Some folks in California got worried a while back about a substance in their community - dihydrogen monoxide - and took efforts at banning use of it in their city. According to news reports, city councillors in Aliso Viejo in Orange County almost passed a bill to ban the substance but stopped short of doing so when someone pointed out that dihydrogen monoxide was also known by another name: H20 a.k.a water.
Apparently someone in the legal department found this website calling for a ban on the material. What is funniest about the site is that aside from not providing the easily recognizable H20 formula, what they say on the site is absolutely true. For example, in a section outlining the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide, the following dangers are described:
Each year, Dihydrogen Monoxide is a known causative component in many thousands of deaths and is a major contributor to millions upon millions of dollars in damage to property and the environment. Some of the known perils of Dihydrogen Monoxide are:
Death due to accidental inhalation of DHMO, even in small quantities.
Prolonged exposure to solid DHMO causes severe tissue damage.
Excessive ingestion produces a number of unpleasant though not typically life-threatening side-effects.
DHMO is a major component of acid rain.
Gaseous DHMO can cause severe burns.
Contributes to soil erosion.
Leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals.
Contamination of electrical systems often causes short-circuits.
Exposure decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.
Found in biopsies of pre-cancerous tumors and lesions.
Often associated with killer cyclones in the U.S. Midwest and elsewhere.
Thermal variations in DHMO are a suspected contributor to the El Nino weather effect.
Sounds dangerous, doesn't it? I especially like the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) attached to the site.
Thanks to Rob for the tip.
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