I've just realised that the window of opportunity for me to win a major (real) GK quiz show has closed.
Nowadays the questions are about music I've never listened to, films I've never seen, people I've never heard of, books I've not read (and I've read a lot but how to catch up?) and history that isn't old enough to be history.
I'm reduced to Tipping Point and looking forward to questions such as, "Iron oxide can be found on which well-known metal?" or “On what day is Christmas Day traditionally celebrated in the UK?”
Yeah, I've still got it
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
You really need to be careful with that stuff. It's not just the very offensive odor - it can do a number on your skin. And it isn't good to breathe the vapors.
Have you seen the SDS (what we used to call MSDS)? The NIOSH and OSHA PEL (permissible exposure limit) is of the order of 1 ppm in air which isn't much. it isn't going to kill you but you should be taking reasonable precautions in its use.
As I recall, it is a pretty good stanching agent for gases (mainly propane as I recall) because it can be detected by smell at very low concentrations (on the order of 1 part per billion or less); at 1 ppm I doubt you could stand it for very long (my guess is it would be like standing next to a full open pit latrine in the tropics. But I wouldn't be surprised if skin exposure is a problem.
Early on, when I worked as a chemist, I recall going to a company call National Gas Odorants in Texas, and the smell was so bad I marveled that anyone could work there (but this was the 70s when people were to put up with it or leave); they had the odorants in 55 gallon drums, and every once in a while one leaked.
I wasn't working with pure Ethyl Mercaptan. The forklift's propane regulator was gummed up with heavy-ends (the liquid oil sludge that propane leaves behind) from 35 years of use and all the diaphragms were rotten. Amazing it ran at all. I couldn't get the needle valve out wearing gloves, and of course I didn't put them back on when I grabbed the rag I'd used to mop out the heavy ends. With any luck I'll never have to touch this stuff again.
Death is Nature's way of telling you to slow down.
My first house was heated with propane heaters in each room fueled from a big tank in the back; I recall something similar happening to me when I replaced one of the tubes that got kinked, and the smell on my hands lasted a few days (I couldn't loosen the fitting with gloves on). Hopefully it is gone by now.
For lunch I had a bowl of the beef stew I made this morning, and it was better than an orgasm. Not sure if that's a testament to my cooking skills or to the length of time since I've had a really good orgasm.
"The dildo of consequence rarely comes lubed." -- Eileen Rose
"I really dislike Rap and Hip-Hop," Ray says, summoning up his curmudgeonly persona.
For much of my daughter's early years she was a big Rap fan. I suspect, due to its angry nature, the kids knew it would get under their parents skin. I reserved comments, never making it an issue -- and went with it, always allowing her to listen to whatever she wanted whenever we were in our car together.
As her "high-frequency tone" detection has waned she has become a big fan of Country/Popular and is developing an ear for Classical. Is it old age -- or smarter choices -- you be the judge.
As a footnote: As a proud dad always bragging on his child's achievements, she was just inducted into the National Honors Society for Radiologic and Imaging Sciences. (LAMBDA NU CHI) Sash ceremonies are next month, and graduation in May. (She has already been offered a career at HUP -- if she wants it.) Since we first met I knew she was headed for greatness. Yay!
Last edited by RayThom on Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“In a world whose absurdity appears to be so impenetrable, we simply must reach a greater degree of understanding among us, a greater sincerity.”
