All a Bunch of Silliness

I was listening to the radio yesterday on my way home from work, and within the daily news report was a story about suspicious devices placed around Boston that posed some kind of security threat. I immedietely perked up and thought, "Tell me more, tell me more," but I found it strange that it was not covered more in depth. This threat to our national security was swept over just as any other news story of the day to be never heard from again.

So I get home and do a little research and come to find that it was no threat at all, but mearly a mareting campaign of small Light Brite type devices placed around the city to market Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Now I thought, "Oh how silly, nothing to worry about." I look at a few other websites and realize that even though the Boston PD know what these things are they procede to remove them as though they are volatile substances that could explode if exposed to a whisper. In some cases bomb squads even exploded these LED marketing wonders, "just in case."

Now, I am no expert on homeland security nor have I been to the police acedemy or interned with the bomb squad, but I would think that after you discover what the "suspicious" devices are that you would wipe your brow and move on. Not in Boston. Instead of letting it pass, the fine government up there proceded to propagate fear, and now is not willing to accept any responsibility for all of the silliness. They realize they made a mistake by riling up the populous but intend to hold the Turner marketing department responsible. NY Times, "'It is outrageous, in a post-9/11 world, that a company would use this type of marketing scheme,' Mr. Menino said in a statement. '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.'"


I know they look scary; almost a resemblence to terrorists. NY Times, "The devices are dotted with blue and purple lights and are shaped like “Aqua Teen” characters, mooninites. One character, Err, seems angry, with slanted eyebrows and what appear to be raised middle fingers." Ha. Only the facts. I made scarier looking things with my Erector set as a kid. Glad I didn't take them outside.

The real reason for writing this is that I only wish to save the harmless Lite Brite. Being that these devices so resemble the wonderful toy, I feel as though they are going to get a bad rap. I fear they will be pulled from the shelves for being "too scary," and parents will refuse to buy them because they do not want to raise the next unibomber. "Is little billy building bombs over there?" "No, he's making a flower." "Well it looks like a bomb to me!"

Help me start the Save the Lite Brite Fund