Fireworks: the new dangling sneakers?
Ben Zimmer
criminal signal, presumably replacing sneakers on phone wires, green
porch lights, and the like. The Sydney Morning Herald reports:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/14/1089694426308.html
It appears Robert Brand of Leichhardt (Column 8, yesterday)
is not the only one enjoying those random fireworks late at
night. They have also been reported at Cronulla (by Steve
Carmody), Willoughby (Adrianne Nixon), Dee Why (Maureen
Black), St Peters (Viviane King) and Mortdale (Lynne Irvine).
There's an explanation, from Norm Whipp of Fishing Point,
who says a local "urban myth" has it that these are signals
by drug dealers to their customers. One bang means "the
drugs are in", two bangs means "no drugs today". Since
moving to Cessnock three years ago, Lisa McLean has heard
similar explosions and a similar explanation. Couldn't be
true, could it?
But up the coast on the Woy Woy Peninsula, the fireworks UL was debunked
by officials back in February:
http://www.peninsulanews.asn.au/News/04/04Feb24/Crackers.asp
Reports that drug dealers on the Peninsula were letting
off firecrackers to signal their presence to clients were
unfounded, according to local police.
Chief Inspector Steve Kentwall from Brisbane Water Local
Area Command said that there was no intelligence suggesting
that it was the case on the Peninsula.
"There have been no reports on the Peninsula," he said.
"There's nothing to indicate that it's here."
Chief Inspector Kentwall said that he had heard of it
happening in other areas, but he said that there had been
no reports in Brisbane Water Local Area Command.
Ben "do drug-dealer trainees just yell 'bang bang'?" Zimmer
JoAnne Schmitz
<bgzi...@midway.uchicago.edu> wrote:
>Our Austr[al]ian friends are speculating about a new kind of secret
>criminal signal, presumably replacing sneakers on phone wires, green
>porch lights, and the like. The Sydney Morning Herald reports:
>
> http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/14/1089694426308.html
> It appears Robert Brand of Leichhardt (Column 8, yesterday)
> is not the only one enjoying those random fireworks late at
> night. They have also been reported at Cronulla (by Steve
> Carmody), Willoughby (Adrianne Nixon), Dee Why (Maureen
> Black), St Peters (Viviane King) and Mortdale (Lynne Irvine).
> There's an explanation, from Norm Whipp of Fishing Point,
> who says a local "urban myth" has it that these are signals
> by drug dealers to their customers. One bang means "the
> drugs are in", two bangs means "no drugs today". Since
> moving to Cessnock three years ago, Lisa McLean has heard
> similar explosions and a similar explanation. Couldn't be
> true, could it?
It wouldn't make much sense, anyway. It would be more practical to just
use them to signal there are drugs around. Why use a one for yes, two for
no scheme? Why advertise "we have no drugs here"?
>But up the coast on the Woy Woy Peninsula, the fireworks UL was debunked
>by officials back in February:
>
> http://www.peninsulanews.asn.au/News/04/04Feb24/Crackers.asp
> Reports that drug dealers on the Peninsula were letting
> off firecrackers to signal their presence to clients were
> unfounded, according to local police.
> Chief Inspector Steve Kentwall from Brisbane Water Local
> Area Command said that there was no intelligence suggesting
> that it was the case on the Peninsula.
> "There have been no reports on the Peninsula," he said.
> "There's nothing to indicate that it's here."
> Chief Inspector Kentwall said that he had heard of it
> happening in other areas, but he said that there had been
> no reports in Brisbane Water Local Area Command.
>
>Ben "do drug-dealer trainees just yell 'bang bang'?" Zimmer
Easily overcome.
JoAnne "narkity narkity nark" Schmitz
--
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That's TAFKAC.ORG
Do not accept lame imitations at previously okay URLs
dimestore
> It wouldn't make much sense, anyway. It would be more practical to just
> use them to signal there are drugs around. Why use a one for yes, two for
> no scheme? Why advertise "we have no drugs here"?
So true! I was also wondering just who is supposed to hear it? Do their
customers live within less than a mile? Do drug users have amazing powers
of echo location? What about rain? Also, from what I've seen in my
neighborhood, the drugs are ALWAYS in.
-dimestore