OT: That Boston Bomb scare thing...

[Hysbrian]

Did anyone see this press conference...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fJkTNJ7BM9I

Made me laugh a lot.

[Bruce K]

I think it's actually pretty sad that these two morons can't seem to fathom the problems they created and what could have happened as a result.

Luckily, no one needing urgent care at a hospital had their ambulance delayed by this. Fortunately, no houses or lives were lost because fire trucks couldn't get through the gridlock.

Yes, now that it is over we can look back and laugh a little, but in this post-9/11 era, people need to think a bit more about what they are doing and how it might be perceived.

The most reprehensible people in all of this were the folks at the advertising agency and at Turner who knew what was going on and failed to contact authorities to minimize the situation as well as contacting these two yahoos and telling them to lay low.

Turner's own CNN was broadcasting the story for hours before Turner notified the authorities in Boston

And all of this to promote some idiotic cartoon.

Amazing.

BK

[rwsaunders]

I'd be more afraid of the Big Dig collapsing.

[Chad Engle]

Seems like the City overreacted, don't you think? Doesn't look like an ied to me.

[stevep]

Seems like the City overreacted, don't you think? Doesn't look like an ied to me.


maybe not but the placement was suspect. they were on bridges and overpasses and caused as bruce notes a huge mess.
they were placed where they could be seen from a distance from a car but not close enough to be inspected without effort.

dont know whats the right thing to do but those 2 asses should get a few month vacation for being ****heads.

[1centaur]

This event is interesting because it can be argued fairly either way given the empirical reactions of the populace.

Many of these items in 10 cities for up to 2 weeks and nobody freaked. If I was a lawyer, I could say that this is proof the item was not inherently suspicious/terrifying.

One person sees batteries and wires and is concerned, and authorities must respond, but when they do it is not clear to them what this item is until one is put in the shade and the pattern appears. If I was a lawyer I could argue that trained professionals could not tell by looking at it that it was a Lite Brite-equivalent, so that's proof of credible suspicion beyond the imaginings of a single person (i.e., it passes the reasonable person test).

If this stunt had occurred only in Boston, it would be open and shut - "how could anyone be so stupid?" That it occurred so many other places and for so long makes the converse credible - "how could Boston be so stupid?"

Ironically, the spirit of paranoia and the necessity to be sure could also apply to Bush's interpretation of pre-war intelligence on WMD (assuming here that this was not a lie but just the way his people and he perceived the data). In hindsight, no WMD looks kind of like a bunch of Lite Brites nobody else cared about.

In a perfect world, if Turner or its ad agency had perceived the potential for somebody to react this way, they should not have warned the authorities they should just not have done it. They did not perceive the potential, and if one person in Boston had not tipped the domino, nobody would have thought they did anything wrong. That's the way the world is sometimes - live and learn - and now we know we are in a different world. Anything with exposed wires can be perceived as a bomb if it is obviously (a dangerous concept) not something else. I don't blame Turner or the ad agency for more than a slight underestimation of the possibilities, and I agree that Turner should pay for that. The guys involved in placing the items also misperceived the possibilities, but are no more to blame than the guys who placed the equivalents elsewhere - there was no intent to create fear, and history shows only a minimal potential to create fear. A lot of self-righteous hoopla ensued, especially around Boston, but really this was just an accident and a lesson learned, not a sign of insatiable "corporate greed" or whatever Mumbles Menino spewed.

Maybe if these things has been solar powered it all would have worked out fine - no battery packs and no wires.

[Climb01742]

apparently in other cities, the things weren't placed on bridges or highways. as in many things, context mattered. see one of these outside a music club -- by a younger hipper music club/animation-hip audience -- and no big thang. see it on a bridge -- by a much wider audience -- and it creates concern.

i think two things: the two dudes who placed them in boston were dopes; they mis-placed them; they missed their "target" audience; they didn't think thru how the things would look on a bridge vs a club. they have some responsibility for the reaction due to their stupid placement. but... boston over-reacted too. this young guy in my office was getting pix e-mailed to him after about noon that day by his young pals, who got the joke. this guy and his pals are all animation junkies; they love "adult swim".

there's the crux me thinks: these things were targeted at an "adult swim" audience. folks who've never heard of "adult swim" saw 'em here. bad message delivery. like running an ad for a chainsaw in vogue.

[Kevan]

I wish I could have my 70's hair back.

[Climb01742]

I wish I could have my 70's hair back.

i'd settle for my '80s or '90s hair!

[yeehawfactor]

Lite Brites In Boston Never Forget

[Hysbrian]

And all of this to promote some idiotic cartoon.

Amazing.

BK

I think that this was exactly the reaction that they were hoping to provoke with their press conference. They showed how simple it is for the press to blow things out of proportion. Ironically they took take their press conference just about as seriously as Turner took the potential repercussions of the whole ad. No one is really at fault, it's a combination of people and misconceptions, and most importantly miscommunication amongst the wrong people.

[mcteague]

Damn, I can't believe how much people have overreacted to this thing. They were freakin' Light-Brites with D batteries attached. There was a cartoon character giving the finger. Is Boston retarded or something? Funny how none of the other cites that were "attacked" went ape s*** like they did. Stuff like this makes me want to bang my head against a wall. 9/11 has given the powers that be free reign to completely let go of their tenuous hold on reality. Do they really think Al-Quada would put bombs in plain sight that light up with animated fast food making obscene gestures? Just amazing.

Tim McTeague

[RPS]

apparently in other cities, the things weren't placed on bridges or highways. as in many things, context mattered. see one of these outside a music club -- by a younger hipper music club/animation-hip audience -- and no big thang. see it on a bridge -- by a much wider audience -- and it creates concern.

i think two things: the two dudes who placed them in boston were dopes; they mis-placed them; they missed their "target" audience; they didn't think thru how the things would look on a bridge vs a club. they have some responsibility for the reaction due to their stupid placement. but... boston over-reacted too. this young guy in my office was getting pix e-mailed to him after about noon that day by his young pals, who got the joke. this guy and his pals are all animation junkies; they love "adult swim".

there's the crux me thinks: these things were targeted at an "adult swim" audience. folks who've never heard of "adult swim" saw 'em here. bad message delivery. like running an ad for a chainsaw in vogue.Since we can’t rule out that sign locations were not intentional and meant to provoke attention, how can we conclude that they were misplaced? Assuming that no one goes to jail and that fines – if any – are modest, then they were placed perfectly. You can’t buy advertising to that degree, can you? Now the entire nation knows about it. Capitalism at its best? :confused:

[JohnS]

Doesn't look like an ied to me.
...and what, exactly does an IED look like? The letter "I" stands for "Improvised", which means it could look like anything. The Russkies used mines in A-stan that looked like toys so little childeren were maimed.

[Grant McLean]

...and what, exactly does an IED look like?

most look like cars. Maybe cars should be banned.
hmmmm, nobody seems to make the connection
between terrorists and car bombs, and cars in their
cities.

Heaven forbid the USA ever gets attacked. If they do,
it will be car bombs. The irony of exploding cars, filled
with middle east gas, which wars are fought over seems
to escape media and government attention.

Bicycles will save the world. :)

g

[JohnS]

most look like cars. Maybe cars should be banned.
hmmmm, nobody seems to make the connection
between terrorists and car bombs, and cars in their
cities.

Heaven forbid the USA ever gets attacked. If they do,
it will be car bombs. The irony of exploding cars, filled
with middle east gas, which wars are fought over seems
to escape media and government attention.

Bicycles will save the world. :)

gUntil they start using bikes for bombs. Pacenti's new uber-thick tubes would have good shrapnel effect. :p

[catulle]

If I thought that money is all that matters. If I were the richest man in the world. If I thought that having friends is better for my money than having enemies, then I'd try to be nice and make friends, no?

If you're a third world country and you needed economic assistance, or training, or technology, or if you're a third world country seriously interested in economic development, can you turn to the US for help? You can always ask. But you better go to Canada or Japan or Taiwan or Spain (if you're a Latin American country), if you expect to receive something.

Why not reach out and help instead of forcing "solutions" with a boot? Some people don't like "liberty and freedom"? I guess some people don't like to eat, either. Why not pre-empt with good deeds instead of rushing with the army when it is too late? What goes around comes around.

I'm very sorry that the good people of Boston need to freak out when a couple of fools try to be noted. I think the world deserves better politicians.

[rwsaunders]

Holy Green Monster Batman!

[Climb01742]

Since we can’t rule out that sign locations were not intentional and meant to provoke attention, how can we conclude that they were misplaced? Assuming that no one goes to jail and that fines – if any – are modest, then they were placed perfectly. You can’t buy advertising to that degree, can you? Now the entire nation knows about it. Capitalism at its best? :confused:

they sure got attention, no question about that. it is telling, i think, to compare the placement in other cities (all consistently in hipster-ish places) to boston locations (non-hipster-ish). i inferred error (or dim-wittedness) in beantown. but it could have been intentional. whether that was smart, i'll let each person vote on that. had it been my client, i'd be sheepish right now.

[Archibald]

most look like cars. Maybe cars should be banned.
hmmmm, nobody seems to make the connection
between terrorists and car bombs, and cars in their
cities.

Heaven forbid the USA ever gets attacked. If they do,
it will be car bombs. The irony of exploding cars, filled
with middle east gas, which wars are fought over seems
to escape media and government attention.

Bicycles will save the world. :)

g
I feel you brother. We've become a country that jumps at shadows and THAT mentality is the root of some very bad decisions.

[atmo]

i'm late to this -

some guys put up a few props around the city that were
misconstrued as bombs/threats, and it was only a performance
piece directed at getting attention for a tv show? that's what
i am getting thusfar.

is there a definitive online story i can read that goes into
some detail? thanks atmo.

[JohnS]

I feel you brother. We've become a country that jumps at shadows and THAT mentality is the root of some very bad decisions.No, we're a country that allows our leaders to use fear to make decisions that have nothing to do with the basis of our fear.

[Chad Engle]

...and what, exactly does an IED look like? The letter "I" stands for "Improvised", which means it could look like anything. The Russkies used mines in A-stan that looked like toys so little childeren were maimed.

Did they give the kids the finger from under a bridge? I've sat through a couple of IED identification classes, none showed anything like that. Another example of overreacting and panic mongering. No one was hurt, at least not that I have heard of. No question those two guys were idiots. But man talk about the "sky is falling"....

[Archibald]

No, we're a country that allows our leaders to use fear to make decisions that have nothing to do with the basis of our fear.
And what did I say again?

[rwsaunders]

Atmo: check www.cnn.com, and look for the video with the perp in the dreadlocks.

[atmo]

i saw the video in the youtube. may i assume the link
you pasted goes to the same stream? if so, i am looking
to read a concise story about this atmo.

[AgilisMerlin]

went to cnn

did you see how many people were killed in that car bomb today.

"killing at least 128 people and wounding 343 others, a Health Ministry official said.'


depressing


amerliN

[rwsaunders]

Try this printed version from the AP.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20070201-1422-suspiciousdevices.html

[RPS]

they sure got attention, no question about that. it is telling, i think, to compare the placement in other cities (all consistently in hipster-ish places) to boston locations (non-hipster-ish). i inferred error (or dim-wittedness) in beantown. but it could have been intentional. whether that was smart, i'll let each person vote on that. had it been my client, i'd be sheepish right now.Climb, this incident reminded me of when The Coca-Cola Company reformulated Coke in the mid-80s, and the backlash was so severe that Coca-Cola had to reintroduce the original as Coke Classic. Not surprisingly, Coke executives later agreed that the free press and publicity was far greater than anyone could have bought through advertising.

Perhaps the difference in Boston is more honest people who didn't steal as many signs to sell on E-Bay. Who knows the real reason?

You made a great argument why judging in hindsight is unfair. IMO your logic explains why politicians and business people often don’t like to take risks. If they gamble and turn out to be right, they are instant heroes; but if their gamble doesn’t pay off, their careers are done.

[Climb01742]

IMO your logic explains why politicians and business people often don’t like to take risks. If they gamble and turn out to be right, they are instant heroes; but if their gamble doesn’t pay off, their careers are done.

agree. risks can be, well, risky. but sometimes playing it safe can be a risk too. too many companies and politicians play it safe out of self-preservation.

the risks i admire are the ones taken based on principle. where a person or company takes a stand and essentially says, this is what we believe in, popular or unpopular.

a company like patagonia takes a stand. i keep waiting for a politician to take a stand based purely on principle.

this cartoon ad campaign was a risk taken for commercial reasons, so my sympathies for it backfiring a bit are limited. had a company taken a risk on an ad campaign based on principle or honesty, i'd be more interested and sympathetic. not many companies like that out there.

[Climb01742]

IMO your logic explains why politicians and business people often don’t like to take risks. If they gamble and turn out to be right, they are instant heroes; but if their gamble doesn’t pay off, their careers are done.

agree. risks can be, well, risky. but sometimes playing it safe can be a risk too. too many companies and politicians play it safe out of self-preservation.

the risks i admire are the ones taken based on principle. where a person or company takes a stand and essentially says, this is what we believe in, popular or unpopular.

a company like patagonia takes a stand. i keep waiting for a politician to take a stand based purely on principle.

this cartoon ad campaign was a risk taken for commercial reasons, so my sympathies for it backfiring a bit are limited. had a company taken a risk on an ad campaign based on principle or honesty, i'd be more interested and sympathetic. not many companies like that out there.

[Bruce K]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that during the search for these "advertisements" the authorities found 2 pipe bombs that were out there where something bad might have happened.

BK