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Re: ants- Reply to some old posts Long

You seem to have meant to post this to the list but sent it to me only.
I hope you do not mind if I respond on the list to save some time.

BssnRX@aol.com wrote:
>
> Bill DeWitt wrote:
>
> << I planted my garden with the intention of feeding my family.
>  I don't want bugs eating my family's food. Some folk put in gardens as a
>  hobby, they can deal with a decreased harvest in return for the feeling
>  of being one with nature. >>
>
>    Bill's excuse for using chemicals in his garden (feeding his family) is
> one that cannot be taken lightly, as results in his case (and mine for that
> matter, since I feed my wife and myself with my garden) are of extreme
> importance and a key reason for his gardening. It seemed to me that the best
> way to refute the need for chemicals in a garden would be to wait until the
> end of the year , list my harvest and let Bill and others compare it to
> theirs.
        <snip>
        You went to a great length to prove nothing. My contention was -not-
that one should use 'chemicals' in one's garden and in fact I have not
used 'chemicals', meaning synthisized pesticides, in mine. If I had, I
would have gotten a larger harvest this year since a little SevinDust
would have kept off the cucmber worms and Squash Vine Borers.
        But despite the fact that your premise was wrong, since your test is
faulty you could not expect to achieve relevant results. There are books
that can explain the scientific method to you, I recommend that you find
one and read it. There are certain requirements of a good test which if
not used, invalidate the test.
        I am sure you would not want one case of a High Pesticide gardener
having a better harvest than you to be the 'test' of whether your method
was better or not. This is why I object to stupid arguments, not because
I disagree with the results, but because if I endorse sloppy methods,
that endorsement may come back to bite me.

>    I don't know whether or not I would have gotten a bigger harvest using
> chemicals, but I doubt it, since this year was much better than any other
> I've had and there was a drought here this year. I never had to worry about
> the timing of harvesting coinciding with the half life of some pesticide,
> since I didn't use any. I agree with Bill that I don't want pests eating the
> fruits of my labor, but I disagree with his method of getting rid of the
> pests.
        <snip>
        Again, you don't know what my methods are. You should take some time to
look up "Strawman" and while you are at it, "Anecdotal". And some day,
read and understand -my- posts.

>    As for Bills tirade about the 60s and organic gardeners, perhaps the less
> said the better. I would hope that he would realize though, that A: we are
> not all crazed,
> "Can't seem to find their way out of the Sixties",
> Earth-Loving/Human-Hating Kazinski-ites . Most of us are actually quite down
> to earth people with the same everyday joys, disappointments and  problems
> that everybody else has,

        When you make unreasoned, miss the point, loose cannon arguements for
the Organic Method, you contribute to the stereotype that I mentioned.
You clearly do not get it. I was not saying that Organic Gardeners -are-
the stereotype, I was saying that silly, irresponsible posts help to
continue that stereotype. In response you throw out an unreasoned, miss
the point, loose cannon argument. Great going! I think we (meaning folk
who want others to see that Intellegent Folk garden Organically too) can
take it from here... you go on back to the dugout.

and that B:the way he kills a pest in his yard will
> often have an effect on my yard, and he has no right to effect my yard in any
> way at all.

        Don't forget to look up "Strawman", there'll be a test later.

--
        Bill DeWitt
        East Central Florida
        Ask me why Worker's Compensation Laws need to be changed.

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