Teh maths is terr'isms!

[MechAg94]

Yep.

I, for one, wish to sentence this female nomath to a semester of 300 level differential calculus and all prerequisites required thereto.

Sentence will be complete only upon achieving a cumulative GPA of 2.7 with no grade in any one section lower than 2.0

Since that isn't ever going to happen, just have her audit all the advanced math classes for a 6 months.  Maybe after that, she will figure it out.

[AJ Dual]

https://youtu.be/cRXNNqNfQBs

[zxcvbob]

Since that isn't ever going to happen, just have her audit all the advanced math classes for a 6 months.  Maybe after that, she will figure it out.

You're still punishing the wrong person.  The flight crew screwed this one; she's just a harmless fool (idiot, bigot, whatever.)  She didn't delay the plane for 2 hours, they did.

[KD5NRH]

You're still punishing the wrong person.  The flight crew screwed this one; she's just a harmless fool (idiot, bigot, whatever.)  She didn't delay the plane for 2 hours, they did.

This.  How hard would it be for them to track down a couple people who at least know what Arabic looks like to go glance over the guy's shoulder?  Maybe even Google up a common greeting in Arabic and try it on him.  Still wouldn't completely narrow it down, but ~80% chance of clarifying a false positive with less than a five minute delay.

[cordex]

This.  How hard would it be for them to track down a couple people who at least know what Arabic looks like to go glance over the guy's shoulder?  Maybe even Google up a common greeting in Arabic and try it on him.  Still wouldn't completely narrow it down, but ~80% chance of clarifying a false positive with less than a five minute delay.

And what if it had been Arabic or if the guy had responded with alaikum salam?  So what?  You've proven the guy reads or understands Arabic.  Should we call Jack Bauer?

This is akin to roo_ster reporting a white guy with a dark tan as a likely criminal because he mistakenly thinks the guy is black.  Yes, the initial assumption is wrong, but more importantly even if the assumption were correct it wouldn't be remotely illegal.

[KD5NRH]

And what if it had been Arabic or if the guy had responded with alaikum salam?  So what?  You've proven the guy reads or understands Arabic.  Should we call Jack Bauer?

No, but if you can recognize the math and/or he gives a WTF look, you're well on the way to writing it off as a false alarm in a matter of seconds.

Sort of like determining if someone is pregnant; ensuring that they have a vagina doesn't positively answer the question, but it's a good starting point to keep from wasting more time.

[MechAg94]

You're still punishing the wrong person.  The flight crew screwed this one; she's just a harmless fool (idiot, bigot, whatever.)  She didn't delay the plane for 2 hours, they did.

She is the one who started it by being stupid.

As far as the flight crew, I would be curious what the flight crew is required to do in these cases.  I bet they are required to report everything like this to someone higher before they even check it out.  These are govt regulations and corporate CYA rules.  The flight crew likely had no choice in the matter.  It probably takes 2 hours just to go through all the steps of some security procedure even if there is no threat. 

[Firethorn]

As far as the flight crew, I would be curious what the flight crew is required to do in these cases.  I bet they are required to report everything like this to someone higher before they even check it out.  These are govt regulations and corporate CYA rules.  The flight crew likely had no choice in the matter.  It probably takes 2 hours just to go through all the steps of some security procedure even if there is no threat. 

This people.  Once the report has been made, I'm willing to bet that the flight crew had no choice. 

That being said, the inability to quickly resolve matters is probably hurting the chances of people who have heard of this stuff hesitating to report something that's more major for fear of flight delays and such.

[cordex]

No, but if you can recognize the math and/or he gives a WTF look, you're well on the way to writing it off as a false alarm in a matter of seconds.

You're still not getting it.  You're trying to suggest ways you think would be superior to determine whether or not someone understands Arabic.  On the other hand, I find the whole concept of investigating allegations of someone doing something entirely noncriminal to be bizarre.  If someone sees a picture of shiny metal and ignorantly assumes that their seatmate's issue of Car and Driver is actually a copy of Guns and Ammo should we be looking for improved field tests to help authorities determine the distinction between a picture of an exhaust system and a picture of a firearm?  Or should we recognize that it doesn't matter if it is in fact an issue of Guns and Ammo because reading a periodical is not illegal?

[KD5NRH]

You're still not getting it.  You're trying to suggest ways you think would be superior to determine whether or not someone understands Arabic.  On the other hand, I find the whole concept of investigating allegations of someone doing something entirely noncriminal to be bizarre.  If someone sees a picture of shiny metal and ignorantly assumes that their seatmate's issue of Car and Driver is actually a copy of Guns and Ammo should we be looking for improved field tests to help authorities determine the distinction between a picture of an exhaust system and a picture of a firearm?  Or should we recognize that it doesn't matter if it is in fact an issue of Guns and Ammo because reading a periodical is not illegal?

I'm outlining step one of a very simple process of elimination:
 Is it an Arabic terrorist attack plan?
 1. Is it in Arabic? 
  If no, then it's not an Arabic terrorist attack plan.  End the investigation.

It's more like trying to determine if the shady looking guy that just pulled something shiny out of his pocket at the quick stop counter is pulling a gun, a knife, a phone or one of those metal wallets.  If he flips it open and pulls money out of it, or starts playing Angry Birds, you don't need to check the caliber and try to get a look at the chambers to see if it's loaded.  It's not necessary, however, to immediately tell yourself that every shiny metal object pulled from a concealed location is harmless, just apply some common sense tests to each one.

[Balog]

I'm outlining step one of a very simple process of elimination:
 Is it an Arabic terrorist attack plan?
 1. Is it in Arabic? 
  If no, then it's not an Arabic terrorist attack plan.  End the investigation.

It's more like trying to determine if the shady looking guy that just pulled something shiny out of his pocket at the quick stop counter is pulling a gun, a knife, a phone or one of those metal wallets.  If he flips it open and pulls money out of it, or starts playing Angry Birds, you don't need to check the caliber and try to get a look at the chambers to see if it's loaded.  It's not necessary, however, to immediately tell yourself that every shiny metal object pulled from a concealed location is harmless, just apply some common sense tests to each one.

The Paris and Belgium attacks were coordinated in non-Arabic languages I believe.

[Jamisjockey]

Dude could literally be writing in arabic "I wish this plane would blow up" and I'd still be fine with it. 
We have lost our way as a free people.

[mtnbkr]

I have to wonder what the response would be if the lady saw the guy reading a gun magazine and raised concerns about him having a gun on the plane.

Chris

[KD5NRH]

Dude could literally be writing in arabic "I wish this plane would blow up" and I'd still be fine with it.

I don't really care what people wish for.  If he's listing off the ways he saw to get a bomb past the security checkpoint, or writing out his will I'd at least want to have someone watching him.

[Firethorn]

Dude could literally be writing in arabic "I wish this plane would blow up" and I'd still be fine with it. 
We have lost our way as a free people.

THIS people.

The terrorists aren't stupid.  We keep going apeshit about any form of dress that might vaguely be mistaken for Arabic and they'll simply make sure their men dress in standard western.

The vast majority of Muslims aren't terrorists, and we've expanded our hysteria to even include those who have nothing to do with them at all.

Keep in mind that most attacks against planes today have been by non-Arabs.  Local converts, mostly.  That's going by recent history.  They still haven't reached the point of communist wannabes taking planes to Cuba back when I was a kid.

I have to wonder what the response would be if the lady saw the guy reading a gun magazine and raised concerns about him having a gun on the plane.

Probably about the same.

I don't really care what people wish for.  If he's listing off the ways he saw to get a bomb past the security checkpoint, or writing out his will I'd at least want to have someone watching him.

Why?  If he's cataloging the ways to get a bomb past security that he saw, that means that the bomb isn't on this flight, and your attention will probably just amount to harassing a legit security researcher.  Like what happened at a Canadian University semi-recently.  Guy was doing a report on anti-terrorism efforts for his college anti-terrorism class and that wasn't considered sufficient for the local po-po who had to close down the library for a bomb search(negative) and question him for several hours despite the dude being able to show registration for said class, the assignment, etc...

[KD5NRH]

Why?  If he's cataloging the ways to get a bomb past security that he saw, that means that the bomb isn't on this flight, and your attention will probably just amount to harassing a legit security researcher.

If he's doing legit security research, then what better help could he be given than an actual security response?

[cordex]

I'm outlining step one of a very simple process of elimination:
 Is it an Arabic terrorist attack plan?
 1. Is it in Arabic? 
  If no, then it's not an Arabic terrorist attack plan.  End the investigation.

[MechAg94]

If a Christian immigrant from the Middle East is writing sonnets to his wife in Arabic how exactly would anyone on a plane around him know what he was writing?  What is the likelihood that anyone on the plane reads Arabic?  Why should the simple act of writing be a problem at all? 

[Hawkmoon]

They still haven't reached the point of communist wannabes taking planes to Cuba back when I was a kid.

Of course, the Communists hijacking planes to Cuba were interested in having the plane land in Cuba so they could get off ...

[cordex]

If a Christian immigrant from the Middle East is writing sonnets to his wife in Arabic how exactly would anyone on a plane around him know what he was writing?  What is the likelihood that anyone on the plane reads Arabic?  Why should the simple act of writing be a problem at all? 

Sorry Mech, the important thing is the language, not the danger.

[mtnbkr]

Probably about the same.

I was referring more to the response on this board. 

Chris

[bedlamite]

Weapons of Math Instruction

http://www.ms.uky.edu/~jrge/340/Weapons_of_Math_Instruction.html

[Tuco]

I was referring more to the response on this board. 

Chris

Sentenced to 3 gun coaching until she passes amateur qualifying, and NRA Range Officer training.
 

[Ron]

This people.  Once the report has been made, I'm willing to bet that the flight crew had no choice.  

That being said, the inability to quickly resolve matters is probably hurting the chances of people who have heard of this stuff hesitating to report something that's more major for fear of flight delays and such.

If the flight crew had no choice then that is where the outrage should be directed. The *expletive deleted*ing bureaucracy is the problem, not some frightened woman whose brain has been ruined by our uneducation system and perverted government/mass media complex.

[White Horseradish]

Dude could literally be writing in arabic "I wish this plane would blow up" and I'd still be fine with it. 
We have lost our way as a free people.

I am starting to think lots of people around here wouldn't know freedom if it bit them.