Honey I blew up the USB ports

[Ric Moore]

On Wed, 2006-12-20 at 15:09 -0800, jdow wrote:
> From: "Robert F. Chapman" <robert_chapman at maximhq.com>
> 
> > On Wed, 2006-12-20 at 16:40 -0500, Joe Smith wrote:
> >> I plugged my USB memory stick in the other night, and instantly froze my
> >> FC5 system. I mean bang--dead.

> Heh, relative humidity and static electricity voltage might also make a
> difference.
> 
> That sure sounds like he plugged in when there was a huge static potential
> between him with the memory stick and the computer.
> {^_^} 

In more northern climes, with the furnace sucking every bit of humidity
out of the air, static buildup can be a real killer of computers and any
other solid state device. A cheap bit of intervention is to use a spray
bottle with Fabric Softener in it and mist the carpet area around the
computer. Fabric Softeners are "cationic" 

cationic \cationic\ adj. (Chem.)
   of or pertaining to cations; having a net positive charge;
   positively ionic; -- said of ions. Contrasted with anionic.
   [WordNet 1.5]

... and disrupt static, as in "static cling". Just spray a small amount
in a test area and scuff away. (with clean shoes!) Anionics are most
detergents, which use static electricity to repel dirt and soils off of
the surfaces that they are on. How many of you thought it was the
bubbles? Surfactants are added to detergents to make the bubbles.
<grins> (former BASF) Ric

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