Today’s Texas “what the hay”

[philip964]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... cials-say/

Man hospitalized after a massive mercury spill at Westiew and Beltway 8.

No one knows why he had so much mercury. Area is quarantined. Guys it’s going to rain tomorrow. Better get that all up.

Anyone remember someone breaking a thermometer, and spending hours pushing it all together into one small bubble, then rubbing it with our fingers into a silver dime and making the dime really shinny.

Somehow we grew up.

Not sure how but we did.

[RoyGBiv]

Dirty bomb?

Thermometer factory owner?

How was the mercury being transported?

My degree is in science. I'm confident I'd be a better reporter than this guy.

[philip964]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... cials-say/

They are saying 40 to 60 people decontaminated.

They are saying pints now.

They are saying poured now in three locations.

They are saying criminal investigation.

Glad it wasn’t lake Houston. ( our water supply )

[philip964]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... cials-say/

Taken into custody by the FBI. Poured in three places in the parking lots of three businesses.

A chemical spill, to me is an accident. Pouring a chemical is a deliberate act.

Hmm. Talking to the FBI, sounds risky to me.

[philip964]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... cials-say/

19 yo man arrested. Just a burglar disposing of ill gotten goods. Recently robbed a lab.

[Don T]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... cials-say/

They are saying 40 to 60 people decontaminated.

They are saying pints now.

They are saying poured now in three locations.

They are saying criminal investigation.

Glad it wasn’t lake Houston. ( our water supply )

A couple of pints in Lake Houston would be inconsequential, despite the EPAs spasms. Heavy metals (lead, mercury, thallium, etc.,) are cumulative toxins, and it takes comparatively large exposures over comparatively long periods of time to have any measurable effect.

Rob, although brief exposure to heavy metals may be inconsequential for some persons, there are those who have significant allergic reactions to heavy metals, and exposure like this could be damaging to health, and possibly even life-threatening (perhaps due to cumulative exposure in the past). My wife has significant allergies to mercury, which made dental replacement surgery necessary a dozen years ago, and we would certainly want to avoid this type of exposure. For some, the reaction to heavy metals can be similar to those with peanut allergies (if not so rapid).

[philip964]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... cials-say/

A day before, he also had a mercury spill (release) at an ER he was visiting when it fell out of his backpack during triage.

The ER was shut down for decontamination, patients transferred etc. That room is still closed.

Police were called and he had no ID, he gave them his name, but misspelled it, and he had no warrants, so he was not detained. (Really)

How about the questions: hey kid what are you doing with a glass bottle of mercury in your pocket? Where did you get it?

BTW how did he get to the hospital? Mom drive him?

Arrested for outstanding drug warrant, improper disposal of a hazardous material.

Released some Mercury inside the Walmart. No signs saying don’t release Mercury inside our store. Mercury inside the McDonalds. Apparently selling the vials of Mercury. Got 9 lbs, from a vacant lab nearby.

Drug possession warrant. Do you think?

[philip964]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... cials-say/

Bail set at $5000. So you can cost businesses what $50,000 in an afternoon, more if you count the loss of income, good will, and reputation. A 1/10 of the damage for the bail.

[philip964]

Up to 11 lbs of Mercury.

Didn’t finish high school.

Didn’t grow up with his parents.

Tattoo on eye lids “no regrets”

At 19 fathered two kids.

Did not know it was hazardous.

Selling it for $20 a bottle.

Spilled it while plying with or demonstrating to customers.

[philip964]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... off-of-it/

Didn’t know it was dangerous. Looked it up on YouTube.

Read it was liquid silver. Only made $40.

No intent. So like Hillary Clinton the FBI will release him without charges. All is forgiven.

[philip964]

https://news.yahoo.com/us-attorney-over ... 24774.html

Sentenced pretty much to time served, Mercury man pleads guilty.

[Sport Coach]

Yep, loved playing with mercury from the broken thermometer. Broke some 4 ft fluorescent bulbs too (I had paid for them) just for fun to watch the glass and powder fly (and cleaned up the mess). Not long ago with the government decree of "ye shall all use curly-cue fluorescent bulbs since LEDs are not economically viable yet," the caution was if one of those bulbs broke you were to treat it as a hazmat situation. As far as I know I'm healthy even with 30+ years of strength and endurance competitions.

[striker55]

When I was a kid in the 50's my Mom worked at a thermometer factory, she would bring home liquid mercury. We made quarters very shiny by coating them with mercury. In those days who knew? Also lead in paint, who knew? Riding our bicycles through the bug man spraying thick smoke, who knew?