9th Grader Arrested in Houston for making ... a clock.

[Galenbo]

It is sad, when people think that guns -and the violence they bring- is part of the solution, not the problem.

So for the disarmers, step one should be to disarm the white house, pentagon, FBI, banks, politicians bodyguards.

Outlawing guns results in the fact that only the outlaws have guns. What we see in Europe.
Every criminal has guns, and their intrest group keeps their "working place" very safe for them.

[FrankBuss]

School rules dictate what a student may or may not do. And a lot of schools have explicit rules not to bring stuff to school that might disrupt class, like balls, ipads, pets etc.
You can argue what you want but if you want to learn at a school you have to obey school rules.

This is the right attitude, kids need education and thought control to be another brick in the wall, don't inspire them to do something creative or interesting. Don't question the school system, it is perfect

[Galenbo]

Ahmed has probably seen this blog, given its one of the largest electronics hobbyist blogs around. It would be great to hear his side of the whole story in detail.
...

Propably already too late for that.
There are too many details undocumented in the first minute, expect that everything is already remolded by huge intrest groups.

Don't expect a 14-year old boy to say B again if saying A brings him to the president.

[SL4P]

When I was Ahmed's age, (around 1972) I contacted IBM outside school protocol, and entered a team into a competition to build a compute engine from scratch... a few weeks later a carton of card frames and really simple logic modules from mainframes -- (no predefined design or goal schematics!) arrived at the school offices, I was given a lab, key and a few other kids to create what we wanted on the project (over... I think a six month period) to plan, draft, wire up, design, rewire, and burn out whatever we wanted - all 5/12V stuff - without a teacher in sight for the entire period.

That kind of trust and the ability to 'dive down a creative tunnel' with responsibility was priceless, and if I recall, our group came third in our school's region... (tbh we had a lot of fun, but we weren't disciplined enough at 16yo!)

[Tothwolf]

Disgusting.

In Texas, there are 25 million men, women and children; and 22 million guns. That's not freedom. That's stupidity on a massive scale.

Australia abandoned singing God Save the Queen as our national anthem (unfortunately God must have listened.) But Australians still celebrate the foreign Queen's birthday each year (when it isn't even her birthday) when we all take a day off work to join in the celebrations for this pompous relic. So when it comes to national stupidity, the US is not alone.

We can fix our national stupidity by becoming a republic and giving the Queen and her Crown the flick.
The US can fix its national stupidity by disarming its population.

Both easier said than done.

Not all Aussies share your irrational fear of firearms nor are they completely banned in Australia.

A common misconception is that firearms are illegal in Australia and that no individual may possess them. Although it is true that Australia has restrictive firearms laws, rifles and shotguns (both of which include semi-automatics), as well as handguns, are all legal within a narrow set of criteria.

Gun laws in Australia

Fast N' Loud S01E02 "Awesome Aussies & Olds"

The premise that guns == crime is a fallacy and is no different than the Muslim == terrorist garbage.

...and if that isn't enough to finally end these arguments, perhaps some real numbers will.

Mass hysteria and extremism are both dangerous and stupid, no matter the subject.

[dr.diesel]

The premise that guns == crime is a fallacy and is no different than the Muslim == terrorist garbage.

Yes, Yes and Yes.   

[Kjelt]

This is the right attitude, kids need education and thought control to be another brick in the wall, don't inspire them to do something creative or interesting. Don't question the school system, it is perfect

Different discussion not my point at all what should and should not be taught at school, now is it?
We all live in a (sub)society that has specific rules, if you do not obey those rules you face the consequences.
In school that is a reprimand or expellation, on work it is a reprimand or being fired, in society it is a bill or jail.
I think it is really worthwhile that kids already know that and not get away with breaking rules before they think it is normal and go on doing it on their jobs and in society.

[isaiahA]

 
they arrested him for bringing a clock to school? 

[cimmo]

School rules dictate what a student may or may not do. And a lot of schools have explicit rules not to bring stuff to school that might disrupt class, like balls, ipads, pets etc.
You can argue what you want but if you want to learn at a school you have to obey school rules.

I have already asked you to confirm exactly what school rule Ahmed broke.
Do you actually know, or are you just guessing? Just because you're a parent in another country, you assume that you know EVERYTHING about school rules, huh?

How again can a mains powered clock beep in class?

For someone ostensibly having some knowledge of things electronic (why would you be here otherwise?), you seem to be rather oblivious to things like "battery backup circuitry". Go have another look at the photo of that clock and tell me when you can see the 9v battery snap (battery presumably removed to make the beeping stop).

And the kid's clock was NOT in a "suitcase", but a much smaller "pencil case".

The foto is what was shown, that is what I and you should react on, I don't know pictures of a pencil case and frankly looking at the size of the pcb
I do not think that will fit, do you? Or what kind of pencil cases do they have in Australia? Here they are max. about 15 to 20cm long.

Exactly how big do you think that case is?
See the 9v snap? See the 110v power plug?
Extrapolating from the pin spacing of a 110v plug, that case was about 225mm wide.
That's a pretty small suitcase.
(Actually, on close inspection, the case Ahmed used is almost identical to one I have for my camera.)

But I stop now, since obviously I get the impression that everybody here thinks kids should take anything everywhere.
Those that do, check your childs suitcase before taking an international flight or your holiday might look completely different than you imagined.

You obviously still think this kid was up to no good.
Well, you're entitled to your opinion of course, but opinions are just like arseholes...

[vk6zgo]

It is sad, when people think that guns -and the violence they bring- is part of the solution, not the problem.

So for the disarmers, step one should be to disarm the white house, pentagon, FBI, banks, politicians bodyguards.

Outlawing guns results in the fact that only the outlaws have guns. What we see in Europe.
Every criminal has guns, and their intrest group keeps their "working place" very safe for them.

Contrary to the bulldust generated by the NRA & suchlike,private citizens in Australia do possess guns.

We never had "open slather"(with the possible exception of Queensland).
Criteria for such possession always was quite strict.

The rules were further"tightened up" after the Port Arthur massacre of 1996.
Honest people who are really serious about their need for guns & can make a case,will have registered ones.

The upside,is that people with unregistered guns are quite likely to be criminals (or "outlaws",if you like),& that gives the Cops a "handle" to look for other illegal stuff.

And they do find such stuff in Oz,from stolen property,to amphetamines,to many thousands of dollars of illegal profits in cash.

[wraper]

Outlawing guns results in the fact that only the outlaws have guns. What we see in Europe.
Every criminal has guns, and their intrest group keeps their "working place" very safe for them.

Bullshit, most of them don't possess guns. Especially lesser criminals. Despite high criminality rate where I live, using guns is something very exceptional among the crimes done.

[Kjelt]

I have already asked you to confirm exactly what school rule Ahmed broke.
Do you actually know, or are you just guessing? Just because you're a parent in another country, you assume that you know EVERYTHING about school rules, huh?

I have no clue what the rules in your town are but in civilized countries there are rules that does not allow students to bring certain stuff to school.
Just a short Google on "American school rules"gave a hit for just an american school:
http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/15/k519/aboutus/policies/rulesregulations.htm
It states clearly

•Radios, ipods, tape recorders, CD players, cameras and other electronic devices should not be brought to school.

So he broke that rule. Clear, end of that part of the discussion.

Well, you're entitled to your opinion of course, but opinions are just like arseholes...

Nice that shows me who I am discussing with. End of discussion what me concerned, have a nice day.

[cimmo]

Well, you're entitled to your opinion of course, but opinions are just like arseholes...

Nice that shows me who I am discussing with. End of discussion what me concerned, have a nice day.

You've never heard of that idiom?
Not surprising, since you've never heard of a battery backup circuit, either.

[JoeO]

On the same day that Obama was praising the boy and inviting him to the White House, the White House was in lock down.  Someone found a suspicious package, across the street in Lafayette park.
The package contained a coffee mug.
http://www.newsweek.com/white-house-placed-lockdown-obama-373003

[AF6LJ]

"US President Obama invited bomb tinkerer to the white house"

Was it Bill Ayers?

+1

[VK3DRB]

Not all Aussies share your irrational fear of firearms nor are they completely banned in Australia.

Who said I had an irrational fear of firearms? I am not scared of guns. I have fired pistols, rifles, shotguns in Texas. But when I see pawn brokers selling guns and even guns being sold privately at garage sales, and when I visit a friend in Hutto who has is lounge room wall plastered with dozens of guns (no burglar alarm), and when I had a friend get a pistol put to his head to get his wallet at the ATM in Houston, it made me think something is not quite right.

In any case, you have to mitigate risk and to do that you need tough gun laws, enforcing strict laws of containment, and mandatory training, AND that includes reducing the sheer number of firearms.

One of the problems in the US, Wayne LaPierre and his NRA are a very powerful lobby. Take away their guns or restrict ownership of semi automatic weapons and you are branded an enemy of freedom and the Second Amendment. Similarly, with the super rich lobby, make them pay their fair share of taxes and you are branded a communist and you lose the next election. Hence why these problems have not been fixed.

I question whether this dickhead even knows what freedom is... https://www.nranews.com/series/freedoms-safest-place/video/freedoms-safest-place-my-freedom/list/freedoms-safest-place. Freedom is not living in fear of getting shot. I would like to hear the NRA's excuse for this... http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/australian-athlete-shot-bored-oklahoma-teens-felled-single-bullet-autopsy-article-1.1438202

[zapta]

I would like to hear the NRA's excuse for this... http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/australian-athlete-shot-bored-oklahoma-teens-felled-single-bullet-autopsy-article-1.1438202

You are confusing freedom with utopia. Freedom doesn't guaranty any specific outcome.

[AF6LJ]

Not all Aussies share your irrational fear of firearms nor are they completely banned in Australia.

Who said I had an irrational fear of firearms? I am not scared of guns. I have fired pistols, rifles, shotguns in Texas. But when I see pawn brokers selling guns and even guns being sold privately at garage sales, and when I visit a friend in Hutto who has is lounge room wall plastered with dozens of guns (no burglar alarm), and when I had a friend get a pistol put to his head to get his wallet at the ATM in Houston, it made me think something is not quite right. According to you, I was just being irrational with such a thought.

I don't think you get it. If you have 22 million guns lurking among 25 million people, there is a higher probability of some ending up in the wrong hands and a higher probability of young children in a primary school getting their heads blown off, compared to a society with far fewer guns. In any case, you have to mitigate risk and to do that you need tough gun laws, enforcing strict laws of containment, and mandatory training, AND that includes reducing the sheer number of firearms.

One of the problems in the US, Wayne LaPierre and his NRA are a very powerful lobby. Take away their guns and you are branded an enemy of freedom and the Second Amendment and you will lose the next election. Similarly, with the super rich lobby, make them pay their fair share of taxes and you are branded a communist and you lose the next election. Hence why these problems have not been fixed.

I question whether this dick head even knows what freedom is... https://www.nranews.com/series/freedoms-safest-place/video/freedoms-safest-place-my-freedom/list/freedoms-safest-place. Freedom is not living in fear of getting shot. I would like to hear the NRA's excuse for this... http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/australian-athlete-shot-bored-oklahoma-teens-felled-single-bullet-autopsy-article-1.1438202

he certianly does know what freedom is, and I would refer you to our Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

On the one hand you say you are not afraid of guns, most of this post shows that you in face are. Furthermore, you wouldn't like it if I was to start running down your culture, even if I had only visited there.

I do agree iwth one thing;
There is a problem with only 22 million guns in Texas, there isn't enough for every person to have a pistol and a long rifle. Every person in this country should be required to pass a gun safety course by the time they reach the eighth grade. So yes from my point of view We have some issues here and I have stated them.

As for freedom, I don't think you understand what freedom is;
Freedom is being able to go about your business and take responsibility for any negative side effects of your actions. Damage to a person's property life or reputation. Freedom also means you are left alone, you don't have the government up your backside playing Nanny, and henpecking you at every turn.

When Seconds Count,
the Police are Minutes Away,
Take Charge of your own safety.

[C]

Using the no gun bit that is to keep you safe.

You make the City management mad.
The City management asks the police to put you in jail.
The police find someone to say "You have a Gun'
Following full legal process, search and find no gun.
Wanting to put you in jail because you made City management mad, the police start looking for any other way to put you in jail.
Guess what, you are in jail.

and other electronic devices should not be brought to school.

That is an open ended cause almost any one a problem rule.

Better not bring to school
 a electronic wrist watch.
 a USB flash drive.

C

 

[AF6LJ]

I would like to hear the NRA's excuse for this... http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/australian-athlete-shot-bored-oklahoma-teens-felled-single-bullet-autopsy-article-1.1438202

You are confusing freedom with utopia. Freedom doesn't guaranty any specific outcome.

I also think there is a certain mentality that life must be risk free.
To those people I say sober up and deal with life on life's terms.

[VK3DRB]

Ask 10 people what "freedom" is and you will get 10 different answers.

[FrankBuss]

•Radios, ipods, tape recorders, CD players, cameras and other electronic devices should not be brought to school.

So he broke that rule. Clear, end of that part of the discussion.

US schools are famous for their science fair projects (well, at least in the movies I know, I don't live there). The regulations page you quoted has no exception for the rule not to bring any electronics device to school. This means every student with such a device breaks the rule on the science fair day.

There are always sensible exceptions from written rules. Showing a DIY clock to a science teacher looks very normal for me. But I agree that it is a bit suspicious if a hidden device suddenly beeps. Of course, calling the police was absurd.

[retrolefty]

Ask 10 people what "freedom" is and you will get 10 different answers.

 Your right, that's why it's called Freedom of Choice.   

[wraper]

Ask 10 people what "freedom" is and you will get 10 different answers.

 Your right, that's why it's called Freedom of Choice.   

Like choosing between hamburger and cheeseburger. Making apparent freedom of predefined choices is a good way how to reliably control stupid brainwashed masses.

[retrolefty]

Ask 10 people what "freedom" is and you will get 10 different answers.

 Your right, that's why it's called Freedom of Choice.   

Like choosing between hamburger and cheeseburger. Making apparent freedom of predefined choices is a good way how to reliably control stupid brainwashed masses.

 So those 'stupid brainwashed masses' need their choices made or predefined for them by which enlighten elite?

 I belive most of my rights and freedoms, stated or unstated, are a limit on Government, not the other way around.