Will Pitt - 11:54 AM CST

[Not_Giving_Up]

Thursday 11 August 2005
11:54 AM

We are back at the hotel to get our video uploaded, and so I can put some stuff on the forty fire ant bites my feet will be taking home as a souveneir. Ouch.

Today was the biggest day of this event so far. I am not sure how the whole health inspector thing is going to shake out, but the sherriff has said to several reporters that no arrests are planned. We will see if that holds true.

Back soon.

[jean]

1. Fire ants: Who has info on how to treat bites, prevent attacks whatever?

We've got baaad mosquitoes where I live, but fire ants?

How the heck do you protect yourself from them? (I suppose the first thing would be don't walk in ditchs OR grass?)

And what's the best way to treat the bites?

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. Cortizone cream always takes are of it for me

You can also use that pink crap they put on chicken pox, but I don't know the name of it.

To protect from them, wear shoes such as boots that they can't get into.

[ohio_liberal]

8. Calomine lotion? n/t

[Not_Giving_Up]

12. That's it

It was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't get it to come out!

[RubyDuby in GA]

3. Rubbing alcohol

just dab some on the bites.

From someone who's had more bites than you can shake a stick at. :)

[Shakespeare]

22. Second that.

Alcohol works better than anything (tends to dry out the bites, which keeps (this is gross) puss from forming too much, which makes the bites heal faster).

Now let's hope he can stay away from the chiggers... ;-)

[tech3149]

4. someone else posted earlier

50/50 bleach and water, sounds right to me. I might add some borax to keep them away.

[okasha]

11. Ants, chiggers, etc.

Tuck your pants legs into your sock or boot tops. If you're wearing lace-ups, tie the laces around your ankles and lower legs. Spray with DEET until visibly wet.

[guruoo]

14. And they seem to wait to bite...

at the same time, as if on cue.
Only thing I've ever found to stop them is
soaking my socks in mosquito repellant,
and not standing in one place for more
than a few seconds at a time.
You got to keep your feet moving.

[TeeYiYi]

19. Sudsy ammonia. My grandmother's remedy, GRHS. It works.

TYY

[democrat in Tallahassee]

21. wear boots; they are very aggressive and cause allergic reactions

they hurt and they suck

[MidnightWind]

33. You can die from an allergic reaction to fire ant bites

Carry some benadryl on you just in case, in pill form (and in the lotion/cream variety too to treat your bites). They seem to like certain people better than others as victims. And yes, it's true, they actually coordinate a signal and will all bite at the same time on cue. They also apparently bite as many times as they can once they start biting. I hate these things and have to have allergy shots so I can work in my garden because I'm one of the "lucky" folks who are deathly allergic to them. BE CAREFUL!

[Ripley]

28. No way to protect bare or sandaled feet...

Wear shoes and socks (even then they'll climb over your boot top and bite your calf, like they did me) and look for their mounds and avoid them like the Plague.

The product After-bite works for me....I think it has ammonia in it.

[madmax]

5. Thanks for all reporting, Will

God loves ya. :hug: Be safe, lovey.

[Wickerman]

6. Fire ants suck

cortizone is the best treatment and hope as they break open they don't become infected.

I sat in a mound once - in shorts. My life sucked for a bit.

[shelley806]

36. Ice cubes immediately and as long as there is pain, and analgesic-

corticosteroid cream, calamine lotion, and a paste of baking soda or meat tenderizer and water may all bring relief!

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Thanks so much, Will! *hugs* Have some bactine!

[Brotherjohn]

9. Benadryl Cream... over the counter. nt

[Dudley_DUright]

10. I seem to recall we were assured that there were no plans on Shrub's desk

for the Iraq war either.

[Bumblebee]

13. They probably collected the ants from all over Texas when Cindy arrived

:)

[Not_Giving_Up]

16. Well, if they did

They missed some. I counted three beds in my yard this morning that weren't there yesterday.

[Bumblebee]

20. They knew you were her supporter :)

[Not_Giving_Up]

23. I'm a Cindy Supporter in the District of Tom DeLay

Maybe I should check my yard again...I may not have any grass left!

[Bumblebee]

24. yes, I am surprised they had only three beds to spare :)

[Not_Giving_Up]

26. Next, it will be

an infestation of giant flying tree roaches. I HATE those things!!!!

[Bumblebee]

27. Wasn't DeLay in his previous incarnation supposed to exterminate them all?

[Not_Giving_Up]

34. He failed miserably

Trust me!

[Bumblebee]

35. another ground to indict!

[Bumblebee]

18. PS

I vote for Calomine

[Burried News]

15. I told you about them aints Will.

Recommend some bacitracin cream with a steroid in it and oral Benadryl (two in first dose and 1 every four hours) unless you have to drive - benadryl makes you sleepy. There is also a Benadryl cream that is very good.

Keep a watch on them and see a doc - 40 is alot of bites and some (like me) are very allergic to them. I also recommend wearing a sock over them in bed so you can't easily scratch them in your sleep.
Soaking in ice water can help control the itch and inflamation.
Take care.

http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic607.htm

[gasperc]

17. you so kick ass Will

one woman's spontaneous decision to go to Crawford and have an audience with the President during his vacation, that's courage, that's an action that trancends 99.9% of the rest of mankind's level of courage.

This reminds of the statement someone posted on the web that the anti-war movement(towards this war in Iraq) may suceed for the lack of one. I'm quite certain Rove gnashes his teeth every nite because he doesn't have massive war protesters to blame the failures in Iraq on. But how will the manical bastard deal with dozens or hundreds of parents of solidiers who have lost their children join Cindy in her simple request to see the president and ask, why are we still in Iraq

[Bumblebee]

25. From the most recent AP story

The unhurried pace of this one-stoplight town stands in sharp contrast to events across the globe: Suicide bombings in Iraq. On-again, off-again negotiations with the reclusive North Korea. Iran's decision to restart sensitive nuclear work in defiance of European-led negotiations. The pullout next week of some 9,000 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

Cindy is mentioned at the end of this clip

Bush's update on defense and foreign policy issues comes at a time when his approval ratings are hovering below 50 percent. An AP-Ipsos poll conducted Aug. 1-3 showed Bush's overall job approval was at 42 percent, with 55 percent disapproving. That's about where his approval rating has been all summer, but slightly lower than it was when the year began. His approval on his handling of Iraq stood at 38 percent.

Iraq, where the death toll of U.S. troops has topped 1,840, is likely to take a center stage.

The administration is hoping that progress on the political front will help deflate violence and allow the United States and its partners to begin withdrawing troops next year.

Rumsfeld said success in drafting a new Iraqi constitution is critical toward persuading the majority of Iraqis that the ''new Iraq is worth fighting for.'' But a deadlock has arisen over the drafting of the charter, which is supposed to be completed by Monday.

Cindy Sheehan, a California mother of a fallen soldier, is holding a roadside protest to bring the troops home.

[seabeyond]

29. 42% is no hovering under 50%. hovering 40% but not 50%

that fuzzy math again

[Beetwasher]

31. Yeah, Seriously, Good Catch...The Contortions They Go Through

To make it seem like his numbers aren't all that bad...The propoganda is sickening...

[Bumblebee]

32. and -8 is not "slightly" lower :)

[Cleita]

30. So, it looks like you guys won a salvo.

Apparently, from what I can tell on DU, no one was arrested. Have any of the Bush BBQ guests arrived yet?

[lonestarnot]

37. And how many people are there?

We are having an educational demonstration at 24th Street and Camelback in alliance with Code Pink tomorrow at 12:30 pm