Discussion of Summer Reading: Natalie Angier’s The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Wonderful Basics of Science. “Don’t be fooled. Know the issues.” Monday, September 15

Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a colorless and odorless chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. Its basis is the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, a species shown to mutate DNA, denature proteins, disrupt cell membranes, and chemically alter critical neurotransmitters. The atomic components of DHMO are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol. Ban DMHO!

What are some of the dangers associated with DHMO? ｷ Death due to accidental inhalation of DHMO, even in small quantities. ｷ Prolonged exposure to solid DHMO causes severe tissue damage. ｷ Excessive ingestion produces a number of unpleasant though not typically life-threatening side-effects. ｷ DHMO is a major component of acid rain. ｷ Gaseous DHMO can cause severe burns. ｷ Contributes to soil erosion. ｷ Leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals. ｷ Contamination of electrical systems often causes short-circuits. ｷ Exposure decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes. ｷ Found in biopsies of pre-cancerous tumors and lesions. ｷ Given to vicious dogs involved in recent deadly attacks. ｷ Thermal variations in DHMO are a suspected contributor to the El Nino weather effect. Despite the known dangers of DMHO, it continues to be used daily by industry, government, and even in private homes! ｷ as an industrial solvent and coolant, ｷ in nuclear power plants, ｷ in the production of Styrofoam, ｷ in biological and chemical weapons manufacture, ｷ in the development of genetically engineering crops and animals, ｷ as a spray-on fire suppressant and retardant, ｷ in so-called "family planning" or "reproductive health" clinics, ｷ as a major ingredient in many home-brewed bombs, ｷ as a byproduct of hydrocarbon combustion in furnaces and air conditioning compressor operation, ｷ historically, in Hitler's death camps in Nazi Germany, and in prisons in Turkey, Serbia, Libya, and Iraq ｷ in DAYCARE CENTERS, purportedly for sanitary purposes

Hydrogen Hydroxide your all-natural friend! Perhaps you’ve heard of it: a colorless, odorless liquid; a powerful coolant and solvent; an easily- synthesized compound which is used by industry, the military, commercial operations, and even private individuals. Hydrogen hydroxide is environmentally safe! Opponents of “dihydrogen monoxide” would have you believe that it is some kind of uber-toxin, that it wreaks caustic terror on anything it touches. This couldn’t be farther from the truth; when handled properly, it enhances nature rather than destroys it, and even a worst-case scenario DHMO accident would be a trifle for the natural cycles of our world to handle. Hydrogen hydroxide is benign! The Coalition and others have popularized the label “dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO)” over the more chemically- accurate "hydrogen hydroxide" because they know how loaded the former name is. "Monoxide" has become synonymous with pollution, toxic gases, industrial waste-- and while hydrogen hydroxide is sometimes a factor in these problems facing our world today, it is rarely the dangerous element. We need hydrogen hydroxide! Don't let an uneducated and terror-stricken mob of fanatics railroad you into giving up your right to choose! Support the use and distribution of hydrogen hydroxide in your neighborhood, city, state, and country!

Dihydrogen Monoxide (DMHO) = Hydrogen Hydroxide (HOH)

Dihydrogen Monoxide (DMHO) = Hydrogen Hydroxide (HOH) = Water (H 2 O)