Science Fair -- Or Foul?

Courtesy of Ed Cole
[email protected]

Special to The Libertarian Enterprise

         An Eagle Rock Junior High freshman participating in the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair last April 26 was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to the alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment.
         In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide". And for plenty of good reasons, since:

         1. it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
         2. it is a major component in acid rain
         3. it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
         4. its accidental inhalation can kill you
         5. it contributes to soil erosion
         6. it decreases the effectiveness of automobile brakes
         7. it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

         He asked 50 people if they would support a ban on the chemical. Forty-three said yes, six were undecided, and only one knew that the chemical was water.
         The title of his prize winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?"
         He feels the conclusion is obvious.
         He also won first prize.

High-tech machinist and accomplished pilot Ed Cole is a director of the Firearms Coalition of Colorado

A Juror's Creed: As an American juror, I will exercise my 1000 year old duty to arrive at a verdict, not just on the basis of the facts of a particular case or instructions I am given, but through my ability to reason, my knowledge of the Bill of Rights, and my individual conscience.
-- L. Neil Smith

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