Wash Post 9/21/07:
Star Simpson, the MIT sophomore arrested this morning after allegedly entering Boston's Logan airport with a bomblike object affixed to her shirt, is impulsive and creative but not a danger to anyone, say her fellow classmates.

Police say that Simpson, 19, walked up to an information booth to ask about an incoming flight, wearing a computer circuit board affixed to the front of a black sweatshirt with attached wires and a 9-volt battery. On the back of the shirt was the writing, "Socket to me." She was holding a lump of Play-Doh in one hand, said police, who determined that the apparatus was not explosive.

On her Web site, Simpson writes, "I love to build things and I love crazy ideas," & made comments on the news about her intellectual brand of humor. She adds that while she lived in Hawaii, she was busy "traveling the world and saving the planet from evil villains with my delivered-just-in-time gadgets."

In January, two men were arrested after dozens of battery-powered devices, which turned out to be part of a Cartoon Network promotion, were found around Boston. (edited: Included in article but really not related to Star Simpson's behavior.)
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I am all for promoting creativity & free expression, but I worry about judgment or level of common sense in today's chaotic world? In this case, the woman claimed to have an amusing brand of intellectual humor. It might of been humor but I would not call it intellectual. She could of been hurt. I need to check in more with my kids, who are away at college. At an airport, I worry about people and their reactions. I try to keep a low profile. Too many people out there on edge. Dumb move on her part. Police said she was lucky she followed directions quickly, could of been killed.

Political expression and bad judgment in combination is just plain stupid nowadays. I can't even grasp the thought process behind deciding this was a good idea. This is on another level of stupidity when compared to the Cartoon Network stuff. That stuff didn't even look like bombs.

Her artistic expression likely just carried her to the top of the no-fly list. Nice job!

Not to smart for a college student.

Stupid move. I'll bet in Israel she'd have been shot on sight.

to compare this to the CN fiasco is inappropriate, i think. this student was sporting something clearly meant to look like an explosive. and its not like she was walking around food lion with it... she was trying to get on a plane. what was she TRYING to do? i'm all for free speech, but i'm not about to meet a Rabbi for lunch wearing a "I <3 HITLER" shirt either. what makes me sick is all the attention this got. the chick obviously thrives on it, one look at her website and track record will tell you that.

Excellent point, I agree. The original article in the Post and Times had focused on the airport story, and then abruptly ended with a reference to the CNN fiasco. It was arkward reading. Agree, kind of like apples and oranges. Thought the same thing.

My main interest was on the airport story and her comment that it was "intellectual humor", I guess that means the rest of us were not expected to "get it" . She acted like she was just walking thru the Food Lion ( stealing your fun line) but evidently enjoys doing this kind of stuff. She had a website describing her brand of "intellectual humor".

This boils down to a simple case of: Book smart as hell, but not a lick of common sense.