Clock kid sues for $15 million

[Visegradian Poland]

ISIS has claimed responsilbility.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

I'll agree that the amount is arguable. However, it does need to be a stiff enough penalty to keep people from doing that in the future.

the purpose of torts and civil liability should be compensation, if you want to use a massively high amount to deter people from doing things, then that ought to be proven to the beyond a reasonable doubt standard under criminal law (unless there is a directly compensatory objective)

otherwise at some point the civil liability regime becomes a shortcut for the government to impose financial penalties on people by conveniently relying on third-party suers that far exceed the financial penalties that are levelled in many actual felonies; and then these crimes can just be proved on a balance of probabilities as opposed to beyond a reasonable doubt

if the government believes there is wrong-doing that deserves for there to be a penalty in the millions of dollars (and most of that ISN'T actually linked to a strictly compensatory objective), then the proper platform for doing this both for the sake of the rights of the penalised party as well as for consistency of policy should be the criminal law and not civil law... since such fines far exceed the average amount levied in criminal charges

Yes, I noticed that you handwaved the punitive damages bit. Seriously, if the kid only gets a few thousand that's paid off through insurance, what's to keep the school district from doing this again? And what criminal law applies to what is an obvious wrong done to him?

[Gauthier]

ISIS has claimed responsilbility.

They'd claim responsibility for a Kardasshian movie. Which would be a very horrific terrorist act admittedly.

[Dulce et Decorum]

It is disturbing that people target so much of their anger at the child instead of the parents who have quite handily manipulated all of this for profit. They could easily have nipped things in the bud by playing down the "kids a genius inventor" side of things when he quite clearly is just repackaging things. Of course his curiosity should be supported but directed in a useful direction rather than simply pushing him towards fanciful thinking and lies.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

It is disturbing that people target so much of their anger at the child instead of the parents who have quite handily manipulated all of this for profit. They could easily have nipped things in the bud by playing down the "kids a genius inventor" side of things when he quite clearly is just repackaging things. Of course his curiosity should be supported but directed in a useful direction rather than simply pushing him towards fanciful thinking and lies.

Except that the kid kind of is a genius inventor.

[Dulce et Decorum]

It is disturbing that people target so much of their anger at the child instead of the parents who have quite handily manipulated all of this for profit. They could easily have nipped things in the bud by playing down the "kids a genius inventor" side of things when he quite clearly is just repackaging things. Of course his curiosity should be supported but directed in a useful direction rather than simply pushing him towards fanciful thinking and lies.

Except that the kid kind of is a genius inventor.

Kid has remote that works on school projector? Jesus Christ he's Einstein.

That's a thing that kids have been doing for years. You'll be amazed if you see someone fucking with a load of unbound macs with a Mac remote next.

The article even describes his clock as homemade despite it being anything but. They have precisely zero credibility

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Except that the kid kind of is a genius inventor.

Kid has remote that works on school projector? Jesus Christ he's Einstein.

That's a thing that kids have been doing for years. You'll be amazed if you see someone fucking with a load of unbound macs with a Mac demote next.

Sorry, I'm not sure that I knew any kid who would have come up with such a thing when I was at that age, and I went to a school for gifted children. But that's okay, the "He's not that smart, and his parents are greedy" narrative works much better when you're trying to deflect from the fact that the school treated him shabbily.

[North Calaveras]

Kid has remote that works on school projector? Jesus Christ he's Einstein.

That's a thing that kids have been doing for years. You'll be amazed if you see someone fucking with a load of unbound macs with a Mac demote next.

Sorry, I'm not sure that I knew any kid who would have come up with such a thing when I was at that age, and I went to a school for gifted children. But that's okay, the "He's not that smart, and his parents are greedy" narrative works much better when you're trying to deflect from the fact that the school treated him shabbily.

It does work much better.

[Dulce et Decorum]

Kid has remote that works on school projector? Jesus Christ he's Einstein.

That's a thing that kids have been doing for years. You'll be amazed if you see someone fucking with a load of unbound macs with a Mac demote next.

Sorry, I'm not sure that I knew any kid who would have come up with such a thing when I was at that age, and I went to a school for gifted children. But that's okay, the "He's not that smart, and his parents are greedy" narrative works much better when you're trying to deflect from the fact that the school treated him shabbily.

I make no judgement as to the treatment he received by the school so please stop trying to deflect my argument with a strawman.

You went to a gifted school but evidently not a very mischievous one. YouTube will give you hundreds of examples of remote fuckery but no one is claiming it as a home of genius'

[Mike from Progressive]

He brought a clock, not a bomb, a clock, to school to show his science teacher. He was treated like a terrorist. A kid! Just because he happens to be Muslim. I say that yes, his rights were violated and profiling is shit.

Profiling is shit, so is a $15 million suit. Also let's be honest here a). if it were a bomb, people would have praised the guys that stopped him and b). this whole thing was the greatest thing to happen for him. He's gotten offers left and right from phenomenal schools, companies, and even countries. If this didn't happen, nobody would have given a flying fuck about him.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Sorry, I'm not sure that I knew any kid who would have come up with such a thing when I was at that age, and I went to a school for gifted children. But that's okay, the "He's not that smart, and his parents are greedy" narrative works much better when you're trying to deflect from the fact that the school treated him shabbily.

It does work much better.

See, you have a sense of humor, which makes it difficult to dislike you personally in the middle of arguments. Stop that.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Sorry, I'm not sure that I knew any kid who would have come up with such a thing when I was at that age, and I went to a school for gifted children. But that's okay, the "He's not that smart, and his parents are greedy" narrative works much better when you're trying to deflect from the fact that the school treated him shabbily.

I make no judgement as to the treatment he received by the school so please stop trying to deflect my argument with a strawman.

You went to a gifted school but evidently not a very mischievous one. YouTube will give you hundreds of examples of remote fuckery but no one is claiming it as a home of genius'

Building the remotes in seventh grade? Or a battery charger? You know what? You want to see the kid as not that bright. And no, it's not a strawman, since the narrative you're buying into is pretty obvious.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

He brought a clock, not a bomb, a clock, to school to show his science teacher. He was treated like a terrorist. A kid! Just because he happens to be Muslim. I say that yes, his rights were violated and profiling is shit.

Profiling is shit, so is a $15 million suit. Also let's be honest here a). if it were a bomb, people would have praised the guys that stopped him and b). this whole thing was the greatest thing to happen for him. He's gotten offers left and right from phenomenal schools, companies, and even countries. If this didn't happen, nobody would have given a flying fuck about him.

Except that (a) there was no reason to believe that it was a bomb, and the actions of the teacher, the principal, and the police made it obvious that they did not think that it was one, and (b) despite the attention he's received, that remains to be seen. Sure, he got to go to the White House and meet the President, but he's also persona non grata at his old school, he's been mocked and derided by prominent figures in the media, and his entire life has turned upside down. There's also the fact that he still has the suspension on his record, was subjected to humiliating treatment on the part of his principal and teacher, and was marched through the school in handcuffs. Whatever benefits he's received from this, they need to be taught a lesson that they obviously haven't learned yet.

[Dulce et Decorum]

I make no judgement as to the treatment he received by the school so please stop trying to deflect my argument with a strawman.

You went to a gifted school but evidently not a very mischievous one. YouTube will give you hundreds of examples of remote fuckery but no one is claiming it as a home of genius'

Building the remotes in seventh grade? Or a battery charger? You know what? You want to see the kid as not that bright. And no, it's not a strawman, since the narrative you're buying into is pretty obvious.

I believe he built them in the same way he "built" the clock. I hope the kid is bright but I have no reason to believe he is what he is portrayed to be.

You've spent too long arguing on the internet if you think one position automatically leads to another.

[Mike from Progressive]

Profiling is shit, so is a $15 million suit. Also let's be honest here a). if it were a bomb, people would have praised the guys that stopped him and b). this whole thing was the greatest thing to happen for him. He's gotten offers left and right from phenomenal schools, companies, and even countries. If this didn't happen, nobody would have given a flying fuck about him.

Except that (a) there was no reason to believe that it was a bomb, and the actions of the teacher, the principal, and the police made it obvious that they did not think that it was one, and (b) despite the attention he's received, that remains to be seen. Sure, he got to go to the White House and meet the President, but he's also persona non grata at his old school, he's been mocked and derided by prominent figures in the media, and his entire life has turned upside down. There's also the fact that he still has the suspension on his record, was subjected to humiliating treatment on the part of his principal and teacher, and was marched through the school in handcuffs. Whatever benefits he's received from this, they need to be taught a lesson that they obviously haven't learned yet.

A). Getting dragged through school in handcuffs is going to get him tons and tons of pussy; and b). he's a freaking celebrity -it's a love/hate thing. Either way, he's going to be fine. Unless we find him jihading for Jesus in Syria 10 years down the road.

[Euphisia]

Lets admit it, the kid just wants to get rich quick. Doing this has a small chance of succeeding in the same way that the McDonalds lady sued and won over $1 million. All that is important is that the defendant never caves in.

It's cute to see misinformed people. I actually worked at a McDonald's in Louisiana and first heard about this from my manager, and did some research on her. She was an older woman and did suffer third degree burns. I've touched the coffee pots, felt the coffee through the cups, seen the steam, they're always heated. You'd have to be very, no, incredibly ignorant to just go by hearsay and say "McDonald's lady", comparing her to a kid who wants to get rich quick and act like she didn't get hurt. Maybe do your research before using something for comparison, much less an apples to oranges comparison like this..

Dumb kid brings clock to school for no reason. Now he wants money. There was nothing to be gained from it, and he's just a greedy little kid and so are his parents. I hope he enjoys the middle east, I hear he's moving.

Old lady spills coffee, gets burned.

Injury vs "civil rights violations"

Apples and oranges buddy, the first one is always clearly defined, the second isn't.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Building the remotes in seventh grade? Or a battery charger? You know what? You want to see the kid as not that bright. And no, it's not a strawman, since the narrative you're buying into is pretty obvious.

I believe he built them in the same way he "built" the clock. I hope the kid is bright but I have no reason to believe he is what he is portrayed to be.

You've spent too long arguing on the internet if you think one position automatically leads to another.

Fine. You're determined to think that the kid wasn't that bright when every teacher interviewed has stated otherwise. I'll go with believing them, and you believe what you want.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Except that (a) there was no reason to believe that it was a bomb, and the actions of the teacher, the principal, and the police made it obvious that they did not think that it was one, and (b) despite the attention he's received, that remains to be seen. Sure, he got to go to the White House and meet the President, but he's also persona non grata at his old school, he's been mocked and derided by prominent figures in the media, and his entire life has turned upside down. There's also the fact that he still has the suspension on his record, was subjected to humiliating treatment on the part of his principal and teacher, and was marched through the school in handcuffs. Whatever benefits he's received from this, they need to be taught a lesson that they obviously haven't learned yet.

A). Getting dragged through school in handcuffs is going to get him tons and tons of pussy; and b). he's a freaking celebrity -it's a love/hate thing. Either way, he's going to be fine. Unless we find him jihading for Jesus in Syria 10 years down the road.

Which is a distinct possibility when you've been pilloried in the West and unjustly accused of building a bomb or a fake bomb in a town that's known for being snooty towards Muslims.

[Euphisia]

Profiling is shit, so is a $15 million suit. Also let's be honest here a). if it were a bomb, people would have praised the guys that stopped him and b). this whole thing was the greatest thing to happen for him. He's gotten offers left and right from phenomenal schools, companies, and even countries. If this didn't happen, nobody would have given a flying fuck about him.

Except that (a) there was no reason to believe that it was a bomb, and the actions of the teacher, the principal, and the police made it obvious that they did not think that it was one, and (b) despite the attention he's received, that remains to be seen. Sure, he got to go to the White House and meet the President, but he's also persona non grata at his old school, he's been mocked and derided by prominent figures in the media, and his entire life has turned upside down. There's also the fact that he still has the suspension on his record, was subjected to humiliating treatment on the part of his principal and teacher, and was marched through the school in handcuffs. Whatever benefits he's received from this, they need to be taught a lesson that they obviously haven't learned yet.

Looking at everything, none of those things warrant $15 million dollars. I've seen people suffer far more, and get no money, the kid brought a clock to school, (that mind you, he didn't need to bring, for it had no benefit to him) and as far as the media everyone here tends to source has been reporting, it didn't exactly look like the clearest fucking clock. If he was trying to make a clock exterior, he did a pretty shit job.

[Gauthier]

A). Getting dragged through school in handcuffs is going to get him tons and tons of pussy; and b). he's a freaking celebrity -it's a love/hate thing. Either way, he's going to be fine. Unless we find him jihading for Jesus in Syria 10 years down the road.

Which is a distinct possibility when you've been pilloried in the West and unjustly accused of building a bomb or a fake bomb in a town that's known for being snooty towards Muslims.

A talented kid with an aptitude for engineering embittered into becoming the premier bomb maker for some jihadi group.

Thanks Irving.

[Old Tyrannia]

Whatever sympathy I had for this boy and his family- and let me be clear, I was as outraged as anyone by his detainment to begin with- is rapidly dissipating. They are milking this for all that it's worth and it is disgusting. I hope the claim is thrown out by the courts.

[Gauthier]

Whatever sympathy I had for this boy and his family- and let me be clear, I was as outraged as anyone by his detainment to begin with- is rapidly dissipating. They are milking this for all that it's worth and it is disgusting. I hope the claim is thrown out by the courts.

Yes, it was entirely the kid's idea from the start.

[Old Tyrannia]

Whatever sympathy I had for this boy and his family- and let me be clear, I was as outraged as anyone by his detainment to begin with- is rapidly dissipating. They are milking this for all that it's worth and it is disgusting. I hope the claim is thrown out by the courts.

Yes, it was entirely the kid's idea from the start.

I've never said anything of the sort.

[Mike from Progressive]

A). Getting dragged through school in handcuffs is going to get him tons and tons of pussy; and b). he's a freaking celebrity -it's a love/hate thing. Either way, he's going to be fine. Unless we find him jihading for Jesus in Syria 10 years down the road.

Which is a distinct possibility when you've been pilloried in the West and unjustly accused of building a bomb or a fake bomb in a town that's known for being snooty towards Muslims.

If it's a possibility, it's a really sad one. I mean I'm sorry what happened to him. It was not right and it was fucked up. But are you fucking kidding me? Getting falsely accused, getting to meet the prez., getting offers from MIT to Google... if that's a distinct possibility I feel there's a bigger issue at play here.

[Gauthier]

Yes, it was entirely the kid's idea from the start.

I've never said anything of the sort.

You're declaring your loss of respect for Ahmed Muhammad as if he were culpable for the lawsuit. The message between the lines are Size 200 font.