Sorry, but it is funny

Too funny. When Atrios had this story up, they were "boxes of Doom" which perplexed everyone and seemed to be the work of pranksters.

Now, of course, the world knows it was simply viral marketing:

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 packages in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger," Turner said in a statement. It said the devices have been in place for two to three weeks in 10 cities: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Ore., Austin, Texas, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

"We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger," the company said.

Police said only that they were investigating where the device came from. The Department of Homeland Security said there are no credible reports of other devices being found elsewhere in the country.

It's the last bit that gets me. Turner says they've been up everywhere. DHS, those sterling promoters of fear and trembling, insist they have no "credible reports" that this is true.

This probably means every executive of Turner Broadcasting and Time/Warner is now on a "no-fly" list, in perpetuity. Because, after all, just because a major corporation says it and that leaves egg all over the face of Boston police and the DHS, doesn't mean it's "credible."

Frankly, it's all worth it just to read this in a news account:

The show follows the misadventures of a carton of french fries, a milkshake and a wad of hamburger meat who live together in a run-down suburban house. A feature-length film version of the show is scheduled to come out in March.

One more reason to go on living.

And scoutprime has "the rest of the story." Remember, everyone, the rest of us aren't laughing at you; we're laughing near you.



Be afraid. Be very afraid.