Salut/Hi Mark Lipton,

le/on Thu, 06 May 2004 15:22:52 -0500, tu disais/you said:-

>Mathew Kagis wrote:
>
>> Just heard something on CBC Radio on Asparagus.... According to them, the
>> chemical which causes the raunchy smell when answering the call of nature,
>> is one very much on topic for this group.... Mercaptin. who knew?
>
>As Jim already said, mercaptans (thiols) are an entire class of
>molecule. In addition, while mercaptans may account for *some* of the
>smell, the major component is dimethyl sulfide -- not a mercaptan, but a
>related sulfide. I'm afraid that they got the wrong end of the stick on
>that one...

About par for the course for the media, Mark. In the last year, or so, I'm
afraid that they have badly let us all down. One expects it for scientific
matters (as in this case), but the amount of censorship, misinformation,
disinformation and downright lies that we've all been subject to is nothing
less than scandalous. While I'm not excluding the media in France and in
the UK, I'm afraid that what I've seen from the USA is a long way from the
standards of probity that you have every right to expect.
--
All the Best
Ian Hoare
http://www.souvigne.com
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