Question About Flight Simulator Brings Visit From Police

http://www.recorder.com/Headlines/tuesday_basic.htm ^ | 01/09/04 | VIRGINIA RAY

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Question about flight simulator brings visit from police By VIRGINIA RAY Recorder Staff

COLRAIN - An innocent inquiry to a Staples store clerk about a computer software program that teaches how to fly an airplane by instrumentation brought a surprise visit this holiday season to a local family from the state police.

"At first, I felt a little angry and violated" about someone telling authorities about her inquiry, said Julie Olearcek, a 15-year Air Force Reserve pilot. "But now that time has gone by, I realize it may take someone like that, who's a little nervous, who may save the day." Olearcek's husband, Henry, is also a flier, currently on active duty, and frequently away from home these days.

About a week before Christmas, Olearcek said the couple's 10-year-old son, who has flight simulation software and is keenly interested in learning to fly like his parents, commented that he'd have to wait until his dad retired to learn to fly by instruments. She went to Staples soon after and took her son to the office supply store, where he looked through the available software.

"He was disappointed because there was military stuff, but it was all fighting stuff, so I asked the clerk, and he was alarmed by us asking how to fly airplanes and said that was against the law," Olearcek said. "I said I couldn't imagine that, but, because (the clerk) was a little on edge ... I left." But "what saves us, is people are paying attention," she said.

Olearcek said she and her husband both were well aware that the Office of Homeland Security had raised the threat level during the holiday and of the generally increased terrorism alert following the Sept. 11 plane attacks.

"And rightly so, this puts people on edge," she said.

But she was taken aback by what happened next.

"By 8 p.m., a state trooper was at my house," she said. "At first, it was a little unnerving because it was pouring rain and my husband had just left ... My son said he heard someone walking around outside and it startled him. We had put our Christmas tree in front of a sliding glass door and the trooper ended up tapping on the glass of that door and putting a flashlight in and it scared us."

But Olearcek said she doesn't believe the trooper was intentionally trying to frighten her family. Nor does she blame the clerk for erring on the side of caution.

"We all have to be aware," she said, not really even wanting to speak of the incident on the record, but wanting to keep the record straight. "It's not just the people in uniform who have to be looking after this country. So when people see something out the ordinary, they pay attention. Maybe by the way we worded the question - who knows? - it triggered the individual. Still, if they had done their homework (at Staples) they would see I home school my children and am a frequent customer and have a teacher's ID on file."

Olearcek said the trooper asked her if she had inquired about the software, and she said she had and showed him her military identification.

"He was totally understanding, but protocol means he has to follow through," Olearcek said. "I immediately gave him my military ID and I had no problem giving it to him. At first I felt like, 'Wait a minute, this is America.' But we also have to understand it takes everybody to pay attention. At first I was a little frazzled with someone knocking on my window at 8:30 at night, but the bottom line is this is a civilian who has tried to do his best."

Sgt. Donald Charpentier of the Shelburne Falls State Police barracks said police received a telephone call from the Staples manager "that a person had been looking for instructional videos regarding flying planes."

"Those programs are quite common for entertainment and training, but he felt it was suspicious enough to warrant a call," Charpentier said. "We responded, and it turned out to be innocent enough; a person looking to buy a Christmas gift."

Staples' spokesperson Sharyn Frankel said the employees were doing what they have been told to do.

"After 9/11, our store associates were instructed that if they see something suspicious or out of the ordinary, they're to contact their managers and local authorities," Frankel said. "It's all about keeping our associates and customers safe and this was out of the ordinary and kind of raised a red flag and they did what they thought was right."

"Bottom line is we've all got to look out for each other, and I wasn't harmed," summed up Olearcek. "And what if it were the other way around? It's going to take everyone in each town to look after one another."

[BSunday]

remember anything in the name of peace and safety /carb overloaded sarcasm/

LOL Oh yeah. Never mind my previous posts ya'll. Three cheers for the Patriot Act !!!

[BSunday]

No Burqa mentioned. The clerk was clearly engaging in unconstitutional anti-profiling

(Harassing the clearly innocent in an effort to not appear politically incorrect or bigoted)

[BSunday]

3-day waiting periods for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

You forgot to mention the background checks.

[battousai]

What bothers me is how did this clerk know who the family was and where they live? Especially since they didn't buy anything? Perhaps he took down their license plate after they left the store?

This lady may praise the clerk but I think he or she is an overzealous 'tard. What did he think this lady was gonna teach her 10 year old son to be a homicide pilot? Were they even Middle Eastern looking?

FS software illegal, since when? learning to fly is illegal too? Sheesh no wonder s/he is working at Staples earning minimum wage.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

What happens at Best Buy stays at Best Buy

LOL. too funny, but good to know. LOL.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Another objective of terrorism is to make people fear doing ordinary things lest the police come after them. This is all in Bakunin and the Russian Terrorist writings of about 150 years ago. One of the terrorist's aims is to get people to distrust the police.

Ordinary citizens now must be careful of what books they check out or buy; what software they inquire about, etc. If even legal actions are subject to police inquiry, people tend to feel that these actions are defacto illegal.

Does anyone believe that this inquiry will not be permantly on the boy's record? After all, an police inquiry was instigated. Maybe it will only surface when he wants a job or runs for office. ( "I have in my hand a piece of paper showing that my opponent, Mr. Olearcek was the target of an investigation into terrorist activities....")

[cynwoody]

FS software illegal, since when? learning to fly is illegal too? Sheesh no wonder s/he is working at Staples earning minimum wage.

Exactly. The only question is which chapter of the DSM best describes her.

Now, there might have been some minimal cause for concern if the kid had been shopping for MANPAD training materials or such, instead of civilian flight simulators. (Everyone knows you're supposed to do that on the net, not at Staples.) After all, the next time they get us, I doubt it will be from inside the airplane.

[JCG]

excerpted from The Constitution of the United States...

And which of these amendments was violated, pray tell?

WE ARE NOT SAFE... and will never be...

And, of course, that means something like "All your base are belong to us ... resistance is futile?"

Because we can't prevent ALL terrorist attacks we shouldn't try to prevent any?

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[JCG]

Do you realy want the government scrutinizing everything that you say, do, read, think -- or try to purchase?

Let me get this straight. A suspicious Staples clerk has caused the government to suddenly: scrutinize everything that I say, do, read, think -- or try to purchase.

Funny. I didn't get that from my reading of the article.

The rational among us understand that there is no way to prevent all terrorism and that trying is futile.

I've not said all terrorism can be prevented. But, tell me, that being the case, which terrorism should we not try to prevent? Got any favorites?

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[wysiwyg]

Funny. I didn't get that from my reading of the article.

Okay, but you got this? And the mom, in her burka, was 12. Right.

[pageonetoo]

Are you making your fonts larger, to make up for other deficiencies? Some people just get a Corvette.

I can read the defaults perfectly, in spite of my 56 years. Please refrain from this futile atempt to grab more attention to your posts. They give no more weight to your statements, and only make you look like you need something...

We disagree. You support a nanny state. I believe that I am responsible for my own safety, and for my family.

.308 bump, to you.

[bobsatwork]

The clerk was an absolute moron. Bulls eye. That is the biginning, middle, and end to this story. If he was any dumber, he'd get watered twice a week.

[af_vet_rr]

Insane. But we saw it coming.

Unfortunately. The terrorists have got to be loving this, they are turning people into cowards and having them report each other.

[JCG]

Are you making your fonts larger, to make up for other deficiencies? Some people just get a Corvette.

I can read the defaults perfectly, in spite of my 56 years. Please refrain from this futile atempt to grab more attention to your posts. They give no more weight to your statements, and only make you look like you need something...

Not sure what you mean by larger fonts. They appear to be the same size as everybody else's on my end (I checked with two different browsers). But, if I have to be criticized for something, I guess fonts are as innocuous as anything.

We disagree. You support a nanny state. I believe that I am responsible for my own safety, and for my family.

I don't support a nanny state. I support reasonable precautions in time of war. I don't know if you heard former NYC Mayor Ed Koch's comments on Sean Hannity's show today but he said the "very existence of our nation" depends on our response to the terror threat.

I will sleep better now that I know you're so responsible.

.308 bump, to you.

Terroristic threat?

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[JCG]

Funny. I didn't get that from my reading of the article.

Okay, but you got this? And the mom, in her burka, was 12. Right.

Jeez. It's a joke. Why are you so uptight? I'm the paranoiac here. Remember?

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[Arioch7]

I just purchased Lock On! for my computer. I can not see by any stretch of the imagination how my purchase could be considered a suspicious act.

Buying a civilian flight simulator hits a little closer to home after Sept. 11'th but... WTF?

Whenever there is a shooting, I have to read about games that train people to kill, and now I have to read about Flight Simulators as tools of the Terrorist.

I actually read some dumb shrink from Colorado state that shooters are extremely good training tools for small arms warfare. Let me tell you, if that was the case, I would be one of the worlds greatest operators.

I can see your point, but the clerks reaction is completely paranoid. I can just imagine the cop getting all interested after the clerk told him that "She asked how the flight sim WORKED!!!".

I think the clerk might have the right attitude, but I question his(And the cops.) judgement.

My two cents.

[pageonetoo]

my .308 bump is not a terrorist threat, just a reminder that some of us are able to take care of ourselves... ...and of course, Rudy is not a politician...right? ...and he has no interest in furthering his political interests, right? I do not believe most of what these guys say...They are politicos, and they rarely tell the truth, just say what you want to hear...Rudy included...

You can believe you are safe in their hands, but I choose not to do so! I will guard myself, and continue on with my life, taking full responsiblity.

I am happy to be able to NOT fly commercial, these days!

[gitmo]

The only person in this story showing any sense at all is the 10 year old.

[JCG]

I can see your point, but the clerks reaction is completely paranoid. I can just imagine the cop getting all interested after the clerk told him that "She asked how the flight sim WORKED!!!".

Since neither you, I, nor anyone else on this thread knows precisely what happened at Staples, I don't believe we can fault anybody in this episode, including the clerk. As I have mentioned, we don't know what the mom's appearance is or exactly what conversation ensued. The policeman's statement indicates they asked about videos that would teach one to actually fly an airplane.

I think the clerk might have the right attitude, but I question his(And the cops.) judgement.

I won't fault the clerk until I know more details -- the mom sure didn't. As to the cop, he was just doing his duty.

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[wysiwyg]

...Ed Koch...

And I should care what the very liberal former mayor thinks because...?

Why are you so uptight?

Me? I'm rather relaxed, actually. I'm confident in my abilities to fend for myself and protect my family. I have flown commercially a couple of hundred times since 9/11. I'm not afraid that terrorists are going to destroy our country (American bedwetters will take care of that.) I don't see terrorists behind every tree. Like many FReepers, I just don't like the government sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. a game, for Pete's sake!)

I'm the paranoiac here. Remember?

Well, at least we agree on that!

P.S. And yes, your font does look larger, at least on IE 6.x.