Simviation Forums

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 5:16 pm**

A mother's enquiry about buying Microsoft Flight Simulator for her ten-year-old son prompted a night-time visit to her home from a state trooper.

...

So alarmed was the Staples clerk at the prospect of the ten year old learning to fly, that he informed the police, the Greenfield Recorder reports. The authorities moved into action, leaving nothing to chance. A few days later, Olearcek was alarmed to discover a state trooper flashing a torch into to her home through a sliding glass door at 8:30 pm on a rainy night.

Olearcek is a regular Staples customer and schools her son at home. The Staples manager simply explained that staff were obeying advice. Shortly before Christmas, the FBI issued a terror alert to beware of drivers with maps, or reference books.

I was content to laugh at the FBI warnings for people carrying reference materials, but this is scary. But, I'd say more of the blame goes on the clerk than the FBI. Microsoft Flight Simulator? As Steve notes, it's one of the better products Microsoft has ever created. Are we really this paranoid? Are we going to investigate the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) who have bought the product?

In any case, I say we investigate anyone playing Counter Strike, because you can play as a terrorist. You can CHOOSE to be a terrorist. So, you have this game and FS, you have the ideology and training to be a terrorist hijacker. And you need to be stopped

All i can say, as someone learning to fly, this is too far. Why should myself the millions of flight sim users, and millions of trainee pilots around the world be made to feel like criminals and terrorists, and i know this isnt an isolated incident.
Poor old Mr Fozzer and his california treks must mean hes planning an attack on the golden gate bridge(time to hide Foz)

Ozzy and his bridge stunts must mean he is also planning on taking out a famous bridge,(hope ya have a good defense lawyer mate)

and the list goes on, has this gone to far gentlemen, and ladies who may still be around.

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 5:26 pm**

That is Definitely ridiculous...

:-/

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 5:30 pm**

No comment. :-X

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 5:50 pm**

What's next? The prohibition of educational sims like FS or violent games like Medal of Honor? That's never going to happen.

All blame should go to that clerk. What's wrong with teaching a 10-year-old boy to fly in a sim? My dad got me FS95 as my first sim and I was only about 13-14 years old.

No one, not even the president, has the resources to investigate every possible purchase of our simulators and other games like Counter Strike.

This is because such products have spread world wide and many more reasons.

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:10 pm**

I suspect this a case of a clerk that over reacted. Such are the times we live in.

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:20 pm**

well like i said this has happend a few times. The FBI has mentioned this before as a thing to look out for along with people carrying maps and looking lost apparently. As a point of note in another report on this it states the woman is actually a USAF pilot, and despite showing her ID to the store clerk he still did this, although the police ended up dropping it when they saw her ID, what would happen if a person gets investigated and doesnt have the ID to show military work?

this is just one of a long line of strange, pointless or stupid rules and regulations being brought in.
Between No lines to the toilet, fingerprinting and photographing on entry to the US, and spotting being strongly discouraged. It leaves you wondering, whats next, and why

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:29 pm**

That just proves my point!!
The terrorists have accomplished what they set out to do!!!
TERRORIZE!
That is their purpose in life, and that is the goal they set and as much as I hate to say it they WON!!
All this being scared crap makes me sick!!
But I for one will not back down, and I'll not be scared to go outside, I refuse to let the terrorist terrorize me.
So lets get real! The Government, media, and Armed Forces heads are blowing all this crap out of proportion!!
When are the people of the world going to realize there are way more good people than bad?
If I'm a terrorist for using Flight Sim so be it, or going to the airport to watch planes or learn to fly, so be it.
I'll only be a terrorist in the eyes of idiots!!!
So everyone get over this being "terrorized" crap and stop letting the terrorist win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:29 pm**

gone waaaayyyy to far

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:58 pm**

That is to show you that IDIOTS will forever exist for as long as there are people who never teached them common sense.

If I was a clerk who worked at Best Buy and saw a woman buy the sim for a 10-year-old kid, I wouldn't mind at all. Sims are sims, games are games.

If I was the employer of that clerk, I would have him fired without hesitation. That clerk wasted the police's time, wasted the FBI's time and wasted his mind away by crying "wolf" [metaphorically speaking].

I can't believe this. The FBI alerting people for any suspicious individual carrying a map or refferance guide? ANYONE can carry a map or referance guide whenever and where ever they want. Besides, what if the individual carrying a map is actually a tourist or new-comer?

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:19 pm**

I highly question the validity of this story. I fully believe no law enforcement agency in the United States would EVER even investigate a claim of a 10-year old boy buying a computer game. There has to be more to the story, that alone couldn't cause the police to do anything other than type out the report. Another reason I don't believe this story is true - its from a state blooper trooper. All they do is waste tax dollars, and write tickets, because thats all they are good at. And even being good at it is questionable. These so called "troopers" only investigate where no-body else can - and I highly doubt there is a Staple's store in the middle of vast farm land consisting of corn fields.

Deputy

Posted: **Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:26 pm**

its funny to see how ridiculas society has become. . .

Posted: **Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:39 am**

Why should myself the millions of flight sim users, and millions of trainee pilots around the world be made to feel like criminals and terrorists, and i know this isnt an isolated incident

It's definently not an isolated incident. When my boss heard that I started flightschool, one day he was in the same room as me, looked at me and said:

You're not gonna be a terrorist who hijackes airlines are you?

And he was dead serious

I didn't say anything, but I was seriously pissed off.

What I would have loved to do was look at him straight in the eye and tell him that I would die before letting anyone hijack any aircraft

btw, I would rather see 10 year olds playing FS2004 instead of Grand Theft Auto, but that's just mho

Posted: **Wed Jan 14, 2004 3:55 am**

I'd sue.

Posted: **Wed Jan 14, 2004 6:28 am**

People I work with make jokes all the time about the possibility that I'm a terrorist and I'm planning something dodgy with FS. I play on their fears for fun. If I get nicked I'll know why LOL.

Will

Posted: **Wed Jan 14, 2004 6:52 am**

I highly question the validity of this story

had there not been a few reports on this i would have thought it a joke. But i have seen 5 reports on this one story alone. And like i said, others have faced the same problem.

I fully believe no law enforcement agency in the United States would EVER even investigate a claim of a 10-year old boy buying a computer game

Sadly the same law enforcement agencys who cancelled a flight when two people who had the same name as suspects were on board, those two people being a young boy and an old lady.
i am trying to avoid getting too political on this one but i think i will quit here as from here on out it gets pretty messy:) the story has been reported people have had their comments, all fair and valid ones.
thanks for the input guys:)

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