catbirdseat

Whether you believe in demons or not, there must be something to exorcism for it to persist as a rite. It must work in a few cases. My admittedly weak understanding of psychiatry has it that there are two sorts of mental illnesses as first described by Freud, neuroses and pychoses. The neuroses are best treated by the "talking" cure, whereas the pychoses are treated by a combination of drug therapy and behavioral modification. It may be that some percentage of apparent demonic possessions are actually an extreme form of neurosis that is nonetheless treatable by a "talking" therapy such as exorcism.

Have you ever looked at some of the non-topical message boards to see what people talk about? I thought I had no life... Sultry Earth Forum

Scrambler, you need to read up on some of the latest theories about Salem. The people of Salem weren't hysterical. They were poisoned by ergot. They were scared about what was happening to them and they thought witchcraft was the cause of their suffering.

I have the Voile bindings with releasable setup, and found that I really had to crank on the tension beyond the suggested setting before I could ski without it releasing. Now, I like it.

They do. The oil goes directly into the lake. Two-stroke engines suck the big green weenie. Ban them now- not in ten years.

Well, Thinker old pal, I hope you get lots and lots of smiles.

That was very smart of them.

So is all this up at Alpental?

I believe Lake Tahoe was one of them. It is really tragic, because it was avoidable. California banned MTBE effective last year, but Gov. Davis delayed the ban until Jan 2004. Nonetheless most refiners have already switched to ethanol.

So then it appears that your objection is that the Assault Weapons Ban is ineffective because it doesn't go far enough in banning high capacity, rapid fire weapons? My take is that is was law enforcement who were behind it. They don't like being outgunned in drug busts, which is where weapons of this sort are most likely to be encountered.

Just for kicks, Fairweather, would you explain to us what is ridiculous about the Assault Weapons Ban?

Hey these are cool lyrics. They should be split out as a separate thread in the Climbing Forum. Here's my weak contribution. When the frost bites When the ice melts When I'm out of shape I simply remember my shiny new gear And then I just feel so rad

Fairweather, the EPA did not mandate MTBE specifically. They mandated oxygenates. It was left to the refiners which oxygenates to use. In 1990, the choice was MTBE, methanol or ethanol. A formulation containing 15% methanol and 85% gasoline was set as the standard for CO emissions. If you could show that your MTBE or other formulation was as good or better, you could use it. Locally, I believe ethanol is what is being used. In LA and other places with a lot of photochemically induced smog, they tend to use MTBE because the emissions contain fewer photochemically reactive species than does ethanol. I was involved in the testing of various alternative formulations in 1990 while at ARCO. My recollection was that MTBE formulations performed as well or better than 15% methanol formulations. I don't recall testing ethanol formulations. Ethanol is more expensive than either MTBE or methanol, because it comes from corn. Ethanol and methanol have the problem that water from the air tends to dissolve in it. When it is mixed with gasoline, the water separates. This problem can be overcome through careful handling.

Beer is quite perishable. I like mine fresh. Micheal, I think it is acceptable to chastise a dumb question, as long as you tell the person all the reasons why you think it is a dumb question. The problem is, the knuckleheads who troll with fake dumb questions. They are the ones who influence people to respond with cynical answers.

I think that those who run at Greenlake must be undersexed. That place sucks for running. No parking, crowded, flat, boring. The chicks don't make up for it's other deficiencies. My favorite place to run used to be at Kelsey Creek Park in Bellevue. On the big hill behind the farm there is a trail system that is made using fir bark. It's really nice on the feet and knees. It twists and turns, goes up and down all over the place. One time around by the longest route is about 3/4 mile. Go around four times and you have an awesome workout, especially if you sprint the big hill till you want to die. It's all in the forest and quite beautiful. Check it out.

MTBE wasn't forced on anybody. If I'm not mistaken, it was ARCO that first pioneered its use. MTBE can be made cheaply from butylene, a byproduct of refining and methanol, produced from natural gas. It reduces carbon monoxide and increases octane rating. It has a very good toxicity profile. It is more miscible with gasoline than ethanol. It has few problems with water absorption in tanks. It doesn't easily form explosive peroxides on exposure to air. There are a lot of good things going for MTBE. The problem with it is that it is just soluble enough in water that when gasoline containing it leaks into the ground the MTBE dissolves in the water and migrates. It has a very strong and distinctive taste, such that even minute amounts can be detected. If it weren't for underground tank leakage we wouldn't have a problem. The gasoline refiners haven't done enough to monitor their retailers for storage safety. They should be held responsible.

It's facinating.

That's why the Dems are putting on a good old fashioned filibuster. The worst provision is one which gives blanket protection from lawsuits to gasoline manufacturers who use MTBE in their formulations. MTBE contaminates water and it's strong smell and taste renders the water undrinkable.

Dipshit, you mean glaucoma.

Stop spraying and get back to work. I expect an invite for grilled salmon.

Bronco, the resurrector of dead threads, may have words with you.

Set the rules but give him choice Rules 1) You get your hair cut at least once every three months. This is not subject to discussion. 2) You can have any style you like as long as it is shorter than----, nor skin head. 3) You can have it done where you like (within reason). 4) Dad will pay for it.

Now, now, don't forget about innocent until proven guilty.

Take him more frequently. He'll get used to it. The amount of hair that needs to be cut will be less, and his appearance will change less so there will be less resistance. Also, get your hair cut at the same time to show that you honestly believe the place you are taking him to is a good one.