Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi all,

Hope you can stop scratching bedbug bites and supress your bedbug paranoia long enough to enjoy this holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bedbugs in Russia

Someone told me that bedbugs have run rampant in Russia, and that Russian women (well, the ones who are homemakers, I suppose) have become experts in killing bedbugs. So when they come over to the U.S., this whole infestation thing is old hat for them. They track them, they kill the bugs, they even set up makeshift bed bug traps. Can anyone verify this? If this is true, maybe some Americans should be sending out for those Russian mail-order brides.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Haven't seen any bugs in a few days, which is great because with our midterms going on the last few weeks, M and I wouldn't have had the time to take care of them, or un-clutter the room. Our books, sylabi and papers are all over the place, a real bed bug magnet. Plus I haven't even had time to try out the Suspend insecticide.

Speaking of school, has anyone tried those online colleges? Because I am always late to class and it affects my grade and the commute is a hassle. and with all the technology available these days, it seems kind of archaic and unecessary to have everyone meet at the same place and at the same time and punish those who fail to do so. I did a search of online schools, and found a distance learning college that piqued my interest, Capella University. It's accredited and has a lot of graduate degree programs. It's too late to do my undergrad there, (I'm a senior) but it's a definite candidate school to consider when I start looking for a graduate degree.*

*Don't mind my babbling. I'm in school right now and the professor lectured me in front of everybody about the importance of coming in on time today. That's why I'm searchng for a better alternative at the school computer lab.

Crinkle, Crinkle

M and I just bought two pillows at a 99 cent store to replace the ones I threw out in July which were full of bed bugs. These pillows came in a kind of cellophane bag, so we decided to tape up the opening of each bag with the pillow still inside to keep the bugs from crawling inside. Then we just stuff the whole thing in a pillowcase. So far we've had the pillows for a week and we haven't seen any bed bugs on them yet. The only drawback is that M and I are both notorious chronic tossers and turners, so the cellophane bag goes "crinkle crinkle" everytime we change positions or basically anytime we touch them.

oh well.

crinkle crinkle.

Bed Bug Map & City Pamphlets

Just wanted to inform everyone about Bedbug City, a new mapping project that shows where in New York City and Boston bed bugs have struck, right down to street addresses. The map even allows participants to tell how intense their particular infestation has been. The only downside is that the reporting is done in complete anonymity, so there's no way to gauge if reports are real, or just submitted falsely. But I think most people will behave honestly when submitting bed bug infestation. I encourage everyone to go to Bedbug City and report their infestations, if for no other reason than to let people know just how much of a problem this is.

Also, I wanted to add to a comment a person made about the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's bed bug pamphlets I wrote about in my last entry. The poster grumbled that the general one was kind of lame as opposed to the one for hotels. Unfortunately, I have to agree with this poster's opinion. I didn't want to give a critique of the pamphlets because I didn't want to discourage anyone from viewing them.

In any case, if you haven't already viewed these pamphlets paid for by your tax dollars, feel free to do so and offer your own opinion.

Later.