Dangers of DiHydrogen Monoxide

ran into a web page outlining some of the uses and dangers of this common chemical here Some uses: bq. as an industrial solvent and coolant, in nuclear power plants, by the U.S. Navy in the propulsion systems of some older vessels, by elite athletes to improve performance, in the production of Styrofoam, in biological and chemical weapons manufacture, as a spray-on fire suppressant and retardant, in abortion clinics, as a major ingredient in many home-brewed bombs, as a byproduct of hydrocarbon combustion in furnaces and air conditioning compressor operation, in cult rituals, by the Church of Scientology on their members and their members' families, by both the KKK and the NAACP during rallies and marches, by pedophiles and pornographers (for uses we'd rather not say here), by the clientele at a number of homosexual bath houses in New York City and San Francisco, historically, in Hitler's death camps in Nazi Germany, and in prisons in Turkey, Serbia, Croatia, Libya, Iraq and Iran, in World War II prison camps in Japan, and in prisons in China, for various forms of torture, by the Serbian military as authorized by Slobodan Milosevic in their recent ethnic cleansing campaign, in animal research laboratories, and in pesticide production and distribution. Some other uses: bq. as an additive to food products, including jarred baby food and baby formula, and even in many soups, carbonated beverages and supposedly "all-natural" fruit juices in cough medicines and other liquid pharmaceuticals, in spray-on oven cleaners, in shampoos, shaving creams, deodorants and numerous other bathroom products, in bathtub bubble products marketed to children, as a preservative in grocery store fresh produce sections, in the production of beer by all the major beer distributors, in the coffee available at major coffee houses in the US and abroad, in Formula One race cars, although its use is regulated by the Formula One Racing Commission, and as a target of ongoing NASA planetary and stellar research. Some of the known dangers: bq. 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 Read this website to learn more... UPDATE: In today's Dallas Fort-Worth Star-Telegram bq. DALLAS - A 21-year-old student at Southern Methodist University remained hospitalized in critical condition Monday after chugging water in an off-campus competition with fraternity members. bq. Braylon Curry, a pledge with Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, drank an unknown amount of water from a gallon container early Saturday morning and was hospitalized hours later after becoming dazed and incoherent, Dallas police said. Gotta get Greenpeace involved - this is toxic stuff!