Aqua Teen Hunger Force Scares Boston

DaMadFiddler · Post by **DaMadFiddler** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:29 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/31/boston ... index.html

BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Electronic light boards featuring an adult-cartoon character triggered bomb scares around Boston on Wednesday, spurring authorities to close two bridges and a stretch of the Charles River before determining the devices were harmless.

Turner Broadcasting Co., the parent company of CNN, said the battery-operated light boards were aimed at promoting the late-night Adult Swim cartoon "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." The devices had been placed around Boston and nine other cities as part of an "outdoor marketing campaign," a company statement said.

"While the concern is lessened as a result of the investigation, I'd like to remind citizens to treat any suspicious devices with care and to call 911 if any such device is found," Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said.

The devices had been placed as part of an "outdoor marketing campaign," a Turner Broadcasting statement said.

"Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards," the statement said. "We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger." (Read the full statement)

The devices displayed one of the "Mooninites," outer-space delinquents who make frequent appearances on the cartoon, greeting passersby with a raised middle finger. Nine were reported around Boston on Wednesday, sending police bomb squads scrambling and snarling traffic and mass transit in one of the largest U.S. cities.

Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll called Wednesday's incidents "a colossal waste of money." She had no immediate comment on whether any laws were broken but said police would investigate further.

And Rep. Ed Markey, the senior member of the state's House delegation, said, "Whoever thought this up needs to find another job."

"Scaring an entire region, tying up the T and major roadways, and forcing first responders to spend 12 hours chasing down trinkets instead of terrorists is marketing run amok," Markey, a Democrat, said in a written statement. "It would be hard to dream up a more appalling publicity stunt."

Turner said the devices had been in place for two to three weeks in Boston; New York; Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; San Francisco, California; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A Turner Broadcasting source said the devices were a component of a third-party advertising campaign conducted by the New York advertising firm Interference Inc. That company had no comment on the incident.

The discovery of nine of the devices around metro Boston led state, local and federal authorities to close the Boston University and Longfellow Bridges, and block boat traffic from the Charles River to Boston Harbor.

In addition, the Pentagon said U.S. Northern Command was monitoring the situation from its headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but said none of its units were sent to assist.

Davis said police "are going to fully investigate this and get to the bottom of it."

The first suspicious device to be reported reported Wednesday morning was at the Sullivan Square commuter rail station, near the suburb of Somerville. Wednesday afternoon, four other devices were reported -- near the Longfellow and Boston University bridges over the Charles, at New England Medical Center and near the intersection of Stuart and Columbus avenues in the city.

Mayor Thomas Menino's office said nine of the light boards were found around metropolitan Boston.

"I want to be certain that we take all of these reports very seriously," Menino said in a written statement. "The coordinated response by all departments proves the system we have in place works."

CupNoodle · Post by **CupNoodle** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:38 pm

DAMN IT, FIDDLER! I was just about to post this article.

Zealous zerotype · Post by **Zealous zerotype** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:40 pm

Jeeez talk about over reaction

DaMadFiddler · Post by **DaMadFiddler** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:29 pm

CupNoodle wrote:DAMN IT, FIDDLER! I was just about to post this article.

Heh...it apparently got Slashdotted just an hour or two after I posted it, so I guess everybody's seen it by now.

jaredfogle · Post by **jaredfogle** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm

S. Thompson · Post by **S. Thompson** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:29 am

I think this is the funniest thing to happen to terrorism involving cartoons in a long time.

Seriously, though, it's laughable how people reacted to this.

- Fuzmeister

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:46 am

Wouldn't you think that if terrorists were going to plant bombs, they wouldn't make them light up and attract attention like that? I guess people are just getting dumber as the days pass.

az_bont · Post by **az_bont** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:18 pm

Thomas wrote:Wouldn't you think that if terrorists were going to plant bombs, they wouldn't make them light up and attract attention like that? I guess people are just getting dumber as the days pass.

Please don't hamper our efforts in the war on terror with your reckless use of logic.

jaredfogle · Post by **jaredfogle** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:24 pm

Remember that guy who put empty black boxes in NY after 9/11?

Jesus. Learn to take a joke, Boston.

gamedudex2 · Post by **gamedudex2** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:06 pm

fox news forgot we were at war for a whole day to show the world that the moon rules

greay · Post by **greay** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:02 pm

That photo is edited.

http://www.fantent.com/2007/01/31/aqua- ... rs-photos/

On a side note, I just found out who the guy who did this was. I know the guy personally.