A Bomb for Art’s Sake

Posted on September 21, 2007 in Bipolar Disorder Strange Terrorism

The divide between the artistic and the mad has been called hard to define. Star Simpson thought it would be cool and artsy to wear a sweatshirt with a circuit board and battery attached to it at Boston’s Logan Airport. A hyper-vigilant information desk attendant challenged her about the artifact. Simpson decided to ignore the question and walk away. She’s pleaded not guilty to perpetrating a hoax.

The insanity is hard to pinpoint. Police brought out the heavy guns and ordered the EE/CS major to the ground. Airport and airline employees panicked at the sight of the unfamiliar, unidentified electronics. And Simpson — who says she loves ‘crazy ideas’ — explains that it was “a piece of art”.

I don’t know what is worse — the ignorance about the vagaries of circuit boards or Simpson’s professed innocence about the way her electronics would be interpreted by terrorist-fearing airport staff and police. Is something more lurking behind this prank like a manic episode or is this just youth and stupidity on a slow news day?

Note: Simpson’s MIT web site may be impossible to reach at this time.

Photo courtesy of The Smoking Gun

UPDATE: Bruce Schneier collects the evidence.

UPDATE: Machinist shows off the “bomb”. It’s not impressive.

[tags]star simpson, MIT, hoax, hoaxes, bizarre, terrorism, strange, bipolar disorder[/tags]