TIL: Building a clock in Texas is illegal

[ZaneNBK]

It's has got more dislikes than positives (views = 20,837, likes=528 dislikes=682). So presumably many people realise that it was a purposeful hoax, and is fraudulent.

If anyone reading this post understands about computers and electronics. That boy/criminal is saying he is going to solder a cpu.
Anyone here solder a cpu themselves, in the last 12 months (I'm trying to point out, he probably hasn't a clue what he is talking about) ?

He is back to claiming he "invented" the clock.

How can there be two or more fake bomb incidents, from just one family ?
i.e. Both the boy and his sister, have separately been accused of bomb/hoax stuff.

How likely is that, unless they did it on purpose ?

He claimed he built a CPU, not just soldered one. Bullshit. There are low-level processors (purpose-built and 8088 level shit) you can solder to a circuit board but no-one has "built" a CPU in decades. To do so with enthusiast level transistors or vacuum tubes would lead to room-size monstrosities and the shit he's shown (all just jumbles of wires besides this clock) has definitely not been precise, miniaturized shit. So either he made a poor choice to lie about what he's done to show off (though his choice of lie demonstrates his lack of knowledge if that was the case) or the whole thing is a hoax.

I was on the kid's side until this interview and the other evidence showing the "invented" clock was nothing more than a pre-made clock moved into another enclosure.

Sad.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

He claimed he built a CPU, not just soldered one. Bullshit. There are low-level processors (purpose-built and 8088 level shit) you can solder to a circuit board but no-one has "built" a CPU in decades. To do so with enthusiast level transistors or vacuum tubes would lead to room-size monstrosities and the shit he's shown (all just jumbles of wires besides this clock) has definitely not been precise, miniaturized shit. So either he made a poor choice to lie about what he's done to show off (though his choice of lie demonstrates his lack of knowledge if that was the case) or the whole thing is a hoax.

I was on the kid's side until this interview and the other evidence showing the "invented" clock was nothing more than a pre-made clock moved into another enclosure.

Sad.

In one of his videos, he is holding a soldering iron, probably for dramatic effect. It is obvious from the way he is holding it, that it is very unlikely that he has ever soldered in his life. Unwise methods of holding soldering irons, soon lead to burns. So one rapidly learns better ways of holding it.

If he was really into soldering cpus, he would probably call them microcontrollers, as that is what real electronics enthusiasts would be using, in most cases.
If he was anywhere near that level of competency, he should be showing us his oscilloscope(s), other test equipment and stuff he has previously built.

If this had really bean a "racist" incident. He/they would be on TV programmes etc, explaining about how bad "racism" has been.

Instead of that, he is going on TV programmes (apparently), all about HIMSELF, so that he can collect as many goodies as he can. Such as his delight at receiving the very expensive smart watch.

Again, this causes me nothing much but increased suspicions.

 

[Red Squirrel]

He claimed he built a CPU, not just soldered one. Bullshit. There are low-level processors (purpose-built and 8088 level shit) you can solder to a circuit board but no-one has "built" a CPU in decades. To do so with enthusiast level transistors or vacuum tubes would lead to room-size monstrosities and the shit he's shown (all just jumbles of wires besides this clock) has definitely not been precise, miniaturized shit. So either he made a poor choice to lie about what he's done to show off (though his choice of lie demonstrates his lack of knowledge if that was the case) or the whole thing is a hoax.

I was on the kid's side until this interview and the other evidence showing the "invented" clock was nothing more than a pre-made clock moved into another enclosure.

Sad.

What, maybe he got one of those "my first cpu fab" kits and built a few i7s or something, it's practically like an easy bake oven these days, they make it so easy. :biggrin:

But yeah it's starting to sound more and more like this kid is a fraud, which is too bad. Though fraud or not hopefully the school learned a lesson from this and don't overreact next time something similar happens. They pretty much fell for a practical joke and made a fool of themselves. It sounds like the kid just wants some attention and wanted to seem smart when really he might just be a newb at electronics, but if he really does want to learn then all the power to him, hopefully he can learn and maybe make a real clock next time. Better leave that stuff at home though! lol

Kids these days have it easy though, with their fancy micro controllers and development environments. :biggrin:

 

[disappoint]

Though fraud or not hopefully the school learned a lesson from this and don't overreact next time something similar happens. They pretty much fell for a practical joke and made a fool of themselves.

SMH. Using deception to perpetrate a fraud for attention by constructing a faux deadly weapon as well as deceiving school officials into thinking you have a weapon capable of causing mass casualties is most certainly not a "practical joke" as you put it.

I don't expect every teacher in school to be technically proficient enough to determine a bomb's authenticity. I do expect them to keep children safe.

Ahmed Mohammed was not mistreated nor harmed. He was merely detained for questioning which is the minimum that should take place for such actions.

Now all of the above is only if he intended deception. Although it has not been proven that he intended to deceive, your categorizing it as a practical joke is accusing him of that deception.

 

[Ichinisan]

What, maybe he got one of those "my first cpu fab" kits and built a few i7s or something, it's practically like an easy bake oven these days, they make it so easy. :biggrin:

But yeah it's starting to sound more and more like this kid is a fraud, which is too bad. Though fraud or not hopefully the school learned a lesson from this and don't overreact next time something similar happens. They pretty much fell for a practical joke and made a fool of themselves. It sounds like the kid just wants some attention and wanted to seem smart when really he might just be a newb at electronics, but if he really does want to learn then all the power to him, hopefully he can learn and maybe make a real clock next time. Better leave that stuff at home though! lol

Kids these days have it easy though, with their fancy micro controllers and development environments. :biggrin:

You can't save face on this one, Red. You were as wrong as you could possibly be. You used shameful methods of "debate;" mocking people for applying a little bit of realist cynicism to the story that was initially presented.

From this point forward, I suggest you consume news stories with a healthy dose of cynicism. Bullshit bandwagon mentality absolutely disgusts me.

 

[CZroe]

What, maybe he got one of those "my first cpu fab" kits and built a few i7s or something, it's practically like an easy bake oven these days, they make it so easy. :biggrin:

But yeah it's starting to sound more and more like this kid is a fraud, which is too bad. Though fraud or not hopefully the school learned a lesson from this and don't overreact next time something similar happens. They pretty much fell for a practical joke and made a fool of themselves. It sounds like the kid just wants some attention and wanted to seem smart when really he might just be a newb at electronics, but if he really does want to learn then all the power to him, hopefully he can learn and maybe make a real clock next time. Better leave that stuff at home though! lol

Kids these days have it easy though, with their fancy micro controllers and development environments. :biggrin:

What new detail changed your mind about the kid's proficiency? All the details we have now on that front we had there from the start but you vehemently denied them. It still doesn't sound like you are ready to consider the possibility that his family put him up to it Slippin' Jimmy/Balloon Boy-style, so it can't be any of the newer details about his sister's bomb threats or his father's behavior.

Why did you think he had a remote button board that wasn't mounted? There's no reason to "engineer" one on its own PCB if you aren't mounting it anyplace better.

Why did you think he had solid-core ribbon cables that weren't connected to headers and were, instead, soldered directly to the PCB with thru-holes? A hobby project would use stranded cable with IDC connectors and pin headers. The only reason not to is for mass manufacturing.

Why did you think it had an internal transformer, rectifier, and voltage regulation? There is absolutely no reason to do that except to save money in mass manufacturing (certainly not cheaper when building your own and adds needless complexity to the clock project). Even if he wanted to build his own PSU as a project it would still make sense to make a connector with an external PSU. It's certainly safer (deadly when rolling around in the case). At the very least the AC cord should have been removable so that he could properly close his box. Don't tell me that the son of a multi-millionaire doesn't have the resources.

Now, why didn't you see these things for yourself from the start? Why did you continue glossing over these things when we pointed them out to you? Why are you only just now starting to even suspect it?

If you recall, we also said he should be encouraged and we also hoped he learned. Is it somehow different when you say it?

 

[John Connor]

I'll just leave this here.

http://www.ijreview.com/2015/09/429...=owned&utm_campaign=terror&utm_term=ijamerica

 

[Red Squirrel]

What new detail changed your mind about the kid's proficiency? All the details we have now on that front we had there from the start but you vehemently denied them. It still doesn't sound like you are ready to consider the possibility that his family put him up to it Slippin' Jimmy/Balloon Boy-style, so it can't be any of the newer details about his sister's bomb threats or his father's behavior.

Why did you think he had a remote button board that wasn't mounted? There's no reason to "engineer" one on its own PCB if you aren't mounting it anyplace better.

Why did you think he had solid-core ribbon cables that weren't connected to headers and were, instead, soldered directly to the PCB with thru-holes? A hobby project would use stranded cable with IDC connectors and pin headers. The only reason not to is for mass manufacturing.

Why did you think it had an internal transformer, rectifier, and voltage regulation? There is absolutely no reason to do that except to save money in mass manufacturing (certainly not cheaper when building your own and adds needless complexity to the clock project). Even if he wanted to build his own PSU as a project it would still make sense to make a connector with an external PSU. It's certainly safer (deadly when rolling around in the case). At the very least the AC cord should have been removable so that he could properly close his box. Don't tell me that the son of a multi-millionaire doesn't have the resources.

Now, why didn't you see these things for yourself from the start? Why did you continue glossing over these things when we pointed them out to you? Why are you only just now starting to even suspect it?

If you recall, we also said he should be encouraged and we also hoped he learned. Is it somehow different when you say it?

Whether or not he made the clock himself means nothing, what the point of the original story was is that the school overreacted to his "project". Sure it turned out he did not even do much, but that's besides the point. The part that's not cool is the fact that it turns out he did this on purpose to try to get a reaction, but even so, the school should not have fell for it. He literally took the cover off a consumer piece of equipment, put it in a box, and then the school thought it was a bomb. I think that makes it even more hilarious than if he actually soldered it himself and made it himself. At least with perfboard or other custom stuff you can figure, ok, it's pretty custom, and at first glance we don't know what it does. But when you've got a silk screened PCB with possibly a product number and date code and other info on it that you can just punch into google, but yet still call the bomb squad and police and whole 9 yards it makes you look pretty stupid.

So whether or not the kid turns out to have been a fraud, it does not really excuse the school for their reaction.

 

[Ichinisan]

What new detail changed your mind about the kid's proficiency? All the details we have now on that front we had there from the start but you vehemently denied them. It still doesn't sound like you are ready to consider the possibility that his family put him up to it Slippin' Jimmy/Balloon Boy-style, so it can't be any of the newer details about his sister's bomb threats or his father's behavior.

Why did you think he had a remote button board that wasn't mounted? There's no reason to "engineer" one on its own PCB if you aren't mounting it anyplace better.

Why did you think he had solid-core ribbon cables that weren't connected to headers and were, instead, soldered directly to the PCB with thru-holes? A hobby project would use stranded cable with IDC connectors and pin headers. The only reason not to is for mass manufacturing.

Why did you think it had an internal transformer, rectifier, and voltage regulation? There is absolutely no reason to do that except to save money in mass manufacturing (certainly not cheaper when building your own and adds needless complexity to the clock project). Even if he wanted to build his own PSU as a project it would still make sense to make a connector with an external PSU. It's certainly safer (deadly when rolling around in the case). At the very least the AC cord should have been removable so that he could properly close his box. Don't tell me that the son of a multi-millionaire doesn't have the resources.

Now, why didn't you see these things for yourself from the start? Why did you continue glossing over these things when we pointed them out to you? Why are you only just now starting to even suspect it?

If you recall, we also said he should be encouraged and we also hoped he learned. Is it somehow different when you say it?

- Why were the PCB elongated with rounded corners?
(to fit into the original clock housing)

- Why did the PCB have mounting holes that were unused?

- Why did the PCB have silk screened markings?

 

[Ichinisan]

Whether or not he made the clock himself means nothing, what the point of the original story was is that the school overreacted to his "project".

The fact that he lied about it from the start; that means something.

Sure it turned out he did not even do much, but that's besides the point. The part that's not cool is the fact that it turns out he did this on purpose to try to get a reaction, but even so, the school should not have fell for it.

The family refuses to authorize the school to say anything. Nothing new has been confirmed that would *now* influence you to consider this possibility. You should have considered it from the start.

Shame on you for ignoring it and believing the "Islamophobia" narrative from the start without considering other possibilities from the start.

He literally took the cover off a consumer piece of equipment, put it in a box, and then the school thought it was a bomb. I think that makes it even more hilarious than if he actually soldered it himself and made it himself.

It's just as stupid when you say this now as when you said it before.

- Real IEDs are made from existing electronic devices. That's why they're called "IMPROVISED explosive devices" -- because you use what you have.

- He lied about it.

At least with perfboard or other custom stuff you can figure, ok, it's pretty custom, and at first glance we don't know what it does. But when you've got a silk screened PCB with possibly a product number and date code and other info on it that you can just punch into google, but yet still call the bomb squad and police and whole 9 yards it makes you look pretty stupid.

There's that false argument...again.

You punch it into Google and, if you discover anything about it, you learn what you already know!

- Looks indistinguishable from an IED.

- Made from a manufactured clock (obviously).

- Kid is lying about it.
("I built it. It's my invention. I built it. I invented it. ...")

So whether or not the kid turns out to have been a fraud, it does not really excuse the school for their reaction.

It most certainly does.

It could have been much worse. Look at that incident in May with the 2 girls arrested for the senior prank. The school was evacuated, the bomb squad was called, they girls were jailed.

They didn't lie about it. They immediately said what it was. Their clocks weren't modified at all. 100% intact. Even though you might expect school officials to be aware of a common senior prank, these girls weren't upset after what happened. They said they "now realize what it looks like" and they "understand why the school reacted that way."

Oh yeah: They weren't Muslim. Islamophobia not found.

So there you have it.

 

[Ichinisan]

Here you go, Red:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=A4KOW92fbSM

That YouTube video was featured on a news program my mother was watching. This is the first time I looked up something related to this story to post it here. Despite accusations that I get all my talking points from right-wing blogs I do not read, I only consumed what came up in these 2 discussion threads thank-you-very-much.

- it looks like a bomb or a hoax bomb

- it's indistinguishable from an IED

- kid lied about it

- school's reaction could have been MUCH more extreme

- IEDs are made by re-purposing existing, manufactured stuff

Hook. Line. Sinker.

Stop trying to save face and stop calling the school administrators "stupid." YOU don't get to call ANYONE ELSE "stupid."

 

[CZroe]

Whether or not he made the clock himself means nothing, what the point of the original story was is that the school overreacted to his "project".

Well, that sure isn't how you felt earlier on in this thread. Why did you get so belligerent at the very suggestion that he didn't do what he claimed to do?

If his project was intended to be mistaken for a bomb then their reactions were NOT over reactions because bomb hoaxes are that serious. You can't possibly know his intent. You can't possibly criticize their reaction without at least SOME evidence other than his claims that this was not his intent. There is plenty of evidence that he had intent, even if there isn't proof.

What you should have done is waited for more details. Instead, you took a hardline position without thinking it out and dug in deep.

Sure it turned out he did not even do much, but that's besides the point.

Hardly. Why did he do what he did? Why did he appear poised and ready with a NASA shirt and social media ready to go? What he "did" vs what he claimed is highly suspect.

The part that's not cool is the fact that it turns out he did this on purpose to try to get a reaction, but even so, the school should not have fell for it.

So your argument is that hoax bombs should never be responded to with arrests?!

If he did it "on purpose...to get a reaction" then he did it to cause panic. Terrorists do what they do to get "panic" reactions. It would be a terrorist threat no matter how you look at it and here you are saying that the reaction was improper because they took him away from class and asked him a few questions. Do you honestly think it is "improper" to arrest someone making terrorist threats?! There is still a good chance that this is exactly what he was doing. The school has not been allowed to discuss their reason for believing it. As I said all along: you don't know how he responded to them so you don't know if their suspicion was enough to justify the arrest. It sounds increasingly like it was.

He literally took the cover off a consumer piece of equipment, put it in a box, and then the school thought it was a bomb. I think that makes it even more hilarious than if he actually soldered it himself and made it himself. At least with perfboard or other custom stuff you can figure, ok, it's pretty custom, and at first glance we don't know what it does. But when you've got a silk screened PCB with possibly a product number and date code and other info on it that you can just punch into google, but yet still call the bomb squad and police and whole 9 yards it makes you look pretty stupid.

Do you know that the "I" in "IED" stands for?!

Here is how an improvised bomb is made:

A power source is connected to a payload with a switch. If you aren't suicidal, you will use a relay for that switch and trigger the relay with something else. Common timer triggers are egg timers/alarm clocks. Common remote triggers are FRS radios and cellphones. Anyone could wire up the LED from a motion sensor and make a proximity trigger just like this guy did for his camera. To do this with an alarm clock, cellphone, or radio you would simply route the speaker power through the relay.

You wouldn't have a fancy custom-engineered PCB. You wouldn't have a breadboard or protoboard. What you would have is a clock pulled out of its housing. You and your UPS/oscilloscope covered desk should know this.

If you had actually listened to the police's statement then you would have picked up on something:
He said that it appeared to be the INFRASTRUCTURE for a bomb. In other words, all it needed was the relay and payload, which would often be carried separately for safety and/or deniability. Many relays actually look like inductive transformers, so as far as they knew he only had to plug that AC cord into an explosive that was already in place somewhere else.

Ahmed's clock probably had a piezo-electric buzzer on the logic board or button board, but the point is that it takes much closer inspection and much more proficiency to "know" that it isn't a major component of a bomb ("infrastructure"). I could pull the wires off the speaker and attach it to a relay in 3 seconds without tools, wire strippers, or crimp tools (IDC quick splice connectors). An actual IED very well could have smuggled in that component separately without being detected. It could be waiting in a locker or under an auditorium seat somewhere as far as experts or laymen would know.

So whether or not the kid turns out to have been a fraud, it does not really excuse the school for their reaction.

SAYS YOU AND YOUR FAIRY TALE IMAGINATION.

You are seriously saying that a hoax bomb is not an arrest-able offense NO MATTER WHAT. You admit that you were totally wrong about what the kid did. Good job. Now man up and admit that you were totally wrong about a few more crucial things.

 

[CZroe]

...and don't think I didn't notice that you didn't answer this question, Red Squirrel.
Again:

What new detail changed your mind about the kid's proficiency?

Answering this question probably reveals a bit too much about the way you think (or don't think).

 

[BUTCH1]

Here you go, Red:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=A4KOW92fbSM

That YouTube video was featured on a news program my mother was watching. This is the first time I looked up something related to this story to post it here. Despite accusations that I get all my talking points from right-wing blogs I do not read, I only consumed what came up in these 2 discussion threads thank-you-very-much.

- it looks like a bomb or a hoax bomb

- it's indistinguishable from an IED

- kid lied about it

- school's reaction could have been MUCH more extreme

- IEDs are made by re-purposing existing, manufactured stuff

Hook. Line. Sinker.

Stop trying to save face and stop calling the school administrators "stupid." YOU don't get to call ANYONE ELSE "stupid."

Nice post and Red, your waaaaay off on this one. Factor in his science teacher even told him NOT to take it around with him because of how suspicious it looks he did so ANYWAY because his goal would not be achieved by leaving it in the science lab. Factor in he programmed it to sound the alarm TWICE during class and finally a teacher notified the cops about it. I really don't think they will find a lawyer to take their case as when he/she learns the facts they will see there is NO WAY a jury is going to say the English teacher acted out or racial motives when she called the cops. Without a "deep pockets" potential payout they will have to pay for their lawyer and now we're talking many $$ thousands. Also note the police reported him as "passive-aggressive" during questioning meaning he played dumb or refused to answer at all.

 

[CZroe]

If it was intended to get that reaction then it WAS a hoax bomb. Period. Intent is what determines it.
If it was a hoax bomb then, if anything, it was an underreaction and he has, so far, escaped the justifiable consequences.

"Practical joke?!" How can you possibly say that arresting someone for inciting panic with bomb hoaxes is an "over reaction?!" Inciting panic is considered *gasp* terrorism, which you denied was even a possible consideration!

There is a possibility that he did not intend for it to look like a bomb, which is why he is free with no charges pending (innocent until proven guilty). The arrest and interrogation is how they determine if they have enough evidence to charge him or exonerate him. We've established conclusively that it had enough in common with an IED "infrastructure" to warrant such suspicion, which warrants the arrest. The constitution only protects you from unreasonable (AKA, "unwarranted") search and seizure (must be warranted/warrant must be obtained), and this was certainly reasonable/warranted.

 

[SSSnail]

Wait, so the kid's dad is a defense attorney and a very active Islamic activist? How convenient.

 

[CZroe]

Wait, so the kid's dad is a defense attorney and a very active Islamic activist? How convenient.

Is he? He pretended to defend the Koran in a mock trial, but I don't think he's an actual attorney. I know he sold his cab company for $2.5 million several years ago, so I doubt he's an attorney.

 

[madoka]

So whether or not the kid turns out to have been a fraud, it does not really excuse the school for their reaction.

My understanding is that no one thought it was a bomb, but they were concerned that it was part of a bomb. When the school and police asked him if there were any other components around the school, he refused to answer.

At that point, they had no option but to take him into the police station for further questioning. Anything less would be a violation of procedure. None of this info that exonerates the school and the police can be released however, because the faker is a minor and refuses to let that information get out. That's why officials are so pissed off at how they are being portrayed by the media.

 

[CZroe]

My understanding is that no one thought it was a bomb, but they were concerned that it was part of a bomb. When the school and police asked him if there were any other components around the school, he refused to answer.



At that point, they had no option but to take him into the police station for further questioning. Anything less would be a violation of procedure. None of this info that exonerates the school and the police can be released however, because the faker is a minor and refuses to let that information get out. That's why officials are so pissed off at how they are being portrayed by the media.

Very likely. That's why they used the word "infrastructure" when they said that it first appeared to possibly be the infrastructure of a bomb. A couple of quick-splices to the speaker/buzzer stashed somewhere else and it could've been complete. Something tells me that crimping on bullet connectors and externalizing the AC power supply was beyond his abilities anyway (usually required to set timer).

 

[madoka]

“but the — mostly liberals…who have glommed onto him as a mascot are ninnies. Because somebody showed that he did not invent anything. … He didn’t invent a clock. he took the guts out of a clock radio that he bought in the store and put it in a pencil box, okay? This is like pouring Cheerios into a bowl and saying you invented cereal.”

- Bill Maher

 

[disappoint]

He claimed he built a CPU, not just soldered one. Bullshit. There are low-level processors (purpose-built and 8088 level shit) you can solder to a circuit board but no-one has "built" a CPU in decades. To do so with enthusiast level transistors or vacuum tubes would lead to room-size monstrosities and the shit he's shown (all just jumbles of wires besides this clock) has definitely not been precise, miniaturized shit.

WTF are you talking about? Why are you so racis? He not only invented the CPU, he co-invented the internet with Al Gore. He also invented the clean room, when his mom told him to go clean his room. Do your research and don't jump to concussions due to racism.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wow you guys are taking this too seriously, long story short, original article stated he built a clock, and school freaked out thinking it was a bomb and got him arrested. Not cool. So it turns out he did not make it, he just took one apart, ok fine, he's not as smart as we figured, but still does not excuse the school.

The big turning point is the latest information stating he actually purposely set it up to get media attention, then that is really not cool, but STILL, the cops should have never been involved. At very worse he should have been suspended, but really, probably just get a stern talking to and to put it away. That's how this should have ended.

Since 9/11 it seems everyone is always living in fear, and wants to call everything a bomb and everyone a terrorist, until proven otherwise. This way of living needs to stop, we can't just accept it as being normal, it's not normal. If it is, well the terrorists have won.

So yeah, kid sounds like he probably just wanted attention... and know what... it worked. So in the end he actually did get what he wanted, except for the bad experience of being arrested.

Speaking of clocks, here's how you build a real bomb clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kGhoRuhlxM

It even has a really fast 1/10th of second counter. So scary!

 

[Ichinisan]

Wow you guys are taking this too seriously, long story short, original article stated he built a clock,

A claim that was provably false. Provable by simply viewing the bedroom interview video in the original article.

I saw that. Pointed it out. Was attacked for it by you and others. You just couldn't acknowledge that I was coming from a position of knowledge and experience on that particular subject...including my perspective when I was 14 years old.

and school freaked out thinking it was a bomb and got him arrested. Not cool.

Totally 100% cool. You missed the part where he lied and acted evasive when he was initially questioned.

So it turns out he did not make it, he just took one apart, ok fine, he's not as smart as we figured, but still does not excuse the school.

"Turns out?" There's nothing new. We're working with the original information. The parents won't authorize the school / police to talk about it (and they can't do it without authorization because the kid is a minor). The school and police are 100% justified.

The big turning point is the latest information stating he actually purposely set it up to get media attention, then that is really not cool,

The latest information? There's new information? All the information we have now, we had before. My observations were attacked and shot down. How is someone else saying it any different from me saying it early on?

but STILL, the cops should have never been involved.

Wrong. So you think teachers are supposed to identify it and conclude that there's no harm to the other children? Should a teacher be obligated to open a beeping metal box, badly dented, with a black wire wrapped through the latch?

At very worse he should have been suspended, but really, probably just get a stern talking to and to put it away. That's how this should have ended.

Go ahead. Double down on this stupidity. You think teachers are experts at analyzing potential bombs and bomb hoaxes. Did you know they're obligated to notify the police, even if they think it's a hoax? You knew that, right?

Since 9/11 it seems everyone is always living in fear, and wants to call everything a bomb and everyone a terrorist, until proven otherwise. This way of living needs to stop, we can't just accept it as being normal, it's not normal. If it is, well the terrorists have won.

They wouldn't have ignored that in the 1970s either. They're supposed to ignore something that looks 100% like an IED while the kid is lying to their faces about what it is?

...and it's bullshit to condemn the world for having a different mindset after 9/11. As someone who leans heavily Libertarian on most issues, I personally believe you can't have security without giving up liberty -- but the reaction to 9/11 shouldn't be "Do nothing and condemn people for being observant / vigilant."

So yeah, kid sounds like he probably just wanted attention... and know what... it worked.

Why are you reaching this conclusion now? Why did you attack people who saw all the same evidence you ignored? What have you seen that is new? Why don't you apologize for responding with mocking condescension to me and others?

So in the end he actually did get what he wanted, except for the bad experience of being arrested.

It's quite possible that he wanted to get arrested. We don't know that, but I'll consider that as a possibility.

Speaking of clocks, here's how you build a real bomb clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kGhoRuhlxM

I'll watch it.

It even has a really fast 1/10th of second counter. So scary!

Doing this again, I see.

 

[CZroe]

Wow you guys are taking this too seriously, long story short, original article stated he built a clock, and school freaked out thinking it was a bomb and got him arrested. Not cool. So it turns out he did not make it, he just took one apart, ok fine, he's not as smart as we figured, but still does not excuse the school.

"Turns out?" There's no more information on that point since the moment the picture came out. "The original article stated?" We've been pointing out all along that the original story was nothing more than the family's CLAIMS. We told you not to take it at face value and you FLIPPED OUT accusing everyone you now agree with of being racists.

Even now it seems that you don't realize that there are many more things he could have done to make them think it was a bomb than just putting a clock into a box and that THESE are the things that led to him being arrested.

The big turning point is the latest information stating he actually purposely set it up to get media attention, then that is really not cool, but STILL, the cops should have never been involved. At very worse he should have been suspended, but really, probably just get a stern talking to and to put it away. That's how this should have ended.

"Latest information?" We've been suggesting the possibility all along. You dismissed it until you heard it coming from someone else's mouth.

WHY?

Did the same logic we are using now not make sense then? Logic doesn't work that way. If he purposely set it up for media coverage then it is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more than simply "not cool." It's CRIMINAL. That would be 100% confirmation that it was intended to be mistaken for a bomb. As we have stated over and over, his INTENT is what would make it a "hoax bomb."

Two scenarios:
A suspected bomb is found and the bomb is real. It must be taken seriously. People are evacuated but, in the panic, some people are trampled and others leap to their death. Property is damaged. Significant and expensive emergency response resources are needed. The bomb is defused and the bomber is criminally prosecuted.

A suspected bomb is found and the bomb is fake. It must be taken seriously. People are evacuated but, in the panic, some people are trampled and others leap to their death. Property is damaged. Significant and expensive emergency response resources are needed. The hoax bomb is detonated by a bomb squad and after an expensive investigation no trace of an explosive is found. The creator is detained.

The second scenario is criminal also *IF* the person who made the fake bomb intended for authorities to think it was a bomb.

If I set off a real bomb intentionally causing property damage and loss of life, how is it any different than intentionally using a hoax to damage and loss of life? They are both criminal, terrorist acts.

The issue here is that you expect them to magically know that this wasn't intentional before they arrest and interrogate. If it was intentional and designed to be deniable and it can be proven then an example must be made that this is CRIMINAL and not a ha ha "practical joke." Somehow, you don't get that. You still think it was wrong to ever try to determine if this was a hoax or not.

This happened the very next school day after 9-11.
I want to know when the box was purchased. After all, it still had the "Throw Away" desiccant packet despite being well-worn
I want to know when the NASA shirt was purchased. It sure seemed to have the effect we suspect they wanted.
I want to know when the other "inventions" were built. He sure seemed to know very little about what they were.

Since 9/11 it seems everyone is always living in fear, and wants to call everything a bomb and everyone a terrorist, until proven otherwise. This way of living needs to stop, we can't just accept it as being normal, it's not normal. If it is, well the terrorists have won.

Yeah. That's it. It totally has nothing to do with discouraging other would-be bomb hoaxes and refusing to accept suspicious claims without evidence.

So yeah, kid sounds like he probably just wanted attention... and know what... it worked. So in the end he actually did get what he wanted, except for the bad experience of being arrested.

Speaking of clocks, here's how you build a real bomb clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kGhoRuhlxM

It even has a really fast 1/10th of second counter. So scary!

"...except for?!" The suspicion is that he wanted to be arrested so that they could sue. If so, that wasn't a "bad experience." It would be exactly what they wanted. That would make this FRAUD, not a "joke." You've still got a messed up idea that this wasn't criminal whether he intended it to look like a bomb/hoax bomb or not. How can you possibly think that he intended for it to look like a bomb or a hoax bomb and not think that his family was in on it? How could you possibly think it was an over-reaction in that case knowing FULL WELL that he would have answered evasively or not at all so that they would have no choice but to arrest him?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'm done here, if this is just going to turn into a huge personal attack fest. So what, you guys ended up being right once all the facts came out, but at the beginning you were jumping to conclusions, you can't just jump to conclusions before all the facts actually come out. Now they did. But it still does not excuse the school for getting cops involved for something that was literally a consumer product outside of it's original enclosure.

Really, I wish the kid good luck, I hope he does actually get into electronics and does something good with his life. But I'm sure he learned his life lesson, don't try to act smart if you are not, you are literally treated as a terrorist.