TRAINEE TEACHER GETS "F" IN CHEMISTRY

Big-brained Bruce (proprietor of the modestly named Thinkers' Podium and soon to be an asset to the teaching profession) is a bit miffed at having to point out to a commenter:

"... that sodium benzoate is not benzine and that the reported potentially harmful effects of sodium benzoate in the story I critique aren’t related at all to benzine contamination as occuring in the Perrier or sodium benzoate + ascorbic or citric acid + heat scenarios, somehow I’m a candidate to work for the soft drink companies".

Bruce is a bit confused, as usual: the news report he refers to actually concerns "a chemical reaction between sodium benzoate and vitamin C [which] creates benzene, a carcinogenic chemical". Benzine is not the same as benzene as Wikipedia notes: "Benzine should not be confused with benzene."

Now in the cosmic scheme of things Bruce's little mistake is of no importance whatever. It is funny, however, because when Bruce makes such mistakes he's inclined to pass them off as a typo (same typo four times), blame low blood sugar or claim the error was intentionally designed to elicit snarky comments from evil right-wingers. I'd go over to his blog and needle him about this but Bruce, who subscribes to "the notion of democratic free speech, almost to the point of being an absolute", has banned me from his blog for making intemperate comments. Funny how lefties can't tolerate criticism.

Update: As noted above, Bruce's mistake is of no importance whatever. He nonetheless vigourously reacts with a 1,500+ word post, as predicted claiming typographical error. Well, Wikipedia has this angle covered:

A typographical error, typo, or fat-finger is a mistake made during the typing process. The term includes errors due to mechanical failure or slips of the hand or finger, but excludes errors of ignorance.

Again, this matter is of no importance whatever. It is fun watching him squirm, however.