Geoffrey McGann, 49, is an artist and the creative director of a media production company called Generator Content. It appears that he was too creative for those folks at TSA. The California artist was arrested at Oakland International Airport because security officers did not like his unusual watch which they said looked too much like a timing device for a bomb. The watch had ornate switches, wires, and fuses so the bomb squad was called and the security checkpoint shutdown. Even after the bomb squad determined it was not a bomb within five minutes, however, McGann was arrested and charged by Alameda County Sheriff’s Department with possessing materials to make an explosive device.
McGann repeatedly explained the watch was a piece of art but it turns out that a bomb is in the eye of a TSA beholder. The police also noted that he appeared to have made alterations to his boots, which were unusually large and stuffed with layers of insoles. Sort of like an artist or someone with bad feet (or an artist with bad feet) would do. The police also noted that he had no extra clothes for the trip.
Sgt. J.D. Nelson, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, insisted “He does do art kind of stuff, but what reasonable person would bring a watch like that into an airport and think that’s OK? You may have a toy gun as art, but would you bring it to the airport?” Now that sounds like some solid police work. The answer to the question, Sgt. Nelson, is that a free person would wear such a watch since he is not a terrorist and it is not a bomb.
Source: LA Times
…and feel were slipping farther and farther into a police state. -Waldo
Given my own personal view of “the state”, not a doubt in my mind. Seeing is believing.
Would also like to see a picture of the watch. I may be reading too much into this but it sounds to me that the watch must have looked like a bomb, maybe even comically so. TSA then wants to send a message not to f*ck with them, so they arrest him, knowing that, as veteran cops say, you can beat the charge, but you can’t beat the ride. The guy may be an ass, but TSA and whoever made the decision to arrest the guy should be hammered. I read these and similar stories and feel were slipping farther and farther into a police state.
clearly, time was not on his side….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRoSmXrs4Ik
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRoSmXrs4Ik&w=560&h=315%5D
Right on, Mike S. Sounds like we’re with Blouise in being ticked off.
Had a college roommate who went on spring break. Her “luggage” was Dad’s credit card. She bought what she needed when she got there.
The explosives squad said it wasn’t a b0mb, but he was arrested anyway for possession of b0mb-making stuff? How is that possible? Kicked off a plane is a major inconvenience, but maybe sort-of justified if the guy was intentionally trying to make a scene. Being charged with bringing b0mb making stuff into an airport(when you don’t actually have a explosive device) is a major problem for that dude. I’m assuming the charges could become federal too and related to terrorism, even though the gov’t comment is from a sheriff’s office. It’s not about safety/security; it’s about sending a message, sadly.
Sh1t, I’m scared just typing the word ‘b0mb’ in comment sections these days, regardless of context. The feds seem to be able to extract and spin any and all communications into charges of ‘acts of terrorism’ when so desired.
The man may well be an ass and publicity seeker. However, his arrest and the charges against him translated are: “Embarassing the local employees of an out of control government agency”. It is a violation of the 11th commandment which is “Thou shall not make fools out of LEO’s”
From his web site:
“Most recently, Geoff has finished production on “How I See It”, an HD content project for Samsung and the NFL which redefines the limits of HD sports …”
Who knows… but “the watchers” need to be watched…
maybe innocent but I’m glad they questioned the possibility….it is sad that we live in a world where we are all expected to look alike, act alike, conform and shut up…..but when it comes to flying we have had intentional attacks and this (on the surface) sounds like a ‘need to look further’ incident. Artists are pretty easy targets….open to a fault and so often easy targets for jealousies and cowards that like to bully and control….but the alternative is pretty blech…..the question is, can the TSA back down if they were wrong? and reimburse him ?
Even bad publicity is good publicity in some genres.
If that was his intention then it kind of ticks me off that I must foot his advertising campaign with my tax dollars.
If that wasn’t his intention then it kind of ticks me off that some TSA clown is wasting my tax dollars.
Either way, I’m kind of ticked off.
I never thought of the self promotion angle. Interesting.
Ok, so he’s a little overwrought about Jesus. But arresting a man because you don’t like his shoes or his watch is the height of or the depths of a police/security service gone nuts.
“It may be the whole thing was designed to get himself arrested. He now has had more publicity than he could have bought if he sold a thousand of his ‘art watches’”
That thought occurred to me as well, Frankly.
http://www.geoffmcgann.com/ (This would seem to be his website.)
His FB page links to the following:
“One innocent Christian is brutally murdered every five minutes just for believing in JESUS. CHRIST is illegal in 51 countries. Help me LEGALIZE JESUS. Join the movement.
Description
LEGALIZE JESUS is a movement to get Christians to rise up and stand for Jesus Christ.
Christians need to come out of the closet. Christian must combat Christophobia and the secular progressive minority mob trying to eradicate Christianity from our society.”
Legalize Jesus is a Christian news magazine. (http://www.legalizejesus.com/)
Maybe his name was on one of the gov’s watch lists, as well.
Went looking for a picture of the watch. Never found one but it turns out the guy also had modified his boots according to reports. He had stuffed ‘several’ insoles into each one (this is also what the so-called shoe bomber did).
It may be the whole thing was designed to get himself arrested. He now has had more publicity than he could have bought if he sold a thousand of his ‘art watches’
I would like to see a photo of the watch and not the chump.
You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That’s the signpost up ahead – your next stop, the TSA Zone!
There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area we call the TSA Zone.”
The TSA is out of control and out of touch. Let’s get rid of it or at least rein it in.
TSA is quite arresting.
I bet here really wanted it for himself….
Recently I got a one way ticket to Chicago and limited clothes …… The extra scrutiny I received was Because i suppose it was a last minute flight and one way….. Saw my girls for ones birthday…..