Boston was in freak-out mode today. I'm sure most people heard.

"Devices" were found around town today - most on bridges. They had circuit boards, and batteries, and "resembled IEDs." Bridges were closed. Highways were closed - major highways. Right before I left the office for an afternoon hearing, I had heard that the RIVER was being closed (I didn't know they could do that!)

Other news reported that one of the "devices" had been detonated. They were also reporting that while they had most of the components of an IED, they lacked one important thing -- an explosive. So then we were all speculating "was it a trial run? are there plans for an attack in the future?" Beloved wondered if the Boston police were doing a trial run - testing their own readiness.

By the time I got back to the office, our governor and mayor were about to hold a press conference where they would state that the devices were actually a "hoax." I wondered how they knew? How did they know it wasn't a trial run or a success ... whoever put these "IED-like devices" around town incited terror in an entire city - enough terror to shut down the T in one area, and 2 major highways, as well as 4 or 5 bridges. How did they know it was a "hoax?"

30 minutes later, Beloved IM'd me to tell me that Turner Broadcasting had claimed responsibility. WHAAAT??? How and why would a cable company places bombs all over Boston?

Well, simple. They didn't. They had put these guys all over:

It was part of an advertising campaign for some show on Nick at Night, or something. Beloved thought it was a projection device, but I later found out that no, they were just these glowing little figures that are stuck to walls and bridges - they were calling it "guerrilla advertising."

And b/c that figure up there is so silly looking, the officials felt comfortable calling it a hoax. It was some little yellow guy giving them the finger. Watch out!! He may explode!!!

I think that it's odd that the bomb squad would look at this thing and think it was a bomb ... and detonate one of them!!

This article has a video of the "guerilla advertisers" who did this assembling and placing these "devices" --- check it out. See the major danger that came to my city today. It looks like it's made of Lite Brite pegs.

posted by Zuska @ 7:22 PM

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