Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Should We Ban Dihydrogenmonoxide?

Dihydrogenmonoxide is one of the most dangerous chemicals on earth.  It is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year.  It is used in nuclear power plants as a coolant, in sewage plants as a medium to blend and treat sewage, in cogeneration power plants and in hundreds of other industrial operations each year.  Those operations attempt to treat the chemical then spew it out into our air and into our streams where fish swim in it and humans are directly exposed to it.
Perhaps worse, dihydrogenmonoxide, when it vaporizes, is a major component of the world's green house gas inventory by volume. 
Well, sometimes we all take environmental issues too seriously so;

Dihydrogenmonoxide is found in even the most remote areas of the world
For a hilarious treatment of the issue watch two of America’s best comic performers, Penn and Teller, discuss the issue at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi3erdgVVTw.
In the video, Penn and Teller send an agent into the crowd at an event evidently titled “World Fest.”  The object is to get as many signatures as possible to help ban Dihydrogenmonoxide.  The effort is incredibly successful, demonstrating the commitment people like those attending World Fest have to the environment.
Had Penn and Teller come to Whatcom County in Washington they’d have gotten enough signatures to give Congress pause.
By the way, dihydrogen H2 and monoxide O, in combination is more commonly called H2O or, water.

The dihydrogenmonoxide practical joke has been around a long time.  Penn and Teller are not the first nor, hopefully, the last to use the approach to burn unquestioning "environmentalists" but, in the thought that it's good to have a little fun sometimes, and make a point consider:
The video pretty much says it all about the integrity of the pop environmental movement with its passionate advocacy of causes that, in the end, not only do not enhance the environment but, as often as not, degrade the environment.

That Penn and Teller do it in a funny way only adds to the BURN!
Enjoy the video.  

2 comments:

  1. This video is a warning to "joiners", people who sign up for causes without information, setting themselves up to be manipulated by unethical people exploiting issues for personal gain. Which is exactly what you are attempting to do by distorting the message of the video. The really funny part is how you are the problem that you seek to expose.

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  2. Please explain.

    #1 How am I manipulating people for personal gain... Oh, come to think of it I may do a book based on this blog some day...

    #2. How do I distort the message of the video. If I wanted to distort the message I certainly wouldn't provide a link, would I?

    #3. How am I the problem I seek to expose?

    I'm always interested in improving so, answers would be beneficial to me.

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