Maple syrupy goodness

While Washington was atwitter over the indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, New York City was similarly freaking out over a different matter. (At least, the three people I had breakfast with were freaking out along with me.)

I first heard about it from my alarm clock, which blares annoying news radio at me until I shuffle across the room to shut it off. But I'm not very good at separating dreams from reality that early in the morning (9am). CM corroborated my alarm clock, however, saying that she'd had a conversation about it in a Brooklyn bodega last night. And now I've found the NYT story that confirms this shocking phenomenon (if it's in the Times, it must be true): The city smelled like maple syrup last night.

While many phoned 911, others waxed nostalgic about the Old Country: "Joris Geeven said it reminded him of a Dutch cake called peperkoek, though he could not describe that smell."

There are so many possible explanations. SS suggested it was part of a plot to attract more lumberjacks to the city. Could have been a dirty bomb plot by friendly terrorists who substituted delicious Vermont maple syrup for radium. Or it could be a massive peperkoek, buried for millenia, only now emerging to complete a sinister plan for world domination.

New Yorkers demand answers.