A Chemical That Must Be Banned Now!

[Justin86]

It's the most important issue this election!

OBAMAMESSIAH, SAVE US!

BUSH LIED, PEOPLE DIED!

--Obamaton

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='Autumn Dusk' post='1644081' date='Sep 1 2008, 09:05 AM']am I missing something here? is this a serious post or one headed for the lame board?[/quote]

Yes.

The post is satire, but it is a critically important satire that is unlame.

The purpose of the "dihydrogen monoxide" scare is to draw attention to the dangers of alarmism. One of the sites that is responsible for the phenomenon on the internet is [url="http://www.dhmo.org"]www.dhmo.org[/url]. They note that one town, Aliso Viejo, CA, took this information to the point that they even tried to ban water. The author talks about his purpose in his "press kit" on the website:

[indent]
[b]What is the web site's purpose?[/b]

The original purpose of the site was as a sort of writer's therapy to blow off steam about all the devious (and sometimes just ignorant) ways the truth is bent to prove a point by some in the media, politics, sales, environmental activism, organized religion, web site authoring, etc.

The droplet that broke the camel's surface tension came when, once again, the local "News 10 Medical Reporter" came on breathlessly promoting some dreaded and deadly danger found in everybody's home that posed immediate and frightening consequences to our loved ones. We were implored to tune in that night at 11pm to find out information "that may surprise us" about what we could do to save ourselves from certain and imminent death. This same sort of sensationalist tactic is used all the time by the primarily information-illiterate "journalists" on television "news," although they are by no means the only truth-twisters.

Beyond the therapeutic nature of writing the site, a more important goal emerged. The goal became to educate, and to promote cautious consumption of information and an active skepticism about what we read, see and hear. As such, the site is not a "hoax" or a "prank," but is an educational tool.

We feel strongly that there is no subject that should be off bounds to inquiry and questioning. Upon skeptical scrutiny, the truth will always gleam like a jewel on a sandy beach, while lies, falsehoods and half-truths will burrow beneath the sand, hiding from the dangers of inquiry. The DHMO.org web site provides practical and safe experience in just this sort of scrutiny, teaching skills that can be easily applied to other areas of our daily lives.

Since 1998, educators have contacted the DHMO Organization to express their gratitude for the valuable service it provides. Students often learn of the virtues of cautious information consumption through the introduction to the surprising and disturbing facts found on the DHMO.org web site. Once these lessons are learned they are not soon forgotten.

The many e-mails we receive from these teachers all over the world say that they use the site as part of lessons in critical thinking and reading, reasoning, journalism and even sometimes chemistry. Students who are initially drawn in, convinced that a ban of DHMO is the only possible conclusion, never forget the sting of realization, and from that point on are, hopefully, much more cautious about all sources of information, however credible looking and sounding they are.

It is important to note that some material on the site, as well as content of outside sites to which we link, may not be suitable for all levels of students. The target audience is a person with some academic maturity, and perhaps a rudimentary understanding of chemistry (middle school and above). That said, the site and its content have been judiciously and successfully used in nearly all levels of education from elementary through post-graduate.

In addition to serving as a tool for information literacy, rudimentary chemistry and evaluation of research sources, it also frequently provides entertainment to the DHMO-savvy.
[/indent]

[CatherineM]

Justin have you been getting into the nitrous at work?

Edited September 1, 2008 by CatherineM

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='mommas_boy' post='1644163' date='Sep 1 2008, 11:24 AM']Yes.

The post is satire, but it is a critically important satire that is unlame.

The purpose of the "dihydrogen monoxide" scare is to draw attention to the dangers of alarmism.[/quote]

I will add, however, that in my experience, the environmental/chemical issues that are truly important don't get anywhere near as much attention as the hoaxes and scares.

Or, they are talked about briefly in the press, and then dropped for a new, more interesting story. It's a shame, really -- if the press was truly interested in our safety, there would be nightly updates on the 10 o'clock news as to the ongoing status of the issue. Instead, they seem content to just scare us once for the rating spike, and then move on to something else to continue trying to raise ratings.

[Adrestia]

This is way too lame to blame on nitrous...

nitrous would produce more creative lameness.


Justin probably forgot to refill his anti-lame medications. Go Canadian - you can get three months at a time.

[Justin86]

[quote name='tgoldson' post='1644198' date='Sep 2 2008, 12:51 AM']This is way too lame to blame on nitrous...

nitrous would produce more creative lameness.


Justin probably forgot to refill his anti-lame medications. Go Canadian - you can get three months at a time.[/quote]
Wow. Someone got [mod]offensive insulting remark--777[/mod].

[Adrestia]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1644207' date='Sep 1 2008, 10:55 AM']Wow. Someone got...[mod]edit---777[/mod] [/quote]

[mod]edit---777[/mod]

nothin' but agape for you, Justin

(but this is really lame)

[Justin86]

Not about this topic being lame--about saying I should go to Canada for meds. Telling, me, a patriotic American, to go up to Canada for meds when the United States Navy (GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!) already gives me my anti-lame meds for free? How did you not think I would offended? [mod]offensive insulting remark--777[/mod].

I did slack off on the anti-lame meds though. No reason other than laziness (which is part of my condition).

[mommas_boy]

Erm, can we please leave off with the immature insults?

[Justin86]

[quote name='mommas_boy' post='1644240' date='Sep 2 2008, 01:18 AM']Erm, can we please leave off with the immature insults?[/quote]
All made in good fun, now, momma's boy, all in good fun. Calm down.

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1644246' date='Sep 1 2008, 12:27 PM']All made in good fun, now, momma's boy, all in good fun. Calm down. [/quote]

I don't have a problem with teasing one another. I *DO* have a problem with that phrase on these phorums.

[Justin86]

You have a problem with [mod]repeated remark---777[/mod]? Seriously? [color="red"]Edited.[/color]

[picchick]

[quote name='tgoldson' post='1644198' date='Sep 1 2008, 11:51 AM']This is way too lame to blame on nitrous...

nitrous would produce more creative lameness.


Justin probably forgot to refill his anti-lame medications. Go Canadian - you can get three months at a time.[/quote]

If people go mail order through their insurance they can get three months at a time here too

[Adrestia]

[quote name='picchick' post='1644376' date='Sep 1 2008, 12:54 PM']If people go mail order through their insurance they can get three months at a time here too [/quote]
I did not know that! I need to read the meds section of my health insurance policy more carefully.

Thanks [i]SuperNurse[/i]! You rock.

[rachael]

[quote name='tgoldson' post='1644494' date='Sep 1 2008, 02:55 PM']I did not know that! I need to read the meds section of my health insurance policy more carefully.

Thanks [i]SuperNurse[/i]! You rock.[/quote]
I didn't either!