Boston - where did the big monitor go?

Originally posted by boncho

Originally posted by Cyprex
Your first picture is of the 5k Finish line.

The event happen at the 42k / 26 mile finish line.

I was just going to say none of the buildings match behind the flags.

This has happened with every pic that is claimed to be proof of "now it's there now it's not"

Yeah...because it's two different places geniuses....

Upon further analysis it seems many things in the pic/video are different. Currently looking into an explanation.

edit on 1-5-2013 by boncho because: (no reason given)

To update, I was grossly mistaken about this being taken from different angles or of different areas. It seems when I first looked into it, I was checking the types of flags in both pictures, in relation to the light poles along the roadway. Because I noticed differences, I believed this must be two separate locations. Of course though, the buildings indeed match up. What we have deduced throughout this thread is that the jumbotron made for Hancock (a sponsor of the race) was up in the area of the OP pic, days before the race, and it seems at least until the winner of the marathon crossed the finish line.

After that however, when the IEDs went off, it was either moved or taken down. The advertising billboard, seems to be attached to a mobile unit, which means it could be transported or taken down pretty quickly.

AMI Graphics LLC were the ones responsible for the billboard, you can check out there FB page here.

edit on 1-5-2013 by boncho because: (no reason given)

remember me cowboy, and the thread i linked to in your own latest thread?
(you indeed delivered the flacid response i expected that i couldn't be arsed answering).

can we say c.g.i. fakery yet or is it still too early for all the brains here?

i posted on this very issue in another thread days ago and have been aware
of the complete fakery surrounding this boston 'event' from the getgo.

reply to post by OutonaLimb

remember me cowboy, and the thread i linked to in your own latest thread?
(you indeed delivered the flacid response i expected that i couldn't be arsed answering).

can we say c.g.i. fakery yet or is it still too early for all the brains here?

i posted on this very issue in another thread days ago and have been aware
of the complete fakery surrounding this boston 'event' from the getgo.

Nowhere in this thread or others is there evidence of CGI fakery. Nor is there motive or reasoning for such things to be done. Perhaps you should read over this thread again.

The Hancock billboard was paid for by Hancock to AMI Graphics LLC to create a jumbotron/monitor/billboard, for advertising at the Boston marathon, where Hancock has been sponsoring the event for YEARS.

We have deduced in this thread that the mobile advertisement was present days leading up to the IED explosion, and hours before, but it was removed/moved just before the bombing took place.

Nowhere does that suggest CGI.

You are welcome to present your evidence contrary but simply stating asinine "facts" (assumptions) does not lend credence to them. Does not prove anything... Does not make you look any more ignorant than you are already appearing.

You fit the category of an earlier post I had in this thread where I stated, there are those of us who make mistakes looking for rational explanations of things, to which we admit our errors, and on the other hand, you have people like you making all sorts of assumptions and accusations, and when you are proven wrong you deny cold facts staring you in the face continuing your BS, or you move on to some other fabricated angle, never admitting any wrongdoing in the process. (Even though you slander innocent people.)

Good day sir.

By the way, the "flacid" response I gave, (I imagine you mean flaccid?) was too much for you to address. This is normal for people talking out of the wrong end. Instead of addressing my points, or even debating with me, you simply say 'O M Gees, you are iz too much of a shill for me to even talk to you. Go back to your gubbinent cubicle stooly gubbiment agent 0 shill master'

or something along those lines.



Not the first personality like yourself that has come to the forum, nor the last. I wonder when you guys try to troll people such as myself, is it really that rewarding? It'd be sad if you guys actually believed the loaded garbage that comes out of your typing fingers.

Originally posted by boncho
We have deduced in this thread that the mobile advertisement was present days leading up to the IED explosion, and hours before, but it was removed/moved just before the bombing took place.

Just to keep things factually accurate on all sides...

We've found evidence that suggests the jumbotron was visible when the 2013 Boston marathon winner crossed the finish line and the same jumbotron was not visible when the first bomb detonated later in the day.

We've found no evidence as to the relative mobility of the jumbotron, the number of minutes or hours required to disassemble and/or move, the fact that it was or was not moved or disassembled, the possibility of video or photograph alteration in any fashion or for any reason, etc.

All we've got is the jumbotron is there when the winner crosses the finish line and the jumbotron is not there later when the bomb goes off.

Originally posted by PointDume
...Just to keep things factually accurate on all sides...
...We've found evidence that suggests the jumbotron was visible when the 2013 Boston marathon winner crossed the finish line and the same jumbotron was not visible when the first bomb detonated later in the day.
...We've found no evidence as to the relative mobility of the jumbotron, the number of minutes or hours required to disassemble and/or move, the fact that it was or was not moved or disassembled, the possibility of video or photograph alteration in any fashion or for any reason, etc.
...All we've got is the jumbotron is there when the winner crosses the finish line and the jumbotron is not there later when the bomb goes off.

Thanks PointDume
That is about as concise & accurate as one could hope for.
It is...ummm...interesting, however, that the "jumbotron" would be "up", in prime marketing real estate at least two hours prior to the explosions...or - for the first Winner (being - male) crossing the finish line. AS WELL AS being up for, purportedly, at least an entire day, preceding the event (because of the 5K race)...but...that all further marketing opportunities - from the "primest" real estate were 86'd, while hundreds/thousands of visitors & guests were OBVIOUSLY still right there.

We should probably consider that they would not have moved (or considered moving) this device until after, at least, the first female contestant crossed the finish line...either...
So - that narrows the time from...to...uhhhh...let's see -
4:09:43 - 2:26:23 = 1 hour, 43 minutes, and 33 seconds (+/-).

Be nice to see any other photos between the finishes for the male & female winners...and the bomb blast.
Could set some questions to rest... (I'm not asking you to do this... It's just, a thought.)

Originally posted by WanDash.
Be nice to see any other photos between the finishes for the ... female winners

Good idea.

Women's 1st place finisher Rita Jeptoo crossing the finish line.



So the jumbotron is still visible at 1 hour and 43 minutes prior to the first blast.

Here are the specs for a similar but smaller portable jumbotron.

Similar, but Smaller Portable Jumbotron

The setup time is spec'd at 30 minutes.

If we adjust the time for:

1) marketing copy exagerration (+5 minutes);
2) breakdown taking a little longer than setup (+5 minutes);
3) the marathon mobile display being significantly larger (+5 minutes).

The jumbotron in question likely could be broken down in 45, though it could take longer, depending on crowd safety concerns (+ 15 minutes for crowd safety concerns).

So you've got a window of 1 hour and 43 minutes in which to breakdown the jumbotron and somewhere between 30 minutes and 60 minutes to break it down.

This leaves a buffer of up to between 1:15 to 0:43 before the first blast. Less if the breakdown did not start immediately after the women's first place finisher.

The jumbotron definitely could be taken down within the timeframe available as currently identified.

Photos of the finish line pointing towards the area of the jumbotron closer to the blast moment would be able to narrow this timeline down further.

Originally posted by PointDume
...Good idea.
...Women's 1st place finisher Rita Jeptoo crossing the finish line.

...So the jumbotron is still visible at 1 hour and 43 minutes prior to the first blast.
...Here are the specs for a similar but smaller portable jumbotron.
Similar, but Smaller Portable Jumbotron
...The setup time is spec'd at 30 minutes.

If we adjust the time for marketing copy exagerration, breakdown taking a little longer than setup and the marathon mobile display being larger, the jumbotron in question likely could be broken down in 45 minutes, though it could take longer.

So you've got a window of 1 hour and 43 minutes in which to breakdown the jumbotron and at least 45 minutes to break it down. This leaves up to an hour buffer for the first blast.

The jumbotron definitely could be taken down within the timeframe available as currently identified. Photos of the finish line pointing towards the area of the jumbotron closer to the blast moment would be able to narrow this timeline down further.

All good information.
It looks like all the photos of large crowds (near the finish line, on the side of the street where the first bomb blew) showing the crowds looking toward "whomever" is taking their photos tell the tale that the "well-wishers" or observers are taking advantage of the jumbo-view.
Guess any pictures between the lady-winner's finish time and the blast, that doesn't show a good number of those observers looking toward said position, might let us know it is no longer there (then).
Anyway - I still find it - interesting - that they would move it while such a crowd was still there (to continue getting the subliminal message of "John Hancock is your friend").
But - stranger things happen.
I have been going through photos...to locate any with time-stamps within the pertinent window. Have struck out, so far.

reply to post by PointDume

We've found no evidence as to the relative mobility of the jumbotron, the number of minutes or hours required to disassemble and/or move, the fact that it was or was not moved or disassembled, the possibility of video or photograph alteration in any fashion or for any reason, etc.

All we've got is the jumbotron is there when the winner crosses the finish line and the jumbotron is not there later when the bomb goes off.

The picture I showed of the jumbotron shows that it is secured to the ground via a mobile unit or a mobile unit/wagon. Take another look at them. (These things are truck mounted and easily moved.) There is also a picture floating around that may indicated the unit was still there but turned or covered when the bombs went off. I think I saw it earlier, but to be honest, this one is done for me.

Originally, I thought the jumbotron was secured into the wall or something, or secured into an advertising billboard, once I saw the setup I realized it is not something that would take hours or days to set up. As I said, look for yourself.

reply to post by PointDume


I think you are clearly exaggerating here. These things can be taken down, repositioned in a matter of minutes.

You can rent one for yourself here.

This following pic shows its a mobile truck mounted unit by the way:

Whatever the reasons, it does seem weird and inappropriate that it was taken down before the marathon ended but that doesn't prove much without further information.

One of the things I have to say about this, not debunking or adding but in the photos above it looks like
the monitor is in the corner between to buildings when in fact its on a road



To me this adds the possibility that it's simply is either out of sight or even the fact it could easily get else where if attached to a truck as it has a road to do so and not just the sidewalk.

Added pic above for debate.

Originally posted by boncho
...The picture I showed of the jumbotron shows that it is secured to the ground via a mobile unit or a mobile unit/wagon. Take another look at them. (These things are truck mounted and easily moved.) There is also a picture floating around that may indicated the unit was still there but turned or covered when the bombs went off. I think I saw it earlier, but to be honest, this one is done for me.

Originally, I thought the jumbotron was secured into the wall or something, or secured into an advertising billboard, once I saw the setup I realized it is not something that would take hours or days to set up. As I said, look for yourself.
...

In fact, PointDume went a couple of steps further...identifying the type of "portable" jumbotron in said photos, then finding the "specs" for how long it takes to setup said "smaller version".
In my opinion, it is not a question of "whether" the screen could have been moved in the relatively-small window of opportunity (between the moment of the female winner's finish & the first bomb blast)...but, "why?".
Seems like a largely wasted bit of advertising...since the "event" was still in moderate-to-full-swing (as evidenced by the masses of people on the sidewalks in all of the "suspect" videos)...
Since it was "mobile", though...I don't think I can conclude that it had remained in place through the previous evening (after the photos at the finish line of the 5K Race). But - it is also, possible that it did (remain in place).
Would like to see the photo you say "suggests" that it may have still been there (but was in a lower or other position) at the time of the bomb blast.

Did the winner cross the finish line ahead of the blast?
possible but IDK....

Originally posted by stirling
Did the winner cross the finish line ahead of the blast?
possible but IDK....

Yes - the blast was 4:09:43 into the marathon... The winner (male) finished almost exactly 2 hours into the race... The female winner...was some 20+ minutes longer than the male winner. I think I posted both of those times a few comments up the page.

Taggart's photo shows that the street where the jumbotron was is a one way street. The photos of the marathon show that the street was blocked off and there were people and flags there. So, how would they have moved it when access to the street was blocked? Perhaps it was only lowered?

reply to post by Taggart

To me this adds the possibility that it's simply is either out of sight or even the fact it could easily get else where if attached to a truck as it has a road to do so and not just the sidewalk.

Added pic above for debate.

It is attached to a truck, it's a mobile unit. I showed a pic twice in the thread to prove this and I also listed a company where you can rent them, just for reference of what they look like. (The one I showed now is a little different than the one at Boston and of the other one I showed.

AMI Graphics

AMI Facebook page including post about the jumbotron

Twitter post about the Jumbotron

It's very possible AMI only did the graphics for the Hancock advertising though, as they mainly do vinyls and graphics work and it doesn't seem they offer boom-led-screens themselves, in which case, they probably just rented one themselves from a company like this one.

To get an idea of what these units look like,









Mind you, there are more mobile ones that simply descend right into the truck that holds them for transportation. The pictures I have of the one AMI Graphics is using, only shows the telescopic boom and not what style unit it was attached to.

In any case, it's a mobil unit.

Originally posted by itssomethingyoudid
Taggart's photo shows that the street where the jumbotron was is a one way street. The photos of the marathon show that the street was blocked off and there were people and flags there. So, how would they have moved it when access to the street was blocked? Perhaps it was only lowered?

The street was blocked off for them and other organizers in the event. If they were moving it they would have been fine to drive backward to Newbury, given that the road is in part blocked for access for them and all the other people behind the scenes.

reply to post by WanDash

In fact, PointDume went a couple of steps further...identifying the type of "portable" jumbotron in said photos, then finding the "specs" for how long it takes to setup said "smaller version".
In my opinion, it is not a question of "whether" the screen could have been moved in the relatively-small window of opportunity (between the moment of the female winner's finish & the first bomb blast)...but, "why?".
Seems like a largely wasted bit of advertising...since the "event" was still in moderate-to-full-swing (as evidenced by the masses of people on the sidewalks in all of the "suspect" videos)...

For all we know it could have been moved simply to a different spot for post race interviews where all the camera crews are going to be. Could be a number of reasons. I will look for that picture I was referring to.

And since this is such a big issue for some people (lord knows why, its not a fake jumbotron, we have names of company, etc.)

I think just sent them an email and asked them. I normally am against looking into issues I don't give a damn about, but I'm not really happy about the accusations floating around. Hopefully they aren't too busy that they can't answer me.

I am honestly a little embarrassed. For all the people who think something nefarious about a piece of advertising not being visible for a few minutes. One of the strangest angles I've seen played by some of you. I realize some are just curious, others though are implying, CGI, government coverup, fake people, fake sets, actors, etc. Because of a a piece of advertising not being visible for a few minutes.

I hope they return mail so it can be cleared up.

Originally posted by boncho
reply to post by PointDume

 

I think you are clearly exaggerating here. These things can be taken down, repositioned in a matter of minutes.

You can rent one for yourself here.

I'm not exaggerating the break-down time. The breakdown time is highly likely to be +/- 5 minutes of the setup time for similar sized mobile display systems.

From the specs I linked to, the setup time was quoted at 30 minutes.

From the specs you linked to, the setup time is quoted at 60 minutes.

From your link to ImpactAV:

These LED screens can be set up in as little as 60 minutes and are ideal for outdoor applications that require a high quality screen with limited set up time.

Accounting for variations in size, the likelihood that marketing copy on a website takes the best case scenario and the fact that there was a large crowd gathered around this particular one, I'd say it's reasonable to assume a range between 30 minutes to 60 minutes to break down the system.

Originally posted by boncho
I am honestly a little embarrassed. For all the people who think something nefarious about a piece of advertising not being visible for a few minutes.

As far as I can tell, almost no one in this thread has suggested anything nefarious.yet. I certainly have not.

If you want speculation, I can offer some as to why the movement of the mobile jumbotron right before the blasts might be significant without there being any need to recourse to absurd theories about staging the scene or actors.

For example:

What if the authorities directed the jumbotron be lowered in conjunction with a security sweep of the finish line area due to actionable intelligence that there was an ongoing bomb plot?

For example:

What if the authorities had some indication of a potential threat and this indication was communicated to organizers and sponsors, but not to the general public? Perhaps John Hancock would ask AMI to lower the jumbotron so that their branding is not splashed all over footage of a bomb going off?

There are countless possible scenarios. The vast majority are mundane. Some are questionable. Some would be negligent. Others would be nefarious.

We're not yet to the point where speculation on the scenarios is particularly useful. We're still at the point where we're asking questions about what happened to the jumbotron, when did it happen and why?

Any noticeable event in the hour leading up to the bombs going off is of potential significance.

reply to post by PointDume


I noticed the times too in the links provided. I am surprised, as I have seen similar units with much quicker set up and break down times. Although I don't have the specs on those so the point is moot.

So, I agree with you on your points. However, a thread in another forum keeps getting crosslinked, and it is suggesting nefarious actions based simply on a peculiar jumbotron, I apologize if my attitude is reflective of those opinions, and the ones on YT claiming some pretty stupid, outrageous, idiotic and disrespectful scenarios.

What you mention is a legitimate curiosity.

Originally posted by boncho
......So, I agree with you on your points. However, a thread in another forum keeps getting crosslinked, and it is suggesting nefarious actions based simply on a peculiar jumbotron, I apologize if my attitude is reflective of those opinions, and the ones on YT claiming some pretty stupid, outrageous, idiotic and disrespectful scenarios.

What you mention is a legitimate curiosity.

Nothing you/we can do about that...as I'm sure, you know better than I.
You can present facts that refute (or largely reduce the likelihood of) their "take"...and your presentation will be entirely ignored...or, you'll be called a shill, troll, and worse...while they never actually address your argument or facts.