Casio terrorist watch now offered in white (Updated)
UPDATE: this was originally a harmless post about what appeared to be a cute retro wristwatch with a twist. It turns out that it's on ... the terrorist watch list.
This lovely retro watch, "Farmer," is engraved on the rear with a Duran Duran quote. Though a pleasingly reasonable $25, the sellers caution that "a couple of people have reported their watches running a bit quick over a week or so, if this happens to yours let us know and we can organize a replacement."
Alas, I doubt it will arrive before Labor Day.
Reader Søren adds:
This watch is a relabeled Casio F91w[1], a watch with an interesting history. Back in 1995, Ramzi Yousef and Khalid Shaikh Mohammed tried to blow up the Pope in Manila[2]. Ramzi tried to make a bomb, accidentally set his hotel room on fire, and fled. In his recovered laptop there were instructions for how to use a Casio F91w as a bomb's timing device.As a result, the watch was linked to terrorism. And as a result of *that*, the Department of Defense has listed possession of a Casio F91w as a reason to detain 27 Guantanamo prisoners indefinitely[3].
It's important to point out that none of the 27 had actually modified their watches to become detonator timing devices. They were just ordinary watches, same as the ones above. In their Detainee Statements[4], every prisoner expresses surprised incredulity when the watch is mentioned. Some point out in exasperation that their guards are wearing similar watches.
Jake and I bought about a dozen watches each - they're reliable, durable, and $7 in bulk. If you'd like a Terrorist Watch I'll be happy to mail you one. (I gave one to US Attorney General Michael Mukasey earlier this year, but that's another story.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F91W
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oplan_Bojinka
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F91W#Detainees_listed_as_having_a_Casio_watch
http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/
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I don't know if it is so much ... retro as casio still makes the black one:
http://my.casio.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.detail&catalog=Timepiece§ion=Classic&product=F28W-1
Your local guy on the street corner should be able to obtain a knockoff in any color you like, and by labor day.
You will miss out on the duran duran quote that no one else can see though... (oh and you'll have to live with not paying like 3 times the street price)
Really nice watch, but too much. Maybe worth $8 or $10. Since that white plastic looks like it would discolor pretty quickly. Those straps even on real Casios die quickly. Sell me a pack of replacements in different colors—or maybe just black and white—and I'll buy that.
woooooooow neber seen a knock off of a cheap watch before :0******* drOOl.... i want one!
This isn't just like a Casio, but white...it IS a Casio, but white, fresh, and insanely overpriced. But it's a G-Shock. LRG x Casio G-Shock "Time Is Money" Watch
Casio make white ones which are likely to live longer than a $25 knock-off :)
http://casioatcarnaby.com/Watches/G-Shock/Limited/GLX-5600-7ER/
Casio already makes white watches in that style; I count one, two, three, four!
Who's CH and why is the watch upset with him/her/them?
fu is furni
ch is cool hunting
this watch is a collaboration between the two,
and if its like the casio version will probably make your wrist smell funny
(update)or perhaps explode
Want!
Ok, that's just ridiculous. These watches are very cheap so there are probably tons of people in the middle east who wear them. So some guy took the particular watch that he happened to be wearing that day and turned it into a bomb timing device. And it's ubiquitous so it's easy for people to copycat.
I'm surprised that metal, wires, and black electrical tape aren't on the terrorist list, too, since almost every bomb ever made probably has at least one of those components.
Imprisoning poor people for using cheap watches? Smells a bit like that Soviet system of forcing everyone to use illegal black market to get a reason to imprison anyone.
On an unrelated note, it's probably unintentional, but that's one politically incorrect picture of hands and watches. Some anthropologically misguided organizations will probably want to use it out of context. :-)
I have one of those casio watches in black. It was the cheapest digital I could find- I had to buy a handful of them for terrorist activi- I mean, to use as synchronized time pieces for an aquifer pump test.
I feel so much more dangerous now. Look out, weekend.
I still wear this watch on a regular basis despite my terroristic South Asian complexion. I think it makes a cool political statement. I usually end up paying more to replace the irritating strap than I paid for the watch itself.
I want to know what Duran Duran quote is on it and why.
There's something a little...off...about the wrists in that picture. They look like...TERROR-WRISTS!
/snort
Oh, yes. I definitely want you to mail one to me. Please make non-terrorist contact as soon as possible. (I live in FLA, not far from where the 9/11 guys spent their last night in a local "gentlemen's club" - which is still legal.)
Locked up in Gitmo for owning a Casio device that can be tinkered with. Circuitbenders of the world,.... beware!
I wonder if the Homeland Security is collecting data of F91W's sold in USA... Would it be paranoia, or just caution of things to come?
WHERE DO I BUY?
hello ,
i would like to buy two. do you still have them?
is it a problem that i live in greece at the moment...?
PLEASE MAKE SOME MORE!!! I've just lost my trusty casio f-91W making a detona... i mean skiing and was hoping to replace it with a white one. Make more! Do it! DO IT!!!