Drudge Retort: Red Meat for Yellow Dogs
Saturday, August 08, 2009

The active ingredient in many insect repellents, deet, has been found to be toxic to the central nervous system. Researchers say that more investigations are urgently needed to confirm or dismiss any potential neurotoxicity to humans, especially when deet-based repellents are used in combination with other neurotoxic insecticides.

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But you need to spray yourself with deet to protect against west nile virus. That's what the government said! It must be good for us not bad. They would never try to hurt us or give false information to the public!

This is the stuff to use.

www.quantumhealth.com

How long has this stuff been on the market--oh 1953?

I've known about DEET's danger for a long, long time. Whole Foods sells a natural, and good smelling, total insect repellent that is natural and won't threaten you or the environment. It also won't make the flying critter evolve beyond it's ingredients. Camphor, lemon grass oil, citronella and menthol all in a organic oil base that leaves your skin feeling good. It's called All Terrain. It works too. It also won't make you have three-eyed kids either. Another FYI...if you live in a part of the country where your county sprays for bugs...make sure you close your windows and turn off your a/c when they come around. That stuff is nasty-bad, too.

Yeah, and global warming is real, while the ozone hole is man-made and bigfoot exists and plays cards with the Illuminati......

Yeah, and global warming is real, while the ozone hole is man-made and bigfoot exists and plays cards with the Illuminati......
#5 | Posted by Diablo at 2009-08-08 02:28 AM

Global warming.. real enough. Total planetary climate change is probably a better way for me to define the events generally. The meteorologic data may help us predict what to expect and how best to behave. Perhaps the Illuminati artificially modify our weather for fear and control?

O-zone "hole" is not an accurate description of o-zone depletion. The video 'Angels Don't Play This HAARP' describes the o-zone like dipping your hand into water. The water engulfs the parameter of your form much in the way the o-zone layer reacts. Like water apparently, only much lighter. The "depletion" is a lesser density or depth which apparently changes with the ebb and flow of the o-zone's natural dispersal and concentration mechanism reacting to environmental factors like the Suns radiation and the Earth magnetism.

Who has the power to radically modify that system, possibly even to harm it? Well, the multitude of data in the form of publications, videos and lectures speak for themselves. I suspect that tendencies which push things beyond capacitance may be acting out irreparable damages with far-reaching consequences invoking doomsday war hawking and passivity dovetailing.

Bigfoot exists. Plenty of witness have confirmed that. I don't see the difficulty in accepting that we may not be the exclusive hominid form on this planet, and probably never were. Praise diversity!

Cards are a completely illusory experience, and never have existed. Give up this quest for poker tithings and heal thine soul with chess or the ping pongings.

Illuminati have such a sinister cast of politicians and influence that for me it's hard not to choke slightly when their existence is questioned.

On topic: who would want to keep proven neurotoxic substance as one of the general populations trusted products of modern invention? Lemmie guess - Monsanto?

I use a mixture of Rosemary oil, Citronella Oil and Everclear.

"I use a mixture of Rosemary oil, Citronella Oil and Everclear."

Let me guess, Axiom.

The bugs still bite, but you don't give a shit, right?

hhmmmm...same effect they have on insects....does that mean our CNS is related to and based on the evolution of the CNS of insects?

No way. They could never evolve in just 6,000 years. Plus we used to feed them to our pet dinosaurs.


Yeah, and global warming is real, while the ozone hole is man-made and bigfoot exists and plays cards with the Illuminati......

#5 | Posted by Diablo

BTW the last I read, the ozone hole is alive and well after 30? years of banning freon. I think the ozone hole was here long before freon and will remain long after.

Standard military issue-Deet.

Used a few gallons myself. No cancer or growths.....yet.
Gotta love Avon skin so soft, at least it smells better. Problem, as with deet, is sweat. Oil based bug spray/lotion is terrible in humidity.

If you used deet you know what I mean. You need a gallon of water for 1oz of deet, and I was thin in the service. Felt bad for the heavier men.

Neem oil works great on any bug.

Oregano oil is an effective fungicide and antibiotic.

Neither has any side effect.

does that mean our CNS is related to and based on the evolution of the CNS of insects?

#9 | Posted by briwo at 2009-08-08 08:45 PM | Reply | Flag:

I can easily accept the idea that you evolved from insects

#9 | Posted by briwo

Detected sarcasm (and the idiocy of #13) aside -- yes, evolution is conservative and thus provides us with a CNS based upon the simplicity that is an arthropod.

Obviously, we've undergone quite a few changes in the meantime...for the fundies, evolution tends to conserve structures which have proven themselves to be adaptive in the face of hardship...thus, it's not surprising that we humans retain some artifices of even an insect's central nervous system.

I've seen deet in action - the centipedes which occasionally invade our basement literally shake themselves to death after being sprayed. Not surprising, given:

"We've found that deet is not simply a behavior-modifying chemical but also inhibits the activity of a key central nervous system enzyme, acetycholinesterase, in both insects and mammals".

No wonder the multi-legged "shake" themselves to death:
Acetylcholinesterase, also known as AChE, is an enzyme that degrades (through its hydrolytic activity) the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, producing choline and an acetate group. It is mainly found at neuromuscular junctions and cholinergic synapses in the central nervous system, where its activity serves to terminate synaptic transmission. AChE has a very high catalytic activity each molecule of AChE degrades about 5000 molecules of acetylcholine per second. The choline produced by the action of AChE is recycled it is transported, through reuptake, back into nerve terminals where it is used to synthesize new acetylcholine molecules.[1]

To non bio/chem nerds:

Alliteration also attenuates attention according (to) acetylcholine.

Alliterations are awesome and any alleged aggrievances assuage ameliorations. Amirite?

But srsly,

AChE (acetylcholinesterase) breaks down acetylcholine...which is responsible for (among other tasks) activation of skeletal muscles and autonomic nervous system functions. The neurotransmitter's functions also seem to be correlated with arousal and reward.

We're very different from fruitflies, yet we are the same. No surprise here that the use of deet could have maladaptive side effects.

I expect the ululations from the usual suspects...regardless, investigations of the lowly fly can be illuminating when viewed through the correct lens...

CDC recommends natural insect repellents containing Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or PMD. Repel or Cutter are a couple of brand names. Usually available at Target, Walmart or REI.

www.cdc.gov

"Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus* or PMD (Chemical Name: para-Menthane-3,8-diol) the synthesized version of oil of lemon eucalyptus

* Note: This recommendation refers to EPA-registered repellent products containing the active ingredient oil of lemon eucalyptus (or PMD).

"Pure" oil of lemon eucalyptus (e.g. essential oil) has not received similar, validated testing for safety and efficacy, is not registered with EPA as an insect repellent, and is not covered by this CDC recommendation."

Let me guess, Axiom.

The bugs still bite, but you don't give a shit, right?

No. Rosemary and Citronella Grass are natural bug repellents. The everclear evaporates leaving the oils on the skin. Bugs don't bite.

When I'm still hunting or camping, I have a little gadget called Thermacell. Butane fuel used to heat a patch of oder less repellent.

Catnip oil is 10x more effective than Deet against mosquito attacks. A study was released a little while back but I am too lazy to find it. I'm sure anyone who poo-poos the idea can google it.

There are natural ways to handle a great deal of things that we seem intent on using lab created chemicals to deal with instead. Vinegar is 90% as an antibiotic cleanser, add salt and its effectiveness increases to something on the order of 96%.

Catnip oil is 10x more effective than Deet against mosquito attacks.

#18 | Posted by boywondr

I guess thats why its on every store shelf in the country.

Monsanto?

#6 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2009-08-08 05:13 PM | Reply | Flag: Flag: (Choose)
FunnyNewsworthyOffensiveAbusiv
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or Cytech and Syngenta

I guess thats why its on every store shelf in the country.

Why would it need to be? I could grow catnip in a small patch in my backyard.

Since you're both too lazy to do any leg work, I'll paste it for you.

www.sciencedaily.com


Peterson says nepetalactone is about 10 times more effective than DEET because it takes about one-tenth as much nepetalactone as DEET to have the same effect. Most commercial insect repellents contain about 5 percent to 25 percent DEET. Presumably, much less catnip oil would be needed in a formulation to have the same level of repellency as a DEET-based repellent

Bug spray and military nerve agents are related, so its not a big stretch the deet might be a problem. It was implicated as a possible cause of Gulf War Syndrome.

If you don't want to believe the reports, fine. Rub yourself down with DEET all day long.

FTA: We've found that deet is not simply a behavior-modifying chemical but also inhibits the activity of a key central nervous system enzyme, acetycholinesterase, in both insects and mammals".

How is Deet a "behaviour modifying" chemical?

Does putting it on make one automatically crave s'mores and singing Kumba'ya round the camp fire?

In truth, Spud has always avoided the stuff believing on a hunch that it caused more problems than it solved.

Apparently a good hunch.

Be Well.

Risk vs. Benefit. At our local military reservation 1 of 3 ticks now carry lymes or RMSF. Many misquitos carry ensephalitis. We have retired several members for various diseases, and no one for neurotoxicity for deet. I probably have a greater risk of injury or death driving to the area I may need to put on the deet. I'll continue to use it but am intrigued by the offerings of posters here for natural products. PAX mattm

Bats are toxic to mosquitoes.
Shot this Saturday:
i179.photobucket.com

More bats

i179.photobucket.com

i179.photobucket.com

i179.photobucket.com

Mexican freetails at the Eckert James River bat cave
www.nature.org

I use this stuff called Bug Mace. It's supposed to be all natural. It works great and doesn't sweat off easily. Got mine from the manufacturer with some free samples of live bacteria and other products they sell. Here's there blurb.

Bug Mace is an All Natural Insect Repellent and does Not Contain DEET or Permethrin. Bug Mace is has a light lemon fresh smell. It gets to work fast lasting over 8 hours, eliminating over 50 Insect Species and Repelling over 1000 More! Bug Mace contains pure 100% Natural ingredients and is safe for your family, pets and the environment. BUG MACE contains very powerful ingredients such as Catnip Oil, Neem Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Karanja Oil, Citronella and more. Our main ingredient is 10 Times More Effective than DEET. Our products are NOT tested on animals and are biodegradable. Please call with any questions or comments @ 800-509-0927. Any quantity available for shipping.

Catnip oil is apparently the shit.

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