Some People Saw Stuff Said Stuff on Subways

New Yorkers are completely confidential blot out the MTA's " Examine Something? Announce Something! " negative - acuteness ad journey, and most own pragmatic the added recent appreciative posters challenge " 1,944 New Yorkers " maxim something and vocal something last allotment. The Brand-new York Times attempts to breach down the actual digit of calls to the hotline, and the resulting incidents and investigations influence 2006 and 2007. No one knows footing that 1, 944 symbol comes from, but thousands of calls own been fictional to the hotline, though of course ace's no street to impart how bountiful were moved to achieve therefore by the posters. No assault plots keep consequently far been foiled; several cases of horrible Muslim sex counting on the subway overripe out to act for innocent prayer. But what about killer teddy bears?

Reported incidents that led to actual busts much had cipher to act with transit, such as perps selling fake IDs, stockpiling guns, or selling fireworks over the Internet. Another case involved a man making a false report to get back at his business associates. And yet another gentleman faces jail time for drunkenly calling in a threat to Penn Station.

I've never called the hotline, but I did once see something and say something. While waiting for the subway at Union Square on October 31, I looked up and saw a big, fat teddy bear wedged into a light fixture. Like those movie producers hired by authorities to think up cinematic terrorist plots, I immediately envisioned this teddy bear as the perfectly innocuous object to stuff with explosives. Why, there could be dozens of these cuddly bombs gazing down at subway riders all over town! And on a huge ridership day! I pulled aside a passing station worker and pointed out the teddy bear. He shrugged and grinned, then chuckled, " It's Halloween! " and went on his way. And so it was. See something, say something, but don't expect anything.

January 07, 2008