ZING!donbarzini said:
Fascinating how smoking kills us, food kills us, global warming kills us, sharks kill us, the ebola virus kills us and lead paint kills us. But terrorists? They don't kill us.
Mooninites invade Boston
- Thread starter Kerad
- Start date
Fascinating how smoking kills us, food kills us, global warming kills us, sharks kill us, the ebola virus kills us and lead paint kills us. But terrorists? They don't kill us.
Frankly, that's EXACTLY what I'd do. It's called "hiding in plain sight".Kerad said:
Kerad
New Member
More.
It's obvious "Boston" is feeling a bit foolish over this...so they've got to come up with some charges in an attempt to save face. I'd love to be the lawyer represnting the individuals.
Bomblike. It's a homemade Lite Brite. My iPod is bomblike....it also has a battery and a wire.
"If they had been explosive..." . Uh-huh. The same could be said for my tuna fish sandwhich.
It's obvious "Boston" is feeling a bit foolish over this...so they've got to come up with some charges in an attempt to save face. I'd love to be the lawyer represnting the individuals.
.
Bomblike. It's a homemade Lite Brite. My iPod is bomblike....it also has a battery and a wire.
"If they had been explosive..." . Uh-huh. The same could be said for my tuna fish sandwhich.
donbarzini
Well-Known Member
You REALLY don't get it do you? When X-rayed the techs check for the following criteria for a bomb:
Power source? Check(batteries)
Wiring? Check(from battery to device)
Explosive material? (It shows up as bright white on monitor just like plastic does Check.
"Shut down the road boys, and let's disrupt this thing!"
The techs did EVERYTHING right by the book.
Power source? Check(batteries)
Wiring? Check(from battery to device)
Explosive material? (It shows up as bright white on monitor just like plastic does Check.
"Shut down the road boys, and let's disrupt this thing!"
The techs did EVERYTHING right by the book.
Kerad
New Member
donbarzini said:
I've got no problem with the bomb techs blowing one up. Afterwards, it can be determined whether or not the item itself was explosive. Someone made the call to shut down the whole city, blowing 'em all up. That's fine too.
But afterwards, instead of just admitting "Hey, better safe then sorry."...the City has to press charges against two men whose only "crime" was placing advertisements. They did not call in a bomb threat. No reason to think there would be mass panic over some lit signs...which is all these are. There was no "hoax"...unless the hoax was to have Bostonians thinking they were being invaded by Mooninites.
The fact that this was isolated to just the one city says something.
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I agree, but it's Boston - what do you expect from people who elect Ted Kennedy and John Kerry to be their Senators?Kerad said:
FromTexas
This Space for Rent
I agree with Kerad. This was completely overblown. Sure, blow them up and act out of caution, but once you find out they are paid advertising put in legal locations don't go acting all high and mighty like these things really appeared that dangerous and how dare someone advertise using electronic devices in an electronic age. If you must, send a bill to Turner Broadcasting and I am sure they will pay up, but the outrage is way overblown.
Are they going to start getting pissed everytime someone doesn't notice they dropped their portable electronic device that looks a little odd and could be a bomb? Are they going to jail the 12-year old who accidentally leaves his home electronic science fair project at the bus stop because it looks like a bomb? Of course not.
So, there are two parts.
1) If it looks suspicious and you can't confirm, call the bomb squad, blow it up, etc...
2) Once done and you find out it was innocent and legal, shut your damn mouth up and go about your day.
Are they going to start getting pissed everytime someone doesn't notice they dropped their portable electronic device that looks a little odd and could be a bomb? Are they going to jail the 12-year old who accidentally leaves his home electronic science fair project at the bus stop because it looks like a bomb? Of course not.
So, there are two parts.
1) If it looks suspicious and you can't confirm, call the bomb squad, blow it up, etc...
2) Once done and you find out it was innocent and legal, shut your damn mouth up and go about your day.
FromTexas said:
Generally I'd agree. There's only one difference between an innocent item mistaken for a bomb - say, a suspicious ticking package - and these items. They usually shrug their shoulders on the news when they find out they blew up someone's LUNCH - and then they do exactly as you say. The difference here is that a group did something like this on purpose and as far as I can tell, did it to make people think there was a bomb. I'm sorry, but I can't think of a good reason to put these things under highways and bridges and NOT give people that idea.....
During the Republican convention in 2004, anti-Bush groups were suggesting all kinds of things like putting pepper and gunpowder like substances all over the New York subway near the convention center - because it would trigger a minor panic, because the bomb sniffing dogs would be rendered helpless. Hello? What kind of nitwit group would INTENTIONALLY pretend to begin a bomb attack? Knowing that it would be the perfect cover to ACTUALLY commit one?
If you went around tying iPods to the base of the Brooklyn Bridge and they were noticeably playing Britney Spears to give away what they were - I'm sorry, but I'd still prosecute your azz. I sure wouldn't want my bomb squads wasting time on false alarms - on PURPOSE.
Kerad said:
Have you BEEN to these bridges in Boston? I have. I used to live there and make deliveries for years. They're so low over Storrow Drive, trucks aren't allowed. And there ain't no advertising in the other places. Sorry, it was clearly a stunt that backfired. Maybe they're covering their tracks for overreacting, but I think some schmuck should get a decent smack for being a jack-azz.
Tell you what - YOU go to Dulles with a Lite Brite strapped to your chest and wires and batteries - and see what kind of laugh Homeland Security gives it.
Kerad
New Member
SamSpade said:
Now now...that isn't the same as what they did in Boston, is it.
If you want to read the "terroristic" angle into this, nothing I say is going to change your mind. However, often times the most simple answer is also the correct one.
In hindsight, is it possible that someone could see a lite brite sign with a Mooninite on it, and think "Bomb!!!"? Sure. Is it possible someone could see a broken down car on the side of the road and think "Bomb!!!". Yep. Look...there's a Coke machine that wasn't there last week. "Bomb!!!"
I think the City of Boston is prosecuting these two soley because they feel "embarrassed", for lack of a better term. They have to wonder why, out of 10 cities...they are the only ones who responded the way they did.
If it so obviously "bomblike", wouldn't at least half of the other cities make the news over this? I can see one or two places underreacting...but nine of them? New York did shut down one street for 45 minutes...but they didn't shut down the city, running from sign to sign like Jack Bauer or something. and they don't seem to be engaged in a manhunt to bring those responsible to justice.
Kerad said:
No, you're right. I watched the video. These devices look dopey. They're as innocuous as political posters. Their biggest crime really, is being a nuisance. I CAN see how these things might be perceived as a bomb when seen in bright light - because the back-lit Lite Brite would be irrelevant.
On the other hand, in all of the other cities, law enforcement and city officials wasted their precious time removing the stupid things, because in most cases, they didn't receive any permission to place them.
So - terrorist hoax, no. Dorky nuisance, yes.
