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New from BorgCo, a range of selective and non-selective herbicides, but with a difference; in the packaging is a small container of "antidote" specific to the herbicide used.
Thus, if something is accidentally (-on-purpose) sprayed, overspraying with the antidote within 24 hours will neutralise or
at least very greatly mitigate the effects of the herbicide.
Ideal for those households where there are differences of opinion between what is an "attractive plant" and a "hideous ugly invasive weed"
The DeLuxe pack also contains earplugs, a pair of running shoes, a stab- and bullet-proof vest, and a CD entitled "Be Your Own Divorce Lawyer".
[link]
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So, definitely not a "magic weedkiller antidote" or
anything like that? |
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Definitely not "magic"; actual (bio-)chemistry.
The antidote is specific to the herbicide. |
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There are antitoxins for venoms, poisons and toxins in animals; no reason it can't be done for plants. |
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Aren't most antivenoms and antitoxins antibodies? I
doubt a similar approach could be used for common
herbicides. |
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What you probably need is some GM. |
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// I doubt a similar approach could be used for common herbicides. // |
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But these are not "common or garden" (that's a 'pun', or play on words, by the way) herbicides. The active agent and the antidote are specifically engineered. No GM required. |
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I suspect the major issue would be the rate of
diffusion through plants. Humans spread
materials through their body relatively quickly via
the circulatory system, definitely quicker than
most toxins act. |
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Plants on the other hand spread such things
relatively slowly, taking a day or two for most
things. |
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The point being that the most common
herbicides, which act in a day or two, are the
biological equivalent of fast acting agent in a
human, meaning that it will act before the anti-
toxin/antagonist can catch up. |
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// The active agent and the antidote are specifically
engineered. No GM required.// |
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Well, in that case, please carry on. |
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Incidentally, what is a dote? |
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// Aren't most antivenoms and antitoxins
antibodies?// |
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As a rule, no. Antibodies pretty much exclusively
act on biological agents (bacteria, virii and fungi).
Antitoxins are almost always a chemical actor, either
destroying the dangerous chemical, causing the
body to not take it up in the first place, or
regulating the body's reaction to it until it passes
safely. |
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I'm pretty sure that, for example, snake venom
antidotes are basically antibodies. |
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Looks like, I wasn't aware of that. Nerve agent
antidotes are of the types I was describing. |
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However, snake venom shows relatively poor effectiveness against dandelions compared with other formulations, such as octane, which is 100% effective (once the smoke has cleared). |
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A note. but written by someone with chronic catarrh. |
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Please, do try to keep up with the rest of the class. |
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//snake venom antidotes are basically
antibodies//
So is tetanus antitoxin. Drugs like atropine or
pralidoxime, used to treat nerve gas or
organophosphate poisoning aren't antitoxins,
they're
antidotes. |
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"Dote" was originally "doat," and was, in fact a
typo for "goat." The
misspelling arose in the 19th century, when
the the HMS Insufferable went down with all hands
while rounding Cape Horn. She was carrying a
cargo of Gs to India, where the East India Company
printers suffered from a shortage of that letter.
The precious cargo lost, the typesetters adopted
the convention of substituting "D" in official
communications. "Regimental goat" was, at that
time, a colloquial expression for any military camp
follower, including the common-law wives who
provided cooking, washing up, and other services.
Military logistics in those days was primitive, and
these women were indispensable: As a mark of
particular esteem, the most senior were awarded
caps, made
from animal hide with the tail left on (like Davy
Crockett), which they wore with pride. |
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[8th], in other words, was misled by an old wives'
tail. |
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Bravo! It's about time that one was cleared up. |
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Hah! Similar etymology to "moat", which was
previously pronounced "boat", until an entire crew
of workmen, all with cleft lips and/or palates,
were tasked with the building of a water
fortification defence around the Tower Of
London, in the Twelfth century. |
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Unable to make themselves properly understood
by the King's courtiers, they described a "sunken
boat", meaning a boat with the water inside it,
right around the castle's outer bailey. The term
"sunken moat" thus came into existence, and to
this day describes a channel of water encircling a
building. |
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Oh, you said **anti*dote! Sorry... |
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{wanders off in search of a broad-spectrum antidote to folk etymologies} |
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//until an entire crew of workmen, all with cleft lips and/or palates// That's a bit hard to swallow... |
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He was probably speaking tongue-in-cheek ... |
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I feel your pain, o stubborn one. |
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Interestingly, the antidote to some herbicides is other herbicides. (For similar reasons, cyanide or botulism should act as an antidote to strychnine.) |
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//cyanide or botulism should act as an antidote to
strychnine.// Is that based on the principle that
you don't live long enough for the strychnine to take
effect? |
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No, it's based on the principle that strychnine kills by up-regulating muscular contractions, so down-regulating could prevent death. It's not a proper theory, I just made it up on the spot, so kids, don't try this at home. |
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But a similar thing does happen with herbicides. Those that act as growth inhibitors can reduce the effectiveness of those that act as up-regulators. |
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Yeah but on the downside, if you miscalculate you
wind up with bigger weeds. |
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Some of us calculate _for_ bigger weed, you know. |
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A...nyway, [8th], did you ever manage to flush the last of the Agent Orange out of the Gardenia beds? |
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Everyone wants to be Agent Black, don't they? |
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