Something to consider for our safety; Look at http://www.sightings.com/ufo/aorange.htm I was wondering why my dogs were getting strange,perhaps this might be a reason. Just look at this site and read the post, It could help you think about the things we use which we think will help.... Furie...

-- Furie (furieart@dnet.net), February 18, 1999

Answers

Link

<:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 18, 1999.

Sorry Furie, your address seems to be bad. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 18, 1999.

That's cause his dog ate it!

-- bowser (bowser@bone.com), February 18, 1999.

My daughter emailed me this one. It's about those little yellow sponges with the green scrubber backs, and I think it is important to read. (and we stocked up on a bunch of them!) I checked the label on the back.. sure enough, there is new warning... in tiny print, not to use in aquariums... Here is the right url http://www.sightings.com/ufo2/aorange.htm (the 2 was missing) The article says that the antibacterial stuff is a "derivative of 2-4-D, more popularly known as Agent orange". It also tells about someone who always cleaned his aquarium with the older type sponges, with no problems... didn't realize the change, cleaned the aquarium as usual with the new sponge, and this time he lost all of his tropical fish! (could someone try again to make a hotlink? Thanks

-- Suzanne L (SuzanneL@doggonit.weboughtem!), February 19, 1999.

Suzanne L, Hi! :-)

New Pot-Scrubbing Kitchen Sponges Contain 'Agent Orange' ??

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 19, 1999.

Hi Leska, :-) Thanks for the hotlink. (I should learn to do it) This antiseptic stuff is in so many things... I have read some negative things about the soaps, too. (also a Sightings report) What do you think about them?

-- Suzanne L (SuzanneL@Thanks.Leska), February 19, 1999.

Those new "antiseptic" soaps and cleansers have only weak amounts that kill only a portion of the bacteria. This leaves the antiseptic-resistant strains a clear field in which to thrive. So after not too long a time, you have just as many bacteria as you did before you started with the "antiseptic" cleansers, with the improvement that they're all resistant to the antiseptic agents!

To kill bacteria, use something like bleach, or other tried-and-tested serious-strength antiseptic (main ingredient, not an additive), that completely overwhelms all strains beyond their ability to resist.

-- No Spam Please (anon@ymous.com), February 19, 1999.

whoa, Suzanne, are you sure on your Agent Orange reference. If memory serves me right I thought A O was a combo of 2-4-D AND 2-4-5-T. Even though 2-4-D isn't stuff an organic gardener would use I think it is still around. Some farm stores sell it straight. And if you have a lawn service (tell me you don't) they may use something like Trimec (I think that's someone trademark or something)- ask them the what's in it. I think 2-4-D is one of the ingrediants. I'm working from memory here so would welcome confirmations (besides its too early for me)

-- john hebert (jt_hebert@hotmail.com), February 19, 1999.

Agent Orange or not, I think all those anti-bacterial products are dangerous because they will weaken our immune systems. Give me good old germs anytime. I can handle them!

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), February 19, 1999.

Suzanne--

The easiest way to find out how to make a hot link:

Find a web page with a hot link.

In MS IE, [View][Source] -- WordPad will open, showing the web page with all its HTML tags.

In Netscape, [View][Document Source]-- a new window will open, showing the web page with all its HTML tags.

Locate the text of the hot link you saw. ( WordPad has a search function, the Netscape page doesn't.)

The HTML formatting surrounding that text begins with <+ and ends with /+>. Copy it exactly to your own message; replace that URL (between the double quotes) with the one you want to use; replace the identifier with the words you want to see on the link, or with the URL itself.

Before posting here I use this site to PREVIEW what my message will look like.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), February 19, 1999.

Oops. I used the + character to represent the letter a, which is what you'll actually see.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), February 19, 1999.

Hi there Suzanne, don't know what I think yet. We use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Pure Castile soap, or Murphy's Oil Soap, or plain bleach, or vinegar. Try to stay away from most chemicals, although we do use antibacterial soaps for washing our hands 1,000,000,000,000 times on the job. Haven't looked into it. We dust with a really neat cloth called Trasan, or a sponge barely moist-squeezed. Also use Alcohol Swabs on light switches, phones, door knobs, wc handles, etc -- common places where fingertips flick frequently. This is an area we need to research more, if we get the time. We wear no-powder gloves whenever we do just about anything other than type! :)

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 19, 1999.

JH - 24D is still a commonly used herbicide (and *no way* an organic gardener would consider using it). I believe 245T ("Silvex") has been banned for a while. An underlying problem with Agent Orange was that it tended to be contaminated with dioxin as a result of the manufacturing process.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), February 19, 1999.

Brooks,

I kind of knew 24D was still around, didn't know about 245T. Thanks for the info. Besides the contamination you mention, am I correct on the combo being part of the AO chemistry?

jh

-- john hebert (jt_hebert@hotmail.com), February 20, 1999.

"Agent Orange or not, I think all those anti-bacterial products are dangerous because they will weaken our immune systems. Give me good old germs anytime. I can handle them!"--pshannon

pshannon is partly correct. All these relatively new "antibacterial" soaps, hygienic products and cleaners are actually doing a lot more harm than good. All that is needed to kill most germs is friction and water and thorough rinsing with any ordinary soap for the body. Hospitals use a solution of 1 part bleach in 9 parts water to kill tougher germs on equipment.

The use of such antibacterial products, especially with the tendency to shower everyday, dries up the skin and makes it prone to dermatitis and itchy sores, which are then prone to more serious infections.

Dove bar soap, or the liquid form, is perfect for everyday body/hand washings, it is mild and does the job if you take the time to wash your hands completely (not a 10-second wash/rinse job, wash well.)

The natural body bacteria that grows on your skin is actually protecting you from more harmful ones. Nature took million of years to develop our protective skin organ, only recently have we started to assault it with these products, all from greedy companies playing on people's misinformed obsessions with bacterias. The same as E. Coli is a needed bacteria in your intestines, there is a bacterial flora on your skin to protect it. The skin only needs to be washed as when touching foreign, possibly infected, objects (as in the case of the hands.)

I know, I repeat myself...

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), February 20, 1999.