Strange fine grey powder

Have you by any chance posted to the wrong group?

You ought to report it to someone.

It's Vietnamese (!) , BTW. Don't yet know enough about flavours yet, though.

We moved into the present house in 1997. A few days after the move, and with winter approaching I decided that it would be a good idea to check and clean the gutters. All went fine until I put the ladder up against the wall underneath the bedroom that used to be occupied by a teenager (as per the old occupiers of the house).

In the gutter I found several "wraps" of thin white paper (rice paper or even that "rizla" (sp?) paper that smokers use when they roll their own cigarettes). Inside each wrap were some crystals of grey and white powder.

I collected these and showed them to my wife: she was perplexed too.

I decided to keep hold of these unusual items and you can guess my thoughts when we met the old occupiers a few weeks later (I thought I had bought the abode from people whose life's orbit passed through some shady territory).

Eventually my wife told me to get rid of the items: they were no use to us, we wouldn't pass them on to any authorities since we could prove nothing and we didn't want to get involved in anything even remotely related to low lifes.

Several years passed and my kids got to the teenage years where they engaged in harmless mischief. A few "pop" noises one day made me curious: "How on earth do you make such a noise?" I asked one son. "Easy dad: Devil Bangers".

Yes, upon examination the items I thought were drugs were in fact devil bangers! Phew. Relief all round.

Now this story has little value for yourself, except the plea not to jump to conclusions. Just phone your local cop shop, explain the situation and let them decide on a course of action.

Mungo

This is the best group for people who know about *things* - the one's who'd not just recognise (say) cement powder, but cement from a particular factory just south of Hanoi.

It'll go back to the supermarket and I will contact the manufacturer. But I'd really like to know what the substance is.

Daniele

Well photograph it (well) and post a url.

-- Mike W

Are you expecting them to administer a well considered and professional course of action?

-- Mike W

Yeah, right. Why not cross-post it to a shedload of other groups as well, to maximise the possibility of getting a result acceptable to you? It would be more likely to give you an answer, and is obviously the best bet. Try tasting the powder, and report back.

No thanks. As I said, it looks like cement powder, but uk.d-i-y is a pretty good bet for someone who can make those judgements with more confidence.

Daniele

I did.

Daniele

Why? You posted it here, and cross-posting is acceptable (unlike multi-posting). You are reducing your likelihood of success.

Yeah, it's cement powder, 100% sure it is, to be sure. Good guess!

I meant, no thanks, I don't feel like tasting it. For all I know it's rat poison.

Daniele

The one's? Good grief.

Daniele

Hey! Could be!!! Have you got a pet rat?

Still, you ate some of the nuts... a 1KG bag! Wow! Do you feel OK?

Good stuff, eh, Danilee! I wonder how much powder got on your nuts!

No, after finding the wrap of powder in the bag I wasn't that hungry any more. Not for that particular bag of nuts anyway.

Daniele

Could be impure anthrax.

john2

Doh, yeah sorry!

Suggested by ChrisPBacon to be Vietnamese, hence the subject line change, and x-posted to sci.lang.translation

The ashes of somebody's grandmother.

The writing says "please scatter these from the highest building in Swindon"

The helicopters are hovering above your house ...

Owain

That was my first guess.