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Thread: "Aqua Teen" hoax causes scare in Boston

  1. #16
    Senior Member RDU-JFK's Avatar
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    Also agree that Boston took the right actions. People need to be vigilant, and if you see an electronic device on the street, people need to say something. Thank god Boston took this seriously. So now everyone laughs at Boston police and think that they were out of line. People develop a false sense of security and if some nut plants a lite-brite pipe bomb or something in Times Square, nothing will happen, because people will think it's just a stupid advertising ploy. It explodes, then the city gets criticized for not doing anything about it. Good for Boston.
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  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDU-JFK
    Also agree that Boston took the right actions. People need to be vigilant, and if you see an electronic device on the street, people need to say something. Thank god Boston took this seriously. So now everyone laughs at Boston police and think that they were out of line. People develop a false sense of security and if some nut plants a lite-brite pipe bomb or something in Times Square, nothing will happen, because people will think it's just a stupid advertising ploy. It explodes, then the city gets criticized for not doing anything about it. Good for Boston.
    Well, I think that this attitude is best summed up by a comment from one of the lawyers for the 2 men arrested in Boston:
    If somebody had left a VCR on the ground it would have been a device with wires, electronic components and a power source.
    (Source: http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/ ... columnists)

    I also found this quote to be right on point (in a larger context):
    "It's almost too easy to be a terrorist these days," said Jennifer Mason, 26. "You stick a box on a corner and you can shut down a city."
    (Source: http://cbs2chicago.com/seenon/local_sto ... 81522.html)

    I can understand why a city might overreact to something like this (as I think Boston did), but if the only reaction is always an overreation it's going to be a "boy who cried wolf" thing, and people are going to become desensitized to it.

    Yes, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim/whatever agency could probably have chosen a better idea, but it's worth noting that Boston wasn't the only city in which the devices were set up, but it's the only one that went in to full-blown hysteria mode about them.

    What I find most ridiculous about this is the way that some officials in Boston feel the need to try to connect this to 9/11, to make it even more of an overblown threat and apparently to keep the people in fear:

    "Just a little over a mile away from the placement of the first device, a group of terrorists boarded airplanes and launched an attack on New York City," police Commissioner Edward Davis said.
    (Source: http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/0202 ... vices.html)

    So what? There were some of these in NYC too, which was the place ATTACKED on 9/11, and there wasn't an overreaction. The fact that some of the 9/11 terrorists boarded a plane in Boston is mostly irrelevant, and in this case is entirely irrelevant.

    ----

    One thing I think that everyone needs to consider, and you'll probably have your own ideas that differ from mine, is where the line is that something suspicious deserves full police attention. It seems like the consensus of people posting in this thread is that the Boston incident is on the "full reaction" side, but I imagine that most of you would argue that our hobby, taking photos of planes, is on the "safe" side and, while we might expect police to drop by and ask what we're up to, we'd think it an overreaction if a SWAT team showed up, even though a passer-by might see a big lens, mistake it for something like a rocket launcher, and call the police about it.

    In that case, what do you expect the police to do? If they just sent one officer by to "check it out", they're not securing the area or anything, just trying to figure out if something IS a threat before "sending in the cavalry"; why couldn't Boston have done something similar, and had one person check it out before shutting down parts of the city?
    Phil Gengler - NYCA's "other Phil"

  3. #18
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    Phil taking pictures of planes in an open area for all to see is far more less suspicous then similar packages being place around a city. The police come up to us all the time, generally now they are more then professional and don't over react.

    I'd really like to see the packages in question to see what they really look like.

  4. #19
    Senior Member RDU-JFK's Avatar
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    Quote from the defendants: "If somebody had left a VCR on the ground it would have been a device with wires, electronic components and a power source."


    An unplugged VCR on a sidewalk is one thing, pgengler, but something with flashing lights put in a concealed area such as under an overpass is another. How many VCRs do you see in underpass corners?


    And what happens if some wacko terrorist sees the media mocking Boston, and he/she decides to create a bomb similar to this advertising ploy and it explodes, killing people? People are supposed to dismiss it since it couldnt possibly be a bomb? If we develop too much of a comfort zone then the terrorists might catch on play this against us. It's better to be safe than sorry and to keep your eyes open. What's the harm in that?


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  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDU-JFK
    An unplugged VCR on a sidewalk is one thing, pgengler, but something with flashing lights put in a concealed area such as under an overpass is another. How many VCRs do you see in underpass corners?
    Well, I suppose it depends on the overpass, but in my experience they tend to be places where all sorts of trash is dumped, including VCRs, but I'll concede that they aren't blinking.

    Quote Originally Posted by RDU-JFK
    And what happens if some wacko terrorist sees the media mocking Boston, and he/she decides to create a bomb similar to this advertising ploy and it explodes, killing people? People are supposed to dismiss it since it couldnt possibly be a bomb? If we develop too much of a comfort zone then the terrorists might catch on play this against us. It's better to be safe than sorry and to keep your eyes open. What's the harm in that?
    Well, it's certainly possible for an actual terrorist to do that, but it's possible for an actual terrorist to do all sorts of things that wouldn't think twice about. A terrorist could pose as a homeless guy with a shopping cart full of garbage, and most New Yorkers wouldn't find that suspicious, but it's possible for the garbage to be concealing explosives. There are a million ways that a terrorist could strike, but it's completely unreasonable to expect that we react in force to everything that MIGHT be an explosive device. I understand that we should be vigilant, but we shouldn't be paranoid either.
    Phil Gengler - NYCA's "other Phil"

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by T-Bird76
    Phil taking pictures of planes in an open area for all to see is far more less suspicous then similar packages being place around a city. The police come up to us all the time, generally now they are more then professional and don't over react.

    I'd really like to see the packages in question to see what they really look like.
    There are some photos that some posted to Flickr here. I don't think it looks very bomb-like, but I also recognize the character, so perhaps I'm a little biased; most people have probably never even heard of the show and would not be able to recognize the character.

    I think people just need to be a little more rational, and a little less emotional, when it comes to dealing with these things, especially the people who are supposedly trained to handle these sorts of things. Just because something has wires and electronics doesn't mean it's a bomb, nor is it inherently any more or less likely to be a bomb than a trash can, or a backpack, or whatever. Lots of people tend to find that more suspicious, though; however, I'd expect law enforcement to be a little more aware and not leap to the conclusion that it's likely a bomb because it has wires.

    As I said in my previous post, underpasses often find themselves collecting trash; anyone who wanted to put a bomb there, even one who was cheap or in a hurry and didn't want to do better concealment, could put it in a black garbage bag, place it in the same spot, and it wouldn't attract any attention. Lots of things we find "suspicious" are only that way because they aren't the norm; it doesn't necessarily mean they're a threat, just as something isn't necessarily a threat because we find it normal.
    Phil Gengler - NYCA's "other Phil"

  7. #22
    Senior Member Nick's Avatar
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    Dumbasses, only in Hollywood do bombs have lights, and even then, do they look like cartoon characters? If you really believe they did the right thing, what about the other 9 cities who took no action. I guess they're the idiots.

  8. #23
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    I think that boston was good to act as they did in response to the fears of some but to put these guys behind bars I disagree. It is advertising. Maybe a little over the edge yes but kind of creative. I do not think it should be made to be as huge a deal as I fear it is going to be made to be. Someone commented on being complacent and I agree we need to be on our toes but hey it is done it is over with and I think it was kind of funny.
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  9. #24
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  10. #25
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    Drudge Report:

    MEMO: CARTOON NETWORK PRESIDENT RESIGNS OVER BOSTON BOMB SCARE BLUNDER
    Fri Feb 9 2007 13:56:11 ET

    To: Colleagues
    From: Jim Samples

    I am sure you are aware of recent events in which a component of an Adult Swim marketing campaign made Turner Broadcasting the unintended focus of controversy in Boston and around the world. I deeply regret the negative publicity and expense caused to our company as a result of this campaign. As general manager of Cartoon Network, I feel compelled to step down, effective immediately, in recognition of the gravity of the situation that occurred under my watch. It's my hope that my decision allows us to put this chapter behind us and get back to our mission of delivering unrivaled original animated entertainment for consumers of all ages. As for me, there will be new professional challenges ahead that will make the most of the experiences I've had as part of this remarkable company. Through my 13 years at the company I have found myself continuously in awe of the talented artists and business people surrounding me, from those who realize their vision in creating a cartoon to those who so brilliantly deliver the animation to viewers. I will always cherish the experience of having worked with you. I appreciate the support that you have shown me. As a friend and a fan, I also look forward to seeing your best and most personally fulfilling work yet. Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang and each of you deserve nothing less.
    Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem.
    All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them under control.
    I trust you are not in too much distress. —Captain Eric Moody, British Airways Flight 9

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