On Wednesday, an Earth crybaby whose brain is messed up spotted Ignignokt and Err in Boston — and called the police.
Over the past several weeks Cartoon Network, to promote their television show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, placed boards with LED renditions of the mooninites across ten cities. This would have been fine, except for the person who saw one of them attached to a girder above a busway near the Sullivan Square T station.
That subway station and Interstate 93 above it were closed for over two hours as police moved in to “neutralize the threat.”
A source close to the investigation told WBZ it was a “sophisticated electronic device” that somebody placed there for a reason. It was not an explosive device and police say it did not pose any danger to anyone.
The device, a large circuit board with wires and batteries, was found attached to a beam with magnets about 15 to 20 feet above a busway that runs below an elevated section of the highway.
A bomb squad officer removed it and authorities blasted it with a water cannon around 10 a.m. to render it useless. The highway and T station re-opened a short time later. — WBZ
“The device was an electronic circuit board with some components that were consistent with what we know to be improvised explosive devices,” MBTA Police Lt. Sal Venturelli said.
Clearly an electronic rendition of a cartoon character was beyond your ability to comprehend, even with 100% of your brain.
Let’s compare, shall we. This is Ignignokt, showing how he feels about Boston now:
Photo credit: rekha6
And this is an IED:
About the only thing consistent with an IED there would be the batteries. Is everything with batteries suspicious now?
Turner Broadcasting System, which owns Cartoon Network, quickly issued an apology and informed authorities of the locations of each of the devices.
The mooninites, however, were not so contrite.
“We are sorry in the most sarcastic sense of the word,” Ignignokt said.
“We’ll do what we want, when we want and how we want,” said Err. “You got that?”
Watch some of the devices being installed:
The two men who placed the blinking Ignignokt and Err devices in the Boston area, Peter Berdovsky, 27, of Arlington, and Sean Stevens, 28, of Charlestown, were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and placing a hoax device. The two were released earlier today on a $2500 cash bond and held an impromptu press conference where they talked with reporters on the history of hair.
Massachusetts officials proved that they are completely out of their minds and desperately need to be committed to mental institutions.
“We’re not going to let this go without looking at the further roots of how this happened to cause the panic in this city,” said state Attorney General Martha Coakley, whose police department caused the panic.
“It’s a hoax, and it’s not funny,” said Gov. Deval Patrick, who doesn’t know what the word hoax means, and has no sense of humor.
“It’s clear the intent was to get attention by causing fear and unrest that there was a bomb in that location,” Assistant Attorney General John Grossman said. The state certainly did cause a lot of fear and unrest. Grossman was speaking at the pair’s arraignment today, laying on the BS thick. “The appearance of this device and its location are crucial . . . This device looks like a bomb.” See above.
“I am prepared to take any and all legal action against Turner Broadcasting and its affiliates for any and all expenses incurred during the response to today’s incidents,” Boston mayor Thomas Menino said yesterday. There ought to be a law against frivolous lawsuits like the one Menino is proposing.
“You have deeply offended us and our god,” Ignignokt said, “and our god is a god of vengeance.”
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Tropical WeatherLast week, in the wake of another uptick in the official unemployment rate, the administration continued to claim that their economic policies were working, just not fast enough. Not only does the administration have a funny way of ending a war, but now they claim their economic policies are successful. For whom, I wonder?
Gardner Goldsmith teams up with Brett Veinotte, of the excellent School Sucks Project and the School Sucks podcast. Gard and Brett discuss the impetus of the series and project, and why public education must be stopped.
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Melissa Juliette
Feb 01, 2007
What I find to be hilarious about this whole situation is that this has been happening in nine other cities for quite some time and none of the other millions of people exposed to this campaign thought these were bombs. Is Boston really that scared of a primitive looking 2-D character on a giant light bright? If anything I think this will generate more interest in Aqua Teen Hungerforce and Adult Swim in general. Kudos to Turner Broadcasting and Adult Swim for comming up with such a great marketing strategy in an age where the target market does not like to be “sold” on products and services.
By the way… great article!
Jean
Feb 01, 2007
I’m sorry but I cannot believe the absurdity of how the City of Boston (with the assistance of the terror-thirsty media) handled the situation yesterday. Okay, I could see maybe taking precautions on the first report of a “suspicious package” and, if you really must, on the second report, but come on! After the eighth time, you would think that the Bomb Squad might have a clue that it was another Sponge Bob portrayed on a child’s Lite Brite toy! But, no, they even shut down the Charles River at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Say what? How embarrassing it is that only Boston (out of 10 major cities who had the advertising campaign) reacted (or should I say overreacted) in such a manner. And now they’ve thrown the 27 year old artist who was hired to hang the characters in jail? Again, say what? The City doesn’t want to admit they were wrong and utterly incompetent so they’re going have to make someone (anyone) a scapegoat! I would say the City has some apologizing to do, but it might want to GET A GRIP first! And Boston’s Mayor Menino acted like such an ass in his news conference. I live and work in Boston and I have to say that the whole thing was completely ridiculous! What next–raid every Toys-R-Us and impound Lite Brites?
Fortyseven
Feb 01, 2007
Some great quotes have sprung from this:
…
Here’s a great wallpaper and graphic that I found elsewhere online today.
Fun stuff. :)
Fortyseven
Feb 01, 2007
Oops, forgot to italicize that second quote. Bah. :(
Fortyseven
Feb 01, 2007
(And, of course, I pick a quote that was already mentioned in the post. Double bah.)
Potential Threat
Feb 01, 2007
“It’s a hoax, and it’s not funny,†said Gov. Deval Patrick.
No, Gov. Patrick, it’s not a hoax. A hoax would be something intended to look like a bomb that actually wasn’t.
People are getting to be so fecking hysterical about things that it’s not funny.
–Po
Elisha
Feb 01, 2007
Zebro Sketch Comedy’s reaction to the story here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G-D0F4Q9yk
BelchSpeak
Feb 01, 2007
People have been doing this for years with stickers and posters. But when you switch over to electronic boxes and start placing them on pieces of critical infrastructure, you should not be surprised when it raises suspicion or causes a panic.
Equally, no one but stoners and slackers would easily recognize characters from an idiotic late night cartoon and accept it for the advertising it was. It is not a surprise that those with normal jobs mistook it for something suspicious.
The funniest thing about this case was the look on the face of the dude with the dreds when he heard the charges read off against him in court. Clearly this advertising gimmick was not carefully thought through.
Fortyseven
Feb 01, 2007
Belch, once it was revealed as a harmless thing, everyone should have said their apologies, slapped them on the wrist, had a good laugh, and packed up and went home. Instead, it’s being turned into this huge national incident that it shouldn’t have been.
Never mind adding in the fact that it’s been done in other cities for weeks without a hitch.
Common sense was lacking on both sides, but much more on one side than the other.
Michael Hampton
Feb 01, 2007
Of course I’m not surprised that it raised suspicion or caused a panic. People are stupid and afraid, of course. That’s the whole point. People are supposed to be stupid and afraid of everything, so that they call for Big Government and its State Security Apparatus to “protect” them from their own shadows.
BelchSpeak
Feb 01, 2007
Fortyseven,
I agree to a point, specifically that it was blown out of proportion in the national media. Its a slow news day. And sure it also went off without a hitch in other cities, BUT…
The execution of the ad campaign in Boston was different, and this is how-
It was done by Boston locals.
The signs were on critical infrastructure locations.
Boston has been more deeply affected by Terrorism than other cities
I will be surprised if they get a serious fine or even jail time. But they should have known better or coordinated with local law enforcement regarding their ad campaign.
Michael Hampton
Feb 01, 2007
Somebody who had one placed on his air conditioner in another city has put it up on eBay. Somehow, though, I doubt he’s going to get his asking price.
BelchSpeak
Feb 01, 2007
Yeah, having one placed on an air conditioner near a college seems like a logical place to find one of these. On a bridge support structure? High on the exposed steel of a skyscraper in midtown? Not a good place, obviously.
Mike, Im not too sure I get your point about fear. Are people not supposed to be afraid of devices suddenly appearing around town? Or are they not supposed to call the governmnet?
Q
Feb 01, 2007
what a paranoid culture we live in.
XlaughingmanX
Feb 01, 2007
how do i build, wheres the blueprints, we should see these everywhere as quickly as possible
psychofizzy
Feb 01, 2007
would they have been as afraid had it been a sign of Frylock or Shake, clearly looking like a box of french fries or milkshake cup?
At least we know the mooninites do whatever they want, to whomever they want, at all times……and smoke while they do it!
Feb 01, 2007
FatBlog » Federally Required Article Lambasting Boston
omelas
Feb 01, 2007
I look for IEDs for a living, ya ya ya, and you are right, they should never have been confused. Whatever, Boston. Good job with the pics. Cheers.
Jason
Feb 01, 2007
Who would have thought that a paranoid bureaucrat would be responsible for turning the most irrevrant cartoon on TV to the most relevant show… This whole thing actually sounds like a plot from ATHF itself.
Slim
Feb 01, 2007
Ok I think I figured out what happened in Boston the Governor and police got a memo about IED’s and they thought it said LED’s.
Is there a requirement that once you take a state job in Boston you have to get a lobotomy? They have definitely lost their minds. Maybe they should have a requirement that everyone that works for the state has to have a IQ of 75 or more.
Denny Crane
Feb 01, 2007
I’ll find someone to sue over this!
Bill Reeds
Feb 01, 2007
Another quote from officials:
The motive was corporate greed.
Bill Reeds
Feb 01, 2007
1) This was a cool ad campaign. It was original, cheap, and effective.
2) Even the more skittish weenie cities didn’t react like this.
3) It serves to show us that fear resides in ignorance. It grows into hate. And hate motivates people to attack.
4) Which shows us how far our Government is willing to go to justify it’s asinine behavior. These Dillholes will just overreact, like your little sister would when you’d tap her shoulder and act like you puncher her in the face. It makes them look like they are justified in their own counter-attack, if they pretend there was something bad going on. Sadly, this is Typical Democrat/Liberal behavior. Create a huge over-reaction, to imply that there was some dastardly event needing such a response. The over-reaction is it’s own justification, if you can act offended enough and lie enough.
5) ATHF rules. I hope Frylock zaps these @$$h0l3s.
6) It looks no more ‘bomb-like’ than a flashing street-crossing sign. any rational, thinking person can see that it’s no big deal. The presence of wires and batteries means nothing, and people with brains know this.
7) These Government Jackasses (note their Political Faction’s Mascott) wanted to cause panic to make themselves look like they were useful. They have someone to blame, and lies to tell. There’s really nothing new about this. Too bad there is no citizen with the guts to stand up to them… How close is Boston to Gettysburg….? ;-)
sleeper
Feb 01, 2007
now the florida voters have someone they can look down
on and make jokes about.the sad part is those guys have
guns and badges. how long before they take their bullet
out of their shirt pocket and shoot a kid with a lunch box?
James
Feb 02, 2007
Today’s Joy of Tech comic foretells a future Boston incident.
“So this is how the world ends!”
Jake Witmer
Feb 02, 2007
That’s why the piece men in Chicago hate the cops… and …avoid them.
Oooooops. Got caught “tagging”. Blacing random blinking junk around a city is not legal. No comment on whether or not I think it should be.
Those things could have been lined with plastic. And if they’d have blown up, everyone would be bitching right now “Cops didn’t do their jobs.”
How often is this kind of thing a big deal? Virtually never. How often do people who are peacefully going on their way a t a faster pace, but perfectly safely, get pulled over and robbed without a jury trial by the pigs? Every second of every day -business as usual.
Freedom fighters are bad at strategy and prioritizing. Otherwise, Alaska would already be a free state.
Kevin Fields
Feb 02, 2007
Michael, I couldn’t wait to see what your reaction to this story would be. I was NOT disappointed. Thanks, man! :-)
JZP
Feb 02, 2007
Thing that gets me is the news stories reporting it as a ‘hoax’, as if false bomb threats were called in or the signs were designed to look like anything threatening.
Look out MIT hackers! Next time you put something on the dome you’ll get hauled into jail!
Q
Feb 02, 2007
Perhaps the real threat here was unauthorized freedom of expression, we can’t just have our citizens going around displaying art as they see fit, next they’ll be dancing – this is an outrage; off with their heads!
James Pyrich
Feb 02, 2007
Er?
Care to qualify that last comment?
The only way I see that working is if you define “terrorism” as “the terror wrought by the authorities on its constituents.”
Grace
Feb 02, 2007
…and will come and cut you with his razor!
(That’s the Wolfen, man…)
…oh. *quickly* The Wolfen will come for you!
Anonymous
Feb 02, 2007
Portland got like 50 of these and they thought it was cute.
Lol @ Boston
cm
Feb 02, 2007
Equally, no one but stoners and slackers would easily recognize characters from an idiotic late night cartoon and accept it for the advertising it was. It is not a surprise that those with normal jobs mistook it for something suspicious.
I guess that’s your opinion, bitch! Is hell going to be fun! Burn soon!
csman
Feb 02, 2007
Right, critical infrastructure locations. Where people tend to congregate. Perfect place for a bomb…or an ad…
NYC, which as far as I can tell has been “more deeply affected by Terrorism [sic] than [Boston]” didn’t seem to have this problem. These were up in all the cities for weeks, even Boston, without any problems. Clearly one person freaked out and then the police/media freaked out.
People should be aware and concerned, but not paranoid.
Terran
Feb 02, 2007
“Boston has been more deeply affected by Terrorism than other cities”
oh yeah because the Boston tea party was so freakin’ scary mate
Kevin Fields
Feb 03, 2007
Well, since Turner broadcasting is gonna pay up, it’s time to let these two guys off the hook in a case that the prosecutor has no chance of winning.
Feb 10, 2007
Why “homeland security” doesn’t secure - Homeland Stupidity
Feb 23, 2007
Bomb or not? - Homeland Stupidity
nukes of hazzard
Feb 23, 2007
boston has been more deeply affected by terrorism? what did i miss
Mar 01, 2007
Boston suspicious device was counting traffic - Homeland Stupidity
Mar 01, 2007
Boston is stupid | Ephemeral Blog
Mar 07, 2007
Deep Something » Blog Archive » Bomb or Tape Dispenser?
Mar 22, 2007
New R2-D2 mailboxes are not a bomb - Homeland Stupidity
Mar 29, 2007
“We hacked the Super Bowl” - Homeland Stupidity
Apr 18, 2007
Backpacks give Newton, Mass., school officials bomb scare - Homeland Stupidity
May 09, 2007
Terrorist hoaxes can only get better? - Homeland Stupidity
May 14, 2007
Apology, community service for Mooninite scare - Homeland Stupidity
F'ing LIGHT BRIGHT
May 30, 2007
They were just freaking light brights! Even a FOOL could tell the difference between a cartoon character and a bomb.
No one should be as stupid as this. To take something as simple and NON disruptive as this, and blow it so out of proportion.
The day we start to fear light brights is a sad day indeed.
Jun 05, 2007
In Massachusetts, garbled fax means bomb scare - Homeland Stupidity