New Yorkers are reporting a strange smell in parts of the city. The mayor has said it is NOT a gas leak, and (somewhat weakly) reassured people that while they’re not sure what it is, they know it’s not dangerous. All I can say is that if a smell is strong enough to be detectable as “strange” in New York City, it must be pretty bad!
Meanwhile, in Austin, Texas, several dozen birds have dropped dead in the downtown, and two firefighters have reported feeling sick after being in the area. What’s going on? Is there any connection between these events?
I wonder if it may turn out to be a product of chemical factories in Jersey. It happens every so often that parts of NYC become swathed in bubble gum,popcorn,strawberry, grape, etc flavor that wafts in from Jersey. There was a piece about it in the times sometime within the past year or two which explained that new jersey produces the vast majority of artificial flavorings for foods produced in the US, and that the areas around where these things are produced regularly smell like butterscotch,etc. Sometimes these smells get out and drift around.
Regardless, I second that I was not convinced by the “We have no idea what it is but are positive that it’s not harmful” statement.
Given prevailing trade winds, I’d say the former is marginally more ridiculous than the latter. My specualations drifted more towards COORDINATED ATTACK!!!* I suppose coincidence is still the best theory, though it does seem an odd coincidence.
Yes, the all caps and triple exclamation points were necessary. This is the Internet.