 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion Groups General ModelsRailroadsRocketsRadio Controlled Air ModelsHelicoptersLand ModelsWater ModelsModelGeeks.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Model Forum / General / Models / April 2004Oil shortage leads to styrene smuggling
From Plastics Age, the industry magazine of the plastics industry: Begin snip: ************************************************************************************* Washington, D.C. and Hong Kong, March 22nd "Oil Shortage Leads to Styrene Smuggling" by Paul Ester Local shortages of hydrocarbon products in certain areas of the industrialized world have begun affecting plastics producers to such an extent that an illegal hydrocarbon/petrochemical smuggling business has sprung up. To some extent raw chemicals for plastics production are also being smuggled, as are pelletized plastics. A recent bust by the Hong Kong Harbor Police brought to light this illegal activity. A Liberian-registered bulk-goods tanker supposedly carrying palm oil and shaving cream to Shanghai was found to be carrying pelletized styrene instead. After further investigation the HKHP determined that the styrene had been bought by a consortium of leading Chinese injection-molding firms, many of which have ties to Western toy and hobby chains. Sources within the Chinese firms say that the price of raw pelletized styrene has risen so much in the last few months that they have been forced to turn to non-traditional sources and have even been buying styrene on the spot market. The Chinese did not want to reveal the source of the smuggled styrene but petroleum industry cources indicate it may have been Malaysian in origin. The Chinese police and intelligence services are further investigating the smuggling, and there are even rumors that the Russian Mafia or the Japanese Yakuza may be involved. An Oil Institute spokesman said that although their Petroleum Intelligence and Analysis Section has had indications of an emerging plastics smuggling business, the Hong Kong bust was the first overt sign that the activity has reached such proportions. The U.S. government is aware of plastics smuggling - a spokesperson for Homeland Security said that the Border Patrol, Coast Guard, and immigration authorities are on a heightened alert for signs of this kind of activity. As proof that some government employees do have a sense of humor, she did say that no Mexican "mules" have been found to be carrying pelletized styrene in condoms in their intestines, but that might begin to happen if oil prices continue to rise. The U.S. DOE did not respond to our inquiries on this matter. ************************************************************************************* end snip John Hairell Thus the April Fool's joke have begun. Rob Gronovius Modern US armor at http://www.armorama.com/motorpool I *told* my wife that my kit collection would be worth big bucks someday! ;-p  SignatureAl Superczynski, MFE, IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968 My "From" address is munged - click "Reply To" to respond via email. Check out my want lists and eBay listings at "Al's Place": http://www.network54.com/realm/modeleral/ "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to, and the critics will flame you every time." >Sources within the Chinese firms say that the price of raw pelletized styrene has risen so much in the last few months that they have been forced to turn to non-traditional sources and have even been buying styrene on the spot market.>> Wonderful, just freakin' wondeful!! Probably a bunch of damn recycled old Starfix and Merlin kits. And you know what happens then--all of a sudden(?) we start getting substandard kits from China, and then that virus will spread to old Soviet bloc countries....where will it end? Fortunately, that won't happen to manufacturers that are still here in the States....oh, wait ; ) When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. --Leonardo Da Vinci > >Sources within the Chinese firms say that the price of raw pelletized styrene > has risen so much in the last few months that they have been forced to turn to [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > old Soviet bloc countries....where will it end? Fortunately, that won't happen > to manufacturers that are still here in the States....oh, wait ; ) I don't think will come about. The Chinese know that the toy/ model industry is a very good money maker. The pellets needed to feed this can be had on the black market, but I think that although prices might rise a little, the quality should reamain. Please don't think that the Japanese aren't thinking along the same lines as well. A unstable condition in the middle east is all that is needed to bring this into the international buisness world. Mike IPMS Paul Ester? Like the one worn by anyone with a liesure suit 30 years ago? Cookie Sewell > Paul Ester? Like the one worn by anyone with a liesure suit 30 years ago? > > Cookie Sewell No; that would be his sister, Polly Ester... ( :-P ) SignatureEdwin (Remove "DIESPAMDIE!") "Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can trust to be dishonest... Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly stupid." - Captain Jack Sparrow (Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) >Paul Ester? Like the one worn by anyone with a liesure suit 30 years ago? Cookie, I was wondering how long it would take somebody to comment on that. Outside of the too-obvious "Polly Styrene" some other possibilities were "Ethel Keytone" and also her friends "Beauty Rate", "Tara Phthalate", Polly Ethylene", "Polly Propylene", "Polly Urethane", "Polly Merr", and "E. Lastomer". Evidently lots of Pollys work in the plastics business..... John Hairell John wrote: >I was wondering how long it would take somebody to comment on that. I was sitting back waiting for Cookie or someone to mention the chairs and couch in flight ops made from Nauga hides. The headrest on early ejection seats had the replacement covers made from red Nauga hides instead of regular cow or horse leather. Rick MFE > John wrote: > >I was wondering how long it would take somebody to comment on that. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Rick > MFE I seem to remember ads on the rear covers of comic books for naugahyde. It seemed to include little naugas playing in a rock band. I assume at this late date that they were selling naugahyde-covered amps, but I could be wrong. Bill Banaszak, MFE >> John wrote: >> >I was wondering how long it would take somebody to comment on that. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >I assume at this late date that they were selling naugahyde-covered >amps, but I could be wrong. Just saw a magazine ad from a company selling guitar amps done up in a retro-'60s style and yep, they look like they are covered in naugahyde. John Hairell John wrote: >Just saw a magazine ad from a company selling guitar amps done up in a >retro-'60s style and yep, they look like they are covered in >naugahyde. Nope John, that is for the fake stuff, synthetic crap. I'm talking about the hides of real Naugas, you know the ones that you capture while out looking for Snipe at night. One must be really careful when bashing them with the bat or you will damage the hide, especially the red ones. It doesn't seem to bother the brown or grey ones. Rick MFE What's really funny to me is there are actual birds called snipe and in some states it's legal to hunt them. > hides of real Naugas, you know the ones that you capture while out looking for > Snipe at night. >What's really funny to me is there are actual birds called snipe and in >some states it's legal to hunt them. > >> hides of real Naugas, you know the ones that you capture while out looking >for >> Snipe at night. Maybe he meant the one horned Corinthian.Chryler used to pay big bucks for the hides...only for the classiest cars ;-) > What's really funny to me is there are actual birds called snipe and in > some states it's legal to hunt them. There are real Nagas too, but they're Burmese tribesmen, and taking their hydes is presumably inappropriate. Mark Schynert Mark wrote: >There are real Nagas too, but they're Burmese tribesmen, and taking >their hydes is presumably inappropriate. Nay Mark! We're talking about NAuga Hides. The kind used for upolstery. The girls outside Clark AFB used to make good flight publications bags from NAuga hides also. Rick MFE >John wrote: >>Just saw a magazine ad from a company selling guitar amps done up in a [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >the hide, especially the red ones. It doesn't seem to bother the brown or grey >ones. I've heard that real Naugas have been hunted down so much that they are now on the Endangered Species List. Field biologists report that they live on only in the most remote rec rooms and sleazy motels, and in a few pilot ready rooms. If this keeps up, Naugas will go the way of the dodo bird. Snipe are much more common, especially on eBay. John Hairell John wrote: >I've heard that real Naugas have been hunted down so much that they >are now on the Endangered Species List. Someone in Tijuana must be running a Nauga ranch. One of my supervisors drove up last week in his pickup that he had upolstered in Nauga hides while home on vacation. He had the complete job, tuck and roll, the whole thing, classic Tijauna, excellent workmanship. Told me that Naugas were about 40% cheaper than cow leather and he thought it was easier to clean, no saddle soap required for Nauga work. He brings me back VW Beetle parts that I can't find around here in Northern Mexico (St Louis). Rick MFE [stuff snipped] >Someone in Tijuana must be running a Nauga ranch. The ranched ones are never quite as good as the free-range Naugas. John Hairell John wrote in reply to: >>Someone in Tijuana must be running a Nauga ranch. the following: >The ranched ones are never quite as good as the free-range Naugas. True the free range Nauga hides tend to be richer and finer, but they usually get bat marks during the trapping, whereas the ranch raised Naugas are terminated more humanely. Mustn't PO the PETA people. Rick >True the free range Nauga hides tend to be richer and finer, but they usually >get bat marks during the trapping, whereas the ranch raised Naugas are >terminated more humanely. Mustn't PO the PETA people. > >Rick i believe the ranch one's are terminated with an od of reds and a screening of waterwoerld? >>True the free range Nauga hides tend to be richer and finer, but they usually >>get bat marks during the trapping, whereas the ranch raised Naugas are [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >i believe the ranch one's are terminated with an od of reds >and a screening of waterwoerld? No, no, no - they are shown a replay of Janet Jackson's Super Bowl cleavage footage. The Naugas then commit suicide. John Hairell Or possibly die of nausea... RobG John Hairell <guardian6@erols.com> wrote in message > No, no, no - they are shown a replay of Janet Jackson's Super Bowl > cleavage footage. The Naugas then commit suicide. > > John Hairell >Or possibly die of nausea... No no no! That would be nauseauhide. We're discussing Naugahide. Different animal altoghther. As is Janet Jackson. Tom >>>True the free range Nauga hides tend to be richer and finer, but they usually >>>get bat marks during the trapping, whereas the ranch raised Naugas are [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >John Hairell i'm glad i hate sports and missed that. 'e' schriebt: > i'm glad i hate sports and missed that. I'm no sports fan either but it was next to impossible to totally miss it. It was just about as hard missing the Madonna-Britney liplock. I just couldn't tell you what show that was. Don't bother, it wasn't important enough to waste a brain cell remembering. Bill Banaszak, MFE >'e' schriebt: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >Bill Banaszak, MFE i missed all of that, bill. >>I seem to remember ads on the rear covers of comic books for naugahyde. >>It seemed to include little naugas playing in a rock band. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >John Hairell ah the joys of yout, my 66 electra 225, an acre of naugy and that weeks sacrificial bimbo had at the drive in. My wife has a green Nauga but I am not allowed to play with it, or even wonder if it tastes like chcken... She did say I can shoot all of the esters I can find, especially polys. Cookie Sewell AMPS >My wife has a green Nauga but I am not allowed to play with it, or even wonder >if it tastes like chcken... She did say I can shoot all of the esters I can >find, especially polys. > >Cookie Sewell >AMPS i liked polys sister see. she was laid back. > >My wife has a green Nauga but I am not allowed to play with it, or even wonder > >if it tastes like chcken... She did say I can shoot all of the esters I can [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > i liked polys sister see. > she was laid back. Sounds like a girl with a Nash. Bill Banaszak, MFE >> >My wife has a green Nauga but I am not allowed to play with it, or even > wonder [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >Bill Banaszak, MFE fold down seats? > >> >My wife has a green Nauga but I am not allowed to play with it, or even > > wonder [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > fold down seats? Yeah, she made her bed... Bill Banaszak, MFE >> >> >My wife has a green Nauga but I am not allowed to play with it, or even >> > wonder [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >Bill Banaszak, MFE made the dr without disturbing the patient? > My wife has a green Nauga but I am not allowed to play with it, or even wonder > if it tastes like chcken... She did say I can shoot all of the esters I can > find, especially polys. > > Cookie Sewell > AMPS Is it really green or is that just the way the light hits it. ;-) WmB To reply, get the HECK out of there HELLinhock@earthlink.net |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.