TV Network Takes Responsibility For 'Hoax Devices'
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.
Now my question for the thread is: What the Hell, at know point did they make it a hoax. In no way did they pretend it was a bomb, in no way did they guys who did this do anything to make these small things to be treated as a terroristic threat. Just because stupi people overreacted to them why should that be a crime. THese things were nothing more than portable billboards so why the fuss.
Now the question do you think people are just to PC and or too much of over reacting wuss's these days after 9/11 or is it justifiable? [b/]
Originally posted by Hank Reardenaw come on hank, you cant expect us to read war and peace??😕
TV Network Takes Responsibility For 'Hoax Devices'
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 ca ...[text shortened]... days after 9/11 or is it justifiable? [b/] [/b]
Originally posted by eamon oSorry Eamon, I just wanted to show the article.
aw come on hank, you cant expect us to read war and peace??😕
These gist of it is in Boston, to promote the Aqua Teen movie, some guys went around town puting up small one foot light up signs of ignignot raisning his middle finger. Now they weren't hidden by put in highly vissable spaces to where people who might watch the show would go near, Streets and bridges near campusus, and comic book store and such.
People saw these and figured the only thing the could be were terroristic devices. ANd so the bomb squads were deployed and some of these little billboards were blown up and some how it cost the city of boston 500,000 dollars and shut down major roads and trains for hours. Even though this was done in over 10 other cities in which nothing happened.
Now the people who put them up as well as Turner Broadcasting are now being forced to pay for the city of Bostons ignorance.
Now the question I asked was do you think that people now days are justtoo PC or Wusses or is their reaction justifyable?
Originally posted by Hank ReardenThese were up in like 10 cities. I thinks its funny that only Boston would flip out over them because if I thought any city would, it would be Boston.
Sorry Eamon, I just wanted to show the article.
These gist of it is in Boston, to promote the Aqua Teen movie, some guys went around town puting up small one foot light up signs of ignignot raisning his middle finger. Now they weren't hidden by put in highly vissable spaces to where people who might watch the show would go near, Streets and bridges ...[text shortened]... as do you think that people now days are justtoo PC or Wusses or is their reaction justifyable?
Now, they didn't think the only thing they could be was a bomb. They just checked out the possibility. After all, false alarms before a real bomb aren't unheard of. The IRA had done exactly that in the past. Not with advertisements, but the basic concept is still similar. What really got Bostons attention was that one of them was on a bridge. Nobody wants bridges to go boom. The reason they are being billed by the city is because no one gave them permission to hang these signs and it resulted in the bomb squad being sent. Seems reasonable to me. If they want to hang ads on something like a bridge, they should at least get permission. Or, they get to pay the bill.
Originally posted by Merknow merk I I see what your saying but as a counter to that, do that mean that I should be able charge some one if I over react about something? if I looked into someone house and saw a television and on it I saw fire and I thought that it was real so I call every fire department and have them all rush to get to the house and they find out that it was a TV should the home oner be held responsible?
These were up in like 10 cities. I thinks its funny that only Boston would flip out over them because if I thought any city would, it would be Boston.
Now, they didn't think the only thing they could be was a bomb. They just checked out the possibility. After all, false alarms before a real bomb aren't unheard of. The IRA had done exactly that in the past. ...[text shortened]... on something like a bridge, they should at least get permission. Or, they get to pay the bill.
Or should a person who accidentally forgets his/her duffle bag lying by a bench be billed because some one overreacts and thinks that it might be a bomb?
Now granted I relize that they were not putting these on their own property but still I counld see no other infraction other than perhaps littering law infraction.
And yeah the paper I read said... let me find it here ok here we go "Turner said the devices had been in place for over three weeks in ten cities boston newyork Los Angeles chicago Atlanta Seattle Portland Austin San Fransisco and Philidelphia." Yeah so the signs had been up for betwwen two and three weeks prior to the freakout.
Now if you'll excuse me I need to contact the authorities because I see a small object hanging above a street that keeps changing colors from red to green to yellow back to red and I'm afraid that it "might" be some sort of alien bomb out to get me. I'll be a hero!
Originally posted by Hank ReardenYour first example would not be the actions of a reasonable person. You're going beyond the legal threshold.
now merk I I see what your saying but as a counter to that, do that mean that I should be able charge some one if I over react about something? if I looked into someone house and saw a television and on it I saw fire and I thought that it was real so I call every fire department and have them all rush to get to the house and they find out that it was ...[text shortened]... and I'm afraid that it "might" be some sort of alien bomb out to get me. I'll be a hero!
Your second example is an accident. That's not much of an analogy.
It will be for the courts to decide whether or not the actions taken by the city of Boston reasonable.
Originally posted by MerkI don't think the actions of the City of boston to be reasonable.
Your first example would not be the actions of a reasonable person. You're going beyond the legal threshold.
Your second example is an accident. That's not much of an analogy.
It will be for the courts to decide whether or not the actions taken by the city of Boston reasonable.
Secondly my second example wasn't ment to be an analogy. It was meant to be really of a whats next sort of senerio.
Personally I would like to see a reciept for the illeged spending of 500,000 dollars. I really wouldn't be surprized to some day down the road see it was an attempt to cover up some theif in the government in the city to hide some numbers in embezzlement.
Originally posted by Hank ReardenWhen you whip up a frenzy of fear, this is what you get.
TV Network Takes Responsibility For 'Hoax Devices'
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 ca ...[text shortened]... days after 9/11 or is it justifiable? [b/] [/b]
I'm surprised some vodka slurping vigilante didn't just shoot someone who was hanging up one of those things.
Originally posted by shavixmirVodka is the liquor flag of communists so it doesn't surprise me.
When you whip up a frenzy of fear, this is what you get.
I'm surprised some vodka slurping vigilante didn't just shoot someone who was hanging up one of those things.
The most likely is a beer drinkin good ole boy, but Boston doesn't have many of those. Beside that, a good ole boy would have checked it out himself. The city of Boston would have never known those things existed.
Originally posted by MerkDoesn't that Irish punk band come from Boston?
Vodka is the liquor flag of communists so it doesn't surprise me.
The most likely is a beer drinkin good ole boy, but Boston doesn't have many of those. Beside that, a good ole boy would have checked it out himself. The city of Boston would have never known those things existed.
Originally posted by shavixmirCould be. I don't know who that would be.
Doesn't that Irish punk band come from Boston?
The last Irish musicians I saw was "Celtic Women" or whatever the hell they call themselves. I would much rather have seen a punk band.
BYW, most people that go to one of those Celtic moman shows don't think the potato famine was particularly funny. I have never gotten the stink eye from more people at once.
Originally posted by MerkSpeaking of the potato famine I need to go to the driving range and pracxtice my golfing cause lately I've been taking more mulligans than the Potato famine.
Could be. I don't know who that would be.
The last Irish musicians I saw was "Celtic Women" or whatever the hell they call themselves. I would much rather have seen a punk band.
BYW, most people that go to one of those Celtic moman shows don't think the potato famine was particularly funny. I have never gotten the stink eye from more people at once.