Posted on 01/31/2007 6:45:54 PM PST by tobyhill
BOSTON - More than 10 blinking electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots in Boston threw a scare into the city Wednesday in what turned out to be a publicity campaign for a late-night cable cartoon. Most if not all of the devices depict a character giving the finger.
Boston police said Wednesday night that one person had been arrested, and authorities scheduled a news conference to provide details.
Highways, bridges and a section of the Charles River were shut down and bomb squads were sent in before authorities declared the devices were harmless.
"It's a hoax — and it's not funny," said Gov. Deval Patrick, who said he'll speak to the state's attorney general "about what recourse we may have."
Turner Broadcasting, a division of Time Warner Inc. and parent of Cartoon Network, said the devices were part of a promotion for the TV show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," a surreal series about a talking milkshake, a box of fries and a meatball.
"The packages in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger," Turner said in a statement, issued a few hours after reports of the first devices came in.
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.
"We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger," the company said. As soon as the company realized the problem, it said, law enforcement officials were told of their locations in all 10 cities.
The marketing firm that put them up has been ordered to remove them immediately, said Phil Kent, Turner chairman.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
A cylindrical package, wires, a battery, and a depiction of a then-unknown symbol giving the finger...and it is attached to various public structures.
I think it is very appropriate to have the bomb squad take precautions removing the thing. What idiot came up with this idea in post 9-11 America?
They smoke while they flip the bird, too.
Ignignot: Just say here, and by here we mean "Here I am, rock you like a hurricane."
Err: You do as the Scorpions have before you!
""The funniest thing to come out of this" Shepard Smith reported that Jack Cafferty on CNN actually said something to the effect that whoever the idiot was that did this they should be hung... then CNN found out it was Turner Broadcasting...""
This was one of the funniest things I have seen on the news in awhile. I wonder if he will issue a retraction?
God, I must lead a sheltered life. At 60, the only cartoons I ever watched were Popeye, Mighty Mouse, Casper, Baby Huey...and I'm not talking about TV cartoons, I'm talking about the Saturday cartoon jamborees at my local theater. I think the last weekly cartoon TV series I watched was Rocky and Bullwinkle...the first time they were on...not the reruns.
Its huge among college kids, including my friends and myself.
We are doomed my friends.
This so called Hoax campaign, promoted by CNN, a subsiduary of Turner Broadcasting has all the earmarks of a terrorist dry run:
1) Any Islamofascists observing the hoax sites now know the response time of the MSP, the BCP and various bomb squads.
2) Any Islamofascist now knows the equipment used by the bomb disposal units. They would have easily photographed them
3) The communication protocols of the various agencies would be known, along with the various radio frequencies used, so that they could be jammed.
4) The travel routes of the respponding agencies to the hoax sites would be known, enablisg Islamofascists to plan a viable escape route. The list goes on.
The MSM drive by liberal media, led by Ted Turner have moved from waging a seditious propaganda war, to actively providing hard intelligence to Al Quaeda and other Jihadist Groups. This is really seditious.
And they say it is a hoax? Homeland Security should charge the perpetrators with sedition , if they find a single piece of linkage between Ted Turner and Islamofascists.
Thank You Turner Broadcasting for the intelligence operation on behalf of the Islamofascists. It has a perfect cover: An Advertising Hoax.
At the very least CNN should pay for all of the costs of emergency responders answering the call. In addition CNN should be fined and several of the planners charged with aiding and abetting the enemy, as I am sure CNN filmed every location, and will covertly send it on to Al Jezeera.
Thanks Ted. What a horredous unpatriotic A$$hole you are! And a liberal whacko moonbat to boot! If I could, I would give you my best swing at the end of a piece of Major League Hickory!
"And the defense will point out that 10 other cities **including NYC** did not react in a blind panic."
Or weren't observant enough to notice them at all.
Greta said at the top of her show tonight that cartoon network did the scheme to promote their new show aqua teen hunger force....new? lol...if it is new then why do i own 4 seasons on dvd of this great show?
Cafferty? Not in a million years. The guy is an idiot.
Moral Orel is a stop-motion cartoon. It seems to be a parody of "David And Goliath," which I remember from when I was a kid.
Shep sure got a laugh out of it.
With all due respect...this was not a hoax..it is underground marketing and it goes on in every city every single day...I am on the side of the show on this one. If anyone paid attention for a split second..they could have pointed out what these things actually were and they have been out and around cities across the country for weeks.
The problem with it is Turner should have notified cops before 5 pm...they waited all day long to get in touch with cops to let them know it is a promo for ATHF. For that...they should flip the bill.
Thats still better then the Cartoon Network's first idea of painting a tunnel opening on a cliff side and diverting the Boston tunnel traffic through it
I know, it's so unjust.
I mean, he can turn into an igloo.
OF MEAT! XD
I agree, in the absence of Islamofascists standing around with a camera,a stop watch, a log book, and a radio scanner for police frequencies.
But then we may never know, or will we?
I like Carl. That poor bastard...
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