"Does anyone doubt that the Tsarneavs were responsible for killing and maiming dozens? Timothy Mcveigh?"

It's a little hard to ask him what he thinks about the Tsarneavs these days.

This is more confirmation, but it has already been known in the microbiology community for some time.

Many of the genes that contribute to antibiotic resistance are far older than human use of antibiotics.

How can that be? A couple ways. Mom Nature has been playing the antibiotic game for a very long time. Most of our antibiotics come from antibiotic producing organisms in nature (penicillin for example). The countermeasures have long been out there, but only in a small percentage of the bacteria out there, since there is a small cost to maintaining any given gene. When there is a big exposure to a particular antibiotic, the resistance genes spread through the bacterial community and become common, as we often see nowadays.

The other source is that an enzyme that is used for some other purpose may well have some ability to protect against an antibiotic. An example would be a transporter molecule for some substance other than the antibiotic to be pumped out of the cell that is close enough to sometimes pump out the antibiotic. There would then be strong pressure for the bacteria to make more of that transporter protein when the antibiotic is around. Nature is good at using something it already has for a new purpose.

That's one of the reasons antibiotic resistance is such a problem. Mother Nature has been playing this game a very long time and frankly is better at it than we are.

"morons have stamina"

In that sense, at least, ignorance really is strength.

"Basement-dwelling Introverts"

That's completely untrue.

I don't spend much time in the basement any more. I've become allergic to the mold down there.

Oh, you can find someone with a "thing" for anyone.

Just Google chubby chaser sometime.

One of the problems is that depression isn't a single process. It's a symptom, and we lump a lot of things under that name.

The exact details vary from patient to patient. Also, the differences in the way the drugs used to treat it are metabolized in different people can be pretty significant.

I've taken Prozac for nearly as long as it's been available. It works well for me. When I've gone off of it to see if I could do without, the depression came back on a pretty predictable timeline. I tried another antidepressant, Effexor, and that didn't work so well for me. The additional effect it has on norepinephrine as well as the serotonin system (I'm guessing that's what it was based on what we know about how it works. YMMV) made me a bit too up, i.e. slightly hypomanic.

The SSRIs don't work for everyone. It's usually taken about 3 tries for most of those I know who are taking them for definitely diagnosed depression to find the right one/the right dose. For a goodly number, they just don't work that well.

The certainly aren't the only class of drugs that are like that. Blood pressure medications often have to be tailored in dose and kind before they lower the pressure enough without too many side effects.

As another anon (maybe you) mentioned, regular exercise works very well for many people. But again, not so well for all, either due to inability to exercise, or just not working as well as in other people. (In fact, regular exercise programs are an excellent thing to try first in depression, IMHO as soon as other common medical causes like hypothyroidism are ruled out).

As others have mentioned, when you're first starting a new antidepressant changing dosage, you need to be monitored by a health professional (which I'm not, thus take this as one man's views.). Mood changes and the possibility of suicidality aren't something to try to watch for by yourself as you're the one whose judgement is being impacted by them.

"You've made it clear that you listen to rush Limbaugh"

This is a great example of the word "assume" making an "ass" out of "u" and "me".

Fair warning. I get to use this in conversation over lunch. Should get quite a laugh from the actual Beck and Limbaugh dittoheads around the shop. :)

There's been stupid conspiracy theory class criticism of every president I've lived under on every possible point. (Well, I can't remember so much about JFK. I was one year old when he was assassinated.). With Obama, it can be racial, or that he's a muslim or the birther nonsense

But there's also yet to be one that didn't deserve well thought out criticism of policy.

Just create a web site lauding ISIS (or the little green men in Ukraine, or the North Koreans, etc. There's a long list.).

You're guaranteed to have all your data backed up on the best quality archival storage the US government can find!

Just don't get too over the top. Predator drones, you know. ;)

"If people consistently think your criticism has racial overtones "

It's certainly not consistently, but has happened. Mostly I've chuckled at how ridiculous it is, or replied: In the words of Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon."

Laughing at misplaced righteous outrage usually works a lot better than replying in kind.

Exactly. Doesn't matter what you say, you're going to be the devil incarnate to someone.

Perhaps I'd get called that literally if I criticized Cruz or Huckabee.

I must say that being the prince of Hell would be quite a promotion compared to the fat 50 something geek I thought I was. ;)

After almost 7 years of implications that I'm racist when I disagree with the surveillance and foreign policies of the current administration, I can look forward to now being called a sexist instead!

Free at last!