The Littlest Bar | Off-topic posting

[Cotuit]

Even if everyone involved realized immediately that these were Cartoon Network images, they would still have to have been investigated as threats, and the same precautions would have to have been taken. If we now tell the world that we won't investigate anything with a cartoon on it, don't you think people out to do harm would then put cartoons on their bombs?

This was grossly irresponsible on the parts of everyone involved from the execs at Turner on down. Everyone should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, after what happened September 11th people really need to think about the possible ramifications of what they do and be held responsible for their actions.

[JJK5]

I'm entertaining the possibility that the marketing agency was behind the phone calls to the police. The signs were up for 3 weeks with little public interest and no semblance of the viral buzz they had hoped for. Suddenly the police get multiple calls on the same day from all over town? Sounds suspicious to me.

[Cotuit]

Indeed, without this event, Cartoon Network would never have had wall to wall coverage on cable news all day.

[Gusterfell]

Of course what REALLY bothers me is that these things have been up for 3 weeks and nobody noticed anything before!!!

Edited February 2, 2007 by Gusterfell

[suburban george3]

Just as an outsider looking in to this whole "terrorist hoax" by the ad campaign for ATHF, I am shocked by how Boston responded when it did. I now it was a hassle for you who have to commute, but I think the response was overblown and like it was said earlier, these devices had been in other locations for weeks. Maybe the campaign was irresponsible and the device should have had some kind of disclaimer that it was an advertising campaign, but to put the whole city of Boston in a panic mode? We are living in fear WAY to much these days.

I think the two charged with placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct should have to pay a small fine and have the charges dismissed. Turner Broadcasting has agreed to pay the nearly $1 million dollars in costs the city has accrued to the "hoax." The publicity Boston has afforded Turner, Cartoon Network, and ATHF is probably worth 2 to 3 times that.

[Cotuit]

Other cities did not have these devices placed on public infrastruture such as bridges and subway stations. Should the police just have ignored these objects because they had cartoons on them? So now anyone who wants to do harm knows they can just put a cartoon on their bombs and people will ignore them?

[Gusterfell]

Should the police just have ignored these objects because they had cartoons on them? So now anyone who wants to do harm knows they can just put a cartoon on their bombs and people will ignore them?

Edited February 3, 2007 by Gusterfell

[Cotuit]

I think when we are all trained in threat assessment we can start making wild accusations about the reaction to threats.

[suburban george3]

One thing I did read that "GREATLY" concerned me about the accused actions is that he found out about the commotion, went home and got a video camera, and was taping the police response to one of these devices. He then went back and called his employer. Honestly, in this day and age the guy doesn't have a cellphone to call his employer? He should have went to the closest officer and asked what was going on and "fessed" up to what he had done. While I still consider Boston's response "over-reaction" this was VERY poor judgement on the "device's" installer's part.

[suburban george3]

I just say an AP bulletin on the MSNBC website that the Head of the Cartoon Network has resigned due to the Boston Ad Campaign/Terrorist Hoax debacle.

[atlrvr]

It's warm weather in Boston now, and do you know what that means? Apparantly its time for motorcycle riders to cruise the Newbury/Boylston loop and wow the shoppers with how loud thier bikes are!!!!!!

Is there any local law against this? It's a horrendous quality of life issue.

[Lowerdeck]

My brother got pulled over south of Worcester for having too loud. The interesting part is, he had stock parts on his car and he was on I-395, not even in a residential neighborhood. Got out of that ticket.

How some of those motorcycles don't get pulled over for being too loud is beyond imagination.

[atlrvr]

Well the ATHF masterminds are now officially off the hook. They completed their 80 and 60 hour respective community service details, and made public appologies today. The DA said she was satisfied, and the mayor mumbled something about how this city takes things seriously.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_regi...dants_in_c.html

[Lowerdeck]

I find the whole thing to be a bit ridiculous. At least they didn't get jail.

[atlrvr]

A Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage cannot be added to the 2008 ballot, after only 45 of a required 50 state legislatures voted for moving the amendment forward. This in essence, protects gay-marriage through at least 2012.

[Cotuit]

Pro-marriage supporters picked up 12 votes from the last vote when passage of the amendment was approved back in December.

[93sportie]

Allright, I'm going to give you folks a try. Is there anyplace in Logan or DT Boston to store 2 pieces of luggage for an afternoon while we sightsee. Hotel is in Woburn, so I'd rather not go to the burbs just to drop off luggage & check-in, then go back DT to sightsee.

[Cotuit]

Post Sept. 11th, that's going to be a hard thing to find. No one likes to do that anymore. I can't think of any place to do that.

[93sportie]

Post Sept. 11th, that's going to be a hard thing to find. No one likes to do that anymore. I can't think of any place to do that.

[atlrvr]

Thanks for the tip and glad you had a good time. We can't wait to see pics.

On a lighter note....Dedham residents had a good laugh yesterday.

http://bostonist.com/2007/07/23/boston_blotter_32.php

[Cotuit]

We're having an UrbanPlanet Holiday Party on December 13th in Providence. It's a long way to go on a Thursday night, but everyone in Mass. is invited none-the-less.