[pro2am]

I thought MIT students were supposed to be smart?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297593,00.html

BOSTON â€" An MIT student with a fake bomb strapped to her chest was arrested at gunpoint Friday at Logan International Airport and later claimed it was artwork, officials said.

Star Simpson, 19, had a computer circuit board and wiring in plain view over a black hooded sweat shirt she was wearing, said State Police Maj. Scott Pare, the commanding officer at the airport.

"She said that it was a piece of art and she wanted to stand out on career day," Pare said at a news conference. "She claims that it was just art, and that she was proud of the art and she wanted to display it."

The device had wires connected to a battery, allowing it to light up, he said. Simpson also had Play-Doh in her hands, he said.

Simpson was charged with disturbing the peace and possessing a hoax device, and was to be arraigned in East Boston District Court later Friday.

"I'm shocked and appalled that somebody would wear this type of device to an airport," Pare said.

Simpson was "extremely lucky she followed the instructions or deadly force would have been used," Pare said. "She's lucky to be in a cell as opposed to the morgue."

Simpson is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology sophomore from Hawaii, officials said. A spokeswoman for MIT had no immediate comment.

She was arrested about 8 a.m. outside Terminal C, home to United Airlines, Jet Blue and other carriers.

A Massachusetts Port Authority staffer manning an information booth in the terminal became suspicious when Simpson â€" wearing the device â€" approached to ask about an incoming flight, Pare said. Simpson then walked outside, and the information booth attendant notified a nearby trooper.

The trooper, joined by others with submachine guns, confronted her at a traffic island in front of the terminal.

Pare said Simpson took a subway to the airport, but he was not sure if she had the device on at that time.

"She was allegedly picking somebody up," said Pare.

The major praised the booth attendant but said the incident is a reminder of the terrorism threat confronting the civil aviation system. Two of the four passenger jets hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, took off from Logan.

"In this day and age, the threat continues to be there," said Pare. "She certainly jeopardized her own safety by bringing this to the airport, as well as the safety of everybody around her."

The city was the focus of a major security scare Jan. 31 when dozens of battery-powered devices were discovered in various locations. Bomb squads were deployed, and highways, bridges and some transit stations were temporarily closed. They turned out to be a promotion for cable TV's Cartoon Network.

 

[ThetaReactor]

They're also known for pranks. Some people, it would seem, just don't have the knack for it... :roll:

 

[budder]

They're also known for pranks. Some people, it would seem, just don't have the knack for it... :roll:

Where did you get the idea that this was a prank?

 

[Hawkdriver]

Security is at fault because they arrested here. It's only art right?

But think about if they let her go through. She would be complaining about the bad security and how someone with something that looked so much like a bomb could get through.

I think she was setting Logan up for failure no matter what the outcome was.

They could of shot her to prevent her from reaching the detonation button when they first saw the setup. I guess things could of been worse huh.

 

[Hawkdriver]

ALSO,

By conducting her little prank she may just have distracted security long enough for a real threat to present itself.

WTF is wrong with people?

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

:shoot: :shattered:
Definitely calls for headshots.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

They're also known for pranks. Some people, it would seem, just don't have the knack for it... :roll:

Yeah, it would have been even funnier if she was in a burqua and shouting alluha ahkbar as she went through security at the airport, huh?

Ha, ha, ha . . . oh, so funny MIT girl you oh so funny

:roll:

 

[budder]

Still not sure where you guys are getting the report that she tried to go through security. Also, what makes this different from a kid's light-up shoes?

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

what makes this different from a kid's light-up shoes?

I guess nothing. I never really thought about that before. Now I see. Yes, the men with submachine guns should definitely "light" up the 5 year old kids with light-up shoes.

 

[lsu_nonleg]

Career day. TFG I was home this week and not in Boston.
Too bad nobody got to play Terry Tate on her ass.
MIT students also like to sleep on benches using their text books as pillows in the middle of the day.

 

[budder]

what makes this different from a kid's light-up shoes?

I guess nothing. I never really thought about that before. Now I see. Yes, the men with submachine guns should definitely "light" up the 5 year old kids with light-up shoes.

TSA: Protecting you from ugly shoes since 2007

 

[ThetaReactor]

They're also known for pranks. Some people, it would seem, just don't have the knack for it... :roll:

Where did you get the idea that this was a prank?

She claims it was "art", yet there was certainly some mischievous intent. It sounds to me like it was an attempt at being funny and/or clever which failed miserably.

 

[wsweeks2]

This instance IMO is the same as the SCOTUS ruling regarding someone yelling "Fire" in a crowded theatre.

 

[budder]

They're also known for pranks. Some people, it would seem, just don't have the knack for it... :roll:

Where did you get the idea that this was a prank?

She claims it was "art", yet there was certainly some mischievous intent. It sounds to me like it was an attempt at being funny and/or clever which failed miserably.

How do you know there was mischievous intent? If she was going to pick up her friend like she claims, why not show off her most recently completed project? I just don't really understand why anyone would think this is "funny and/or clever," so I don't understand the prank angle. I would understand her not being familiar with Boston's ridiculousness (Just starting her second year in college away from Hawaii) and wanting to show off. Maybe she's just stupid, but I find intent hard to swallow.

EDIT:

Update 6: Christy from Instructables.com (Simpson is a regular participant on the site) says:

Star was an intern at Squid Labs this summer, and is an all-around awesome geek who loves to build things. FYI, friends at MIT say she wears the hoodie on a regular basis- it's just unfortunate that she had it on while trying to pick a friend up at the airport. MIT students don't really do mornings, or worry about what they're wearing, so I can't imagine she'd even think about her clothes before heading out to pick up a friend at the airport before 8am.

When Star gets out we'll have her do an Instructable on

1) how to get arrested at the airport without being shot, and

2) how to package your homemade electronics to look purchased.

Maybe BB and Instructables should start handing out some official-looking stickers and plastic covers to make breadboards look more commercial -- it will keep our readers away from automatic weapons.

I just put up a forum post on Instructables asking for design suggestions. If BB readers have any suggestions, just send them over and we'll print them up asap!

Update 7: Christy from Instructables.com says (1125am PT),

I talked to Star briefly -- she's out on bail, is just fine, and thinks the whole thing is crazy.

Of course, they've impounded her sweatshirt, so she's got to do something else for Career Day.

 

[slabertooch]

no this is what MIT students do for fun... much less "panic" inducing, and very entertaining...

mit hacks

or the blackjack team, who by the way are pema-banned from just about any casino.

 

[zookeper]

The trooper, joined by others with submachine guns, confronted her at a traffic island in front of the terminal. :roll: