Scott NC Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 I was at a sale last weekend that had blacksmithing things and the seller had a gas forge to sell. As I looked around his shop, I noticed buckets and racks with all kinds of galvanized and chrome bars, rod, pipe, etc amongst the other material. I round about asked him what he made and if he used this stuff. Yes, of course he did and I tried to impart what I knew about the dangers involved in using it, even pointed him here, but he wasn't interested as he said he wheeled his forge out into the driveway and "knew all about that stuff". Long story short, he asked me to leave. I have been wondering if that forge would be safe to use if someone bought it not knowing what it has been used for. Would it continue to emit particulates and bad fumes, etc.... Or would it just all be vaporized or just "go away" after use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 Scott, what you are seeing1 there is an example of pure, Darwinian natural selection. Stupidity or failure to recognize a cumulative negative effect is not a survival trait. Unfortunately, long term health hazards such as the build up of heavy metals, smoking, obesity, fatty deposits in the arteries, stc. take awhile to take someone out of the gene pool. Also, you have the attitude that if something does not immediately hurt you the negative effect will never happen, And some folk are just so stubborn that they won't listen or evaluate a cumulative effect or a low but real probability of harm and refuse to use PPE, seat belts, vaccines, etc.. There is a real response in some people to fear or danger of simply denying the danger. There were people who just wanted to stay at their desks after the first plane hit the World Trade Center on 9-11 and had to be forced to evacuate. As to whether a forge which had been used for galvanized, etc. metal I think that if I thought that a lot of residual metal had built up in it that I'd eaither run it outside for a tank or two of propane or replace the lining just to be on the safe side. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 I believe this is my favorite quote concerning habitual or stubborn stupidity. "Stupidity cannot be cured. Stupidity is the only universal capital crime: the sentence is death. There is no appeal and execution is carried out automatically and without pity." Robert Anson Heinlein. I tend to think stupidity is a survival trait, who else would've been the first to try to kill a Mammoth with a rock or sharp stick? Tasted new plants, etc. When young we all feel immortal, bullet proof I'm amazed I survived when I look back at some of the really stupid stunts I pulled. The stubborn version is as George says, if it doesn't hurt now it never will. At one time there were old guys who said, I've been smoking since I was 10 and it hasn't hurt me. At one time, those guys are gone now, most earlier than necessary. I worked with drillers who did it they way they used to do it and weren't about to change. WHEW that was close I just deleted a few paragraphs reminiscing about some of the pure Darwinian behavior of some of the drillers I've met, worked with and refused to work with in my 21 years behind a drill rig. I don't know how I would've reacted to that maybe contaminated with carcinogenic hexavalent chrome forge. Walk away at any price or buy it to get it out of circulation before some innocent was endangered. I'd certainly use the need to reline and decontaminate it as a HARD bargaining chip. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted September 19, 2023 Author Share Posted September 19, 2023 Well I did walk away and also didn't buy anything. I can't afford to buy his junk to remove it from a potential buyer. Maybe I should have "accidentally" tipped it over and crushed it on the floor and left quietly. That's what I was thinking about, is left over contaminants. Can you decontaminate something like that? I can see just the galvy but chrome? I wonder what else he got up to with it. It was pretty frustrating talking to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Otteson Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I'm in total agreement with both Frosty and George here. I have known one particular guy all my life. We met in 1962 when our parents moved in next door in a new suburban development. We are both in the trades, Him being a machinist and myself a Heavy Truck Mechanic. We both have similar training in safety, PPE use and exposure to harmful and toxic substances. We have both have worked for some very large global corporations but never at the same company. On the surface he comes off as an intelligent wel spoke person. Over time he has become very skeptical about almost any information that may (in his opinion) be coming from a government, corporate or other perceived insidious source. Sometimes trying to convince him otherwise is a complete waste of time. He is a skeptic and there is always some underlying plot or conspiracy behind the message. It seems recently I meet more people with that attitude. The final thought here to me is, just walk away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Archie, I've said this before but you are new enough that you may not have seen it. So, trying to engage someone like your friend in rational, logical discussion is like trying to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig. My best friend who I have known for 50+ years and we were Best Man at each others weddings has tendencies in that direction. He has expected the economy to collapse for the last 50 years and is a prepper with a basement full of food. I try to be a voice of reason when conversation goes in that direction but it's how his brain works and how my brain works differently. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I remember Y2K when a few neighbors were stocking up on water, ammo and foods, they asked why I wasnt, I said I dont need too, if it doesnt happen I still have my money, while they will be broke from stocking up; if it does happen I can take stored water jugs and food from the other peoples stockpiles, all I have to do is lay low for a few weeks while the rest of the world panics and kills each other fighting zombies I normally keep about a months supply of food in the deep freeze and pantry, that is plenty of extra to have laying around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 11 hours ago, Archie Otteson said: He is a skeptic and there is always some underlying plot or conspiracy behind the message. It seems recently I meet more people with that attitude. The problem is, that's not true skepticism. Properly, skepticism (from the Greek σκοπεῖν, "to look" (this is the same root as the word "scope", both as noun and verb)) means someone who has doubts or reservations about received knowledge. It's arguably an intellectually healthy and honest approach, since it requires examination and testing of evidence before coming to a conclusion. Notably, it does allow for the confirmation of received knowledge, should evidence and argument prove sufficient. Contemporary "skepticism", on the other hand, is little more than mere denialism, the assumption that received knowledge is false simply because it is commonly believed. Rather than serving the need for objective understanding, it serves the emotional need to feel special, to know something most people don't, to not be "a sheep". However, rather than actually looking at the evidence and arguments around some particular piece of knowledge, it replaces whatever "the sheeple" believe with mere contradiction, which itself must not be questioned or challenged. In the words of Monty Python, "That's not an argument; it's just contradiction. An argument is an intellectual process; contradiction is simply the automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes." 1 hour ago, Steve Sells said: all I have to do is lay low for a few weeks while the rest of the world panics and kills each other fighting zombies Yeah, I'm not looking forward to the madness that will descend on Ohio in April for the eclipse. https://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyles/column-cncerns-about-solar-eclipse-are-real/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 A similar thing happened in Wyoming in 2017. The 580k population of Wyoming about trebled with eclipse watchers from Colorado and other places and, of course, they all tried leaving at once. I-25 from Casper to Cheyenne and down into CO was VERY packed and a 2-2.5 hour drive turned into 6-7 hours. And there are few secondary parallel roads for alternate routes. I was at a friend's cabin near the summit of the Laramie Range south of Douglas. We could see out onto the plains and during totality we could see areas that were still sun lit. As the article mentioned the darkness was about like a medium twilight. We all waited until the next day to leave and all was well. Very cool experience but I'll pass on seeing the April one because of the hassle. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 The college has an eclipse-viewing party at the athletic fields, which is in walking distance. Assuming that there's no rain, of course, which in Ohio in April is far from guaranteed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Eclipses are just government fabrications. The earth is flat and the sun revoles around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Ok, I was joking. I don't really believe the earth is flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Nice try Scott, if the Earth wasn't flat a sheet of plywood laying on the ground would rock! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 I'm going to look over the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 If the earth was flat, we could just push people we didn't like off the edge. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Right along with all of our garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Haven't you been paying attention Randy? It's EASY to push people over the edge, been doing it all my life, garbage is harder. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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