Shostack + Friends Blog Archive

 

Department of Pre-blogging

Make sure to check out the blog posts Bruce Schneier and a host of others will soon make regarding the paralyzing effect that silly Blinkenlights ads for Aqua Teen Hunger Force had in Boston.

The coordinated response by all departments proves the system we have in place works.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino
Behold the power of throwies.

9 comments on "Department of Pre-blogging"

  • Adam says:

    Hey, I was about to blog on this!

  • Adam says:

    I really like the use of the projective voice in this Boston Globe article: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/01/suspicious_pack_1.html?p1=MEWell_Pos1
    “Scaring an entire region, tying up the T and major roadways, and forcing first responders to spend 12 hours chasing down trinkets instead of terrorists is marketing run amok,” Markey, a Democrat, said in a written statement. “It would be hard to dream up a more appalling publicity stunt.”
    Except for three weeks, no one paniced.

  • Fred Wamsley says:

    “We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine and remember that we are not descended from fearful men.” — Edward R. Murrow

  • AnonCow says:

    Good one. I also submit for consideration:
    “No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.” — Edmund Burke

  • Roy says:

    And to think that today the final components for my current batch of throwies arrived. Now, I’m afraid that if I actually deploy them, I’ll earn a ticket to Gitmo.

  • Jglide says:

    It’s amazing how we can be scared witless by something so simple as batteries, LEDs, and electrons. I appreciate the response of the SWAT Bomb Anti-Terrorism Commandos in Boston…but did somebody think to take a look at these devices before unleashing the holy retributive force of Bostons Finest in Code 3 Response on the rush hour crowds? It sure doesn’t sound like it.

  • maco says:

    And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what happens when the threat of terrorism is paraded around constantly.
    Nice to see the local police handling the incident with a calm and investigative approach! /sarcasm

  • Iang says:

    The ultimate victory — the terrorists taught the terrified to terrorise themselves.
    I too have thrown the blinkenlights, but the police just ignored us.

  • Orv says:

    Has there ever been a terrorist bomb in history that had a big fancy light display on it? I think people have watched too many bad action movies, where bombs look like fancy electronic gizmos. In real life they’re more likely to look like innocuous suitcases, cardboard boxes, or pieces of pipe.

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