# RO: This is totally going to kill Bring Your Clock to School Day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 16, 2015, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454 "2015-09-16T08:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/821 "2015-09-24T16:11:04Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I understand the impulse to circle the progressive wagons, and it doesn’t help when idiotic shitflingers spout gibberish about it. And honestly, if I thought President Obama or any prominent Democrat was somehow implicated in this, I would probably be in favor of backing away from raising questions about it. But as long as I feel comfortable that they can if necessary just say “oops, we gave the kid the benefit of the doubt”, I’m not going to help sweep it under the rug just because that’s what my “team” is doing. I have no idea what you’re trying to say here. Are you accusing those of us who’ve participated in this 800+ post thread (and who presumably have no other public spokesperson responsibilities) of backing away from raising questions? That’s bizarre. Also, you haven’t explained why the Fox idiocies are in any way something that should incline the White House towards embarrassment for their stance regarding Ahmed or youth education in general. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/822 "2015-09-24T16:14:38Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > It’s a good thing that the kid didn’t draw a picture of a handgun. Obama might have ordered his AG to send the two-dimensional firearm to a Mexican drug cartel as fast and furiously as she could. :rolleyes: Sweet analogy, bro. You’re like Dennis Miller with severe head trauma. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/823 "2015-09-24T16:15:13Z")
Responding to silly conspiracy theories and accusations by calling them silly isn’t really “circling the wagons”. On the other hand, using the phrase “circling the wagons” is a pretty ham-handed way of implying “You guys all know I’m right but you just won’t admit it”. That’s not the case here: the conspiracy theories and accusations remain silly. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/824 "2015-09-24T16:15:23Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > The clock has a NEMA plug to allow it to be connected to a 110V wall socket - the battery is meant as a backup for blackouts. Just so. The cord connects to a transformer, and looks like the connections are not insulated. Since there is no penetration in the case for the cord, the case has to be opened to allow use of the plug. This presents a safety hazard. Also a reliability issue, since the transformer is not secured in the casement. All of which should be relevant to a teacher or mentor helping Ahmed improve his design skills, but is not relevant to the WH response. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/825 "2015-09-24T16:20:16Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > A fire hazard?? A shock hazard?? From a nine volt battery?? You should know how foolish that makes you look. Did you see the picture of the uncased clock in the briefcase? It’s available on the internet. Maybe you’re talking about a different uncased clock in a briefcase? [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ahmed\_Mohamed\_device.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ahmed_Mohamed_device.jpg) Sorry if that picture makes you look more foolish than you actually are. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/826 "2015-09-24T16:22:51Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Did you see the picture of the uncased clock in the briefcase? It’s available on the internet. Maybe you’re talking about a different uncased clock in a briefcase? > > [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ahmed\_Mohamed\_device.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ahmed_Mohamed_device.jpg) Yes. And? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/827 "2015-09-24T16:33:16Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Yes. And? Yes, you did you see the picture of the uncased clock in the briefcase? or Yes, maybe you’re talking about a different uncased clock in a briefcase? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/828 "2015-09-24T16:48:27Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Please reply on this issue. Specifically, Obama tweeted several hours after the photo was released. This is pretty easy to check. Don’t you see the irony in not getting your facts together before you spew forth criticism that Obama should get his facts together before spewing forth? Sorry I’m late getting back to you, but… There’s nothing to respond to, you cretinous jackass. Try reading for comprehension before your fervor makes you look even stupider. Do you understand the word “IF”? If not, try looking it up. I wrote “someone upthread mentioned that Obama had sent the message”. That would be **Steronz** in post 656. I was just referencing that. Nowhere did I say it was a fact. You left this angry post earlier: > [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > What evidence is there that Obama tweeted before seeing the clock? > > The tweet apparently came at 12:58 PM on the 16th, according to this: > > [http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/09/16/president-obama-tweets-muslim-boy-whose-homemade-clock-was-mistaken-for-bomb](http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/09/16/president-obama-tweets-muslim-boy-whose-homemade-clock-was-mistaken-for-bomb) > > The photo was released at the time of the Irving Police press statement, which had occurred “late in the morning” of the 16th, as per: > [http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/dallas-county/2015/09/16/irving-police-chief-student-macharthur-high-school-bomb-scare/32501713/](http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/dallas-county/2015/09/16/irving-police-chief-student-macharthur-high-school-bomb-scare/32501713/) > > It’s funny that people criticizing Obama for acting without sufficient information would get the information so wrong. And I thought, “Is he talking about me? Naw, he can’t be, because I never said that”. I’m not even sure Steronz believed it, he was (ahem) just asking the question. Then you come back and confirm that, yes, you did mean me. So I guess you are the one who should be checking his facts before spewing. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/829 "2015-09-24T16:54:20Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Sorry I’m late getting back to you, but… > > There’s nothing to respond to, you cretinous jackass. Try reading for comprehension before your fervor makes you look even stupider. > > Do you understand the word “IF”? If not, try looking it up. I wrote “someone upthread mentioned that Obama had sent the message”. That would be **Steronz** in post 656. I was just referencing that. Nowhere did I say it was a fact. > > You left this angry post earlier: > And I thought, “Is he talking about me? Naw, he can’t be, because I never said that”. I’m not even sure Steronz believed it, he was (ahem) just asking the question. > > Then you come back and confirm that, yes, you did mean me. So I guess you are the one who should be checking his facts before spewing. I certainly did notice your “if” and then noticed you followed it up with a few more lines of rant about how bad it is for Obama to do stuff like this. In this context, your “if” carries about as much exculpatory weight as the question mark at the end of a Fox chyron. “Is Obama a bloodthirsy Muslim terrorist?” Especially when the if in question is really very easily checked out. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/830 "2015-09-24T16:55:46Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Sweet analogy, bro. You’re like Dennis Miller with severe head trauma. In fairness, _Dennis Miller_ is like Dennis Miller with severe head trauma. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/831 "2015-09-24T17:05:49Z")
> [@andros](#): > > In fairness, _Dennis Miller_ is like Dennis Miller with severe head trauma. CTE would certainly explain a lot about him. Wonder if he played football in high school? I remember that there was a time when he was actually funny in a reasonably intelligent way. Now he’s neither. ---
**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 24, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/832 "2015-09-24T17:15:09Z")
Dennis Miller used to do the best “meta” riffs, replete with delightfully obscure cultural references. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/833 "2015-09-24T17:19:13Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Wait, now it’s fraud? How exactly did this boy defraud the president and Mark Zuckerberg? Well \*obviously \*the only reason the kid reassembled a clock in his lunch box was to get free shit from a free tour of the White House. Why else could he possibly have done what he did ?! He’s just playing the system. Pretend you made a clock, bam, White House, pile of complimentary geegaws. Every budding clockmaker knows this, they just keep it hush-hush. In entirely unrelated knews, I know _post hoc ergo propter hoc_, but is there a term for the “Y after X, therefore X was done to get Y” fallacy ? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/834 "2015-09-24T17:21:47Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > CTE would certainly explain a lot about him. Wonder if he played football in high school? I remember that there was a time when he was actually funny in a reasonably intelligent way. Now he’s neither. He used to be hilarious. 9/11 scared the funny right out of him. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/835 "2015-09-24T17:33:17Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > I certainly did notice your “if” and then noticed you followed it up with a few more lines of rant about how bad it is for Obama to do stuff like this. > > In this context, your “if” carries about as much exculpatory weight as the question mark at the end of a Fox chyron. “Is Obama a bloodthirsy Muslim terrorist?” Especially when the if in question is really very easily checked out. Now change “Obama” to “Brady” … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/836 "2015-09-24T17:47:40Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Dennis Miller used to do the best “meta” riffs, replete with delightfully obscure cultural references. > **[Miller Time: White House compares President to Pope | Fox News Video](https://www.foxnews.com/video/4504530201001?playlist_id=932683206001)** > > Comedian sounds off ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/837 "2015-09-24T17:55:49Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > He used to be hilarious. 9/11 scared the funny right out of him. From what I heard he’s always been ultra right wing, he just didn’t talk about it on his show. Once Dubya took office he went from busting the establishment’s chops to kissing it’s ass. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/838 "2015-09-24T18:11:56Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > From what I heard he’s always been ultra right wing, he just didn’t talk about it on his show. Once Dubya took office he went from busting the establishment’s chops to kissing it’s ass. I’d disagree. I was a huge fan back in the day. I had his Off-white Album, his Black and White show on video and I saw him live a couple times. The president back then was a Republican, and Miller in his material professed to being for individual liberties across the board. He was perhaps some kind of libertarian, but hardly “ultra right wing.” ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/839 "2015-09-24T18:40:43Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > I’d disagree. I was a huge fan back in the day. I had his Off-white Album, his Black and White show on video and I saw him live a couple times. The president back then was a Republican, and Miller in his material professed to being for individual liberties across the board. He was perhaps some kind of libertarian, but hardly “ultra right wing.” I too have those albums, and I saw him live in Seattle. Maybe ultra right wing is not the right descriptor, but when he suddenly became a cheerleader for the right a lot of people went ‘wow what happened to him’, and people who knew him basically said ‘nothing happened, he’s always been this way’. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/840 "2015-09-24T18:46:08Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Sweet analogy, bro. You’re like Dennis Miller with severe head trauma. I want to thank you for bringing up Miller. I had no idea he was still on the air, much less a huge tweeter. [Just watched his latest rant](http://video.foxnews.com/v/4504530201001/miller-time-white-house-compares-president-to-pope/?playlist_id=932683206001#sp=show-clips) and added him to my twitter feed. Priceless. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454.md?page=43)