Boston Scare Caused By Marketing Mistake

WNBC Television ^ | 02/01/07 | Puppage

[FunkyZero]

Ok, you are hanging flashing neon signs in high visibility spots. They have a cartoon character on them flipping people off and a couple of Duracell batteries. does this sound like the work of undercover terrorist operatives?
Here's my question: What idiot would call 911 and report a bomb?
C'mon people, you are now officially "terrorized". They won.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Well, although I think that the Cartoon Network and advertising firm involved used really bad judgment in placing these things where they did, I saw a couple of pictures of the devices this morning and they look like the old "Lite-Brite" toys my kid sister used to play with. Consequently, I think that Boston's official completely overreacted and shut down the entire city without first determining the nature of these "devices." Turner Network probably should pay for overtime costs and perhaps a fine, but I don't think jail time is in order for those two saps who were arrested last night, even though they should have notified authorities about what they were doing before they put the ads up.

Just my humble opinion...

[BikerJoe]

"Here's my question: What idiot would call 911 and report a bomb? "

Thanks Funky. When I first saw them, I thought, "Stop Overreacting. Terrorists aren't going to use Lite-Brite!"

[Aikonaa]

Send the bill for the mess to these 'guerrilla marketers' and you will see this kind of nonsense ending quickly.

[Recovering Hermit]

This stunt was way beyond stupid.

[Brilliant]

It's gotta be illegal. But since this is MA, I guess it doesn't really matter what the law is.

[DB]

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doD_VpT_yAY

Professionals that are supposed to know better should have been easily able to identify that these "devices" weren't a threat. Everything was out in the open - there wasn't some enclosed case that could have contained a substantial amount of explosives. They're thin and their inner workings are clearly visible. It was obvious they were cheap electronic signs.

[knarf]

Had I not left in 1976 for a less hectic lifestyle, I would certainly leave NOW because of the association of Boston with imbicility.

The stupid people looked at a cartoon light as an IED ... and the cops and politicians followed up with the proper outrage.

Savage is SO correct ... Liberalism is a mental disease.

[xsmommy]

and the jihadists are taking notes of the entire contratemps and saying to themselves...hmmm.... use a litebrite toy as the basis of your device and no one will report it after this event...

in this post 9-11 world it is ridiculous that this firm would not have thought this through. I was listening to foxnews in my car before the cartoon aspect was known and the factor that they were fixating on was WHERE the objects were placed-- a medical center, bridges, roadways, in other words INFRASTRUCTURE. in a post 9-11 world, is it a good idea to dismiss out of hand, objects that are out of place just because of harmless they look?

[xsmommy]

i totally agree with you. think the jihadists aren't taking note now that toys will no longer be considered suspicious?

[DB]

I have no problem with "busting" them for that. In fact they should have been.

But I do have a problem with the morons in charge shutting down a major city being too stupid to see what they obviously were and then blaming the whole over reaction on others.

[xsmommy]

Terrorists aren't going to use Lite-Brite

oh you think not? especially after this? ok....

[FreedomPoster]

Look at the dang thing. It's a cartoon!

You don't need to have watched ATHF, to know that.

Also, see this post:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1777244/posts?page=48#48

[Bernard]

I just got a singing birthday card from a friend. I would be very careful about sending one to an official in Boston - I don't think they would take it lightly.

[tearlenb]

Pictures of these can be found here. And I agree that they do look like lite brites.

[Smokin' Joe]

So this means if it has a flashing light and a sticker of someone flipping you off it doesn't have any C4 in the box?

I guess the terrorist typesa are going to be out buying flashing lights and cartoon sitckers before the next bombing, just to throw people off.

1:People saw something, they did not know what it was, they did know it was different and in places where explosives would do some possibly serious damage. It was prudent to get it checked out

2: Life ain't TV, but most of the bombs on TV have little flashing lights on them, and that is what the uninformed will associate it with.

An unrecognized cartoon character flipping you off? Think about it...a bomb is such an effective way to say "F**K You!".

does this sound like the work of undercover terrorist operatives?

For the terrorist, it is a case of whatever works. Whoulda thunkit? No bang, but all the disruption without the mess.

As for "officially terrorized", that happened back when I could no longer take my knife (or a nail clipper--sheesh!) aboard the plane.

[Miss Marple]

OK, I will concede that these do not look like bombs. However, when they are unlit (during daytime) wouldn't it be a little difficult to see what the figure is to represent, and also anything electronic, even something that doesn't have room for explosives, would cause some suspicion. The explosives could be somewhere else, you know.

[Puppage]

But I do have a problem with the morons in charge shutting down a major city being too stupid to see what they obviously were

Sure, THIS TIME.

Do you really believe that will be the case always? Would you be YOUR life on that?

[DB]

These things were light, small and thin. Even if most of the weight had been a bomb that went off they wouldn't have done much more than blacken the paint on those bridges.

It was easy to tell what these things were just by looking at them. Its inner workings were open to see.

Dumb (not you).

[xsmommy]

batteries, exposed wires and placed on infrastructure. could it be a timing device that would detonate something placed elsewhere? i don't know jack about explosives, but i think that the gimmick was reprehensible and that one cannot be cavalier about stuff randomly placed. i mean for God's sake, you can't leave a piece of luggage unattended at an airport, why would it make sense not to be suspicious of electrical devices placed on infrastructure.