In response to several private emails sent to me about banana chips, I am going to do a little 'research' by going to the different stores around Reno and buying their offerings of chips. I dry my own bananas and have for a number of years so my 'chips' may not be a candidate for blockages but commercially available chips are. I was told by one respected person that it appears that some of the chips they have seen in the past were very oily in touch....if the chips did contain oil of any kind, that would stop the proper absorption of moisture to soften the chip. More as I find out.....so until I do have something a bit more informative to offer, I suggest taking banana chips off your menu..at least if you buy them commercially. If you dry them yourselves...... Randy Horton wrote: >Last note, Hey MC, the Rude One, I might just take you up on that and >visit you while I'm on the road. I will e-mail you personally ok? So..whatta ya waitin' fer?? Someone else posted something that caught my eye..talking about copper pipes being used for water....Out here, that is all that gas been used for water delivery in a house..I am curious what is dangerous about copper and, curious about the amount of copper leached from the pipe walls. Can't be much..I have seen 50 year old houses with still good copper water pipes.... I do know that the lead poisoning people always recommend one run the water for a minute before drinking or using for cooking due to the possible lead contamination of water from the sweated (soldered) joints. I always thought that a might extreme in caution too. Anywho..would like to see more about copper posted here. Now..on to distilled water. Distilled water has no minerals of any kind in it. Distillation successfully removes all chemicals and solids from the water. (That is why it is recommended for steam irons and lead/acid batteries..no foreign deposits!) Draw back to using distilled water for your pets or yourself is....water with no minerals will not 'satisfy' your thirst. You can drink and drink and drink and still be thirsty..even though your 'need' for liquid replenishment has been satisfied. FYI, many true artesian wells are very low in mineral content...On a very hot day, the cold water from an artesian well is refreshing to the touch, but you are still thirsty after drinking from it! MC, The Rude One (With Snorkle, Tuzigoot, and Bancho. In spirit, Bubba, Billy-Bob, and Garret) [Posted in FML issue 3161]