# 14-year-old arrested for building a clock **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 16, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481 "2015-09-16T16:15:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/21 "2015-09-16T22:40:08Z")
sorry, wrong link. its $120 at Amazon > **[Amazon.com: Snap Circuits Extreme SC-750R Electronics Exploration Kit + Student...](https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-750R-Electronics-Exploration/dp/B000IXMP6Q)** > > Amazon.com: Snap Circuits Extreme SC-750R Electronics Exploration Kit + Student Training Program with Student Study Guide | Perfect for STEM Curriculum : Toys & Games My first electronics trainer came from from Radio Shack. it was about $30 and I built a couple dozen circuits with it. This was in high school and then later I got a 2 year Associates degree in Electronics. Those trainers are great student tools. But th ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/22 "2015-09-16T22:41:53Z")
Friend of mine in high school made contact explosives out of crystallized iodine for fun. I was never able to master that art. Of course, we were both pasty. ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/23 "2015-09-17T00:45:19Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > The official line at the moment seems to be that it was a “hoax bomb.” His saying repeatedly that it was nothing but a clock somehow proved it _was_ a hoax bomb, thus justifying his detention and suspension. Morton’s fork. Some teacher decided the device built by Mr. Mohamed looked like a bomb. Therefore, if he says it’s a bomb, it’s a bomb, and if he says it’s not a bomb, it’s a hoax bomb. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/24 "2015-09-17T01:55:14Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Friend of mine in high school made contact explosives out of crystallized iodine for fun. I was never able to master that art. > > Of course, we were both pasty. If I recall correctly, the chemistry class painted parts of the hallway floor with those crystals on open house night at my high school (30 years ago). Fun for all (just a small boom and some smoke whenever anyone stepped on the right spot). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mr.Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Me)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/25 "2015-09-17T01:59:47Z")
Some guys in the electronics class in my high school actually built, er, circuits that would slowly critically overcharge large electrolytic capacitors; resulting in sudden catastrophic failure of the components, with very audible (and smoky) results. If such a stunt were pulled today, who knows what kind of shitstorm would ensue. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/26 "2015-09-17T02:15:15Z")
Too be fair, I suspect any kid that brought that electronic project to school would have caused an uproar. People these days are frightened by any science or tech they don’t understand. They don’t really know what’s required to make a bomb, but (from movies) they know electronics are part of them. It’s sad that even teachers don’t know any better, but they are trained to report anything they think might be suspicious. grude makes a good point that Chemistry has been ruined for many kids. Now electronics. Anything that might be used in a bad way scares people. They still teach high school chemistry but I don’t think they use the volatile chemicals we had access to 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/27 "2015-09-17T02:39:02Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > People these days are frightened by any science or tech they don’t understand. Og no understand. Og _smash!_ :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/28 "2015-09-17T02:46:19Z")
In my day we called them science projects. Now they are hoax bombs? Progress. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/29 "2015-09-17T02:48:04Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Friend of mine in high school made contact explosives out of crystallized iodine for fun. I was never able to master that art I did that! That stuff was fun! Until the little stash in the closet spontaneously went off and corroded the metal parts of the vacuum cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/30 "2015-09-17T02:59:10Z")
I wonder how many junior high and high schools still have science clubs? I always participated. There was a teacher present and we built a lot of cool stuff. Chemistry projects and electronics. We could go by the lab and drop materials or projects off before homeroom. That way we weren’t carrying it around the school or putting it in our lockers. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/31 "2015-09-17T07:44:34Z")
> [@RO: This is totally going to kill Bring Your Clock to School Day](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/71): > > Massachusetts law, in my all-too-quick survey, seems to be more rigid, stipulating that an offense exists only if the hoax device is used with the intent to cause “anxiety, unrest, fear, or personal discomfort.” So there wasn’t any reason to charge the MIT student. > [@RO: This is totally going to kill Bring Your Clock to School Day](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/72): > > “Reasonably appears” is the key phrase there. A circuit board with a wire and a digital display does not reasonably appear to be a bomb. Speaking of how reasonable and rational the Massachesetts folk are, does anybody remember the [2007 Boston bomb scare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Boston_bomb_scare)? Guy makes a bunch of little boxes with a matrix of lights representing some cartoon character, and puts them up in a bunch of places, as part of a PR campaign. Panic ensues. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/32 "2015-09-17T10:53:37Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Friend of mine in high school made contact explosives out of crystallized iodine for fun. I was never able to master that art. > > Of course, we were both pasty. Hah! I did this many times - once out in the open in Chemistry class. When the teach wondered by, she asked what I was doing, and I said “Making Nitrogen Tri-Iodide.” She looked at me in shock, and said “That’s a contact explosive!” (as if I didn’t know…) She said - “pour it down the sink,” and stood there while I did… Another time, I demonstrated a new time-delay fuse for a friend of mine. I had learned about very long time-constant circuits (large capacitor, large resistor, Op-amp comparator, transistor switch), and I triggered it while I was talking to some friends. We talked for 10 minutes, and worked on our schoolwork, and then the circuit triggered the model rocket ignitor, which burst into flames. It really made my friend John jump! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/33 "2015-09-17T21:14:46Z")
And… Here’s what the howler monkeys are sayng. > [@Dark B](#): > > Bob you are one of the moron majority of people in this country with their head in the Sahara Desert Sand… > > Over reacting? Seriously? > > We are in an active state of War with ISIS, a Muslim Radical Group, and a Muslim 14 year old brought nothing more than a detonator to class. > > You are a fool to believe it is just #% simple clock, over reacting? Wow I am amazed how stupid you are to give the benefit of the doubt to this Muslim. > > I have seen pictures of 7 year old Muslim Children using an RPG, so do not even think this 14 year old is not capable of creating an explosive device, and furthermore the way America is treating this kid like he is the next Messiah…he is a foolish boy who brought a questionable device to a class room period. > > And you Bob are kissing this Kids boots, apologizing cause he was arrested…just like Muslim Lover Obama. > > Sorry not in this day and age this don’t fly with me and I am not alone. IOW, we are at war with DAESH, therefore all Muslims are terrorists; thus the so-called ‘clock’ can be nothing other than a detonator timer. This ‘thinking’ is what intelligent people are fighting against. Unfortunately, stupidity is immune from intelligence. Next we’ll be seeing Muslim kids arrested because they have cell phones – which are well known triggering devices. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/34 "2015-09-17T21:36:57Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > But no, there’s no racism here. I’m sure if a White, nerdy, Christian kid built a clock, he’d be arrested too. I agree. Nerdy white kids have been arrested for having [fishing supplies](http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/02/felony-weapons-charge-for-student-who-brought-fishing-supplies-to-school/), [maple leaves](https://reason.com/blog/2015/09/16/zero-tolerance-insanity-gifted-talented), and [T-shirts](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/13/mom-sues-school-board-for-teens-arrest-suspension-/) to school. Idiotic government officials don’t discriminate; they’re idiotic towards everybody. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/35 "2015-09-18T05:01:01Z")
It looks obvious to me he made a gag bomb as a joke (I agree he is not a terrorist). I don’t think in the age of smartphones he would be so naive as to think anyone would be impressed with something that large in a valise that only told the time. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/36 "2015-09-18T09:11:14Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It looks obvious to me he made a gag bomb as a joke (I agree he is not a terrorist). I don’t think in the age of smartphones he would be so naive as to think anyone would be impressed with something that large in a valise that only told the time. How large was the last digital clock that you designed and built? ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/37 "2015-09-18T12:34:15Z")
Saying he designed and built that as opposed to taking apart a Wal-Mart clock and sticking it in a Wal-Mart pencil case, is a stretch. As for what kind of tech gags I did as a teenager, I already answered a similar question in length in the Pit. But if there are many people reading this who are not reading that thread, I can recapitulate that story if you wish. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/38 "2015-09-18T22:49:53Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It looks obvious to me he made a gag bomb as a joke (I agree he is not a terrorist). I don’t think in the age of smartphones he would be so naive as to think anyone would be impressed with something that large in a valise that only told the time. All the statements show that he repeatedly said it was not a bomb. I think he thought it looked cool. And, frankly, having seeing it, it kinda did. It still did not look like a bomb, and the school clearly did not actually think it was a bomb. No evacuation, no bomb squad. They didn’t even try to get away from it. But, yes, it was likely just him taking an alarm clock out and putting it in another case. Though, since it went off in his backpack, I have to think he at least made it run on DC instead of AC, evne if he did leave the transformer in it. What gets me is that the school has every chance to say it wasn’t racially motivated, but has not, unless I missed it. (And I’m sure posting that will be the fastest way to find out I’m wrong.) ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/39 "2015-09-19T00:47:56Z")
They did say, pretty immediately, something about it having nothing to do with race and that they would have done the same with any student. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481/40 "2015-09-19T01:14:56Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > They did say, pretty immediately, something about it having nothing to do with race and that they would have done the same with any student. OTOH, one officer said, ‘That’s who I thought it was.’ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-year-old-arrested-for-building-a-clock/731481.md?page=3)