This story is a few days old, but I missed it until just now, when I saw Kaus’s blog post about it: New York City smelled good, again, on Thursday, as a mysterious syrupy odor wafted through the city for the second time in less than two months. (You can read about the previous incident here.) From Friday’s New York Times:
Yesterday, just as in October, the mystery smell proved elusive.
“We have no indication that there’s anything hazardous,” said Jarrod Bernstein, a spokesman for the emergency management office. “Understand it is a lot easier to test if something is not hazardous than it is to figure out exactly what it is.”
Most of the reports, Mr. Bernstein said, were from above 96th Street in Manhattan, although scattered reports came from Midtown.
The blog Gothamist has twoposts about Odorgate, and a user-created map of where the mystery smell was, uh, smelled.
For his part, Kaus smells a rat:
I still find mystery-stench stories disturbing, even when the stench is sweet. Someone…could be trying out a delivery mechanism. That’s why it’s not all that reassuring when, as on Thursday, “nothing dangerous” is found in the air.
When my husband and I went into NYC on Saturday night to see the tree at Rockefeller center and eat dinner, everywhere we went smelled like frying funnel cake or Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Believe me, compared to the usual smells in NYC, this is nothing to be concerned or complain about.
Clare…are you serious? A city the size of New York has a sweet delicious odor “everywhere”, which makes no sense whatsoever, and you don’t find it concerning?!
I’m sure its nice to have New York smelling good…but this unprecedented and mysterious smell should certainly raise alarms at the Department of Homeland Security
Clare, I agree with the other posters - this is suspicious - if we figured out who was producing this smell, I’d be less concerned, but as it is an unknown, it is very possible that it is some sort of test for delivering something less plesant through the air.
Although I do hope it is merely some sort of air circulation that is spreading something good smelling around the city better than normal.
You know, I wonder if NYC moved to Magic Salt - my undergrad did, and half the people on campus said it smelled like molasses cookies or maple syrup. It seems like the smells correspond to snowfall, anyhow. Basically, it’s leftover distillery byproducts mixed with rock salt - it causes the ice to melt at lower temperatures, and allows for the use of less salt. Info here: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/12/08/firm_serves_sweet_brew_for_de_icing_roads/
I heard on the radio that authorities uncovered a plot in NYC. Apparently Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima were caught formulating a nefarious plan with the Cream of Wheat guy at an IHOP in Queens. It seems their goal was to spring a surprise attack of warm, delicious morning goodness on the people of New York. Luckily Condi Rice infiltrated the inner circle by posing as Aunt Jemima’s niece “Sissy.” Thank God Karl Rove threw himself on a stack of Belgium Waffles before the plans could go forward!
“…it’s leftover distillery byproducts mixed with rock salt - it causes the ice to melt at lower temperatures…”
Yeah. Has the same effect on Me. :}
The redoubtable Leanna Loomer was in NYC last Thursday and reports that (just like the First time around with this story) she smelled Nothing. (Well. She, like Kaus, may have smelled a Rat but she, probably Unlike Kause, does take the Subway a lot so that’s nothing Out of the ordinary. :)
Which reminds me, the NYC Transit Workers have authorized a Strike starting Friday ~ subway & buses ~ but Mayor Bloomie got an Injunction against it, so We’ll See. / Goddamn Unions. / MY GOD, WHAT DID I SAY??? ;]
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December 13th, 2005 at 9:59:30 am
When my husband and I went into NYC on Saturday night to see the tree at Rockefeller center and eat dinner, everywhere we went smelled like frying funnel cake or Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Believe me, compared to the usual smells in NYC, this is nothing to be concerned or complain about.
December 13th, 2005 at 1:17:59 pm
Clare…are you serious? A city the size of New York has a sweet delicious odor “everywhere”, which makes no sense whatsoever, and you don’t find it concerning?!
I’m sure its nice to have New York smelling good…but this unprecedented and mysterious smell should certainly raise alarms at the Department of Homeland Security
December 13th, 2005 at 1:21:23 pm
It’s funny how people equate NYC not smelling like shit with a terrorist threat.
December 13th, 2005 at 2:13:39 pm
Clare, I agree with the other posters - this is suspicious - if we figured out who was producing this smell, I’d be less concerned, but as it is an unknown, it is very possible that it is some sort of test for delivering something less plesant through the air.
Although I do hope it is merely some sort of air circulation that is spreading something good smelling around the city better than normal.
December 13th, 2005 at 2:59:21 pm
You know, I wonder if NYC moved to Magic Salt - my undergrad did, and half the people on campus said it smelled like molasses cookies or maple syrup. It seems like the smells correspond to snowfall, anyhow. Basically, it’s leftover distillery byproducts mixed with rock salt - it causes the ice to melt at lower temperatures, and allows for the use of less salt. Info here: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/12/08/firm_serves_sweet_brew_for_de_icing_roads/
December 13th, 2005 at 4:48:32 pm
Now, if the odour was one of bitter almonds, I might be more actively concerned …
December 14th, 2005 at 12:13:10 am
I heard on the radio that authorities uncovered a plot in NYC. Apparently Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima were caught formulating a nefarious plan with the Cream of Wheat guy at an IHOP in Queens. It seems their goal was to spring a surprise attack of warm, delicious morning goodness on the people of New York. Luckily Condi Rice infiltrated the inner circle by posing as Aunt Jemima’s niece “Sissy.” Thank God Karl Rove threw himself on a stack of Belgium Waffles before the plans could go forward!
December 14th, 2005 at 4:37:29 am
Hee hee Pretty good, MM:BS. :>
“…it’s leftover distillery byproducts mixed with rock salt - it causes the ice to melt at lower temperatures…”
Yeah. Has the same effect on Me. :}
The redoubtable Leanna Loomer was in NYC last Thursday and reports that (just like the First time around with this story) she smelled Nothing. (Well. She, like Kaus, may have smelled a Rat but she, probably Unlike Kause, does take the Subway a lot so that’s nothing Out of the ordinary. :)
Which reminds me, the NYC Transit Workers have authorized a Strike starting Friday ~ subway & buses ~ but Mayor Bloomie got an Injunction against it, so We’ll See. / Goddamn Unions. / MY GOD, WHAT DID I SAY??? ;]