misnomer 'misconception'

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated  Sat, 23 Oct 2004 11:36:51 -0400,  "Mark A. Mandel"
<mamandel at LDC.UPENN.EDU> and and his pet Dragon NaturallySpeaking write:
>
>  (Wizards prefer not to use pesticides because of environmental effects
>  unknown to us muggles, e.g. Hagrid, also in _Chamber of Secrets_ , was only
>  able to find buy slug repellant that was flesh-eating.)
>
>  <<<
>  Are you sure? I thought that was ((flesh-eating slug) repellent): a
>  substance that would repel flesh-eating slugs.
>
>  -- Mark
>  [This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]

Given Hagrid's well-known proclivities, he would definitely prefer a slug
repellant that was flesh-eating to one that was merely repulsive.

What Hagrid wouldn't give for hardware that could run Dragon
NaturallySpeaking!  (Muggle electronics do not work at Hogwarts, see _Goblet of Fire_  where
Hermione emphasizes this when trying to figure out how Rita Skeeter manages to
overhear private conversations.)

>  Date:    Sat, 23 Oct 2004 11:39:45 -0400
>  From:    "Mark A. Mandel" <mamandel at LDC.UPENN.EDU>
>  Subject: Re: Irish Coffee (1952)

>          >>>
>  OT: has anyone even heard of the following potable:  make a punch-bowl full
>  of sidecar and add some dry ice so that the mixture smokes like fuming
>  nitric acid (a well-known rocket fuel)?  If so, what is it called?
>   <<<<<
>
>  It is a long-standing tradition at the annual science fiction convention in
>  Boston that is called Arisia, specifically at the famous parties given by
>  one member of the convention committee. In this context it is called
"rocket
>  fuel".

So it really exists and wasn't a put-on?  In that case I can state that I was
present when the drink was invented.  It was during a meeting of the con
committee for the 1974 Worldcon.  Ron Bounds, who was the co-chairman of the
Worldcon, and one or two other people whom I cannot remember were discussing what
drinks to serve at a con party and someone (again I cannot remember whom)
suggested having something in a punch with dry ice added to make it smoke.  I'm
fairly sure that someone (else?  the same someone) was interested in serving
sidecars, and there was an immediate convergence of the two ideas.  A name was
suggested for the mixture.  Unfortunately I cannot remember whether the name was
"rocket fuel" or whether it was something with "atomic" in it.

Quite likely the name "rocket fuel" was the one used at that meeting, since
fuming nitric acid is commonly used as a rocket fuel (nitric acid supplies the
oxygen for combustion, and when in contact with a number of chemicals will
ignite spontaneously, saving the rocket designer from having to include an
ignition device.  The most common fuel used with nitric acid is aniline).

The date of this meeting was sometime between September 1972, when the
committee was formed, and September 1974, when the con occurred.  It was more likely
closer to the con than to 1972, so a dating of 1974 should be used.

I have no recollection whether I contributed to the invention of the drink,
but I am positive that Ron Bounds et al were the inventors.

          - Jim Landau