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Just when I thought people couldn't be any more paranoid or stupid.....a NY artist was arrested (and ordered to take a mental health test, no less.....go figure.) for hanging lighted shopping bag shaped decorations across NYC in preparation for a local event. Now before anyone brings up the whole "better to be safe than sorry" point.......how do cops(or any sane person) take THIS for a bomb?

Some points for both sides: Yes, the guy shouldn't have been hanging these without telling people in each area what he was doing first, or hanging some at night as he did(for obvious reasons).......but I don't think the cops needed to clear the area around a few of them for 2 HOURS to determine it was a lighted plastic bag. I also don't think the whole "Planting false bombs" charge should have been added onto his list of charges.....a bit much, imo.


Ben Stiller says "Bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb" to this whole mess
Post edited May 23, 2012 by GameRager
The terrorists have already won.
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rampancy: The terrorists have already won.
Yeah, they have... Now they're just gloating:P
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rampancy: The terrorists have already won.
Yeah, they have... Here in the EU(the world's most retarded institution) they just passed a Big Brother law to spy on all of us... legally...
Post edited May 23, 2012 by Licurg
How could we forget the past, with that said here's a little tribute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNEZJqVjoDg

To be fair with boston, at least the moonites had wires showing...

edit: Just read the article, so they did see wires, still doesn't make it any less moronic
Post edited May 23, 2012 by Thunderstone
I love that the person who "called the cops" didn't even actually call the cops, he called an information line about jurisdiction. The police literally conjured up a bomb scare out of nothing.
Couldn't they have just asked the guy what he was doing--oh wait. That would actually involve common sense
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Thunderstone: How could we forget the past, with that said here's a little tribute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNEZJqVjoDg

To be fair with boston, at least the moonites had wires showing...

edit: Just read the article, so they did see wires, still doesn't make it any less moronic
Everyone knows if something contains wires it HAS to be a bomb.....that's like common sense 101.
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Thunderstone: How could we forget the past, with that said here's a little tribute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNEZJqVjoDg

To be fair with boston, at least the moonites had wires showing...

edit: Just read the article, so they did see wires, still doesn't make it any less moronic
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GameRager: Everyone knows if something contains wires it HAS to be a bomb.....that's like common sense 101.
Oh yes of course, how could I forget that! Maybe this guy was in league with the moonites! 0.o

It all makes sense now! First Boston now New York how could I not see the signs? The Moonites want to take over the world, everybody panic!!!!!!!!!
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Thunderstone: Couldn't they have just asked the guy what he was doing--oh wait. That would actually involve common sense
And people wonder why more and more young college-educated Americans are fleeing to countries overseas to teach english.
If he had gotten a permit in the first place, this wouldn't be a story.
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HereForTheBeer: If he had gotten a permit in the first place, this wouldn't be a story.
You mean if our gov't/police didn't need to find the worst in everything all in an effort to keep the people in line this wouldn't be a story.

Seriously, you need a permit to do too many things nowadays. Next you'll need a permit if you're not near a toilet and want to relieve yourself on a bush at the side of the road.
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Thunderstone: How could we forget the past, with that said here's a little tribute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNEZJqVjoDg

To be fair with boston, at least the moonites had wires showing...

edit: Just read the article, so they did see wires, still doesn't make it any less moronic
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GameRager: Everyone knows if something contains wires it HAS to be a bomb.....that's like common sense 101.
*ahem* orphaned bags with wires attached and placed in strategic locations around the city. Nope, no safety concern what-so-ever...

Stuff like this needs to be cleared with authorities beforehand.
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GameRager: Just when I thought people couldn't be any more paranoid or stupid.....a NY artist was arrested (and ordered to take a mental health test, no less.....go figure.) for hanging lighted shopping bag shaped decorations across NYC in preparation for a local event. Now before anyone brings up the whole "better to be safe than sorry" point.......how do cops(or any sane person) take THIS for a bomb?

Some points for both sides: Yes, the guy shouldn't have been hanging these without telling people in each area what he was doing first, or hanging some at night as he did(for obvious reasons).......but I don't think the cops needed to clear the area around a few of them for 2 HOURS to determine it was a lighted plastic bag. I also don't think the whole "Planting false bombs" charge should have been added onto his list of charges.....a bit much, imo.


Ben Stiller says "Bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb" to this whole mess
As a former security officer, I have to agree with you. That picture has at best 2 of the necessary components to be an IED, and the amount of charge that you could plausibly have in a lit bag is definitely insufficient to do anything more than startle people.

So, unless the plan is to get distract somebody long enough for a car to mow them down, it's just a lit bag.
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SimonG: *ahem* orphaned bags with wires attached and placed in strategic locations around the city. Nope, no safety concern what-so-ever...

Stuff like this needs to be cleared with authorities beforehand.
As a former security officer with relevant training I'd have to say, it needs to be checked out, because you always check out those reports.

But it's clearly not an IED and the sentence is clearly out of line with the actual offense. Basically littering. In fact it doesn't look anything like an IED, it's lacking the absolute most important part of an IED and you don't have to have specialist training to know that.
Post edited May 24, 2012 by hedwards
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SimonG: *ahem* orphaned bags with wires attached and placed in strategic locations around the city. Nope, no safety concern what-so-ever...

Stuff like this needs to be cleared with authorities beforehand.
I agree he should have told the people in those locations about it to avoid this kind of situation, but I don't think a CLEAR LIT PLASTIC BAG(You can practically see through it.) should be taken to be a bomb by a sane, rational person. Heck I see wires and bags in the trash(or thrown as garbage in some spots) all the time. Guess I should be calling the cops then........
-_-
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GameRager: Heck I see wires and bags in the trash(or thrown as garbage in some spots) all the time. Guess I should be calling the cops then........
-_-
I'm pretty sure you don't see those in Tel Aviv. Or Belfast. Or any Airport/train station anywhere in the world. Terrorism is a touchy topic nowadays, cheap stunts like this certainly won't help the matter.