Mooninites in Boston

[eat_toast]

By now you may have heard the ruckus about Boston ... and Aqua Teen.
Here (http://wbztv.com/topstories/local_story_031135507.html) is an article I Googled, you can find them everywhere. The gist is that two guys put up several LED panels of the two Mooninites from the show, in an ad campaign for ATHF, which were then mis-identified as terrorist bombs, causing panic. The two were arrested, and Turner is apologizing. In the process $750,000 is spent, and the ad's are labeled "hoaxes". Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shy6pmnDSmM) is a vid of the guys putting up the panels.

What are your opinions? Is it a massive overreaction, or are they justified in calling these men malevolent? Personally, it reminds me of a similar incident in Canada, where in several towns bits of the Mario Bros game series (Mostly Question mark boxes) were hung up as avant garde art. The government reacted, arresting several. Should this be happening? Please discuss.

[Assassin]

I think it was completely stupid, and a result of the fear tactics employed by the american govt and media. Its one thing for the police to be cautious and even check out the devices, but the public reaction is just ridiculous. people are scared shitless in thier own homes....its like the cold war all over again, only this time the "hide under the magic desk" option isn't there.


I dont know the whole sotry obviously, but from what i saw on cnn while at the gym, it was a company (the one that owns Cartoon Network i think) that decided to put the devices there, and they should've had the common sense to notify the police ahead of time. i dont know why anyone is being arrested, unless this wasn't an advertising campaign but a solo act by some fans of the show.

[ChaosK]

I found it hilarious, and now find the residents of Boston (even more) morons. How in the world those lights creating a messed up cartoon blob giving the finger, can strike fear in so many people leaves me flabbergasted...(I'll be honest, I just like using that word...) But in all seriousness, nobody needs to be arrested for marketing a cartoon because the general public was too stupid to realize it wasn't an act of terrorism.

[masamuneehs]

this borders on restriction of free speech...

it was not a threat, not meant to scare anyone, not meant as a hoax. it's not like they mass dialed 911 and had a recording keep saying to all the operators "you could be saving lives! but instead we feel you should go watch our animated television show!"

And i think it is outrageous that the city wants to charge them the money spent by police teams. They decided how to go about it, and clearly they went about it the wrong way. They made it into some great big scare and used clumsy tactics that crippled the city. Instead they could have done what 9 of the other cities where the "guerilla ad campaign" has been implemented in did, talk to Turner and their advertising group and get the locations of the ads, obviously turning "reports of possible terrorist bombs!" into non-factors.

[Kraco]

Yeah. The reaction seems quite over the top indeed. But on the other hand, at least over here, you should have some kind of city approval to place ads in public places. While that's not a regulation to prevent terrorists from placing bombs, it's there to prevent the looks of the city being marred by all manner of business ads and signs placed randomly here and there.

So, if there are similar requirements in the US, then both sides made a mistake.

[Augury]

"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is a cartoon with a cultish following that airs as part of the Adult Swim late-night block of programs for adults on the Cartoon Network. That entire article reeks of bias with the above caption being the most blatant. "Cultish following"? I've never seen Aqua Teen Hunger Force but that's a thinly-veiled way of placing dirt and blame on the series and advertisers. The article doesn't even mention detonation until halfway down, and focuses on police actions that are worded to sound inevitable and logical.

I don't care much for the story since Boston's actions were obviously an overreaction and can be compared to how other cities dealt with these ads. What is more disturbing is non-objective reporting from the media.

EDIT: Spelling... Mozilla also says that "cultish" is not a word.

[XanBcoo]

ATHF does have a cult following, Augury. Not "cult" as in hoods and Koolaid and such, but rather "cult" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_following) as referring to a dedicated fanbase, kind of like Donnie Darko, The Big Lebowski, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, or even fans of Anime. There is no bias in that word.

As for the whole ordeal, I just think it's ridiculous. I agree with what's been said so far. Boston bollocksed this up big-time by making such an issue out of it. Everything is a threat now (even Leetspeak!). Cold War indeed. I'd cut Boston a little slack if it actually did cause some sort of nationwide panic, but the 8 other cities dealt with it maturely and intelligently. The fact that it was just one city out of many that started kicking up fear and talk of terrorism just makes me laugh.

Edit: And they're calling it a hoax! The government freaks out, the news jumps to conclusions and calls it a terrorist attack, and now it's a "hoax". I can't even begin to understand the logic behind that.

I never realized some fucking Lite Brites could be so dangerous in this "Post 9/11 world". Christ.

[complich8]

Bruce Schneier (http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/02/nonterrorist_em.html) says it best: "The story is almost too funny to write about seriously."

[Augury]

Ah, learn something new every day. I guess I'm pretty skeptical towards the media, but aside from my misunderstandings, if the article that eat_toast linked to is compared to the one complich8 linked to, there is a clear difference in tone and who is taking what side.

[mage]

"It is outrageous, in a post 9/11 world, that a company would use this type of marketing scheme."

All I got to say about that is EL OH EL.

[DDBen]

Ok lets change this context a bit so your looking at what took place in abstract. Simply put people in a major population center wake up to strange electronic devices placed all over the city in heavy populated area's. I personally have watched ATHF and would not have recognised the figure. The cops getting calls reguarding these devices and being told they are all over the city. Consider that 38 of these were placed overall according to that artical and if any one of them was a bomb considering they were on busy bridges and in subways I don't think it was a over reaction at all.

Its very easy to say after the fact that it was a harmless advertising scheme cooked up by a few students looking to make some extra cash. Honestly they should have contacted the police about it ahead of time instead of just doing this and considering it was bankrolled by Cartoon Network making turner broadcasting pay for is very reasonable. Remember they got a lot of press out of this and the only actual people being charged are those in Massachusetts.

Overall it was a reasonable reaction and if they had found a bomb then they would have been geniuses in foiling a terror plot.

[masamuneehs]

Ok lets change this context a bit so your looking at what took place in abstract. Simply put people in a major population center wake up to strange electronic devices placed all over the city in heavy populated area's. I personally have watched ATHF and would not have recognised the figure. The cops getting calls reguarding these devices and being told they are all over the city. Consider that 38 of these were placed overall according to that artical and if any one of them was a bomb considering they were on busy bridges and in subways I don't think it was a over reaction at all.
Overall it was a reasonable reaction and if they had found a bomb then they would have been geniuses in foiling a terror plot.

you forgot one little tiny detail that makes your scenario implausible: According to the guys that were arrested in Boston, the ads had been in place for almost 3 weeks before anyone freaked out. That and 9 other cities, including NYC, didn't freak out at all. It's not like anyone "awoke suddenly to a world full of strange blinking lights in weird/potentialy threatening places"

edit to below:
many of the costs were from calling in extra police officers to block off areas while on-duty ones did normal duties. Lots of overtime paid as well. If they try to factor in the "damage" to the economy from shutting down some of the bridges and making major traffic, it's way more than $1 mil.

[woofcat]

It is outrageous, in a post 9/11 world, that a company would use this type of marketing scheme,

I hate people like this, first of all its a post 9/11 America. Most of the world did in fact carry on after 9/11.

Second. What the hell? The signs were there for weeks with out causing any problems. Also after removing one could they not have been like "Ohh its not a bomb, well fuck this shit lets go home"? But instead they continue to remove them and then bitch about the $750,000 "Emergency Services" bill.

Just a question. Out side of a few explosive charges to dispose of the glorified light brights, what was disposable that was used? If the bill is from all the police etc that were there, were they not already getting payed to sit in a patrol car? Does that mean when i police officer pulls me over i cost the city money for the requirement of that police officer?

This video summed up a lot of what i thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G-D0F4Q9yk

[Assertn]

My friend put it best: A real bomb doesn't look like a bomb. It looks like a car parked along-side a street.

[Assassin]

lol, well said. i think you're friend may be part iraqi :p

[mage]

I was listening to a radio show this morning on the way to school (Mancow in The Morning), and he was talking about this incident and said that the people that put up the lights actually CALLED IN and said they were bombs in order to get more publicity! This is, of course, blasphemous! Now, everyone in the media is treating this as if it were an actual hoax, when it clearly was not. They were up for three weeks before this thing blew up, as Masa mentioned.

The problem is not how the police responded to the claim that they might be bombs, as they have every right to investigate anything that may be a bomb (within reason), but how the media is twisting this and trying to turn lies into reality to save face for the police for messing up, and how the people that put them up are going to be sued for an exorbitant amount of money for someone elses screw up. This is all just really, really stupid. Thankfully, I lost faith in all media many years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx2ytr2Oyv4 <-- Gold.

[SK]

These days I can't call the reaction an overreaction, especially since the 9/11 attacks were launched from Boston. But I don't think charges or anything on that level is really needed.

[woofcat]

Sk, America has had

One Terrorist Attack
from an outside source in its history.

Why do they feel the need to shit bricks at everything, congrats the terrorist have won. You fear every every fucking thing.

You have a 1 in 88,000 of dying terrorist attack, and 1 in 20,605 chance of your clothes igniting and killing you.

You are 4 times more likely to burn to death from your clothing igniting then from a terrorist.

[SK]

Sk, America has had

One Terrorist Attack
from an outside source in its history.

Why do they feel the need to shit bricks at everything, congrats the terrorist have won. You fear every every fucking thing.

You have a 1 in 88,000 of dying terrorist attack, and 1 in 20,605 chance of your clothes igniting and killing you.

You are 4 times more likely to burn to death from your clothing igniting then from a terrorist.

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing the relevance of your post.

[woofcat]

Not to turn and derail this thread.


These days I can't call the reaction an overreaction, especially since the 9/11

I was making the point that any "reaction" was pretty much a overreaction because the odds of something like that happening are well slim to say the least.

[masamuneehs]

Both of you articulate your points in such regal and eloquent style that it reminds me of Petrarch. And kudos on the historical reference, SK, that has been much overlooked and not often cited in recent years to rationalize and shed light on anything and everything political. Kudos also to woofcat for his statistical research, which undoubtedly will use its crushing force of pure logic to overcome the unimportant and foolishly founded emotional baggage that has dictated the great majority of people's reactions and thoughts since that fateful day. Truly i am lucky to be in the company of such scholars.

But, on the topic at hand, I have some interesting/laugh inducing news articles about the actual event and subsequent aftermath.

The glorious and prestigious NY Post reports: Ratings up after "Toon-atics" for Adult Swim's maligned show (http://www.nypost.com/seven/02042007/news/nationalnews/toon_atics_score_tv_ratings_boost_nationalnews_don _kaplan_____and_leela_de_kretser.htm)
"Marketing becomes terrorism by other means" (http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/02/04/terror_network/)
and, for not a laugh but actual news Turner agrees to pay some of the $1million cost of "scare" (http://www.tv.com/story/8531.html)

I think it's a smart move by Turner to step up and offer to pay some of the bill, but part of me is equally outraged by them giving in to these outrageous demands. If nothing they did was illegal (zoning for advertisements laws, not "was it meant to scare people?" tomfoolery dressed up in some kind of law), then they should buckle down and declare their right to free speech. Of course, nobody wants to walk the hard-line and oppose anything that any government official says which might be seen as "emboldening" the enemy, but, as woofie so eloquentley alluded to, that is one of the most distressing things about the War on Terror so far: if you restrict everyday life with all these laws and (largely irrational) fears, then Osama is probably smiling from his cave somewhere and saying, "good, good".

Defending something is fine. But if you have to lock it up so nobody can have it anymore or alter/"reinforce" it until it no longer resembles its original form or cut of its nose to save its face, you're not doing a very good job of defending, now are you?

[SK]

Not to turn and derail this thread.



I was making the point that any "reaction" was pretty much a overreaction because the odds of something like that happening are well slim to say the least.

The chance, even if slim, warrants this type of reaction to any threat, even if seemingly not one.

[Assassin]

if you restrict everyday life with all these laws and (largely irrational) fears, then Osama is probably smiling from his cave somewhere and saying, "good, good".


I always imagined more of a mr. burns style "excellent".

And SK: while i agree the even a slim chance warrants a reaction, i dont think it warrants this type of reaction.

Then again, the reaction itself wasn't out of the ordinary, the city just fucked it up majorly and let it get out of hand. The top priority of city officials should be to prevent panic in this type of situation, not cause more panic by letting people think they're about to be blown up.

[XanBcoo]

and, for not a laugh but actual news Turner agrees to pay some of the $1million cost of "scare" (http://www.tv.com/story/8531.html)
I just literally heard about this on the news. I can't believe they're being made to compensate for the ordeal just because Boston wants to save face. I honestly cannot believe it.

And they're still calling them "hoax devices". That's rich.

Anyway, here are some parody pictures I found, courtesy of the internets:
Hoax Devices (http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/1929/1170411095194aj5.jpg)
Decisions... (http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/4632/1170409717478bn4.jpg)
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6662/1170411643687zw8.gif
My favorite: Post 9-11s (http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7954/1170410668500tr2.jpg)
ytmnd fans should get this (http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3919/1170409759306tc1.jpg)

[Knives122]

http://content.ytmnd.com/content/9/9/0/990ff95a0f3ab3f4e5665619ea3dee77.gif

It speaks for itself.

[Danad_corps]

@ woofcat: That video says almost everything that needs to be said.

I think you guys are missing two very important points.
1) Those things were up for several weeks before anyone said anything.
2) Turner told Boston that they did it, but Boston didn't listen to them.

I mean WTF?! How much dumber can you get? Boston did not handle this appropriately and Turner should not have paid them a single farthing. I just can't believe that not 1 BPD has seen or even heard (from his/her children) of ATHF (numba 1 in da hood, G). Btw, if you haven't seen the interview you have to check it out here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XTuiyJNJOI)
the sound is a little off so heres (http://youtube.com/watch?v=X2fGzmphx4U) another


Funny quote about the new ATHF movie "they should put this as their slogan: '9 out of 10 cities get the joke'"

"that is not a hair question."

[masamuneehs]

Head of Cartoon Network resigns over terror scare (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6349871.stm)


On Monday, US TV giant Turner Broadcasting, which owns Cartoon Network, and an advertising agency involved in the stunt agreed to pay Boston $2m (£1m) in compensation for the emergency response.

Half of the sum is meant to cover the cost of security operation, while the other $1m is a goodwill gesture.

The agreement resolved any potential civil or criminal claims against the two companies, but it is not clear whether charges against two men who allegedly placed the devices will also be dropped.

$1 million as a "goodwill" gesture? I smell extortion...

[Lefty]

Head of Cartoon Network resigns over terror scare (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6349871.stm)



$1 million as a "goodwill" gesture? I smell extortion...

this kinda of thing has been going on for a while in this country since the war on terror began but most people have been ignoring it till now. I just can't wait till the mandatory "education" we will all need to take before we can be called true americains.

[dragonrage]

I laughed my ass off when i heard about this. Believe it or not there was an actual debate on this at work. All i did was smile and listen. But the general feeling was that this was just stupidity at work and people are becoming too paranoid.

I get it terrorist attacks are real and is no joking matter "duh". But what really concerns me is that it actually took them a few weeks to notice this. It kinda makes me re think what they are really doing to "protect us". Imagine if this was an actual attack and that was their response time. Now that is scary.

Thinking about this makes me smile and cry a little inside, just what exactly is this country coming too.

edit: grammar

[Lefty]

I laughed my ass off when i head about this. Believe it or not there was an actual debate on this at work. All i did was smile and listen. But the general feeling was that this was just stupidity at work and the people are becoming to paranoid.

I get it terrorist attacks are real and is no joking matter "duh". But what really concerns me is that it actually took them a few weeks these notice this. It kinda makes me re think what they are really doing to "protect us". Imagine if this was an actual attack and that was their response time. Now that is scary.

Thinking about this makes me smile and cry a little inside, just what exactly is this country coming too.

A grizzly horrible end at the hand's of China and the middle east. :D

[dragonrage]

well the chinese are one of our bankers and the middle eastern countries are our major oil suppliers, so you could be right.

[Lefty]

I made this sad soul crushing realization at teh beging of the Iraq war. So yeah, USA is fucked.