[Puppage]

Good think'n in a post 9-11 world.

[SlowBoat407]

Time was when showing a cartoon figure giving the finger would've been enough to get 'em busted.

[Smokin' Joe]

It just goes to show how clueless and disconnected these nitwits are.

[DB]

Gov. Deval Patrick needs a better education as to the definition of "hoax".

[FreedomPoster]

Boston Scare Caused by Official Overreaction and Lack of Common Sense

[BallyBill]

Carl ain't moving to Boston.

[CharlesWayneCT]

If they really looked like bombs, it's pretty scary that they were in ten different cities for up to three weeks and nobody noticed and called.

But looking at the device last night, it didn't look at ALL like a bomb. And all the panic seems to have been caused NOT by anybody who saw the device (except the worker that found it), but by the news reports and shutting down traffic, such that people who did not SEE the devices had visions of dangerous bombs, or pipe bombs, etc..

I'm not ready to excuse the marketing firm (I do hope they didn't put the marketing guys in jail when they arrested them), but I'm also not ready to simply say that if you do something that makes the police overreact, you have to go to jail for it.

The city should have an ordinance against placing advertising on public spaces without a license. If they do, we can prosecute for that violation, and the fine can reflect the cost to the city of the violation, which can include EVERYTHING -- that's just my opinion.

But if there is no law prohibiting such advertising, then I don't think we should fine them or throw people in jail just because someone misunderstood.

However: the guy that found the first one should be rewarded. I don't care that it was a hoax, we need to encourage people to report stuff like this if it looks suspicious. We don't need ordinary citizens to look back at this incident and say "well, this is probably just another hoax, and I don't want to be a laughingstock".

I'd also love to know WHEN TNT,Cartoon channel, or the ad agency first contacted a law enforcement official to tell them the devices were theirs, and whether they instead had a big meeting of lawyers while this was going on. It seems someone could have put this scare to an end pretty quickly with the right call.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

"The packages in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger," Turner said in a statement. It said the devices have been in place for two to three weeks in 10 cities: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Ore., Austin, Texas, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Three weeks to notice a marketing campaign? I'd say that is piss poor marketing. I'd go even further. They intended the consequence they got. They must be catering to morons.

[reagan_fanatic]

I watch Adult Swim for one show and one show only - Futurama. The rest of Adult Swim is the type of mindless, immature tripe you would expect from a couple of drunk, mentally challenged 28 year-olds living in their Mom's basement.

As stupid as Adult Swim is, even I'm surprised they would pull such a idiotic stunt as this.

[NonValueAdded]

They claim it was a publicity stunt gone bad, and in many respects it was -- like the guy is in jail :o But in terms of exposure, they hit the jackpot. Now if they'd only do something about that Rolling Rock commercial.

[armymarinemom]

WKRP Turkey Drop

[OldFriend]

Another botched joke out of Massachusetts!

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Polonius]

Doesn't "hoax" imply an attempt at deception? This was a viral marketing campaign carried out with lite brite displays in the shape of a cartoon character, placed in obvious public areas. I've yet to see or read anything that would indicate an intent to "hoax" anyone by leading them to believe these ads were something else. The only "hoax" is in the mind of the public officials who overreacted and their enablers in the hysterical media.

[spectre]

I want to hear from Donald Trump and how fast he would have said "you're fired" to that Marketing Firm after he said "what the hell could you have been thinking"?

sw

[longtermmemmory]

Lame campaign for a lame show.

It is damning that NOBODY recognized the characters.


Of course now the bad guys know they can set "devices" in at least 38 spots.