-Caveat Lector- http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010328/od/stain_dc_1.html Oddly Enough - Reuters | 28 March 2001 Black Stains Sow Fear, Fuel Theories CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan police are investigating mysterious black stains fouling the streets of the capital, which have spawned conspiracy theories and have some drivers fearing for their lives. A subversive plot to sow traffic chaos, or sabotage to provide extra business for street-cleaning contractors? The oily black stains spreading across hundreds of miles of urban asphalt have police investigators scratching their heads. Police suspect the sticky grime, up to an inch (2.5 cm) thick in places, is a mixture of used engine oil and highly corrosive brake fluid, dispensed from plastic bags by hired muck-spreaders in the dead of night. Curb to curb in places, the greasy stains cover many main avenues in Caracas, are particularly bad in tunnels and stretch up to 20 miles (30 km) on highways from the city center. ``It's dangerous because someone could get killed,'' said cyclist Milner Paredes. The Central University says the stains, which first appeared in 1994 but returned with a vengeance this year, could be linked to poor maintenance of the city streets, but the government sees a conspiracy: ``It is the work of subversives,'' said Caracas Mayor Freddy Bernal. The saboteurs have even resorted to hiring the homeless to spread the greasy black liquids, authorities say. ``When it rains, you can't touch the brakes without the car skidding and I've seen quite a few motorcycle couriers take a tumble,'' said Caracas cabbie Gerardo Gutierrez. Attempts to rid the city of the scourge have been frustrated by repeated dousings, police say. The stains have become a favorite talking point for city dwellers and pushed gory tales of violent crime onto the inside pages of the local tabloids. ``We have cleaned Baralt Avenue three times and the stain keeps coming back,'' Jose Antonio Calo, an engineer at the Caracas town hall, told the top-selling Ultimas Noticias. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
