Cartoon Net light boards trigger bomb scare in Boston
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.
Pretty scary, eh?
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.
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.
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.
Yes, terrorism requires every possible [fill in the blank]. These ad boards have been in place around the country for two or three weeks from New York and Philadelphia to Los Angeles and San Francisco. I watched the “suspected IED” at Sullivan Station — being blown up by the bomb squad — live and in living color on MSNBC.
Did the Boston Cops overreact? In my opinion -- Yes. Watching a bit of TV snooze coverage of the event, including "analysis", last night, I could puke over the quantity and quality of acceptance given to the official paranoia built into the whole Homeland Insecurity crappola.
I guess if some performance artist does a bit of guerilla theatre that reminds a beat cop of 9/11 -- it's presumed OK to shoot on sight!
Posted: Thu - February 1, 2007 at 06:58 AM