Silly String Saving Lives
12.48, Fri Dec 8 2006

One thousand cans of the neon-coloured plastic goo known as Silly String have been packed off to Iraq to help save the lives of US troops.

Despite living in an age of big-budget high-tech weapons systems, cans of the stuff - previously the preserve of kids' parties - are making a genuine difference.

US troops in the Gulf regularly use the "string" to detect trip wires around bombs, as Marcelle Shriver learned from her son, who is a soldier there.

Mrs Shriver organised a campaign to send cans of Silly String to Iraq.

Before entering a building, soldiers squirt the plastic goo, which can shoot strands about 12ft across a room.

If it falls to the ground, no trip wires are present, but if it hangs in the air, it alerts the troops that the building is booby trapped.



How to Get Silly String to Troops
By The Associated Press

A New Jersey woman who wants to send Silly String to U.S. troops in Iraq to help them detect trip wires is accepting cans of the spray string as well as donations to help cover costs.

Checks can be made out to Marcelle Shriver and sent to St. Luke's Church, 55 Warwick Rd., Stratford, N.J. 08084.

Shriver also is collecting names and addresses of soldiers and Marines in Iraq who may need Silly String. Suggestions should be sent to ron101abn@comcast.net.