1969912 0 #1 August 26, 2007 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294615,00.html NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Two people who sprinkled flour in a parking lot to mark a trail for their offbeat running club inadvertently caused a bioterrorism scare and now face a felony charge. The sprinkled powder forced hundreds to evacuate an IKEA furniture store Thursday...... ....Mayoral spokeswoman Jessica Mayorga said the city plans to seek restitution from the Salchows, who are due in court Sept. 14. "You see powder connected by arrows and chalk, you never know," she said. "It could be a terrorist, it could be something more serious. We're thankful it wasn't, but there were a lot of resources that went into figuring that out." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Was the police response reasonable? Should the running club pay restitution? The statement from the mayor's office is particularly indicting: "...powder [on a parking lot or road] connected by arrows and chalk..." What would you think it was? I don't know about New Haven, but in my local area you see arrows and markings using powder on streets quite often. That's how bicycle and running clubs mark their routes. Even if the New Haven police had never seen routes marked that way, it seems unreasonable to assume it's a bioterror attack. In any case, the running club should not be forced to pay restitution for the bioterror investigation. At most, they should be required to sweep up the chalk/flour that they applied. Opinions? "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,635 #2 August 26, 2007 Quote Opinions? I think we've been programmed to over-react - not only to things like this, but to 2nd grade kids drawing guns, kintergardeners kissing, and a myriad other benign things. People just need to chill a little. I blame the politicians and lawyers... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969912 0 #3 August 27, 2007 Quote Quote Opinions? I think we've been programmed to over-react - not only to things like this, but to 2nd grade kids drawing guns, kintergardeners kissing, and a myriad other benign things. People just need to chill a little. I blame the politicians and lawyers Good point about the politicians. The police work for them, after all. While it's likely that the New Haven PD has been ordered to treat any SUSPICIOUS powder as a bioterror threat, how could stripes and arrows on the ground be considered suspicious? I just can't buy into any claim that the powder could be considered suspicious. if the police there are under orders to treat ANY powder, suspicious or not, as a threat (doubtful), then yes, the politicians are at fault. Sure, the politicians (in conjunction with a willing media) have caused some level of paranoia in the country, but that's not an excuse to act irrationally. This guy and his daugher are the one's who were arrested: http://www.med.yale.edu/clinop/salchow.html "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #4 August 27, 2007 some times the level of ignorance in this country particularly, from those who are supposed to be the 'administration and protection' is simply staggering.. yes folks.. the terrorists HAVE WON..why? look no farther than this news story....____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
angrypeppers 1 #5 August 27, 2007 Not even hashing is safe anymore... On on! Burn the land and boil the sea, You can't take the sky from me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zipp0 1 #6 August 27, 2007 Quote Opinions? The average person is borderline retarded. -------------------------- Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nerdgirl 0 #7 August 27, 2007 Quote NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Two people who sprinkled flour in a parking lot to mark a trail for their offbeat running club inadvertently caused a bioterrorism scare and now face a felony charge. The sprinkled powder forced hundreds to evacuate an IKEA furniture store Thursday...... Opinions? Inane on so many levels. Flour has been used as an inexpensive methods for marking cross-country running trails for years. Although - did that mean that the IKEA wasn't a mad-house on a weekend at the start of college term afterwards? VR/ Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheAnvil 0 #8 August 27, 2007 I was laying a trail here in Bahrain a couple of months ago, and some locals asked me if I were laying down poison! WTF? On on! The Anvil...aka 'Sad Bastard' Bahrain Black Hash Vinny the Anvil Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL JACKASS POWER!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
