Well, it looks I may be stuck on LJ for now…but when my paid time is up, I’m not giving them more money, and that’s the end of this. I think I’m also going to start double-posting on another site, TBA…I hope some of you will consider moving.

People tell me sometimes that I spend too much time ranting about things. I have to wonder why those people can tolerate being so uninvolved in the world around them. People should have opinions. Despite the push in the last few decades against partisan politics (always suspect, because politicians are always the ones talking about it), debate is a good thing. Having a discussion with someone who disagrees with you is the best way to clarify your own positions.

I guess the problem is that most people want to do things the easy way. The easy way is to listen to what the talking heads say. The easy way is not to engage. Medical evidence shows that the easy way is a mitigating factor in Alzheimer’s.

I guess everyone has different things that they care about, but I do think that there are some subjects that everyone should be universally interested in. Public welfare is a good example, or wars that have *cough* cost us $330 billion. Did you know that? I hope you did. The White House wants $50 billion more for next year.

The USA Today editorial board recently wrote a piece about free speech at Bushie rallies, and I particularly liked this quote: “Dissent is a bedrock of our system.” Indeed, dissent is written into the very first amendment to the US Constitution, and it’s powerful. And not just in this country… dissent has toppled whole governments, even empires. It is a truth of any society, no matter how oppressed.

So to anyone who thinks I should keep my opinions to myself, there you have it. No one who gives two cents about the state of our existence in this earthly realm should have to sit down and shut up. Passion and determination are what drive change. Changes that don’t seem so big on paper reverberate for centuries, even if the next generation doesn’t understand what happened. In remembering that Hershey’s commercial, yes, of course there is such a thing as bad change. But what’s worse than one bad decision is everyone else’s failure to correct it later.

The Washington Post’s Andrew Cohen stated in his editorial column about his series on Alberto Gonzales that “sometimes heat is as good as light.” Sometimes it’s worth getting people a little upset, if it gets the subject the kind of attention it deserves.

A lengthy digression, I think, but one that needed saying. Getting back to my original topic…

One day SixApart decided to censor communities that had relied upon Livejournal for many years as an open forum for creative minds, gun clubs and angsty teenagers alike. Ten thousand plus customers protested. SixApart stuck by (surprise) protecting their ass from dumbass conservative activist groups and has yet to reap harsh consequences from their customers. While their actions may have been perfectly legal, based on the fact that only a court considers one “innocent until proven guilty,” it certainly wasn’t fair. They need to know that their customers truly value the freedom that they claim to. That’s why I wish you, my flist, to consider leaving. This probably won’t be the last time I ask.

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On another, less conspiratorial note, a University of Michigan news release stated that researches have pooled the results from 27 studies conducted over 26 years and confirmed what many scientists have long believed: triclosan-containing “antibacterial” soaps and sanitizers are no more effective at killing germs than non-antibacterial soaps and cleansers, provide little or no health benefit against dangerous types of bacteria such as E. coli (they mostly kill harmless ones), and can reduce the use of antibiotic medications by breeding resistant strains.

The article’s source, gives better explanations than the article itself:

“Antibacterials are definitely effective in killing bacteria, however, there is considerable controversy surrounding their health benefits. The non-residue producing agents have been used for many years and continue to be effective agents for controlling disease organisms in a wide variety of healthcare and domestic settings. …However, to date, there is no evidence to support claims that antibacterials provide additional health benefits when used by the general consumer."

From my own experience, I would have to agree. I never use antibacterial products, and I’m one of the healthiest people I know. Futhermore, I know people who use the products on everything they own and still get sick a lot.

The site also explains, “Because of their rapid killing effect, the non-residue producing antibacterial agents are not believed to create resistant bacteria. Resistance results from long-term use at low-level concentrations, a condition that occurs when consumer use residue-producing agents such as triclosan and triclocarban. … It was demonstrated that these triclosan-resistant mutants were also resistant to several antibiotics, specifically chloramphenicol, ampicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin.”

Not to freak everyone out. The major problem with resistant bacteria has been in hospitals, where strong, targeted antibiotics are present in high concentration. It’s more likely you’ll encounter bacteria that will make you very sick in a hospital, for obvious reasons. Resistant strains of harmless bacteria, which are most of them, are still harmless. In fact, many bacteria are very beneficial, even essential to our health. But according to these studies, watch what you buy. Avoid triclosan-containing products when you can. That way, if you do catch something, it might be easier to treat.

More importantly, though, watch what your doctor gives you. Antibiotics should be prescribed rarely, if ever. They’ve mistakenly been prescribed for conditions like the common cold and the flu (caused by viruses), parasites, and ordinary infections the body could easily fight off by itself. They shouldn’t be used to placate an anxious patient, and they absolutely shouldn’t be taken like a supplement—yes, I’ve heard of people doing that!

On the other hand, conditions like staph infections, STI’s, strep and post-surgery recovery are perfectly justifiable uses for antibiotics. They key, as always, is informed moderation. Still, it’s amazing how ignorant people can be, even though they deal with these very products every day. So spread the word, won’t you?