We Could Be More Stupid - But It Would Be Hard

Jan 26, 2007
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TheBostonChannel.com
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TV Network Takes Responsibility For 'Hoax Devices'
Crews Respond To Bridges, Hospital
Jamy Pombo, Senior News Editor

POSTED: 2:08 pm EST January 31, 2007
UPDATED: 6:49 pm EST January 31, 2007

BOSTON -- Turner Broadcasting plans to take responsibility for the "hoax devices" that were found at several locations in and around Boston Wednesday that forced police bomb units to scramble throughout the area.

The incidents were part of a marketing campaign that involved a character from the cartoon show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."

"The 'packages' in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger. They are part of an outdoor marketing campaign in 10 cities in support of Adult Swim's animated television show 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force,'" Turner Broadcasting, the parent company of Cartoon Network, said in a statement.

The company said that they have been in place for two to three weeks in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact location of the billboards, according to the statement, and regrets that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger.

The cartoon airs as part of the Adult Swim late-night block of programs on the Cartoon Network. It features characters called "mooninites," who were pictured on the found devices. A feature length film based on the cartoon is scheduled to be released late next month.

Gov. Deval Patrick praised the response of law enforcement and said that he was "dismayed to learn that many of the devices are a part of a marketing campaign by Turner Broadcasting."

"This stunt has caused considerable disruption and anxiety in our community. I understand that Turner Broadcasting has purported to apologize for this. I intend nonetheless to consult with the attorney general and other advisors about what recourse we may have," Patrick said.

"Emergency deployment teams were sent into the center of the city immediately upon these reports. There were significant shutdowns of not only highways, but rail traffic with the MBTA," Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said. "Several of the devices do have common characteristics, but it is too early to say how many are connected."

The first device was found under Interstate 93, and the state police bomb squad was called and detonated the package in Sullivan Square just before 10 a.m. Officials said it contained an electronic circuit board with some components that were "consistent with an improvised explosive device," but they said it had no explosives.

Several hours later, Boston police said the department received four calls, all at about 1 p.m., reporting the devices. Officials responded to at least nine locations, including the Boston University Bridge, the Longfellow Bridge, the McGrath O'Brien Highway in Somerville, a comic store on Harvard Avenue in Brighton, a location near the intersection of Stuart and Columbus streets, a location near Washington and Water streets and under the McCarthy Overpass in Somerville, according to Davis.

A device described by officials as a pipe bomb was found in the basement of the Tufts New England Medical Center at 185 Harrison Ave.

Davis said that residents should not be afraid to enter or leave the city and that additional police resources have been deployed to help ensure people that they are safe.

"It's a hoax, and it's not funny," Patrick said. "I think we fell at this point, that there is not a reason for anyone to panic, but there are reasons to be diligent."

Mayor Tom Menino said that all of the packages found posed no danger and that several police departments are working together to investigate suspicious calls about the devices.

"Public safety officials are all working together. There is no time for anyone to panic. We believe we have the situation in hand. Go about your business," Menino said. "The individuals who placed these packages should be warned that there is a heavy penalty -- two to five years imprisonment for each one of them. We are not playing around."

Storrow Drive eastbound was shut down for a brief time, and the MBTA suspended service on the Red Line and planned to bus afternoon commuters between Kendall and Park Street stations.

"Anytime you get a report of a suspicious device, it is always a concern," U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Scott Carr said. "We went ahead and shut down the waterways so we could clear the area and keep everybody safe."

"Our device was not an active device. We are still treating the area as a crime scene. There were no injuries. Everyone was evacuated properly, and everyone now back to their locations," Tufts New England Medical Center's Brooke Hynes said.

MBTA Lt. Sal Venturelli said police were told about the first package by a transit passenger who spotted it on a column that supports I-93. The parcel was located on an elevated structure above the bus way and below I-93 in the Charlestown section of Boston at about 8 a.m.

"This is a perfect example of our passengers taking part in Homeland Security," Venturelli said.
 
I'm interested, who's stupid? The people and responders or Turner Broadcasting?
 
Did anyone see the the things they set up? I have no clue how they could have confused that with any sort of bomb. I mean its obvious its an Aqua Team add. its rather amusing. I cant figure out why the authorities were dumb enough to think that mooninites made with light bulbs flipping people off were bombs... Especially since i know i heard that some where there days ago without incident.
 
Did anyone see the the things they set up? I have no clue how they could have confused that with any sort of bomb. I mean its obvious its an Aqua Team add. its rather amusing. I cant figure out why the authorities were dumb enough to think that mooninites made with light bulbs flipping people off were bombs... Especially since i know i heard that some where there days ago without incident.

Somebody(s) needs to go to jail for this and whatever costs were incurred by law enforcement should be tallied, tripled and the bill sent to morons.
 
Did anyone see the the things they set up? I have no clue how they could have confused that with any sort of bomb. I mean its obvious its an Aqua Team add. its rather amusing. I cant figure out why the authorities were dumb enough to think that mooninites made with light bulbs flipping people off were bombs... Especially since i know i heard that some where there days ago without incident.

What i think is more sad is that if these had been actual bombs, all those people would have been dead. The Adult Swim people said that the ads have been up for 3 weeks and they were only noticed by authorities just the other day. Way to be on top of things. :rolleyes:

I laughed my ass off when i saw the device. I was like "OMG its Err." Adult Swim achieved their goal. Everyone knows about Aqua Teen now.
 
According to the story, Cartoon Network even informed law enforcement in advance. I would also like to know what statute you plan to prosecute them under. "Advertising using electronics?" "Unintentionally scaring some stupid old people?" Please, these things are up in cities all over the United States, and this was the first problem.
 
According to the story, Cartoon Network even informed law enforcement in advance. I would also like to know what statute you plan to prosecute them under. "Advertising using electronics?" "Unintentionally scaring some stupid old people?" Please, these things are up in cities all over the United States, and this was the first problem.

Did they expect the BPD to actually notify their officers? :rofl:
 
Did they expect the BPD to actually notify their officers? :rofl:

I may have been wrong about law enforcement, but they did have to get permission from the city to place the ads. I'd be willing to bet that it was Boston's fault for failing to keep the lines of communication open, but, as with the Big Dig, they're blaming everyone else.
 
I may have been wrong about law enforcement, but they did have to get permission from the city to place the ads. I'd be willing to bet that it was Boston's fault for failing to keep the lines of communication open, but, as with the Big Dig, they're blaming everyone else.
That's typical with a bunch of loser Damnocrats. I'm just waiting for them to have Teddy Kennedy appropriate the much needed Federal funds for a sophisticated anti-elctronics screening system. At least this won't cost is all a trillion dollars like the big dig did.

I grew up there in the 60's and 70's, and remember when Gov. Sargent issued an Executive Decree banning all new road construction within Route 128. They had new road rights of ways purchased, embankments already filled for miles, elevated ramps alredy constructed, and he shut the entire process down with the stroke of his pen. The resulting traffic nightmare caused a huge corporate flight out to Rte 128, which they renamed Rte. 95 to suck in more Federal dollars. This created 2-4 hour traffic jams at certain hours, M-F. The Big Dig was then the only solution to fix the problem. They painted themselves into a corner with their roadway system and you and I had to pay for it.
 
I may have been wrong about law enforcement, but they did have to get permission from the city to place the ads. I'd be willing to bet that it was Boston's fault for failing to keep the lines of communication open, but, as with the Big Dig, they're blaming everyone else.

The Bueracracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding Bueracracy. Gotta love inner city politics.:rofl:
 
I cant believe they are trying to arrest people for it. Its freaking obvious its not a bomb. But they are trying to obscure the fact that these officers are either incompetent or unprepared to deal with this.
 
LA Times faces legal action over news-stand 'bomb' alert

Feb 01 2:32 PM US/Eastern

The Los Angeles Times and movie studio Paramount could face a federal lawsuit after a publicity stunt to promote "Mission: Impossible III" sparked a bomb scare, the paper reported.

Around 4,500 sidewalk newspaper boxes across California were rigged with devices last April that played the "Mission: Impossible" theme when customers opened them in the build-up to the release of the Tom Cruise blockbuster.

But several customers thought the music players were bombs and reported them to law enforcement officials. An arson squad blew up one of the newspaper boxes in Santa Clarita, just north of Los Angeles, as a precaution.

In West Los Angeles, federal police at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center called the bomb squad after a newspaper buyer spotted wires rigged to the music player within the box. Hospital officials evacuated the building.

The Times quoted assistant US attorney in Los Angeles Linda Kontos as saying that the hospital had suffered around 93,000 dollars in losses because of the evacuation.

In letters sent to The Times and Paramount, Kontos said her office would recommend that the government sue the newspaper and studio, The Times reported.

Kontos however said her department would provide both parties "with the opportunity to resolve the allegations" without litigation.

News of the lawsuit comes as authorities in Boston pledged to take action over a marketing stunt that sparked a full-scale security alert in the city on Wednesday. Two men have been charged with placing a hoax device after allegedly planting several flashing circuit boards around Boston to promote a late-night animated program on Turner Broadcasting's System's Cartoon Network.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/02/01/070201193232.ooqqhaxc.html
 

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