After Much Chewing of Cud and Cogitation, Woodswun <woodswun@tepidmail.com>
Spat the Words

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16931200/

"BOSTON - In nine cities across the country, blinking electronic signs
displaying a profane, boxy-looking cartoon character caused barely a stir.

But in Boston, the signs - some with protruding wires - sent a wave of
panic across the city, bringing out bomb squads and prompting officials to
shut down highways, bridges and part of the Charles River."

The blinking electronic signs were, basically, LiteBrites - a toy that's
been around for decades. Also, they'd been there for 2 weeks before
anyone noticed them blinking away and making obscene gestures.


Woods

So, what have we learned from this, that Bostonians have their
under-garments in a wad ? Seems odd that only Boston declares
a state of emergency over the blinking signs. Perhaps being right
on the coast, with the increased vulnerability of having a sea
port, makes them react more frenetically ( <- is that even a word ?).

What really bothers me about this ridiculous incident is the apparent lack
of any common sense, any rationality, any real association with reality
shown by both the city emergency personnel and the public (especially the
corporate media).

I mean, did anyone think

lighted cartoonish bombs, them place them in high traffic areas so they
could be quickly found and neutralized? This silly incident followed a
story of a terrorist plot uncovered in the UK. Perhaps, that helped set
up the psychology of it. I don't know. And 2 days ago, the White House
press conference room was evacuated because a bomb-sniffin' mutt's nose
apparently erred! These scares almost always come in clusters...we can
probably expect more from this. Whether intel agenices are running psych
ops or not, it's just damned hard to understand how city officials, the
news media, and the public could've been so incredibly stupid and
overreactionary. In Seattle, near where I am, the Cartoon Network signs
were also installed, as well as in a number of cities. No where else did
this 'overreaction' occur, except in Boston. I dont' think this society
can live under the yoke of constant scares, alerts, evacuations,
propaganda, etc., and remain socially and psychologically healthy. They
tell us the WOT will last for decades! Decades? Sheeesh...we should be
all on the funny farm by then. The corporate news media, DHS, local
police, etc., have some responsibility in getting a grip on a
crisis-filled era, and tempering it with some goddamned common sense and
good judgment. We've not seen much of either since 9/11. Osama did his
horrid deed, then the idiots in the government and corporate world
screwed us..not to mention the Christian evangelical community. Every
screwball has come out of left field for the past five years or so, and
shown us the worst behavior of humanity, not the best (that we're
capable of).
Docrodile