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OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine — Maine's state fire marshal says a man burned down his parents' house and killed three pets while trying to exterminate ants in his basement with matches.
Investigators say 21-year-old Devon Doucette was trying to incinerate the ants with wooden matches when one of them ignited combustible materials. The fire quickly spread to the rest of the house.
[...] Authorities say the fire killed two cats and one dog. They say charges are not likely.
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Man Accidentally Burns Down Parents' House, Killing Cats, Dog, in Attempt to Exterminate Ants
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If you think last Tuesday was a drag, wait till you see what happens tomorrow!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by kaszz on Saturday April 01 2017, @11:42PM (10 children)
Insurance payout? *hmm*
Anyway.. try ozone next time. Works by having lot's of HV sparking in the air.
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Sunday April 02 2017, @01:53AM (9 children)
Thanks for the comment. I didn't know that using ozone for fumigation against insects is a thing. It's been tested for use with stored grains.
https://www.purdue.edu/uns/html4ever/030130.Mason.ozone.html [purdue.edu]
In combination with hydrogen peroxide, it was effective against bedbugs.
https://ag.purdue.edu/entm/ENTM%20493%20Capstone%20Summaries/Feston%20Capstone%20Summary.pdf [purdue.edu]
Wouldn't it be better, though, to generate it from pure oxygen rather than from air? An electrical arc in air can make oxides of nitrogen.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 02 2017, @02:06AM (5 children)
Ozone is also a common way to keep hot tub and pool water clean -- the water runs past a UV bulb that generates some ozone. Often not quite enough to keep the water clear indefinitely, but cuts way down on Chlorine usage.
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Sunday April 02 2017, @03:23AM (3 children)
Thanks, I didn't know that, either. According to one article about the topic,
Corona discharge generators produce a much higher concentration and quantity of ozone as compared to the ultraviolet ozone generators.
-- http://www.poolspanews.com/facilities/maintenance/shedding-light-on-uv-and-ozone_o [poolspanews.com]
It goes on to say that micro-organisms are damaged by the ultraviolet light itself.
Ultraviolet light and ozone can also be used to treat drinking water.
http://srjcstaff.santarosa.edu/~chaverin/pda-pdfs/CHANGING%20ORDER/UVDisinfectionWaterApr10.pdf [santarosa.edu]
UV is used in the water systems of Vancouver, Rotterdam and New York City.
http://www.trojanuv.com/applications/drinkingwater [trojanuv.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 02 2017, @06:57PM (2 children)
Sounds like a UV LED in the toilet bowl could do the job of a chlorine tablet in the water tank without having to worry about chlorine degrading all the other parts in the tank.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 03 2017, @12:18AM
Interesting idea. How would you attach it so that it could be easily removed for the toilet brush (and occasional plunger)? Or maybe it is always removed when the toilet is being used and is only inserted in "clean" water in the bowl? For example, it could hang down from the lid and be lifted out when the lid is raised.
My GF loves the chlorine tablets in the tank and I hate to replace the shrunken and warped rubber flapper valves that result. Luckily she saw the light after I showed her the last shriveled mass that caused the leaky toilet tank...
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Tuesday April 04 2017, @09:53AM
A "germicidal toilet seat" using a UV tube was patented in the 1980s.
https://www.google.com/patents/US4819276 [google.com]
Boeing was looking into UV lights for lavatories on aircraft.
http://www.boeing.com/features/2016/03/self-clean-lavatory-03-16.page [boeing.com]
Someone's selling an LED lamp with a motion sensor.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5x-Motion-Activated-UV-Sterilization-Toilet-Bowl-Light-Bathroom-Germicidal-Lamp-/332155183517 [ebay.com]
(Score: 2) by VLM on Sunday April 02 2017, @12:43PM
$50 will get you a couple watt "EPROM size" UV lamp for your tropical fish tank aquarium mounted in your box filter. There are also specifically ozone generating machines for $250 or so. The Chinese being who they are, I suspect some fraction of "UV aquarium lights" are just blue LEDs that do nothing.
I've been thinking about it on and off. To some extent don't fix whats not broken and my fish are happy so I'm happy.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Sunday April 02 2017, @04:38AM
While the nitrogen oxides aren't a great thing, a corona discharge in a pure oxygen environment can have some fairly unfriendly side effects as well.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Sunday April 02 2017, @05:41AM (1 child)
It's probably not a thing. It just happen to kill things and damage (human) lungs. But it can be produced without source chemicals and has high potency. Production rate is perhaps low however.
As for practical production one could use zeolite [wikipedia.org] to filter out oxygen using pressure swing or if cheaper just buy oxygen. Another method is to electrolysis of water and using the oxygen part to feed a spark chamber that feeds whatever space that needs ozone. Pay attention to the fact that ozone will also have it's way with rubber sealing and all kinds of things, including your lungs. The nice thing with ozone is that it has a half life less than a day and breaks down to.. plain oxygen. The concentration to kill bed bugs needs to be 1800 ppm according to one company.* [foreverozone.com]. One unit is specified as producing 0.02 kg/hour of O3. Given a required 1800 ppm that would kill all the bugs in a 10 m³ space within one hour.
Another method is hydrogen cyanide which can be had from ammonia. Efficient, but it's extremely toxic and more complicated to make and probably to be sure it's gone later.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Sunday April 02 2017, @12:52PM
Another method is hydrogen cyanide which can be had from ammonia. Efficient, but it's extremely toxic and more complicated to make and probably to be sure it's gone later.
Chemical warfare is the way to go. In general. Specifically vs ants, their oils are delicate and you can either whack them with a different oil (citrus oil degreaser, perhaps) or mineral spirits. Mineral spirits can be set on fire, its harder than gasoline or matches but that achievement can be unlocked with enough effort.
To some extent ant infestations are like stump removal, where doing it the "right way" is easy and only moderately expensive so naturally people F around with all kinds of ridiculous stuff instead.
Outdoors a pot of boiling water will take care of the problem. Its a good excuse to get out the turkey fryer and do a Lenten fish fry and then dump the oil into the ant hill. I wear my aluminum casting safety gear while doing that... I woudn't recommend doing that if you're a nudist.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Saturday April 01 2017, @11:54PM (5 children)
Matches... bah! The most efficient way to do it is to use gasoline.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Sunday April 02 2017, @01:59AM
Works even better if you pour the gas all over the floor, then give it a couple minutes for a good amount of it to evaporate. While you are waiting, you can go upstairs and turn on (but don't light) all the valves on your stove if it is a gas stove. Then flick a lite match into the basement for a quick end to your problem with ants...
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Sunday April 02 2017, @11:18AM (3 children)
Can't use gasoline- ruins the taste.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Sunday April 02 2017, @11:25AM (2 children)
What's worse - it ruins it for life (grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Sunday April 02 2017, @11:47AM (1 child)
Maybe the afterlife?
Could this be the ultimate atonement for sin - offering *yourself* as a burnt offering!
.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Sunday April 02 2017, @12:39PM
I'm sure the gods won't like the offering's gasoline aftertaste, but otherwise... why not?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by Snotnose on Sunday April 02 2017, @12:32AM (8 children)
The way this site looks right now is exactly why.
Can we stop the bullshit? Please?
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 2, Informative) by charon on Sunday April 02 2017, @01:15AM (7 children)
I'm usually annoyed by fake AFD "prank" news too. But all of the stories we posted today are true: no one is trying to trick you here. And from the timestamp on your comment, the colors had already switched back to normal when you made it.
So, in summary: what?
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Sunday April 02 2017, @02:02AM (6 children)
I don't care about the colors. I care that I have to wonder if the stories are true or Kelly-Anne alternate facts. I care that the website looks top of the line 20 years ago. I hate top of the line 20 years ago.
Just give me the site I see 364 days of the year, have your fun on leap years if you want. I fail to see the humor in any of this.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 2) by rts008 on Sunday April 02 2017, @02:49AM (1 child)
I won't address your pref's, as they are your pref's, and not mine. :-)
But just because you make demands, does not mean we have to comply.
Relax, it's just one day of the year, and a weekend to boot. Drink some beer, commune with friends, fire up the grill and carbonize something, but not in your Mom's basement. ;-)
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Sunday April 02 2017, @12:44PM
Somehow my preferences went to VT-220, that was the layout I hated. Had to wait until April 2 to fix it, I didn't know what was my doing and what was April fool's tomfoolery.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday April 02 2017, @02:53AM (2 children)
The green theme was basically the default theme... except green. Does the color really make the site look 20 years worse?
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by anubi on Sunday April 02 2017, @08:58AM
I gotta admit you guys made a wise color choice when you picked these.
I can't explain why, but I found the green version to be difficult to read.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 02 2017, @06:39PM
If they used "responsive web design blue" I'd have stopped returning.
(Score: 1) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Sunday April 02 2017, @11:37AM
I think "Aprils Fools" or "Poission D'Avril" is a useful reminder that you should not believe everything you hear.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 02 2017, @12:51AM
I'm guessing that few people today realize that Old Orchard Beach was once a well known airfield, used as a takeoff point for flights across the Atlantic. http://roynagl.50megs.com/oldorchardbeach.htm [50megs.com]
The Old Orchard Beach airfield was a strip of beach, in Saco Bay, along the coast of Old Orchard Beach, Maine that had a useable runway at low tide and was officially established on August 11, 1921, by the town of Old Orchard Beach, which was named for the apple orchards that once stood on the hill overlooking the beach. It had a hangar owned by Harry Jones, who was an aviator that had been flying since 1912, and it was used as the starting point for the attempted transatlantic flight of the Fokker VII Old Glory, flown by James DeWitt Hill and Lloyd W. Bertaudon, on September 6, 1927, and the three aborted transatlantic flights of the Sikorsky S-38 Dawn, piloted by Wilmer Stulz, in October 1927,(1) including one on October 23rd.(2) Both aircraft, however, were lost over the Atlantic Ocean.
A successful transatlantic flight was made from the Old Orchard Beach airfield, when French aviators Jean Assolant, Rene Lefevre, and Armeno Lotti flew their Bernard 191 G.R. Oiseau Canari (Yellow Bird) monoplane, with 22-year-old Arthur Schreiber, as a stowaway, 3,418 miles, non-stop, to a beach at Comillas, about 25 miles from Santander, Spain, in about 30 hours, from June 13-14, 1929. This was the first French non-stop transatlantic flight and despite the added weight of the stowaway, which forced them to dump fuel and change their original destination, from the Le Bourget airport, at Paris, France, and almost caused them to crash into a seawall, on takeoff,(3) they still set transatlantic flight records for speed and distance.
An unsuccessful transatlantic flight was also attempted, from the Old Orchard Beach airfield, on June 13th, by the Bellanca J Green Flash monoplane, with registration number NX5315, which was flown by Roger Quincy Williams, as pilot, and Lewis Alonzo Yancey, as navigator. It attempted to take off, for Rome, Italy, just behind the Bernard 191 G.R. Oiseau Canari, but one of its wheels collapsed, forcing it to abandon its flight. Its aviators, however, were successful on another transatlantic flight, from the airfield, to Santander, Spain, and then Rome, on July 9th, 1929, using the Bellanca J Pathfinder monoplane, with registration number NX3789.
The Old Orchard Beach airfield was also visited by transatlantic flyer Charles Lindbergh and his Ryan Ryan B-1 Brougham NYP Spirit of St. Louis on July 24, 1927, during his 1927 tour of American cities, after he could not land in Portland, Maine, because of fog. The Friendship Motor Inn, built in 1970, on East Grand Avenue, near Ladd Avenue, now occupies the site of Harry Jones' hangar, at the airfield.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 02 2017, @04:11PM (1 child)
what kind of @#$% sets a fire on accident then runs away without saving the animals. pitiful.
(Score: 2) by SanityCheck on Sunday April 02 2017, @07:26PM
Autistic man-child who lives in his parent's basement?