Date:         Sat, 30 Apr 2005 06:46:52 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: NVC Friday Question: why do we use the term "dino"?
Comments: To: Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <30e2a08e078d111474f07f4873ee8ccb@knology.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I remember years ago in school growing up, being taught that coal came
from plants, oil came from dinosaurs, basically. Then Sinclair Oil came
out with their Dinosaur logo. Sort of tied it all together. It's been
that any lubricant made from crude oil from the ground is "Dino" ever
since. Now it.s more of a colloqualism to conveniently refer to such
products.

As far as dinosaurs and oil go, "Dino" for crude oil in this day and age
is prol'ly not correct - but I don't know the science of crude, so it
works for me, and gets the message across.

Can't help but wonder though. As much crude as there is in the earth,
there  must have been an awful lot of dinosaurs!!!

BTW, I no longer run "Dino" lubricants, only "Synth"!

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Jim Felder wrote:

> I notice that oftentimes, people referring to petroleum products talk
> about dino-this and dino-that as in "dino oil as opposed to synthetic
> oil."
>
> Did our teachers give us that preposterous notion?
>
> Was it Essie the dinosaur in the old Esso (before Exxon) promotions?
>
> Was it exposure to oil-company sponsored Disney rides where dinosaurs
> became associated with oil?
>
> Is it a red herring to the fact that plants and sunlight ultimately
> provide the energy we all use?
>
> I remember specifically being taught that coal and oil are related, and
> that coal is made in immense, submerged peat bogs and similar places. I
> just don't remember a dinosaur discussion, yet many people use the
> term.
>
> If anyone remembers a specific source for this, such a lesson, a book,
> a TV program or movie, or just that you heard it from your folks, I'd
> be interested to know about it.
>
> Jim
>
>