Woman Needs Way To Get 80,000 Cans Of Silly String To Iraq

[Barrett808]

Source: Associated Press

DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Marcelle Shriver has about 80,000 cans of Silly String and all she needs is a way to get them to Iraq.

For almost a year, the New Jersey woman has been collecting Silly String to send to troops, who use it to detect trip wires connected to bombs. She's already shipped about 40,000 cans to Iraq through the military but is struggling to find someone to send another shipment.

"They're sending these cargo planes over there every day, and I know that my shipment would be a speck on one of those planes," said Shriver, standing near boxes of string stacked outside at a friend's business.

"If commanders on the ground are screaming that we need this stuff, we'll get it to them," Garver said.

Shriver's Silly String campaign began last fall with a collection box at her church. Word quickly spread, and people across the country began sending her Silly String or products made by other manufacturers that go by names such as "party string" or "crazy string."

Shriver got the idea from her son, a soldier in Ramadi. Before entering a building, troops squirt the gooey substance, which can travel about 10 to 12 feet, across an area. If it falls to the ground -- that's an indication there are no trip wires. If it hangs in the air, troops know they may have a problem.

Read more: http://www.nbc10.com/news/13968746/detail.html

[youngdem]

1. I've got an idea. Let's just bring the SOLDIERS to the Silly String.

Two problems solved.

Nah, too crazy. We gotta keep killing brown people.

[MNDemNY]

2. Yes, and they can play together on Main street.

[youngdem]

5. That thought made me smile

[theredpen]

6. Brilliant. You're my DU hero for today n/t

[InternalDialogue]

3. I guess Halliburton can't requisition Silly String?

I'm sure they'd love to give it their special markup.

[sandrakae]

4. If this woman was from Massachusetts, the string would probably be hand delivered

by her Senator.

[-..__...]

8. You mean Silly String hasn't been banned in MA, yet?

I'm surprised that possession of it isn't restricted or requires some sort
of special license to purchase.

[SayWhatYo]

7. Hmm, I saw a website with something like that and was under the impression it was a joke.....

[RC]

10. This administration has been short changing the troops from the git go.

Boots, food, ammo, toilet paper, tooth paste, proper military vehicles, you name it. Absolutely everything necessary to get this illegal invasion job done.

Forgot clean water for drinking and bathing.

[Tab]

9. This floated a couple of years ago

so I'm thinking this repeat is a hoax. I don't know if the first one was, but it's not the first time this has been in the news. This is a re-run.

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Never heard of this re: a hoax..and checked Snopes..no story there

But a Google search Keywords: troops silly string
brings up mega hits from small blogs to major media:
http://tinyurl.com/3cjyg3

[Tab]

12. If I recall correctly

the original story was a few years ago, and I read it myself. THAT story may not have been a hoax. But the gist of it was a family mailing to Iraq a bunch of silly string, because the regular "detection" stuff (whatever it is) didn't work, but silly string did. I do honestly remember this story.

Nevertheless, it is a low-tech solution, so it might be perfectly valid to be in the news again. This is not the first time it's cropped up, though.

[LiberalFighter]

13. Pretend to be entering the US from Iraq

And the airline will force her to return to Iraq with the silly string