103 replies to this topic

[Serafine]

For anyone who doesnt feel like getting ripped off I am putting together a giveaway of one 3 gram packet of methylparaben for any interested USA based ant keepers.

Are you also doing a test tube give-away because AntsCanada sells 15cm ones at 2.35$$$ PER TUBE ?

Edited by Serafine, April 25 2017 - 10:43 AM.

[Subverted]

And you should be very careful with your language:

On one hand, you're questioning whether a commercial product does what it is advertised to do, while on the other hand, you're offering to give people ingredients and advice you think they need to reverse-engineer the commercial product—whose efficacy you've called into question, and have now called a "ripoff"—for free.

So which is it? Does the product work, or are you just a drunken lout more interested in fabricating unnecessary drama that we haven't seen on this forum in ages?

 

 

You are the only one causing drama, Terry.

 

I asked for some data and you claimed it would be trade secrets to show any data supporting your claims. If there was data to back up your assertions that your mixture is worth $15 for 99% water then like I said...why wouldn't you want the world to see that data?

 

It will cost me right about 60 cents total to send people a 3 gram baggie of methylparaben to try themselves...and that's including the stamp and envelope.

[drtrmiller]

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Edited by drtrmiller, April 25 2017 - 5:06 PM.

[Subverted]

 

For anyone who doesnt feel like getting ripped off I am putting together a giveaway of one 3 gram packet of methylparaben for any interested USA based ant keepers.

Are you also doing a test tube give-away because AntsCanada sells 15cm ones at 2.35$$$ PER TUBE ?

 

 

Unfortunately no, the shipping costs involved would make that impractical. I would love to help people out with not getting ripped off on test tubes also so please remember to go buy your tubes at http://www.lcmlab.co...6_p/41a20-w.htm

 

Like I mentioned for the giveaway I have planned my costs will be less than a dollar per portion of methylparaben.

 

 

Oh God. A packet of white powder shipped in a stamped envelope through the mail. Nothing could go wrong there. Haha!

 

You sent it to me in an unmarked plastic test tube! At least I am planning to label the stuff.

[drtrmiller]

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Edited by drtrmiller, April 25 2017 - 5:06 PM.

[Serafine]

99% water

Tomatoes consist of 95% water, too. They should be a lot cheaper considering that you can just mix tap water with a few grams of sugar and cellulose fibers plus some ascorbic acid and have 99% of a tomato...

[Subverted]

Yeah, for free, in a box. So much for helping a guy out.

Man oh man, with friends like you...

If you were my friend I don't think you would have told me to kill myself over a political discussion on more than one occasion or continually say that I am acting in bad faith with my questions.

Why is it so hard to believe that I want to help people out?

Tomatoes consist of 95% water, too. They should be a lot cheaper considering that you can just mix tap water with a few grams of sugar and cellulose fibers plus some ascorbic acid and have 99% of a tomato...

I don't know how much you pay for tomatoes in Germany...but I just walk out into my yard... LOL
 
Or they are like $2 a pound at the store for something that takes months to produce - hardly a fair comparison.

Edited by Subverted, April 25 2017 - 11:06 AM.

[drtrmiller]

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Edited by drtrmiller, April 25 2017 - 5:06 PM.

[Subverted]

Yet again, you fail to see the irony in your remarks.
 
The price of Formisazine, as that of all packaged pet products, reflects the investments necessary to ensure its convenience, safety, and quality. These investments include testing, bottling, storage, and retail fulfillment—all costs inherent to the packaged pet product business.
 
Formisazine provides consumers with a reliable, conveniently packaged and ready-to-use water preservation option, which users choose to buy for its dependability, receptivity, quality, shelf life, and/or convenience and other reasons.

Yet again, we are at the crux of the issue!

Do you have any data to support the claims you make that your extremely marked up methylparaben water is really better than my guide?

I really doubt that such data exists but I would be more than happy if you prove me wrong.

[drtrmiller]

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Edited by drtrmiller, April 25 2017 - 5:06 PM.

[Subverted]

So you have no hard evidence to support your claims...awesome!

EDIT: Just to clarify for anyone watching this thread...methylparaben is commonly used at 0.01-0.2% concentrations as a preservative in numerous fields.

I felt that slightly under 0.1% was perfectly acceptable to handle the levels of mold that occur in test tubes while also being extremely simple.

Anyone using my guide and going by a volumetric measure would probably end up slightly on the high end of the <0.1% concentration mark I was aiming for while posing zero danger to their ants.

Edited by Subverted, April 25 2017 - 11:56 AM.

[JediPeaceFrog]

Thanks Subverted for bringing this to my attention. I understand a person making a profit and a living, but what Drtrmiller is doing is beyond profit. It feels borderline criminal.

[drtrmiller]

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Edited by drtrmiller, April 25 2017 - 5:06 PM.

[soulsynapse]

I agree with subverted but I do not agree with his methods of presenting arguments.

 

at the same time, there's little way drtmiller is making massive profits and it is not criminal as the guy before me claims.

 

this type of dissonance doesn't have a place in such a small community.

 

here are my thoughts on drtmiller's products, as written out a few weeks ago

 

http://www.formicult...otions/?p=53602

 

I don't feel this discussion needs to turn uncivil and neither of you are behaving in ways that I'd come to expect.

 

subverted, being incredulous is one thing, making claims about his character is not in the scope of where this needed to be.

 

drtmiller, you're not unaware that lack of proof is a problem, if you have the energy to argue pointlessly like this I don't see why you wouldn't conduct tests to back up your products before someone else does it for you in a way that is not up to your standards and does not put you in a good light

[soulsynapse]

ultimately, it's neither of your intentions to undermine the community, but discussing this in this manner is producing that exact result.

[Subverted]

A number of papers state a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for methylparaben as higher than your amateur formulation.  Further, parabens are often paired together with other preservatives to produce synergistic effects, of which your formulation has none.  I'm afraid there is nothing I can produce as "evidence" that would prove satisfactory in such a toxic discussion.

You can go as high as a solid 1% concentration with methylparaben (37g/gallon) but there is really no need to go that high to keep test tubes clean. I had perfectly luck with my colonies not molding using the 3g per gallon figure.

If you have some comparison between a few standard concentrations of methylparaben (0.1%-1%) versus your product that would very easily show if there is any benefit (I doubt it could be quantified if there was) to your formulation over my guide.

Like I said the data to support your assertions just doesnt exist.

[drtrmiller]

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Edited by drtrmiller, April 25 2017 - 5:06 PM.

[nurbs]

You two need to get a room.

[XZero38]

Sub you keep claiming that he should show data, what about yourself? Where is your data on your solution?

[Subverted]

Sub you keep claiming that he should show data, what about yourself? Where is your data on your solution?

I'm not charging people any money for it and thus I have the luxury of not having to provide any data. All of my claims are based on the use of methylparaben as a preservative and its well established that methylparaben is used at 0.05%-1% in many different applications.

Also, there are photos of colonies of mine living with methylparaben water linked off of the guide thread also including one queen who has been in the same tube for about a year.