Bomb Scare in Boston

[Russianwolf]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16921137/?GT1=9033

Now listening to the police spokesperson say something to the effect that because the things had a battery pack and exposed wires they automatically assumed they were bombs.

So, if they were better packaged (in a nice display case to hide the parts) I guess they would have been okay????

I think it's a bit overkill.

[cabinetman]

I don't blame them for the caution. I think an immediate evaluation before the hype built would have been more appropriate. Of course it's necessary to know that our tax dollars are at work.



A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER - John Keats

[Lance]

Keep in mind that they also found a very real pipe bomb, at a hospital/rehab ctr I think, the same day and they were not sure they were unrelated until hours later.

I think the point of the package discription was that if something fits the profile of a potentially dangerous package, you treat it as such until you know otherwise. They fit the profile of a potential IED, and were placed where they don't belong.

Also, the first one was noticed and called in because it had fallen from where it was placed. Several of these things were place where if they fell, they would end up in someone's windshield at 50-60 mph. Criminal stupidity on CN's part.

I thought they handled it fine. I'd be much more pissed off if they assumed it was innocuous, and we were burying some poor patrolman.

[radhak]

I am not surprised at the BPD's reaction and the scare; in fact it is both expected and anticipated, particularly with how the packages looked. (Of course, bonus credit were due if they did it even if the packages were slickly put together and not out-of-place).

What I am surprised is that other (earlier) cities did not react at all! They need to wake up...

And I am appalled that a media company like TBS would go in for any advertising campaign with such a primitive, pathetic piece of garbage. Wires showing, batteries visible? Steve Jobs would have fired the whole marketing dept for that gaffe more than the public relationship / national security fiasco!

[gabedad]

I think TBS should pay for police time (they say apporx 750k to 1 million) Also FCC should fine them inappropriate behaviour (if they are to do an ad campaign - let the cities know). The two guys that were hired were just stooges- I don't think charges should really be brought against them - who they work for -yes!

[Black wallnut]

Given that there was really only hysteria , or at least that is what was reported in the press, in one city I'm thinking that this was overblown paranoia. I also think that before the City of Boston sues Turner to try to recover the costs involved they might want to do a random survey to learn the odds of their winning in court. To do otherwise would be IMHO throwing good money after bad.

Regardless of how lame or poorly thought out this ad campaign was it did work! I'm guessing that more people know of the show now than would have if the EOD boys would not have been called.

[Russianwolf]

From what I've seen, the only ones in hesterics were the police. The citizens seemed pretty calm and if anything annoyed by the delays.

[430752]

its the two guys I feel for

These two guys are the ones I feel for. I mean they're hired to do this, probably a resume chock full of guerilla marketing stunts, and think the worst to happen is trespassing or something. They're pro'lly told its all legal and go to it, we'll back you up. Now I expect that CN/Turner will provide them some high-priced lawyers, but if they get convicted, even of a lesser crime, the record is theirs - not CN/Tunrer's.

Other than that, let's see: Boston is way too uptight to go that full throttle on this, but the other 9 cities were way too lax on this by doiing nothing.

and it was a blinking cartoon head. I know al queda is creative, but I doubt they're gonna put a bomb in a flashing led cartoon head. Didn't they blow up those gigantic, millenia old buddha statues in afganistan since they promoted idoltry? So, I don't think they're gonna idolitize the new CN cartoon head.

but, who knows. Guess they've won when any batteries and wires equal instant lock down.

curt j.

[ExYankee]

Once you get a good look at the ‘bomb’ you really have to wonder why once they had one in their hands that the ‘scare’ continued to be propagated.

The spin seems to be that the BPD are outraged that these things caused Boston to panic.
I don’t know what the local coverage was but it was the coverage rather than the signs themselves that caused the panic.

As of this writing there are 5 of these for sale on EBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/aqua-teen-hunger-force-mooninites-neon-not-a-bomb_W0QQitemZ190078492881QQihZ009QQcategoryZ363QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And bloggers that talked about them two weeks ago

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/01/aqua_teen_hunge.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890

Here is a good set of photos to give you an idea of the placement and appearance

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanderlin/tags/aquateenhungerforce

Hundreds of these were hanging in public well traveled places for 3 weeks in ten cities and lit up and flashing at night. And none one noticed.

The phrase constantly repeated is “bomb hoax”

Well “Hoax” has the primary meaning of “An act intended to deceive or trick”. A gym bag with a bundle of highway flares and a wires leading to a cell phone would be a bomb hoax. This neither was intended nor likely to be assumed to be a bomb.
It’s proper for the authorities to show due diligence to investigate, but after it was examined it should have been obvious and made clear to the beantowners that no threat existed.

I would seem to me that the other cities where these are breathing a sigh of relief that that their reaction was more rational and considered than Boston’s was. The poor sap that was hired to place these around the city is faces decades of prison time and the city says it spent $500-750K on ‘cleanup efforts. My guess is more will be found for free by hopeful EBayers than was found by the authorities.

In his campaign speech “Just Words” Mass. Gov Deval Patrick said
“Fear is poisonous” and “only hope defeats fear”

I hope he runs across that speech again before he prosecutes Turner and the two guys who placed the sign.

Well this should add a note or two to my FBI file.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

Did you guys see how much the thing is going for on EBay????

I could make something like that on my kids Light Brite.

It was for publicity and that is what they got. The reached their objective IMO, and I am sure that people that didn't know about the show now are going to tune in and find it to see what its like.

[jseklund]

if they are to do an ad campaign - let the cities know

Come on. Think about this for a second- "We're going to run an ad. Better call the police." This is just ridiculous.

As others have stated, it was the hype, not the lite brite that was the issue. So now, the police can make a mistake and over-react and you get to go to jail for it? That's ludicrous. The police are the ones who over-reacted, they need to take responsibility. They did not asses the situation appropriately. I agree- caution saves lives. They should have been cautious. But caution also applies to creating a scare over 7 or 8 lite brites. Once they had one, they should have been cautious, determined what it was, and acted more responsibly.

The bottom line is that no one was hurt, there was no harm intended (implied or otherwise). It can't be called a hoax because it wasn't intended to look like a bomb, it wasn't a fakery of any sort. I'm glad the police are looking, but this is just politics.

[TheRic]

According to the police these things were so obviously scary looking, possible bomb, etc. They were put in high profile areas were many people could see them. It took the police two weeks to notice them!! How much trust can you put into them for finding a real bomb that is hidden?!!

[Richard in Smithville]

Sounds like the response from the original "War Of The Worlds" radio broadcast. I think Orson Wells would get a laugh out of it.