[pct-l] Insects and Methods

[Luce Cruz]

> What works for me:

Personally, I have no problem with anything that works for anyone else as
long as it harms no one, and all that was mentioned after that opening is
great stuff, and thanks for posting it. THose are some great ideas. Maybe
some of the ladies can borrow a beard? :-)

I just get a burr under my saddle when folks try to create a shadow of
doubt or blame at how others do things that work for them. The thinly
veiled accusation and ego drips from some posts. And sometimes you can see
them coming from a mile away.

Like what I might term "drive-by shots of accusation of wrongdoing". It's a
pretty damned weak sauce form of saying "My way is better than yours" and
"Look at how bad you are".

We even have an example.

One time I noticed a chemical sheen appear where some hikers just went into
> some water. Was it a combo of DEET / Permethrin / sunscreen?
>

Was it some biofilm or oily substance that is naturally occurring? I guess
you just don't really know unless you were there to see what it looked like
before, and then after some hikers moved through, and also knew enough
about that particular piece of water to know if the stuff was there
naturally. Or does the mind only go to "harmful humans spilling chemicals
with wild abandon"?

Another time north of Wilma lake, I moved off trail to take some pics. A
> hiker came up the trail, moved off the trail to stand adjacent to me, and
> proceeded to apply DEET.
>

I hope you simply walked away.

If more and more hikers are comfortable with the existing toxicity studies
> regarding DEET and Permethrin ...
>

I'd like to see those studies. Seriously. Post some links. We need to know
this stuff, and you seem to already know where these studies are, so please
be a great human and share the info. Also, don't forget that at least one
actual real-life toxicologist is, or at least was, following this
conversation about mosquitoes and repellents. Since the toxicologist has
told us what his field of study and expertise is, and you have not, pray
tell: who should we listen to on the subject of toxicity?


>  And if a PCTer
> introduces DEET, you might notice someone silently pack up and hit the
> trail. That would be me.
>

I guess this answers my above question. This sounds like a great piece of
advice. If folks near you are doing stuff you don't like, you can leave.
It's easier in almost every case.

More hikers plus more orthodox neoclassical cost-benefit conclusions means
> more DEET / Permethrin.


Don't use a big word when a singularly unloquacious and diminutive
linguistic expression will satisfactorily accomplish the contemporary
necessity.

I am not trying to show any particular person to be a bad person for what
they do. I only combat the superior attitudes and what I know to be
incorrect. So if anyone can prove me wrong, I welcome it, because then I
can learn.

If you can't prove me wrong, there must be better things you can do with
your time.

I'm hiking today, and I'm covered in and filled with chemicals. I am a bad,
bad human.
-- 
Luce Cruz