Irving 9th-grader arrested after taking homemade clock to school: 'So you tried to make a bomb?'
Pretty sad news really. What do you think?
I would have to see the actual device the teachers and police saw. If it had any features such as wires leading to a bundle of fake explosives, then it was a bomb threat and he should have been arrested. School violence is not a joking matter. The media coverage does not show the actual device in the actual configuration which caused the uproar, so unless the police or school actually release a photo of the device as it appeared in the school, this is nothing but very crappy news coverage.
dmjlambert:
I would have to see the actual device the teachers and police saw. If it had any features such as wires leading to a bundle of fake explosives, then it was a bomb thread and he should have been arrested. School violence is not a joking matter. The media coverage does not show the actual device in the actual configuration which caused the uproar, so unless the police or school actually release a photo of the device as it appeared in the school, this is nothing but very crappy news coverage.
There's a video in which he explains the device he built. He also says that his engineering teacher saw it and congratulated him. Do you think an engineering teacher would behave that way when he saw a fake bomb?
I would have to see the actual device the teachers and police saw, not an explanation in a video from the person who was arrested, or hearsay about what somebody else said about it. This is another example of social media gone haywire, and incredibly crappy journalism which attempts to sell copy by speculating about racial profiling.
dmjlambert:
I would have to see the actual device the teachers and police saw, not an explanation in a video from the person who was arrested, or hearsay about what somebody else said about it. This is another example of social media gone haywire, and incredibly crappy journalism which attempts to sell copy by speculating about racial profiling.
Don't worry, I'm sure soon it will all be reveled and you'll be left with your biased scepticism towards this kid.
Boy that is some weird crap to suggest I have "biased scepticism towards this kid"
dmjlambert:
Boy that is some weird crap to suggest I have "biased scepticism towards this kid"
Oh look here it is.
dmjlambert:
Boy that is some weird crap to suggest I have "biased scepticism towards this kid"
You do. Because as your suspicions turned out to be false, it's easily understandable from the actions of the kid that he geniunely showed an interest for engineering and tried to show his skills to his friends. It's people like you who create criminals out of thin air, blame wars and cause panic.
For me the most important conclusion is that teachers in the US should learn a lot more about tech and of course Arduino 
Better outcome - nice going POTUS!
cagancelik:
It's people like you who create criminals out of thin air, blame wars and cause panic.
Boy that is some really weird crap. I have read the entire thread. I don't see anything which could possibly make you think I would do those things. I'm afraid you have failed to put those thoughts in my head the way you see them. If I caused you in particular to panic or feel I was making a criminal out of anybody, I feel pretty confident you are the only one affected in that way by my statement. I can only conclude you don't consider it important to have all the facts before starting to speculate, and you did feel it was important to make it seem like I was rushing to judge. Actually I stated I was waiting for the facts, not happily consuming hearsay and crappy journalism.
AWOL:
Better outcome - nice going POTUS!
That would be a pretty cool outcome if he gets to go to the Whitehouse. Unfortunate he was arrested considering the clock did not look much like anything that could be considered a bomb.
It looked like a Hollywood bomb, with a big, clear seven segment display.
Just like they do.
That be funny if he got a prop master job offer next. I have seen series television refer to news items, and the more outlandish stuff gets noticed. It wouldn't surprise me to see CSI Cyber cover it in a future episode. I like your sarcasm "markup," that is good.
This is what I take from this:
- The security experts have done a good job of making us suspicious of each other. Particularly if the other person looks at all "different".
- The teachers at his school has an abysmal knowledge of technology.
Next they'll be arresting someone for taking a cook's knife to a cooking class.
cagancelik:
Here's the 'Bomb' Clock That Got Ahmed Mohamed Arrested | WIRED
That's not "building" a clock. Take a closer look at the picture and it's pretty clear he simply disassembled a clock and then screwed the LED display into the case.
Not that I don't appreciate a kid that likes to tear into things. But, damn, he should be suspended simply due to that unsecured mains transformer. Imagine a class of children putting their hands on it.
From my recent response:
The teachers at his school has an abysmal knowledge of technology.
A fail for the teachers, either way.
"Amhed’s clock" was invented and built by Radio Shack (Catalog number 63 756.)
As little Einstein explained in the youtube interview, he closed up the box with a piece of cord because he didn’t want it to look suspicious. 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.?
Anybody recall "Star Simpson"? Don't play with fire.
How about this? Too cool for school? All my fault? Bet your last farthing that the 'idiots' and 'knuckle-draggers' at "The Met" et al. would be VERY interested were I anywhere near 10 Downing Street or Buckingham Palace with this.
Chagrin:
That's not "building" a clock. Take a closer look at the picture and it's pretty clear he simply disassembled a clock and then screwed the LED display into the case.
That's what I was thinking. (Except I wasn't sure about the power supply.)
What pisses me off most about this whole thing is that no one in the media called the kid's bluff about this!
Not that I don't appreciate a kid that likes to tear into things. But, damn, he should be suspended simply due to that unsecured mains transformer. Imagine a class of children putting their hands on it.
I wasn't sure about that transformer: did he add it, or was it part of the original clock?
Here's how Ahmed's clock would have looked had he built it with Arduino technology: Ahmed Mohamed inspired clock - Exhibition / Gallery - Arduino Forum