Topher Cyll

The "suspicious packages" that shut down part of Boston yesterday turned out to be glowing LED ads for Aqua Teen Hunger Force (a truly excellent cartoon), and in fact weren't packages at all.

Here are some pictures of what the signs looked like: being taken down and lighted up.

My take is: "Oh well, they don't look at all like bombs to me, but I'm sure the cops did what they thought was best. These things happen."

What's crazy is how the city officials are responding. No one seems willing to admit that it was just bad luck and a little over reaction on their part.

Instead the mayor is screaming for blood and the police arrested two of the guys who put the signs up and are threatening them with 5 years in prison for "hoax devices that caused a panic" or something like that.

Hoax devices? It's not like Turner Broadcasting wanted these to be mistaken for bombs (as far as I know). Choosing bridge supports to hang your signs is kind of dumb... but five years in jail? The ads had been up for weeks already, not to mention posted in nine other cities and no one else reacted like this.

Advice to the world? Deep breaths.

posted on: 02/01/2007 | path: /life