They Bombed In Boston

(AP)

For a couple anxious hours this afternoon, all the TV sets in the newsroom were tuned to the events unfolding in Boston. Mysterious packages were confiscated and taken away by bomb squads. Roads were closed. The Charles River was shut down. Helicopters hovered overhead, cameras watching for suspcious activity.

Turns out, it was a publicity stunt. According to the AP:

At least nine electronic devices, planted at bridges and other parts of Boston as part of a marketing campaign for a late-night cartoon, threw a scare into the city Wednesday.
Highways, bridges and a section of the Charles River were shut down and bomb squads were sent in before authorities declared the devices were harmless.
"It's a hoax — and it's not funny," said Gov. Deval Patrick.
Turner Broadcasting, parent company of Cartoon Network, said the devices, which consisted of magnetic, blinking lights, were part of a promotion for the TV show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."

The general reaction in the newsroom: ohmygawd. What were they thinking?

You have to wonder.

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