Hoax packages cause alarm in Boston

[Zeebadee]

Hoax packages cause alarm in Boston - CNN.com

Five suspicious packages planted throughout Boston Wednesday forced the shutdown of major roads, a bridge and a stretch of the Charles River. Authorities concluded the objects were not bombs. "It's a hoax -- and it's not funny," said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

A major U.S. city virtually shut down because the bush neocons have everybody scared to death of every brown paper bag left lying on the street. I think it IS pretty funny, the result of an unending bush program to justify new federal power grabs and constitutional curtailments. Undoubtedly a new form of nefarious terrorist plot!! Someone will go to jail for littering for this.

[notworthabean]

Quote by: Zeebadee Hoax packages cause alarm in Boston - CNN.com A major U.S. city virtually shut down because the bush neocons have everybody scared to death of every brown paper bag left lying on the street. I think it IS pretty funny, the result of an unending bush program to justify new federal power grabs and constitutional curtailments. Undoubtedly a new form of nefarious terrorist plot!! Someone will go to jail for littering for this.

its not because bush is paranoid, its because everyone is because there have been bombings all over the world hiding them in bags. it turns out this was a horribly planned ad campaign, for a horrible tv show (aqua teen hunger force). Someones getting fired.

[RickSp]

A promotion for "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" a late night cartoon shut down much of Boston. The neocons would prefer that we all are afraid of our own shadows. Now Cartoon Network is out to get us!

Cartoon Network Aqua Teen Hunger Force Boston Bomb Scare Hoax

A package scare in Boston, Ma., has turned out to be a publicity stunt gone wrong for the Cartoon Network. Apparently, devices found hanging under bridges in and around Boston formed a terror "hoax" that paralyzed downtown Boston. The advertisements looked suspicious in that there were so many keyboard like devices hanging under the bridge that they caused Homeland Security to react with the full force of the law to investigate the packages. The packages caused a scare because of their location hanging under bridges of a major thoroughfare, and for the number of them that were hung. Nine of the fake devices were identified near the New England Medical Center, the Longfellow Bridge that connects Boston with Cambridge, the Boston University Bridge, and Stuart and Columbus streets in central Boston. Police say the packages turned out to be fake bombs. According to Reuters, the discoveries triggered a city-wide security scare that led the U.S. Coast Guard to close the Charles River that feeds from the Atlantic Ocean into the city and caused authorities to shut down major bridges and several roads.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Why were fake bombs a publicity stunt? Seems pretty irresponsible.

[notworthabean]

Quote by: RickSp A promotion for "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" a late night cartoon shut down much of Boston. The neocons would prefer that we all are afraid of our own shadows. Now Cartoon Network is out to get us! Cartoon Network Aqua Teen Hunger Force Boston Bomb Scare Hoax

um no, its not some "insane neocon plot to keep us in fear" its common sense. the terroists would prefer to just plant bombs and have them go off. it was good work on whoever noticed it.

[ByaKya]

Quote by: notworthabean um no, its not some "insane neocon plot to keep us in fear" its common sense. the terroists would prefer to just plant bombs and have them go off. it was good work on whoever noticed it.

An average human is far more likely to die from state warfare than from terrorists.
in fact, now that bush has gotten more americans killed in a war, its now more likely even for americans to be killed in a war, than by terrorists.
so you have to wonder why would anyone be afraid from terrorists, when its more likely youll be killed from a states military.
so yes, bush has americans paranoid

[ByaKya]

Quote by: notworthabean . it turns out this was a horribly planned ad campaign, for a horrible tv show (aqua teen hunger force). .

you werent making any freinds around here before this, now this is the nail in the coffin!

[notworthabean]

Quote by: ByaKya you werent making any freinds around here before this, now this is the nail in the coffin!

You'd probably be the expert in not making friends, but anyway the only way I'd find that show enterntaing is if I were drunk or stoned.

family guy and futurma on the other hand are amazing shows.

An average human is far more likely to die from state warfare than from terrorists. in fact, now that bush has gotten more americans killed in a war, its now more likely even for americans to be killed in a war, than by terrorists. so you have to wonder why would anyone be afraid from terrorists, when its more likely youll be killed from a states military. so yes, bush has americans paranoid

No, because the chance of being killed in boston by a state miltary is next to nil. the only way to get killed "by the military" is if your killed by terroists in iraq in the service of the military (not by the military)

so no bush and the people who observed it are not paranoid.

[loser]

Political correctness has crippled our country; our people have turned into a bunch of weak-kneed pansies. People are afraid of what they say and they are afraid of what they do. Oh, you hurt my feelings. Boo-hoo! Cry me a river. Get over it already. Lily-livered punks who have nothing to offer to society want their worthlessness praised and applauded. Don't offend, no, no.

What a crock! People need to grow up and face reality. If you don't have enough self-esteem to withstand brutal verbal attacks and vicious name-calling then you don't have anything to offer society. Go lock yourself in a closet somewhere and hide. Good God! People want to flinch and cringe at every little ruffle. Americans are fast becoming the laughing-stock of the world. No strength, no fortitude, overly-sensitive...like a bunch of silly little school girls. What's it going to take...war on native soil, widescale disaster more pervasive than Katrina?

It's good to be kind...but do we have to be stupid, too?

It's time for Americans to get back to what made our nation great: strong against our enemies, intelligent against adversity, and proud of our country. If you don't like America, then carry your ass to somewhere else. We don't need a bunch of baby boo-hooing, lily-livered liberals telling us what's wrong with our country. Instead, we need strong, tough-as-nails citizens willing to work hard towards fixing what's wrong with America! The only way to do that is one person at a time. Who'll step up to the plate next? Will it be you?

[Jack]

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 '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. 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.

TV Network Takes Responsibility For 'Hoax Devices' - News

Without getting into why we're becoming so paranoid, this was a pretty stupid stunt to pull. I have to wonder why Turner Broadcasting didn't alert the police that they were doing this, and why the other cities that were involved didn't react the same way.

[Zeebadee]

Quote by: Isherwood ... and why the other cities that were involved didn't react the same way.

Perhaps the other cities had some people that actually looked at the "threat" with some semblance of rational thought instead of running around screaming about the sky falling. This administration has staked it's entire program of citizen subjigation (sp?) on maintaining the fear of a terrorist behind every rock and tree.

[PatC]

This isnt rocket science, just a huge misunderstanding. I live in Boston, saw one of these "devices" about a month ago under a bridge. I love ATHF, and it made me laugh, though the location was suspicious and there were wires visably hanging out. Easily could be misunderstood by someone who is not familiar with the show. Better to over react to situation like this than not react at all. There were a dozen of these placed around the city in various locations under bridges and overpasses. In one locations a college student acctually pointed it out and explained it to the police. I met people who know the artist arrested for this. From what I was told he a briliant man and moved to Boston from Belarus a few years back after winning a scholarship to MassArt. I just hope that this is all squared away and the charges are dropped against him.

[Rave7pt0]

I think it's both hilarious, and ridiculous that Boston panicked the way it did, and that they are now trying to place blame anywhere but their ignorance. I'm just imagining the precedent this would set if someone really did go to jail: someone decides the fedex package full of caramel corn that's sitting on your door step after having been delivered looks suspicious. The city calls down the wrath of God on you, and discovers the caramel corn. You are blamed for the fiasco and charged with a "hoax." Whatever -- the ad company made something that was clever, stupid people took it the wrong way. It's those peoples' fault.

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: Zeebadee Perhaps the other cities had some people that actually looked at the "threat" with some semblance of rational thought instead of running around screaming about the sky falling. This administration has staked it's entire program of citizen subjigation (sp?) on maintaining the fear of a terrorist behind every rock and tree.

My thoughts exactly.


I can't help but laugh when a major US city is paralyzed by a cartoon advertisement.


Sheesh, sheeple, get a grip. ( or better yet, move away in fear, so we won't have to deal with you in the future. )

[Chris]

heh.

looks like they planted one at Sullivan Sq. T Stop.

Quote by: Rave7pt0 I think it's both hilarious, and ridiculous that Boston panicked the way it did, and that they are now trying to place blame anywhere but their ignorance. I'm just imagining the precedent this would set if someone really did go to jail: someone decides the fedex package full of caramel corn that's sitting on your door step after having been delivered looks suspicious. The city calls down the wrath of God on you, and discovers the caramel corn. You are blamed for the fiasco and charged with a "hoax." Whatever -- the ad company made something that was clever, stupid people took it the wrong way. It's those peoples' fault.

I kind of disagree. These were placed in not so well places, like underneath underpasses, -strategic ones at that. Longfellow Bridge, and BU bridge over masspike would be really bad places to put bombs or similar. There are loads of billboards on the masspike in and around that area but they are clearly billboards and they are on the wall lining masspike. A creative light ad in the same scope of these may have been a better way forward.

[G. Adams]

Quote by: notworthabean You'd probably be the expert in not making friends, but anyway the only way I'd find that show enterntaing is if I were drunk or stoned.

You can't see this but I'm doing it as hard as I possibly can

[RickSp]

Quote by: notworthabean um no, its not some "insane neocon plot to keep us in fear" its common sense. the terroists would prefer to just plant bombs and have them go off. it was good work on whoever noticed it.

Overreacting to every potential threat is just stupid. All the Homeland Security folks seem to have accomplished is to perfect their imitation of Chicken Little.

[brien]

After everyone is finished pointing the finger of blame at everyone else, there will have to be a detailed explanation as to how this event was handled by the authorities in Boston. This could serve as a valuable learning tool if it is understood in the proper context by all authorities at every level of domestic protection. What it should not do is serve as an example of the boy who cried wolf and propagate a false sense of security. The authorities should use this event and separate the ridiculous from the sublime. They should use this event to determine what should be a proper response to a multi faceted domestic threat to innocent citizens, so if and when there is a "next time", they do not make the same mistakes they may have made in this situation, once again.

[Osborn F Enready]

G. Adams said: You can't see this but I'm doing it as hard as I possibly can.

ROFLMAO.

Mooninite Marauders: Advanced beyond all that you can possibly comprehend with 100% of your brain.

Those two characters crack me up!

As far as the "Boston" issue, I agree with Briens take. This was totally overblown, mainly due to "media" speculation and headline makers trying to make a scoop out of poop.

[Chaossaber314]

I love how the first article referred to them as "hoax packages".

No bias or anything.

My response to this is in line with VGCats. It's friggin light bright ffs.