it never thought it was more than a hoax bomb. Still, they're required to treat suspected hoaxes seriously too...and I'm glad it didn't cause a school evacuation or require a bomb disposal team to detonate his clocks (remember the Mooninite incident?).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Boston_bomb_scare

Hint to media: If someone makes a real bomb and wants it to actually detonate, they don't make the bomb draw attention to itself.

That is the thing. If someone really wanted to and they were determined it would be very concealed and not arose suspicion.

In addition this kind of relates to the stupid bs procedures that the TSA have people go through. They started checking shoes after the shoe bomber. They started thinking about full body scans after the underwear bomber. It's more reactive v.s. proactive.

Now if someone wanted to do something again. They could simply study the current system and build/do something that they are not covering.

Wasn't there a report a few months ago where a whole bunch of shit was able to get through.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

I won't spoil this.

It had to happen.

Recent video related to this situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Zzyf67e7Q&feature=youtu.be

 

[waggy]

I won't spoil this.

It had to happen.

Recent video related to this situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Zzyf67e7Q&feature=youtu.be

lol

 

[midwestfisherman]

Yep,

Don't doubt it. Reason why my wife and children don't live in the deep south...

Stereotype much? Here's a hint for you, There aren't any more racists in the south than there are in other parts of the country.

 

[steppinthrax]

Stereotype much? Here's a hint for you, There aren't any more racists in the south than there are in other parts of the country.

Yeah I stereotype the same way people stereotype me as I walk my wife and two children through airport security.

I also stereotype the same way as a recent ex-family friend called my wife a "dumb beloved patriot" and myself a "sand ******" via text message regarding argument.

Or as growing up in school being referred to as a comrade, beloved patriot, etc etc etc... Some of it supported by white teachers.

Growing up with a middle eastern background I pretty much came to a strong conclusion about some things!

 

[Ichinisan]

You'd have to be the retarded child of watching too much television to think that's what a bomb looks like. You know what a bomb looks like? A pressure cooker. A moving truck. A wrapped in brown paper box. A pair of shoes. Name ONE terrorist bombing in the U.S. where the bomb looked like a clock with a great big timer. You can't.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Boston_bomb_scare

No race was oppressed in the Boston scare. These things looked nothing like bombs.

The kid's box looked like a hoax bomb.

...and yes: You would expect a kid's hoax bomb to resemble fictional bombs from TV, movies, and video games.

 

[Ichinisan]

LISTEN UP, ALL OF YOU.

Reading this article, I felt as if I had written it myself:

Reverse Engineering Ahmed Mohamed’s Clock… and Ourselves.

 

[Ichinisan]

I am so fucking tired of bandwagon idiocy. Some of you should have known better.

Most of you should be embarrassed, but you're not! Instead you have a false feeling of righteous indignation. You think you're earning racial sensitivity brownie points by attacking people who analyze and question the details of the stories and narratives we are fed.

More swear words belong here.

 

[BUTCH1]

LISTEN UP, ALL OF YOU.

Reading this article, I felt as if I had written it myself:

Reverse Engineering Ahmed Mohamed’s Clock… and Ourselves.

Yea, well written, he brings up valid points like the kid didn't even build anything, just took apart an old Radio-shack alarm clock, made it look suspicious as possible and sat and waited for the knee-jerk reactions for people "stereotyping" him. Attention-whore IMHO and nothing less.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Yea, well written, he brings up valid points like the kid didn't even build anything, just took apart an old Radio-shack alarm clock, made it look suspicious as possible and sat and waited for the knee-jerk reactions for people "stereotyping" him. Attention-whore IMHO and nothing less.

Kinda reminds me of this incident; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA1Bis4nhag

 

[BUTCH1]

Kinda reminds me of this incident; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA1Bis4nhag

I watched that, those people did that shit on purpose so they could file lawsuits, f-ing assholes IMO.

 

[Ichinisan]

I need a 1980s Micronta / Radio Shack clock with a giant numeric display.

 

[BUTCH1]

I need a 1980s Micronta / Radio Shack clock with a giant numeric display.

That clock was kinda cool IMO, I wouldn't mind having one. Generally the further back in time you go the electronics were built to a higher standard.

 

[Ichinisan]

This transformer from a Nintendo NES power brick actually outputs AC (the NES has an internal rectifier).

 

[Red Squirrel]

I won't spoil this.

It had to happen.

Recent video related to this situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Zzyf67e7Q&feature=youtu.be

That's hilarious, was just going to post that.

As for the fact that he did not actually build the clock himself, that's completely besides the point, and in fact actually makes the whole situation even more ridiculous. The authorities were literally scared of a consumer item that had it's cover taken off. The government's fear mongering about terrorism is sadly working. The minute someone sees something unknown they assume it's terrorism. Pretty sad.

People have to stop giving in to fear. The government are what you should really fear, not terrorists. Terrorists are practically created by the government. Yes, it's very terrible the stuff going on in the middle east, ISIS is evil, and I think it's good that we are helping eradicate them, but stop making it seem like they are coming here to get us and that they're hiding at every street corner to blow up in your face at any moment. There will always be the oddball bad guy like the Boston bombers, but no matter how ridiculous you get with policies and overreaching these people will get through. Stop giving up your liberties and freedoms for the odd chance at extra security.

Unfortunately this stuff is happening in Canada too, Stephen Harper's election platform is practically based around fear, and it's sad to see lot of Canadians actually giving in to this crap.

 

[unokitty]

People have to stop giving in to fear. The government are what you should really fear, not terrorists.... Stop giving up your liberties and freedoms for the odd chance at extra security.

Unfortunately this stuff is happening in Canada too, Stephen Harper's election platform is practically based around fear, and it's sad to see lot of Canadians actually giving in to this crap.

"if you ask amateurs to act as front-line security personnel, you shouldn't be surprised when you get amateur security." People don't need to be reminded to call the police; the slogan is nothing more than an invitation to report people who are different.

Sorry to hear that. At least, you not giving any government departments $32 billion dollars a year to put out crap like the poster above...

Best of luck,
Uno

 

[mzkhadir]

Look at Microsoft gift to Ahmed : http://i.imgur.com/l35eOVB.jpg

 

[Ns1]

Look at Microsoft gift to Ahmed : http://i.imgur.com/l35eOVB.jpg

O_O

 

[Kaido]

Reading this article, I felt as if I had written it myself:

Reverse Engineering Ahmed Mohamed’s Clock… and Ourselves.

+1 for group think & hash tags

The author is exactly right. We jump to conclusionville & think we're the experts on it. I was amazed at how many engineers I work with were ticked off that this kid was arrested for making "what was clearly not a bomb" & were siding with the kid. Like vehement about it. From having simply glanced at an article.

Society is getting weird, man. It can ruin or jumpstart your life, depending on how the eye of sauron, aka social media & the news, turns on you.

 

[Newell Steamer]

LOL, Ahmed unintentionally trolled mostly everyone and got praised/rewarded for it. This kid is going to be a VERY successful American; welcome to the club, kid.

 

[Jeff7]

Look at Microsoft gift to Ahmed : http://i.imgur.com/l35eOVB.jpg

Wow, there's going to be a lot of fake bomb scares in the near future.

LISTEN UP, ALL OF YOU.

Reading this article, I felt as if I had written it myself:

Reverse Engineering Ahmed Mohamed’s Clock… and Ourselves.

If we stop and think – was it really such a ridiculous reaction from the teacher and the police in the first place? How many school shootings and incidents of violence have we had, where we hear afterwards “this could have been prevented, if only we paid more attention to the signs!

Captain Hindsight wrote an article? Neat.

Teachers are taught to be suspicious and vigilant. Ahmed wasn’t accused of making a bomb – he was accused of making a look-alike, a hoax. And be honest with yourself, a big red digital display with a bunch of loose wires in a brief-case looking box is awful like a Hollywood-style representation of a bomb.

A Hollywood-style representation of a bomb.
Yes, Hollywood, a place renowned for its ability to accurately portray things realistically through its efforts to provide visual exposition that is comprehensible by everyone with an IQ >70, while squeezing it within the time limit of a ~2hr movie.
Movies and TVs have also taught me that a defibrillator will start a person's heart and revive them instantly, as will CPR, bullets carry sufficient momentum and stopping power to propel a person backward several feet, that a knife wound anywhere on the body can immediately render someone unconscious, and that every single button on any electronic object will beep when pressed.

He explains that he closed up the box with a piece of cord because he didn’t want it to look suspicious. I’m curious, why would “looking suspicious” have even crossed his mind before this whole event unfolded, if he was truly showing off a hobby project, something so innocuous as an alarm clock.

I mentioned my Tesla Coil in this thread. I was nervous bringing that thing to school, even in a time that was before everyone got into the mindset that school shootings happen every 3 hours in this country.
(Recap: There was a bomb threat at some point while the thing was on school property, and they thought they had found a large pipe bomb. The teacher luckily explained that it wasn't an explosive device. Since bombs and shootings and such weren't so huge in the public eye, I didn't get the pleasure of spending quality time with the police.)

+1 for group think & hash tags

The author is exactly right. We jump to conclusionville & think we're the experts on it. I was amazed at how many engineers I work with were ticked off that this kid was arrested for making "what was clearly not a bomb" & were siding with the kid. Like vehement about it. From having simply glanced at an article.

Society is getting weird, man. It can ruin or jumpstart your life, depending on how the eye of sauron, aka social media & the news, turns on you.

My own experience has been that some people are genuinely scared of technology. They get very nervous around something like a disassembled computer, like if they touch something it's going to assault them. The knowledge gap is very wide, such that high-tech items start to push into the realm of "magic" for some people. Fear of the unknown kicks in then.
At work, us engineers have to clean our own office. The cleaning crew is scared by all the electronic things in there and doesn't want to enter the room because they don't want to get shocked. It doesn't matter that the voltages on exposed parts are all <=24V. They just "know" that electricity is dangerous, period.

Or the attitude in the US of distrust of scientists and engineers, like we have some agenda to do whatever we can to develop things to kill people or destroy society.
It's not present in anyone, but it's also not a tiny minority.

So I can understand something like this triggering a defensive reaction in the face of a general public that is increasingly ignorant of what technology really is, versus what they see on TV and in movies.

 

[disappoint]

If he had just wrapped the briefcase in the American flag, this would never have happened.