Geek woman news story of possible interest...

[keith]

On Sat, 2007-22-09 at 13:14 -0400, Jamon Camisso wrote:
> On September 21, 2007 09:35:50 pm Glen Strom wrote:
> > On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:57:56 -0400 (EDT)
> >
> > Colin McGregor <colinmc151-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> > >Ran across the following bit about Star Simpson, a
> > >student at MIT arrested in essence for acting like a
> > >geek:
> >
> > I saw the article at the Toronto Star website. The first thing I
> > thought was, how can smart people be so damn stupid. And it sounds
> > like she really doesn't see the problem.
> >
> > It reminds me of an expression I heard years ago: book-smart and
> > life-dumb.

There's another saying I've heard that comes to mind about the girl...
"just enough brains to be dangerous"

> I wonder about that. Seems like there's some contextual information missing 
> from the whole story.

I understood the flashing light thingy just brought attention to her and
folks got antsy when she wouldn't respond to questions about the putty
('cause she was busy messing her undies I hope).

> That, and I'll pose the question: what is wrong with what she did? Were it the 
> street, why would the cops have been more or less justified in their reaction 
> since the law is the law regardless of location?

The putty wasn't too smart, considering the surroundings and all. Since
911, and that other stuff going on in the UK in transit systems and at
airports and all. Airport security tends to be a bit skittish about
everything, as IMHO, they should be. Who would have thought that a
handful of cheap dollar-store box cutters in determined hands could
result in killing a few thousand people and bring down sky-scrapers? 

I generally believe that a lot (not all, but a lot) of people who put on
badges are a little too over-zealous in applying their
looking-for-bad-guys training too literally, but in the case of airport
security guys (esp. @ LOGAN, of all places), I really don't mind leaving
the nail-clippers in the suitcase. But that's just me.


> Besides, someone's already patented and is working on clothes with integrated 
> lcd/leds, so in a year or two once we're all walking advertisements it'll be 
> like she was a pioneer and everyone will be walking around airports with lite 
> brite clothes.

...ever hear of a time and place for everything? The reverse is also
true. If I like to run around naked from time to time, fine, but not to
church, get me? Don't wear a gun to a nightclub or birthday party. Wrong
time an place. The light-brite stuff might not go down to well at a
funeral either...

> But clap your hands, let's have a big round of stupids to all involved.

Cheers *_clink_*
Keith

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