Family of 'Clock Boy' seeks $15 million from city
- Thread starter Mr Nice
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Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Has there ever been a picture of Akmed's clock posted anywhere, so we could judge for ourselves how bomb-like it looked?
There have, but they're not very good. Apparently the thing is still in police custody.
I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of better photos being released. Most people look at any box with circuitry and wires coming out of it and think it "looks like a bomb." Especially when they've already been primed with a story about how the kid who put it together got arrested for bringing it to school. Even more so when the kid has a Muslim- or Middle Eastern-sounding name. Just basic human cognitive psychology.
Some slack could have been cut if there were a science fair in which he had entered, but the kid just walked in with the thing. I'm SURE the school authorities would have called in the police even if a blue eyed Swede were carrying one in that circumstance. As I said, a quarter pound of C4 would fit in that box, and children have been known to carry explosives in other parts of the world.
Wasn't commenting on whether the school was right or wrong. I was pointing out that releasing pics probably won't help people make sober judgments.
As for whether a white person would have had the same treatment... Not long after 9/11, I cobbled together a headphone amp to use on vacation. The circuitry was ripped out of some desktop speakers and haphazardly wrapped in electrical tape. The power source was six 9-volt batteries taped together in a block, with a collection of poorly done wires between it and the circuit. If that doesn't look like a bomb, I don't know what does. With that device in my carry-on, I made it through security in NYC, London, Istanbul, and a smaller Turkish airport, and then all the way back through the same hops. Only got searched once, and after some initial surprise they just put it back in my bag and sent me on my way.
I know you've seen people on this forum basically say straight-up that it makes sense to be worried about people who "seem Muslim." Like half the American population believes that openly, and most of the rest just won't admit it. It really isn't a stretch to imagine a white person would have had an easier time.
But again, that doesn't mean the school or authorities acted improperly. It just means there's reason for suspicion and investigation.
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Has there ever been a picture of Akmed's clock posted anywhere, so we could judge for ourselves how bomb-like it looked?
There have, but they're not very good. Apparently the thing is still in police custody.
I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of better photos being released. Most people look at any box with circuitry and wires coming out of it and think it "looks like a bomb." Especially when they've already been primed with a story about how the kid who put it together got arrested for bringing it to school. Even more so when the kid has a Muslim- or Middle Eastern-sounding name. Just basic human cognitive psychology.
Some slack could have been cut if there were a science fair in which he had entered, but the kid just walked in with the thing. I'm SURE the school authorities would have called in the police even if a blue eyed Swede were carrying one in that circumstance. As I said, a quarter pound of C4 would fit in that box, and children have been known to carry explosives in other parts of the world.
Wasn't commenting on whether the school was right or wrong. I was pointing out that releasing pics probably won't help people make sober judgments.
As for whether a white person would have had the same treatment... Not long after 9/11, I cobbled together a headphone amp to use on vacation. The circuitry was ripped out of some desktop speakers and haphazardly wrapped in electrical tape. The power source was six 9-volt batteries taped together in a block, with a collection of poorly done wires between it and the circuit. If that doesn't look like a bomb, I don't know what does. With that device in my carry-on, I made it through security in NYC, London, Istanbul, and a smaller Turkish airport, and then all the way back through the same hops. Only got searched once, and after some initial surprise they just put it back in my bag and sent me on my way.
I know you've seen people on this forum basically say straight-up that it makes sense to be worried about people who "seem Muslim." Like half the American population believes that openly, and most of the rest just won't admit it. It really isn't a stretch to imagine a white person would have had an easier time.
But again, that doesn't mean the school or authorities acted improperly. It just means there's reason for suspicion and investigation.
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I think his lawyer(s) is the one to blame for this extortion. I don't think he and/or his family thought about demanding millions from city/police, but the lawyer(s) saw an opportunity to make millions(probably share 40-60) with a simple letter and they approached him/his family with the deal.
The family will probably settle for 'only' $5 million...
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
The family will probably settle for 'only' $5 million...
Well maybe next time the school and authorities won't respond like a bunch of bozos.
It's Texas, it's in their DNA.
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
The family will probably settle for 'only' $5 million...
Well maybe next time the school and authorities won't respond like a bunch of bozos.
It's Texas, it's in their DNA.
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: grampi
Why do you think certain groups of people are treated worse because of their ethnicity?
If your posts are any indication, you're a reasonably smart person. I therefore find it hard to imagine that you're asking this question in good faith. Sorry.
I'm guessing you know the answer to my question, but you don't want to answer it because it doesn't fit your viewpoint...
Originally Posted By: grampi
Why do you think certain groups of people are treated worse because of their ethnicity?
If your posts are any indication, you're a reasonably smart person. I therefore find it hard to imagine that you're asking this question in good faith. Sorry.
I'm guessing you know the answer to my question, but you don't want to answer it because it doesn't fit your viewpoint...
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
The family will probably settle for 'only' $5 million...
Well maybe next time the school and authorities won't respond like a bunch of bozos.
It's Texas, it's in their DNA.
That's pretty funny coming from a state where more ex-politicians are in JAIL than anyplace else....also with a city that leads the nation in murders....what's in your DNA?
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
The family will probably settle for 'only' $5 million...
Well maybe next time the school and authorities won't respond like a bunch of bozos.
It's Texas, it's in their DNA.
That's pretty funny coming from a state where more ex-politicians are in JAIL than anyplace else....also with a city that leads the nation in murders....what's in your DNA?
Originally Posted By: hatt
What I don't understand is how Google/MIT/NASA etc were falling all over the genius of taking an alarm clock apart.
Exactly. I built a Heathkit alarm clock in high school which involved actually soldering the parts to the circuit board and not just moving the guts from a commercial clock into a "pencil case."
So if this is what brilliance looks like, I'm the next Einstein.
What I don't understand is how Google/MIT/NASA etc were falling all over the genius of taking an alarm clock apart.
Exactly. I built a Heathkit alarm clock in high school which involved actually soldering the parts to the circuit board and not just moving the guts from a commercial clock into a "pencil case."
So if this is what brilliance looks like, I'm the next Einstein.
I think the school and police handled the situation poorly and should have seen this mess coming, but I also think it is probable the boy's father orchestrated a big prank with not so noble intentions.
One, it is clear, even from the bad pictures, that Ahmed's clock is $20 in stuff from Wal-Mart thrown together. Quite nearly any 14 year old could have made that. If he is a genius, it is not because of alarm clock guts put in a little case.
Two, it's clear, even from the bad pictures, that it's not a real suitcase bomb, and someone with some sense should have figured that out quickly before the kid was ever put in handcuffs or any of that. His clock does look like a caricature of a bomb, but someone with half a clue should have been able to figure out this was some kind of prank right off the bat. That's why I really can't understand how this happened, but it looks like Ahmed's father probably hit the jackpot better than even he imagined.
It would have been interesting to know what the dialogue was that went on when he brought this to school. What did he say when first confronted? What was the response of the first people to see the clock in a box? Unless there was a cop in the classroom with handcuffs, there had to be some kind of exchange before it got to that point.
I really don't think this is a case of Islamophobia. It is being held up as an example of that, but I think the escalation has more to do with the no tolerance policy most every school has towards weapons these days. Kids get in trouble ALL the time for things that are clearly not actually weapons, but that resemble or are a caricature of weapons. That is the world we live in. A white kid would not have gotten an A+ for bringing that to school either, especially post 9/11 and even post the Oklahoma City bombing. That's why it would be really interesting to know what the dialogue was between Ahmed and teachers/school admin and with the police. A white kid would have gotten in trouble for that, but it wouldn't make news at the same level and they wouldn't be getting a trip to the White House, they would just be a prankster, though these days it might get them in legal trouble for communicating threats or some such thing.
Again, the school and police responded like idiots, but there's no way this is worth $15 million. I think the payoff was already probably better than what was planned on given how this took off in national media. It was a pretty crafty social experiment prank, but don't punish people (tax payers) who had nothing to do with it by bringing a frivolous lawsuit. And trying to use it as an example of proof positive Islamophobia is completely flawed because schools + weapons = guaranteed freak out regardless of race.
One, it is clear, even from the bad pictures, that Ahmed's clock is $20 in stuff from Wal-Mart thrown together. Quite nearly any 14 year old could have made that. If he is a genius, it is not because of alarm clock guts put in a little case.
Two, it's clear, even from the bad pictures, that it's not a real suitcase bomb, and someone with some sense should have figured that out quickly before the kid was ever put in handcuffs or any of that. His clock does look like a caricature of a bomb, but someone with half a clue should have been able to figure out this was some kind of prank right off the bat. That's why I really can't understand how this happened, but it looks like Ahmed's father probably hit the jackpot better than even he imagined.
It would have been interesting to know what the dialogue was that went on when he brought this to school. What did he say when first confronted? What was the response of the first people to see the clock in a box? Unless there was a cop in the classroom with handcuffs, there had to be some kind of exchange before it got to that point.
I really don't think this is a case of Islamophobia. It is being held up as an example of that, but I think the escalation has more to do with the no tolerance policy most every school has towards weapons these days. Kids get in trouble ALL the time for things that are clearly not actually weapons, but that resemble or are a caricature of weapons. That is the world we live in. A white kid would not have gotten an A+ for bringing that to school either, especially post 9/11 and even post the Oklahoma City bombing. That's why it would be really interesting to know what the dialogue was between Ahmed and teachers/school admin and with the police. A white kid would have gotten in trouble for that, but it wouldn't make news at the same level and they wouldn't be getting a trip to the White House, they would just be a prankster, though these days it might get them in legal trouble for communicating threats or some such thing.
Again, the school and police responded like idiots, but there's no way this is worth $15 million. I think the payoff was already probably better than what was planned on given how this took off in national media. It was a pretty crafty social experiment prank, but don't punish people (tax payers) who had nothing to do with it by bringing a frivolous lawsuit. And trying to use it as an example of proof positive Islamophobia is completely flawed because schools + weapons = guaranteed freak out regardless of race.
I was on his side at first. School administration is dumb and paranoid. But now? Forget this. I've never liked chiselers.
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