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Oct. 4th, 2014 05:49 am* They think HIV crossed into the human population in the '20's in Kinshasa. At the time there was large scale population displacement and deforestation and they were using unsterilized needles for inoculations. Likely someone carried it in their blood stream from a remote area, and the health system spread it.
It sounded heartbreakingly like one of the early ebola outbreak where they infected a whole maternity ward by giving them vitamin shorts with unsterilized needles. One lady had brought it from a rural area.
I also kept thinking of the thousands of newborn infants infected at a hospital in the USSR in the '80's as they were reusing needles and the government insisted that the USSR had no HIV.
These things keep happening because of poverty, and deforestation, and poor decision making at the top.
* Turkey is sending ground troops against ISIL in the wake of ISIL bringing the war to the border and occasionally across.
ISIL beheaded a man for the crime of trying to bring clean water to people displaced by the Syrian Civil War.
* "This date in Obamacare hysteria: Oct. 3, 2013:"
( Embed: )
* "13 Texas abortion clinics close overnight:"
( Embed: )
* "IUD birth control targeted by anti-abortion Republican:"
( Embed: )
* They finally got around to sending professionals to start decontaminating the ebola infected apartment where they had been confining that family under armed guard even though they are not infectious and not helping them clean or even giving them advice for safe handling of infectious waste and confining them in the apartment with it makes it way more likely that they be infected if they weren't already because they the hospital didn't take the whole patient just came from a hot zone and is exhibiting symptoms thing seriously.... Anyway, the family has finally been moved to a private home because no where else would take them. People have been panicking pulling their kids out of school despite zero risk of ebola infection from that and people were "helpfully" spreading incorrect rumors about the man vomiting all over the apartment complex even though nothing like that happened. I am starting to worry about torches and pitchforks and the authorities in Texas are so not helping.
This is why the constant cuts to the CDC, hospital epidemic/disaster preparedness training/the public health system are a terrible idea. The hospital in Dallas had a computer system that wasn't working properly and the disaster/epidemic training there was fubar. It does not help that the Governor makes W look like a mental giant and is clearly not able to understand the public health briefings let alone make good decisions about them judging from his tumbling statement and the bad decisions state authorities have been making. I am very glad the CDC is stepping in, because I really do have faith in their competence and I've been very pleased with the Federal handling of the other cases.
Ebola is a terrible disease. At the same time, people panicking about it is currently way more dangerous in the US than the disease itself. I worry about the people spreading rumors to stir up ostracism of the family that has been exposed. I worry about the folks using the disease to whip up Nativist hatred of West African Immigrants for political gain and the danger of violent hate crimes that comes with that. I worry about people who are healthy and haven't been exposed clogging emergency rooms with their panic, and the wild suggestions I'm hearing from ignorant congress folk and pundits that will only harm people and not make anyone any safer.
Things that will make us safer? Education, rational decision making, proper funding for programs and training to improve our preparedness and public health system generally.
* For the millionth time CNN, scare mongering about the Dallas public schools is the opposite of helping. The three children were not contagious, so people demanding to know their names are creepy fuckers hoping to demonize children already undergoing trauma who may get sick in the future, but posed zero danger to their children. Reinforcing them in their demands for the school to breach privacy is irresponsible and endangers three innocent children who did nothing wrong.
* Greenwick found. "With Dry Taps and Toilets, California Drought Turns Desperate:" http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/us/california-drought-tulare-county.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1
* Greenwick found. "Federal government to investigate case of NC inmate who died of thirst:" http://www.wral.com/federal-government-to-investigate-case-of-nc-inmate-who-died-of-thirst/14039172/
* Greenwick found. "Prison bankers cash in on captive customers:" http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/09/30/15761/prison-bankers-cash-captive-customers
* "Nazca Lines of Kazakhstan: More Than 50 Geoglyphs Discovered:" http://www.livescience.com/47954-geoglyphs-discovered-in-kazakhstan.html
* "Ancient Chinese nomadic campsite unearthed:" http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/ancient-chinese-nomadic-campsite-unearthed/article6445129.ece
* "Buddhist artefacts discovered in Chebrolu:" http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/buddhist-artefacts-discovered-in-chebrolu/article6450273.ece
* "How the Vikings Saved Europe and Got a Terrible Reputation:" http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/17/how-the-vikings-saved-europe-and-got-a-terrible-reputation.html
I think this goes to far, but is a useful corrective to a vast bulk of things going the other way often on dumbious grounds.
* "Did the Vikings Get a Bum Rap?:" http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140926-vikings-norse-raiding-berserkers-scandinavia-winroth/
* People tend to forget the genocide Charlemagne exacted on the Saxons. Context does matter.
* "Germs of Engagement:"
( Embed: )
* "A Million Ways to Die in the U.S.:"
( Embed: )
* "Deathpocalypse Now - Ebola in America - 50 States of Grave:"
( Embed: )
* "Jessica's Feminized Atmosphere:"
( Embed: )
* "How a Bill Becomes an Ad:"
( Embed: )
* "Highlights of the Values Voter Summit:"
( Embed: )
* "Muslims in the End Zone:"
( Embed: )
* Today I did all the things on the errand list and made veg with chard, an increasingly elaborate dish with an increasingly small proportion of chard. All the ebays have mailed out except the one waiting for payment. I have meds, food, and catfood. Next on the agenda? Bureaucracy.
* The post on slurs passed 7700 notes. O.o
* It is ebay time again:
BPAL: JOHNATHAN HARKER 2006 (LE, Halloweenie): http://www.ebay.com/itm/301337029112?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
* Fundraiser to Help Us Pay Back Rent and Insurance: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws
It sounded heartbreakingly like one of the early ebola outbreak where they infected a whole maternity ward by giving them vitamin shorts with unsterilized needles. One lady had brought it from a rural area.
I also kept thinking of the thousands of newborn infants infected at a hospital in the USSR in the '80's as they were reusing needles and the government insisted that the USSR had no HIV.
These things keep happening because of poverty, and deforestation, and poor decision making at the top.
* Turkey is sending ground troops against ISIL in the wake of ISIL bringing the war to the border and occasionally across.
ISIL beheaded a man for the crime of trying to bring clean water to people displaced by the Syrian Civil War.
* "This date in Obamacare hysteria: Oct. 3, 2013:"
( Embed: )
* "13 Texas abortion clinics close overnight:"
( Embed: )
* "IUD birth control targeted by anti-abortion Republican:"
( Embed: )
* They finally got around to sending professionals to start decontaminating the ebola infected apartment where they had been confining that family under armed guard even though they are not infectious and not helping them clean or even giving them advice for safe handling of infectious waste and confining them in the apartment with it makes it way more likely that they be infected if they weren't already because they the hospital didn't take the whole patient just came from a hot zone and is exhibiting symptoms thing seriously.... Anyway, the family has finally been moved to a private home because no where else would take them. People have been panicking pulling their kids out of school despite zero risk of ebola infection from that and people were "helpfully" spreading incorrect rumors about the man vomiting all over the apartment complex even though nothing like that happened. I am starting to worry about torches and pitchforks and the authorities in Texas are so not helping.
This is why the constant cuts to the CDC, hospital epidemic/disaster preparedness training/the public health system are a terrible idea. The hospital in Dallas had a computer system that wasn't working properly and the disaster/epidemic training there was fubar. It does not help that the Governor makes W look like a mental giant and is clearly not able to understand the public health briefings let alone make good decisions about them judging from his tumbling statement and the bad decisions state authorities have been making. I am very glad the CDC is stepping in, because I really do have faith in their competence and I've been very pleased with the Federal handling of the other cases.
Ebola is a terrible disease. At the same time, people panicking about it is currently way more dangerous in the US than the disease itself. I worry about the people spreading rumors to stir up ostracism of the family that has been exposed. I worry about the folks using the disease to whip up Nativist hatred of West African Immigrants for political gain and the danger of violent hate crimes that comes with that. I worry about people who are healthy and haven't been exposed clogging emergency rooms with their panic, and the wild suggestions I'm hearing from ignorant congress folk and pundits that will only harm people and not make anyone any safer.
Things that will make us safer? Education, rational decision making, proper funding for programs and training to improve our preparedness and public health system generally.
* For the millionth time CNN, scare mongering about the Dallas public schools is the opposite of helping. The three children were not contagious, so people demanding to know their names are creepy fuckers hoping to demonize children already undergoing trauma who may get sick in the future, but posed zero danger to their children. Reinforcing them in their demands for the school to breach privacy is irresponsible and endangers three innocent children who did nothing wrong.
* Greenwick found. "With Dry Taps and Toilets, California Drought Turns Desperate:" http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/us/california-drought-tulare-county.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1
* Greenwick found. "Federal government to investigate case of NC inmate who died of thirst:" http://www.wral.com/federal-government-to-investigate-case-of-nc-inmate-who-died-of-thirst/14039172/
* Greenwick found. "Prison bankers cash in on captive customers:" http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/09/30/15761/prison-bankers-cash-captive-customers
* "Nazca Lines of Kazakhstan: More Than 50 Geoglyphs Discovered:" http://www.livescience.com/47954-geoglyphs-discovered-in-kazakhstan.html
* "Ancient Chinese nomadic campsite unearthed:" http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/ancient-chinese-nomadic-campsite-unearthed/article6445129.ece
* "Buddhist artefacts discovered in Chebrolu:" http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/buddhist-artefacts-discovered-in-chebrolu/article6450273.ece
* "How the Vikings Saved Europe and Got a Terrible Reputation:" http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/17/how-the-vikings-saved-europe-and-got-a-terrible-reputation.html
I think this goes to far, but is a useful corrective to a vast bulk of things going the other way often on dumbious grounds.
* "Did the Vikings Get a Bum Rap?:" http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140926-vikings-norse-raiding-berserkers-scandinavia-winroth/
* People tend to forget the genocide Charlemagne exacted on the Saxons. Context does matter.
* "Germs of Engagement:"
( Embed: )
* "A Million Ways to Die in the U.S.:"
( Embed: )
* "Deathpocalypse Now - Ebola in America - 50 States of Grave:"
( Embed: )
* "Jessica's Feminized Atmosphere:"
( Embed: )
* "How a Bill Becomes an Ad:"
( Embed: )
* "Highlights of the Values Voter Summit:"
( Embed: )
* "Muslims in the End Zone:"
( Embed: )
* Today I did all the things on the errand list and made veg with chard, an increasingly elaborate dish with an increasingly small proportion of chard. All the ebays have mailed out except the one waiting for payment. I have meds, food, and catfood. Next on the agenda? Bureaucracy.
* The post on slurs passed 7700 notes. O.o
* It is ebay time again:
BPAL: JOHNATHAN HARKER 2006 (LE, Halloweenie): http://www.ebay.com/itm/301337029112?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
* Fundraiser to Help Us Pay Back Rent and Insurance: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws