Peter L. Peres wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Jul 1998, Mark Willis wrote:
> > that sunlight was OK thus UV-C was safe (IIRC the atmosphere absorbs
> > -most- UV-C in transit?)  I never saw UV lighting in aircraft, but I
>
> Used to absorb. Ozone layer hole mean anything to you ? ;(

  Too true!  (I keep thinking of making a solar powered ozone-generating
solar floater <G>  Wonder if it'd make a difference, though?

  Boy Scouts, Search & Rescue groups:  We stress safety & get lots of
"outdoors newbies" with their first sheath knives, proudly worn...

> <snip>
> >   I don't like even using UV-A for testing, when one company sells UV-A
> > (I assume - they're not UV-C) counterfeit money detectors for $3.95 or
> > so (several companies have there for < $10, lots cheaper than an eye
> > exam!)  I'll loan Tim mine if needed! <G>
>
> Hmm. Then don't miss changing all the fluorescent lamps for incandescent
> around where you live. Not halogens, those make some UV-A. ;) If you want
> to be extra sure, change for candles. Those bug lights emit UV-A from a
> filament lamp that is not very hot anyway.

  Ack!  Well, I *meant* to type "UV-*C* for testing" (as in lab testing)
but some days I can't type what I mean, worth anything.

  {I need a "Type What I Meant to Type" keyboard.  Tim, is that 7777777
psychic chip out yet? <VBG>}

  If UV-A can be used instead of UV-C, it's a good thing safety-wise, &
UV-A bulbs are CHEAP, was what I tried to get across.  (In geology,
minerology folks have to use UV-C for some fluorescence tests, they
don't use it for very long & use eyewear.  Very different fluorescences
from most everything at different wavelengths;  I bought a couple of the
cheapie UV-A lamps so a geology-inclined friend could have one & I got
one for fun.)

> Did I mention before that a 11 W desk lamp PL bulb, new, makes my
> heliotropic glasses's lenses go slightly dark from 50 cm ?
>
> The Mercury will get us all in the end ! Run while you still can !
>
>         Peter

  {My cats can get fur in my eyes from 10 feet, too, but I don't harass
others about it, usually <G>}

> Seriously, it's good to be careful, but posting such messages in this
> list, where each and every member has been tinkering (or still is
> tinkering with) one or more of the following items: high voltage, high
> current, poisonous substances of every kind, explosive substances of many
> things, inflammable substances of many kinds, UV radiation, fragile
> glassware with vaccum or dangerous substances inside, model rockets, model
> airplanes, model engines, guns, aircraft, ships and whatnot, would be
> looked upon as being slightly odd.

  "So, I'm odd, then" <G>  I've done most of that too (Model rocketry
isn't all that dangerous; now amateur rocketry OTOH <VBEG>)  We do get
at least occasional questions from newbies in here, and I'd hate to see
someone interested in learning, learn about something by hurting
themselves seriously, by whatever means.  "Safety First" is a GOOD idea
IMHO;  Sorry for my (quite misleading!) typo about not liking UV-A.
{Gotta quit typing at the list when brain-dead here <G>}

  You & I might use a cheater cord safely to debug a stereo, but one
"fun" experience I've been through was trying to teach an 8 year old boy
electronics, (trying to teach ohm's law,) decide one day to take the
family stereo console apart.  While it was powered on & playing.  Scared
the heck out of me, when I heard about it;  he apparently cut a bunch of
wires before hitting anything that sparked, and could have been killed,
potentially.  Sure screwed up their stereo, we mutually decided that
waiting till he was older was a good idea.

  I wouldn't want a kid like that to get into the innards of anything
line powered, without first understanding safety (I hadn't been planning
to teach him ANYTHING about safety or components until he had Ohm's law,
apparently he was a hands-on type of kid!);  I'd rather BE odd & be
called a safety fanatic, than end with someone dead from my NOT being
odd in this particular manner, I'll try to keep it to a dull roar here
though <G>

  Mark