Texas teenager arrested after a homemade clock was mistaken for a bomb

[Poison Tree]

well, I am not the only normal person who questions this whole bullshit thing

https://www.facebook.com/topic/Richard-Dawkins/109819012377631?source=whfrt&position=1&trqid=6196752710227722063

Dawkins posistion seems to be a bit more confused and not as hostile to the teen then that link or your description of Dawkins position would suggests.

but the kid is a fake. He was trying to pawn his torn down Ebay special as a legitimate project.

I've looked around a bit on makers and electronic forums to see their takes on this. Some of them think he did simply take a clock out of its normal case and put it into a pencil case; some of them think he changed the display for a modern LED; some of them think it looks like a kit job; some of them think that it is impossible to tell from one poor quality picture. Two quotes that most succinctly sum up their opinions are "trivial beginner project" and "that's how I got my start in electronics too". I certainly agree that the praise he has been getting for his project is not based on the merit.

The first story I saw on this said that the teen threw it together in 20 minutes , although it also refereed to it as his "invention". I've actually never seen the teen quoted calling it his "invention"--although certainly have not watched all the interviews with him, so I readily conceded that he may have and I simply missed it. I've seen the media claim that he "invented" it in every story the write. I've seen the teen claim that he "built" it. If asked, I'd tell you that I built the computer I'm using and I doubt that I did anything more creative than this teen did. My dad (who has actually designed and built computers [mostly monitors] from the ground up) would probably say that he "built" the computer running his sprinkler system, which is a Raspberry with some extra bits added on.

I don't have a problem with the teen claiming that he "built" a clock. When he, or the media, say he "invented" it that is, at best, an exaggeration (even if he had built the clock from scratch, unless it has some novel feature, he still would not have "invented" anything). The accolades his project have brought him are clearly excessive. But to claim, as others around the web have done, that because this clock was a half-assed project the teen must have intended it to be a viewed as a bomb threat or that lazy work on his part indicates that the school and police handled this incident correctly is, I believe, wrong.

[stromboli]

Either way it is a fine example of over reacting to a kid with a science project. School over reacted, cops over reacted, the media, everybody. 20 years ago this would never have happened and been a non issue. I'm smart enough to know the difference between a radio and a bomb. That the school people didn't think this kid was safe after attending there for some period smacks of homophobia- more focused on his last name than on his schooling or his attendance. Silliness all the way around.

[pr126]

If You See Something, (think hard before you) Say Something

[josephpalazzo]

Ahmed Mohammed's clock was a torn apart Radio Shack clock
http://blogs.artvoice.com/techvoice/2015/09/17/reverse-engineering-ahmed-mohameds-clock-and-ourselves/

So the debate will rage as to the actions of the police, but the kid is a fake. He was trying to pawn his torn down Ebay special as a legitimate project.

Guess its because I'm an old man, but I think its better to let the dust settle before one gets emotional about shit. The jury is still out, but I doubt MIT is now interested and if Obama still wants to shake the kid's hand he is either continuing to politicize the issue or he just doesn't give a shit.

That and the fact that the kid took his "clock" to one class where the teacher apparently said, "oh, that's nice", then took it to another class, same reaction... it was not only after the 6th class that a teacher reacted differently - she was suspicious and alerted her superior. So it seems that not only he did not build anything ingenuous but his behavior - going from class to class without engaging with any of the 6 teachers he met with that day - it would seem that he wanted something else. Maybe luring the school to act out and he would get publicity, which he did. So, not smart in building a clock, but smart in getting a whole lot of publicity.

[pr126]

I also believe that this was a setup  which has worked beyond expectation.

His father is a sharia law activist.  (Parental guidance?)

You have  been had

[josephpalazzo]

Yep, they played the system quite well, and it paid off for a while. But now the gig is up.

[CrucifyCindy]

Yep, they played the system quite well, and it paid off for a while. But now the gig is up.

OMG! The kid is a supervillian with mind control powers! How will the Justice League save us from his dastardly plan to rule the world?!

[josephpalazzo]

OMG! The kid is a supervillian with mind control powers! How will the Justice League save us from his dastardly plan to rule the world?!

Which part of "they" don't you understand?

[CrucifyCindy]

Which part of "they" don't you understand?

And who exactly is "they"? I hear a lot about "they". The other day I heard someone talking how "they" are responsible why the rent is so damn high.

[aitm]

And who exactly is "they"? I hear a lot about "they". The other day I heard someone talking how "they" are responsible why the rent is so damn high.

"They" is found in PR126's linky.  That would explainy for youy.

[josephpalazzo]

And who exactly is "they"? I hear a lot about "they". The other day I heard someone talking how "they" are responsible why the rent is so damn high.

Yeah, like they as in the family, in particular his father, Mohamed El-Hassan Mohamed, who ran twice for the presidency in Sudan. That he is a politician should raise eyebrows. He was also involved in a mock trial against Terry Jones. He is also known as a Sharia Law activist. No sooner was his son arrested, the mayor of the town was attacked by the Muslim community not because of the school incident but because the mayor had moved against the implementation of Sharia Law in early spring. Perhaps the boy's mishap is just that, a mishap. Perhaps NOT.

[Poison Tree]

it was not only after the 6th class that a teacher reacted differently - [. . .] going from class to class without engaging with any of the 6 teachers he met with that day

I'm curious where you found out which class period it was where the teacher took the clock. I've looked and have been unable to find source that put a time to it.

[josephpalazzo]

I'm curious where you found out which class period it was where the teacher took the clock. I've looked and have been unable to find source that put a time to it.

Mark Cuban made that revelation on Bill Maher show on HBO. He had contact the kid, like many other celebrities, and had asked the kid certain details about what exactly had happened in school.

Here's the clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGit-XltUB4

[CrucifyCindy]

Mark Cuban made that revelation on Bill Maher show on HBO. He had contact the kid, like many other celebrities, and had asked the kid certain details about what exactly had happened in school.

So you beleive the anecdotes of a meatheaded jock is an accurate source of information?

[josephpalazzo]

So you beleive the anecdotes of a meatheaded jock is an accurate source of information?

He has every interest in lying, riiiight...