# Another One for the Memory Hole? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 11, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644 "2004-05-11T16:42:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/41 "2004-05-12T12:39:58Z")
> [@Razorsharp](#): > > Incidents, as you describe them, are not that rare. What separates this incident from the majority is foreign nationals fleeing from the police, tossing a vial containing a suspicious substance from the vehicle, giving false names and using fake IDs, in possession of “learn to fly” brochures, all at the time that America is in a state of heightened alert for acts of terrorism. See the difference? Until the vial turns out to be anything interesting, my opinion is still that the story doesn’t rank above local news. What’s so horrible about the national news waiting until there’s more data? Why do you see this as some kind of sinister media conspiracy, as opposed to the media not wanting to look like idiots when it turns out the vial simply had drugs in it? You know, showing some professionalism? I wish I could remember more details, but a few years back there was front-page headlines about a sinister canister or something, found in the posession of one of those suspicious swarthy middle-easteners. It turns out to be gravel or some other harmless shit. No doubt the national media doesn’t want to look like scare-mongering idiots again. ---
**Author:** ![EsotericEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@EsotericEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EsotericEnigma)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/42 "2004-05-12T12:44:55Z")
This guy has got to be a troll. What other excuse is there for him to so persistantly avoid answering what exactly his theory is? ---
**Author:** ![emulsified](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emulsified/32/2915_2.png) [@emulsified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emulsified)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/43 "2004-05-12T13:25:26Z")
> [@](#): > > A witness gave the bottle to authorities, and it contained a substance first identified as a “fuel source” that Harris sent for testing in Sevierville. The chemical mix turned out not to be explosive, but similar in makeup to furniture stripping solution. > > “It’s very dangerous to drink it, but other than that, there’s nothing harmful,” Harris said. [Source](http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=1860935&nav=2KPpN3Lt) God only knows what furniture these insane terrorists would have stripped if not for the vigilance of Sheriff Harris. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/44 "2004-05-12T14:05:31Z")
> [@emulsified](#): > > [Source](http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=1860935&nav=2KPpN3Lt) > > God only knows what furniture these insane terrorists would have stripped if not for the vigilance of Sheriff Harris. Thanks for the link. I’ll be interested in **Razorsharp’s** perspective on it. And by interested, I really mean “laughing at hysterically.” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/45 "2004-05-12T14:13:06Z")
Oh, no doubt he’ll think whatever conspiracy he’s hinting at is hiding the fact that the vial was really weapons-grade plutonium. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/46 "2004-05-12T14:19:02Z")
> [@emulsified](#): > > [Source](http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=1860935&nav=2KPpN3Lt) > > God only knows what furniture these insane terrorists would have stripped if not for the vigilance of Sheriff Harris. Geeze, my Mom is always stripping and refinishing furniture. Maybe I should report her to Homeland Security… ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/47 "2004-05-12T14:27:37Z")
When stripping is illegal, only terrorists will have strippers. Now that I think about it, this might be something. Wasn’t a strip club owner in Vegas charged with some crime under ‘The Patriot Act’? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/48 "2004-05-12T14:30:39Z")
> [@emulsified](#): > > [Source](http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=1860935&nav=2KPpN3Lt) > > God only knows what furniture these insane terrorists would have stripped if not for the vigilance of Sheriff Harris. Very good work emulsified. See why we laugh at you Razorsharp? You realize you just had a foaming tizzy over varnish remover not making the network news? This whole scenario is reminding me of a scene in “Alice’s Restaraunt”. “I put that vial of varnish remover underneath that pile of garbage…” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/49 "2004-05-12T14:34:00Z")
> [@EsotericEnigma](#): > > This guy has got to be a troll. > > What other excuse is there for him to so persistantly avoid answering what exactly his theory is? Its actually a common trait among conspiracy nuts, its a lot easier to whisper about mysteries and potentially sinister things than to actually spell out what conspriacy you are suggesting. Another term for it is “intellectual cowardice”. Another common trait among CN’s is acting like they were the only ones who ever read Orwell. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/50 "2004-05-12T15:31:08Z")
> [@Razorsharp](#): > > … foreign nationals fleeing from the police, tossing a vial containing a suspicious substance from the vehicle, giving false names and using fake IDs… Even without your location information, I can tell you’re nowhere near the Mexican border. **Raze** , baby, you need to get out into the world a little more. If I were to read this description in Florida, even the “learn to fly” brochure would be entirely explainable within the context of the drug trade. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/51 "2004-05-12T15:34:19Z")
While I’m not up iwth any particular theory, I can’t go with the group on this one. Why were these Israeli nationals giving out fake IDs. It could be that they’re part of a meth operation, but what are Israeli nationals doing in the U.S. running a meth operation? (I could understand if it were Nigerians, mind you.) I think the story raises a lot of interesting questions, because frankly, the Mossad has not always acted in ways that are congruent with the interests of the U.S. There’s no evidence they’re Mossad agents, but they were up to SOMETHING and if I were a law enforcement official in Tennessee, I’d be thinking about calling in the FBI. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/52 "2004-05-12T15:36:42Z")
I was hoping my meth theory would pan out so I could look like a jeenyus, but: > [@](#): > > “Their passports in the country were only for tourists, and they were doing things that weren’t part of their passports,” Harris said. > > A spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement couldn’t comment on the case while the men were in the custody of local authorities. > > The two men could be deported, Harris said. What, were they illegally working while here on tourist visas? That’s even less interesting than drugs! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/53 "2004-05-12T15:43:53Z")
> [@](#): > > And “xenophobic”? You don’t really seem to have a grasp of the true definition of xenophobia. > > xen•o•pho•bi•a n. an **unreasonable** fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of anything foreign or strange. I’m well aware of the meaning of xenophobia and you, with your vast conspiracies of blacks seeking to overwhelm poor put-upon white guys with hate crimes and whatnot along with the conspiracies you find under every rock found near the foot of an Israeli, personify someone who is deeply fearful of “others.” None of _your_ rants have been **reasonable** , so that tends to confirm my observation. (I did not think your misspelling was xenophobic; I was just pointing out that it further removed your bile from the realm of reasonable discourse.) ---
**Author:** ![Razorsharp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Razorsharp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razorsharp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/54 "2004-05-12T15:47:14Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > Very good work emulsified. " Yeah, good work. “Quick, get rid of that paint thinner, the cops are on our tail” Now, really, why would it be necessary to toss a vial of furniture stripper from the truck? And if you have only made a wrong turn, why give false names and fake IDs? If it were I that was moving furniture from Florida to Boston, I’d take I-95. I-95 is some 200 miles east of Unicoi County, Tennessee. That was some wrong turn. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/55 "2004-05-12T15:53:01Z")
> [@Razorsharp](#): > > Yeah, good work. > > “Quick, get rid of that paint thinner, the cops are on our tail” > > Now, really, why would it be necessary to toss a vial of furniture stripper from the truck? > > And if you have only made a wrong turn, why give false names and fake IDs? > > If it were I that was moving furniture from Florida to Boston, I’d take I-95. > > I-95 is some 200 miles east of Unicoi County, Tennessee. That was some wrong turn. That’s it Razorsharp, cling to any shard you can. There’s a good conspiracy nutter. This isn’t even worthy of anythign past local news. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/56 "2004-05-12T15:54:11Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Oh, no doubt he’ll think whatever conspiracy he’s hinting at is hiding the fact that the vial was really weapons-grade plutonium. Yeah, that evil Media Cabal and all. And I really expected it to be drugs. Hell, a crank lab in a Ryder truck seems to me to be pretty good camouflage. And I see on preview that **Razorsharp** is once again finding nefarious doin’s a transpirin’. Intellectual dishonesty, indeed. Waste ---
**Author:** ![Razorsharp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Razorsharp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razorsharp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/57 "2004-05-12T16:06:44Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > That’s it Razorsharp, cling to any shard you can. There’s a good conspiracy nutter. > > This isn’t even worthy of anythign past local news. > > :rolleyes: And only a good “Israel Firster” would characterize a sheriff with a justifiable suspicion of a Israelite, as an ignorant hick. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/58 "2004-05-12T16:10:00Z")
> [@Razorsharp](#): > > Yeah, good work. > > “Quick, get rid of that paint thinner, the cops are on our tail” > > Now, really, why would it be necessary to toss a vial of furniture stripper from the truck? Please, I beg of you, explain what your theory is. I need the laugh. The cops switched the vial to protect them, because they’re Israeli? The tech at the lab where it was tested was “leaned on” by Mossad? The guys in the truck used their secret super Jew-powers to transmutate the vial of anthrax into varnish? Throw us a bone here man, we can’t read your mind. TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IS HAPPENING HERE. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/59 "2004-05-12T16:21:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Now, really, why would it be necessary to toss a vial of furniture stripper from the truck? Actually, I have yet to see the evidence that the vial found by the police was actually the object thrown from the truck (which could have been either a mostly empty bottle of Jack Daniels–explaining the weaving down the highway–or a packet of C4, for all we know). So far, we have two guys acting suspicious who were actually detained by the cops and the story was actually reported by the media. This certainly seems like a big scary conspiracy to me. (_Ooooh! If it had been A-rabs, the story would have been much bigger! Except that there have been several hundred people from the Middle East detained, many in the commission of crimes, and only three or four such incdences have been reported–even on the conspiracy news blogs._) ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644/60 "2004-05-12T16:34:03Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > While I’m not up iwth any particular theory, I can’t go with the group on this one. Why were these Israeli nationals giving out fake IDs. It could be that they’re part of a meth operation, but what are Israeli nationals doing in the U.S. running a meth operation? (I could understand if it were Nigerians, mind you.) Israeli organized crime is responsible for most of the MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) trafficking in the US. Cite to the [Department of Justice](http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs0/668/668t.htm). > [@Razorsharp](#): > > Quick, get rid of that paint thinner, the cops are on our tail" > > Now, really, why would it be necessary to toss a vial of furniture stripper from the truck? Paint thinner or tolulene is used in meth and MDMA production, and in many jurisdictions mere possession of ingredients assembled for the purpose of production is a itself a crime. Also, the drug GBH (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate) and its analog GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone) are common ingredients in paint thinner, and are typically sold as a liquid in bottles or vials. A small vial with a paint thinner type substance in it thrown out the window during a police chase could easily be GHB. Or, they could have just been working illegally. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-one-for-the-memory-hole/244644.md?page=4)