LEDs mistaken for a bomb at Logan airport

[Phantasee]

Jeez. I second DPDP.

Also, black hoodie? That makes me think of school shooter right there. I understand that hoodies aren't really a sign of a troubled mind, but in an airport, anything that can be suspicious, is. I think if you're going to an airport, at least wear some proper clothes, instead of shady clothes like a black hoodie.

Hell, I avoid the kids in the black hoodies when I'm walking on campus, which is one of the safest places to be.

[Darth Wong]

The basic problem I see here is they keep reporting this as if she intended this to be seen as a bomb. So far her statements lean towards its art and she was just not thinking when she wore it to the airport.. This shows a better picture of the board on the shirt.

She almost became a Darwin Award candidate because she didn't either realize or care that strapping a breadboard with flashing LED's to your chest while holding a handful of putty in an airport is a *bad idea* in a post 9/11 world.

To compound her suspicious appearance, she didn't even explain what the doohickey was until the cops got there:

The employee asked about the plastic circuit board on her chest, and Simpson walked away without responding, Pare said.

She may think of it as 'art', but such behavior in an airport is a damn good way to commit suicide by cop.

MIT student or not, she's a fucking idiot.

I'm not buying the idea that it was an innocent mistake. She did it on purpose, probably thinking it was really clever and humourous to fuck with the security people.

[Howedar]

Jeez. I second DPDP.

Also, black hoodie? That makes me think of school shooter right there. I understand that hoodies aren't really a sign of a troubled mind, but in an airport, anything that can be suspicious, is. I think if you're going to an airport, at least wear some proper clothes, instead of shady clothes like a black hoodie.

Hell, I avoid the kids in the black hoodies when I'm walking on campus, which is one of the safest places to be.

What the shit? You're afraid of sweatshirts?

[J]

He probably means something like the guy pictured below, it can give off bad vibes at times.

[Phantasee]

Actually, I do mean something like the guy pictured above. Some of these people are pretty damn shady. Especially with the hood up.

It's a little antisocial to walk around with your hood up, your hands in your pockets, avoiding eye contact with anyone. That's why people are suspicious of kids wearing those things.

[Howedar]

Yeah, or maybe it's... cold. I reiterate: what the shit? Are you retarded? Have you never utilized a hood and/or pockets?

[DPDarkPrimus]

Cold inside an airport?

How is it idiotic to be afraid of someone who is concealing their identity in a place that is full of security guards - while having some flashing lights strapped to their chest and gripping some unknown substance?

[SirNitram]

Cold inside an airport?

You've never been in the New York airports at 2 in the fucking morning, I see.

[Phantasee]

Howedar, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're trying to make the point that I shouldn't judge people based on what they wear.

To be perfectly honest, that's a nice idea, but it's not really all that great an idea in the real world. If I see those guys in the long black trench coat, with the long hair and the shades, should I think, "Philosophy student?" If I'm in the Arts corner of campus, sure. If I see the same guy walking around like that at night outside the movie theatre, I think it's fair to be suspicious.

Hoodies are good for when it's cold, yeah. I wear one. But I always go for one that doesn't look...shady is the only word I can think of. I have a blue one with white piping along the arms, and it has a huge Adidas logo on the bottom of the front. That's not very shady. Even the inside of the hood is white. Even then, if I put the hood on, people joke that they should call CSIS because I look like a terrorist (I have a fairly nice beard going on).

If I see someone walking around, hands out of sight, eyes down, face obscured either by their hood or by the angle of their head, should I just say, "Gee, it is pretty cold..."

I'm going to avoid that guy, because I don't know what he's thinking. If I could see his face, see his eyes, read his body language, then that's different.

For similar reasons, I avoid the black guys dressed up in matching tracksuits, shoes, and caps, that aren't affiliated with any local teams. They look shady, and they act aggressive.

I shouldn't judge someone, but as far as their clothes go, it's a fairly decent indicator of their thinking. It's a reflection of their state of mind, at the least.

[Phantasee]

Ghetto edit: Even when I'm in the Arts corner of campus, I'm a little suspicious of them. They are philosophy students, after all.

And the reading body language comment is in reference to the general bagginess of hoodies.

The contrast to the black guys in the blue tracksuits acting aggressive is the hoodie wearer acting generally antisocial: avoiding eye contact, not replying when a person says thank you or excuse me, or when someone holds a door for them. It's considered very odd around here to be that antisocial that you won't even respond when the pretty girls smile at you.

[Howedar]

Cold inside an airport?

How is it idiotic to be afraid of someone who is concealing their identity in a place that is full of security guards - while having some flashing lights strapped to their chest and gripping some unknown substance?

Hey dipshit, try reading the thread before you post in it!

"I think if you're going to an airport, at least wear some proper clothes, instead of shady clothes like a black hoodie.

Hell, I avoid the kids in the black hoodies when I'm walking on campus, which is one of the safest places to be."

Howedar, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're trying to make the point that I shouldn't judge people based on what they wear.

Consider yourself corrected. I'm trying to make the point that a sweatshirt is about as innocuous as you can get.

To be perfectly honest, that's a nice idea, but it's not really all that great an idea in the real world. If I see those guys in the long black trench coat, with the long hair and the shades, should I think, "Philosophy student?" If I'm in the Arts corner of campus, sure. If I see the same guy walking around like that at night outside the movie theatre, I think it's fair to be suspicious.

Of course you're going to be suspicious, you've just described a guy wearing all dark clothes and sunglasses walking around at night. This is in no way relevant to wearing a sweatshirt.

Hoodies are good for when it's cold, yeah. I wear one. But I always go for one that doesn't look...shady is the only word I can think of. I have a blue one with white piping along the arms, and it has a huge Adidas logo on the bottom of the front. That's not very shady.

Why, because it marks you as a corporate whore?

Even the inside of the hood is white. Even then, if I put the hood on, people joke that they should call CSIS because I look like a terrorist (I have a fairly nice beard going on).

I don't suppose I need to point out that making a joke based on an exaggerated stereotype doesn't imply that someone actually makes choices based on their jokes?

If I see someone walking around, hands out of sight, eyes down, face obscured either by their hood or by the angle of their head, should I just say, "Gee, it is pretty cold..."

Yes! Yes you should! That's what you do when you're cold! You keep your hands in your pockets and you duck your head to keep the majority of the wing off of your face!

I'm going to avoid that guy, because I don't know what he's thinking. If I could see his face, see his eyes, read his body language, then that's different.

If that is truly all you base your judgments on, you must lead a very self-restricted lifestle.

Go join the Panic Brigade.

For similar reasons, I avoid the black guys dressed up in matching tracksuits, shoes, and caps, that aren't affiliated with any local teams. They look shady, and they act aggressive.

Based on... what?

I shouldn't judge someone, but as far as their clothes go, it's a fairly decent indicator of their thinking. It's a reflection of their state of mind, at the least.

No, it's first and foremost a statement of the environmental requirements of being outside. But I shouldn't be surprised that you think this way when you think that it's especially relevant to mention which company's logo you proudly display across your chest.

[Phantasee]

I mentioned the logo because it's bright white, which I neglected to mention. Sorry.

The guys in the track suits? Dealers, most of them, wannabes for most of the rest.

And I'm still thinking of summertime, so I guess I should specify season. I don't know what the weather was like at the airport. But I saw enough of these shady characters all summer, with their dark hoodies on. You kind of learn to be suspicious of them.

I guess it depends on what the majority of people wear in your particular area though. Around here at least, dark hoodies are kind of abnormal. Sweatshirts are different though. I'm going to assume that you mean a hoody like J posted.

About the joke: I always understood them to be funny because someone, somewhere, would actually do that. Usually somewhere in the United States, to be honest.

I don't lead a very self-restricted life, I don't think. I enjoy making friends with otherwise complete strangers. It's just that when someone gives off that antisocial vibe, you kind of pay attention to it.

[Howedar]

Sure, if you call it summer, then that's an entirely different matter.

[ThatGuyFromThatPlace]

The breadboard itself could easily be mistaken for a block of plastic explosive from a distance, just idiotic.

As for Black Hoodies, I used to think that black hoodie+hands in pocket==Drug Dealer ||school shooter, but apparently its become high fashion for the indy-hipster sub-culture, who, for the most part, are actually quite nice and out-going people that just happen to resemble 90's drug dealers.
There's not accounting for taste.

[Julhelm]

How often, though, do suicide bombers walk into their target wearing the bombs outside their clothing plain to see for all?

[Pulp Hero]

The breadboard itself could easily be mistaken for a block of plastic explosive from a distance, just idiotic.

Maybe, but breadboards are used to create circuits, and those are used used in IEDs. Beside that just because there are no explosives attached to the breadboard, how do security people know that it is not part of some radio controlled IED?

Besides, how common is it for people to wear electronics on shirts? Before this article, I didn't know that it was something done by MIT students.

The security people were fully within their rights to react to a highly suspicious device. Maybe you should think of it in the terms of how a securit person would think rather than just saying "lol they freaked out over a breadboad, lolol tards!"

[Pulp Hero]

How often, though, do suicide bombers walk into their target wearing the bombs outside their clothing plain to see for all?

If somebody was walking through an airport with a factory packaged block of C-4 in there hand, then with your logic you wouldn't at least stop them?

[Drooling Iguana]

How often, though, do suicide bombers walk into their target wearing the bombs outside their clothing plain to see for all?

There's no rule that says that suicide bombers can't be stupidly incompetent.

[ThatGuyFromThatPlace]

The breadboard itself could easily be mistaken for a block of plastic explosive from a distance, just idiotic.

Maybe, but breadboards are used to create circuits, and those are used used in IEDs. Beside that just because there are no explosives attached to the breadboard, how do security people know that it is not part of some radio controlled IED?

Besides, how common is it for people to wear electronics on shirts? Before this article, I didn't know that it was something done by MIT students.

The security people were fully within their rights to react to a highly suspicious device. Maybe you should think of it in the terms of how a securit person would think rather than just saying "lol they freaked out over a breadboad, lolol tards!"

Wow, yes, I know what a breadboard is for, in fact, I use them daily in class.

I was commenting that this particular breadboard 9size, shape and color) also looked remarkably similar to a block of plastic explosive above and beyond the fact that as a breadboard it could have been used as a part of a detonator.

The girl was idiotic for wearing something like that in an airport.

[Pulp Hero]

The breadboard itself could easily be mistaken for a block of plastic explosive from a distance, just idiotic.

Maybe, but breadboards are used to create circuits, and those are used used in IEDs. Beside that just because there are no explosives attached to the breadboard, how do security people know that it is not part of some radio controlled IED?

Besides, how common is it for people to wear electronics on shirts? Before this article, I didn't know that it was something done by MIT students.

The security people were fully within their rights to react to a highly suspicious device. Maybe you should think of it in the terms of how a securit person would think rather than just saying "lol they freaked out over a breadboad, lolol tards!"

Wow, yes, I know what a breadboard is for, in fact, I use them daily in class.

I was commenting that this particular breadboard 9size, shape and color) also looked remarkably similar to a block of plastic explosive above and beyond the fact that as a breadboard it could have been used as a part of a detonator.

The girl was idiotic for wearing something like that in an airport.

Oh, my bad. I thought you were saying that the security people were being idiotic by mistaking her breadboard for plastic explosives or something.

My read-fu has failed me.

[Darth Wong]

How often, though, do suicide bombers walk into their target wearing the bombs outside their clothing plain to see for all?

Why do you expect security guards at airports to give you the benefit of the doubt? You make it sound like everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but that's only true in court. In an airport security screening area, you are guilty until proven innocent.

[aerius]

When you consider the number of lives which can potentially be placed at risk, airport security has to err on the side of caution, it goes with the job description. Giving people the benefit of the doubt results in blown up planes, hijackings, and lots of dead people.

[Darth Servo]

How often, though, do suicide bombers walk into their target wearing the bombs outside their clothing plain to see for all?

Why do you expect security guards at airports to give you the benefit of the doubt? You make it sound like everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but that's only true in court. In an airport security screening area, you are guilty until proven innocent.

Indeed. I can't believe people are actually trying to look at this through the eyes of a court case. The whole process of getting on a plane would constitute a MASSIVE invasion of privacy in the judiciary system. You have to pass through a metal detector, have your carry-ons X-rayed, your shoes examined etc. Makes me wonder if the people defending this person have ever even BEEN to an airport.

[Julhelm]

Indeed. I can't believe people are actually trying to look at this through the eyes of a court case. The whole process of getting on a plane would constitute a MASSIVE invasion of privacy in the judiciary system. You have to pass through a metal detector, have your carry-ons X-rayed, your shoes examined etc. Makes me wonder if the people defending this person have ever even BEEN to an airport.

My point is rather, the girl's behavior is so utterly pathetic and amateurish that she cannot reasonably be a determined suicide bomber.

It's suicide bomber, not suicide bomber. Your aim is to commit suicide for your cause by blowing up hundreds of people with you, and not by getting shot between the eyes by security because they could spot you wearing your bomb like a may 1st sign.

[Howedar]

To give a silly rebuttal to your silly argument, what if suicide bombers realized that security acted like this and therefore acted as silly and amateurish as possible in order to make themselves not look like a threat?