# Aqua Teen "hoax" in Boston **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326 "2007-01-31T21:29:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/441 "2007-02-03T17:27:56Z")
I want to thank **Gangster Octopus** for a very sensible description of how a sensible government official would deal with the aftermath of this situation. I would not fault the Boston PD for, once there _were_ sightings of an apparent pipe bomb, deciding they should take no chances with any other unknown object sightings during that shift. I DO fault the authorities for then demanding blood over it, and making accusations not supported by the evidence. The part where the guy who DID cause the pipebomb scare is not charged, but the guys who caused the LiteBrite scare were charged, and what the DA is trying to charge them with, shows people **not** being levelheaded about things. It’s like they’re madder about the slackers making them look bad than about any real harm potential. And I’m sorry, but I expect mayors, governors, police chiefs, prosecutors, etc. to keep their heads together and NOT just vent out that they want to burn someone in the public square because he wasted their time and resources (because that was the extent of it: traffic was tied up and PD resources used and risked. People did not get killed or injured). We pay them to keep order and that starts with them NOT falling prey to their own adrenaline to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/442 "2007-02-03T17:35:54Z")
Gee. Where have we seen this before? 1. Make a really stupid mistake 2. Think you’ll look stupid if you admit that you’ve made a really stupid mistake so pretend it wasn’t really stupid and insist you’re right 3. Get mad at people who point out that you made a really stupid mistake and call them traitors or terrorists or criminals 4. Make more really stupid mistakes along the lines of the first really stupid mistake to show everybody that it wasn’t a really stupid mistake 5. Continue to walk about naked showing off your ‘new clothes’ while your citizens point, stare, and laugh ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/443 "2007-02-03T17:52:04Z")
1. Get your associate to say 'No one could have predicted…" ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/444 "2007-02-04T15:51:03Z")
Oh, and… [This is what a motherfucking bomb looks like](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/reviews/generations/toyota.pickup.tacoma/84.toyota.truck.500.jpg)\* and here’s[what one can do.](http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/03/iraq.main/index.html) -Joe \*Toyota SR5 chosen at random as a older-model one-ton truck ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/445 "2007-02-04T17:45:06Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek] Oh, and… [This is what a motherfucking bomb looks like](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/reviews/generations/toyota.pickup.tacoma/84.toyota.truck.500.jpg)\* and here’s[what one can do.](http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/03/iraq.main/index.html) -Joe \*Toyota SR5 chosen at random as a older-model one-ton truck [/QUOTE] There are bombs everywhere I need to get on the phone!! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/446 "2007-02-04T17:50:26Z")
I haven’t lived there in a while, but in Israel this is all handled with less fuss and muss. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/447 "2007-02-04T17:52:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Jihad Jabri, head of the Interior Ministry’s bomb squad, said the [Mercedes truck](http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/03/iraq.main/index.html) used in the blast contained a ton of explosives. [Here’s what a motherfucking Mercedes truck looks like](http://www.aliraqmarket.com/index.php?page=out&id=1302).\* - Mercedes [Actros](http://www.actros-icon.co.uk/mercedes_Actros.php) chosen at random as an older-model truck that can carry a ton of explosives (presuming classic oil/nitrate bomb) and go unnoticed. - 😛 I’m not sure what your point is, but let’s step back a minute and look at the size of these Boston devices. Even if the cops knew the Mooninite signs were bombs and had a credible threat with demands, they barely rate a “Brian Wells” on the payload scale, let alone a “Murrah.” ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/448 "2007-02-04T18:09:47Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] I haven’t lived there in a while, but in Israel this is all handled with less fuss and muss. [/QUOTE] “Israelis grew incensed upon learning that Meatwad is not kosher.” ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/449 "2007-02-04T18:10:02Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek] Oh, and… [This is what a motherfucking bomb looks like](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/reviews/generations/toyota.pickup.tacoma/84.toyota.truck.500.jpg)\* and here’s[what one can do.](http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/03/iraq.main/index.html) -Joe \*Toyota SR5 chosen at random as a older-model one-ton truck [/QUOTE] Or [this](http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~jeffrey/dpics/20020713-moving-kynthia/08-ryder-truck.jpg) is what a motherfucking bomb looks like and [this](http://www.techunl.net/murrah/murrah1.gif) is what it can do. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/450 "2007-02-04T18:20:17Z")
[THIS is what a bomb looks like](http://majorino.50g.com/pictures/waterworld_2/covers/Waterworld_MotionPictureSoundtrack.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/451 "2007-02-04T19:54:37Z")
[QUOTE=DocCathode] [THIS is what a bomb looks like](http://majorino.50g.com/pictures/waterworld_2/covers/Waterworld_MotionPictureSoundtrack.jpg) [/QUOTE] And I thought you were going to link to “Ishtar”. My point being that I see older trucks every day. Exactly who should I be calling when I see one of those harbingers of death? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/452 "2007-02-05T17:40:13Z")
[Turner Broadcasting agrees to pay $2 million](http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/02/turner_broadcas.html): > [@](#): > > The settlement for the guerrilla marketing campaign that went wrong includes $1 million to reimburse cities for their out-of-pocket expenses for the police response. It also includes about $1 million in “goodwill funds” to be divided among the state, the MBTA, the US Coast Guard, Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville for homeland security awareness and emergency preparedness. > > The deal frees Turner Broadcasting, the parent company of the Cartoon Network, and the New York marketing company the Cartoon Network hired, Interference Inc., of any criminal or civil liability for the episode. > > Turner Broadcasting and Interference Inc. also issued a statement accepting responsibility and acknowledging that authorities responded appropriately to the publicity campaign gone awry. > > “We understand that in today’s post-September 11 environment, it was reasonable and appropriate for citizens and law enforcement officials to take any perceived threat by our light boards very seriously and to respond as they did,” the statement says. Attorney General Coakley noted in the press conference that authorities are in negotiation with the attorneys for the two peons who put the things up and expect to resolve their cases soon. Best bet: apologies and community service. You can [go here](http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/10932930/detail.html) for a more detailed story, with links on the right to PDF’s of the settlement information and Turner’s full statement. As an aside: Those two guys currently live in Charlestown, an insular neighborhood of Boston which houses an at times uneasy mixture of blue-collar townies and yuppie newcomers. Townies don’t much care for dreadlocked weirdos\* who cause so much trouble, then react when they’re bagged for it with the sort of [smirking smartassery](http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/10892563/detail.html) they showed (click link at right: “Suspects discuss 70s hair”). I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that their business at local stores is being refused, that they’re getting hostile comments on the street, probably some threats. Is it right? Of course not. Is it going to happen? I don’t doubt it. Personally, if I were dreadlock guy, I’d shave off the facial foliage, cut my hair short, and move somewhere else. \*Townie generic attitude toward people like that. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/453 "2007-02-05T17:46:31Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Attorney General Coakley noted in the press conference that authorities are in negotiation with the attorneys for the two peons who put the things up and expect to resolve their cases soon. QUOTE]I just don’t get it. It demonstrably was not a hoax. Not only that, but only Boston reacted so stupidly. I can see Turner offering to settle from a publicity standpoint, but I hate that the stupid Boston response is being validated. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/454 "2007-02-05T17:50:59Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] [QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Attorney General Coakley noted in the press conference that authorities are in negotiation with the attorneys for the two peons who put the things up and expect to resolve their cases soon. [/QUOTE] I just don’t get it. It demonstrably was not a hoax. Not only that, but only Boston reacted so stupidly. I can see Turner offering to settle from a publicity standpoint, but I hate that the stupid Boston response is being validated. [/QUOTE] Here, I’ve fixed your coding. 😉 Wasn’t just Boston, it was also Somerville and Cambridge, also the Massachusetts Port Authority, and the Coast Guard, and some other federal authorities. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/455 "2007-02-05T18:12:00Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Attorney General Coakley noted in the press conference that authorities are in negotiation with the attorneys for the two peons who put the things up and expect to resolve their cases soon. Best bet: apologies and community service. [/QUOTE] If I were them, I would demand to go to trial, or dismiss all charges without any terms. If the state accepts the money from Turner, they can’t prove a hoax, unless they also intend to charge Turner. AG hasn’t got a leg to stand on. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/456 "2007-02-05T18:19:19Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Here, I’ve fixed your coding. 😉 [/QUOTE] Preesh. > [@](#): > > Wasn’t just Boston, it was also Somerville and Cambridge, also the Massachusetts Port Authority, and the Coast Guard, and some other federal authorities. Yeah but, how many other cities did not react at all? I cannot imagine getting a close look at one of those things and thinking it is a bomb. It seems to me to have been a kind of mass hysteria (get it?) I did not intend to give all the blame to Boston. Thanks for correcting me. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/457 "2007-02-05T19:34:15Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] Yeah but, how many other cities did not react at all? I cannot imagine getting a close look at one of those things and thinking it is a bomb. It seems to me to have been a kind of mass hysteria (get it?) [/QUOTE] _snerk_ Yes, in hindsight it’s overreaction. However, I recall watching the police chief for Chicago in a press conference pointing out that, while his city had no troubles from them, there could have been a similar scare (at least in the first few hours) over the devices in his city with all the out-of-towners swarming in for the Bears’ playoff game, which could have led to some rather serious consequences. He didn’t look at all amused. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/458 "2007-02-05T19:45:45Z")
Looks like Turner and the Contractor will be paying [$2 million in fines](http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/05/boston.turner/index.html)… ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/459 "2007-02-05T19:50:36Z")
[QUOTE=clayton\_e] Looks like Turner and the Contractor will be paying [$2 million in fines](http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/05/boston.turner/index.html).. [/QUOTE] [Don’t tell EddyTeddyFreddy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8227004&postcount=452) ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326/460 "2007-02-05T20:02:37Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] [Turner Broadcasting agrees to pay $2 million](http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/02/turner_broadcas.html): Attorney General Coakley noted in the press conference that authorities are in negotiation with the attorneys for the two peons who put the things up and expect to resolve their cases soon. Best bet: apologies and community service. [/quote] COMMUNITY SERVICE??? For what? What law did they break? Littering? This is just unmitigated bullshit. > [@](#): > > As an aside: Those two guys currently live in Charlestown, an insular neighborhood of Boston which houses an at times uneasy mixture of blue-collar townies and yuppie newcomers. Townies don’t much care for dreadlocked weirdos\* who cause so much trouble, then react when they’re bagged for it with the sort of [smirking smartassery](http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/10892563/detail.html) they showed (click link at right: “Suspects discuss 70s hair”). I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that their business at local stores is being refused, that they’re getting hostile comments on the street, probably some threats. Is it right? Of course not. Is it going to happen? I don’t doubt it. Personally, if I were dreadlock guy, I’d shave off the facial foliage, cut my hair short, and move somewhere else. > \*Townie generic attitude toward people like that. Yes, we should fear and harass those who look different than us. :rolleyes: I thought their reaction was great. I’m not a fan of smartass young “rebel” punks either, but in this case, arresting them was such an over-the-top act of sheer idiocy, and the reaction of the media was so misplaced and ridiculous, that the way those kids responded was absolutely right! I mean, how else should one respond to a completely ridiculous, surreal situation? By the way, the Mayor of Boston is a big fat piece of shit: > [@](#): > > “I think Turner learned a lesson: that they will not tolerate this type of advertising any further,” Boston Mayor Thomas Menino told reporters. > > In a written statement, he described the company as “extremely cooperative.” > > He said he had no regrets about the city’s response. “I would just say that the folks who second-guessed us because we did go out and do our work, shame on them.” Yeah, I’ll second-guess you, bitch. You fucked up big time, then you picked a couple of innocent scapegoats. And you STILL won’t admit you were wrong. Fuck you, Thomas Menino. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-teen-hoax-in-boston/390326.md?page=24)