I had a short but heated debate with a friend this morning. We were watching CNN and an interview with Kaci Hickox the nurse under mandatory quarantine in New Jersey.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/26/health/new-jersey-quarantined-nurse/
We were both in agreement that it was messed up that she is being held even though she claims to be non-symptomatic. However that is all we agreed on. Whereas I sympathize with her for being isolated and away from family and loved ones, I still think the United States is not going far enough and I commend New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York's governor Andrew Cuomo for their bold and apparently unpopular steps.
Let's face it, the federal government has guidelines for dealing with this deadly disease and from what THEY tell the public, this virus cannot be spread to others unless the infected person is experiencing symptoms. It supposedly cannot be spread through the air. This I get...to a point. How do we know when a person is supposedly sick enough to start showing symptoms? More importantly for me, what if my body (for example) takes longer to demonstrate symptoms? Is it possible to spread to a sick person NOT experiencing a fever? At what point do you know you have a fever? An apparent dumb question but if people can have walking pneumonia who is to say they could not walk around sick for a few days and not know it? Maybe it is more simple than that. I personally am not prepared to trust a person to on their own accord, monitor their body for symptoms. Meantime they could be spreading a fatal illness to someone who could pass it to a person who could give it to me. Not probably, but possibly.
Ever since this became an issue I have been for temporarily shutting travel down to the infected countries and to people who have recently visited them. I say shut down travel for three weeks then screen people from that point. There should be a ten day waiting period for anyone attempting to enter this country from any of the hot countries, then a mandatory five day quarantine once they land. I am in agreement that there should only be a few points of entry for those traveling from West Africa. At least until this is taken care of.
My friend seemed to care more about Ms. Hickox's freedom. The United States seems to care more about the loss of revenue to these countries. I am more concerned about my 86 year old mother and 79 year old aunt contracting the disease. Two people in Dallas caught it and even though they are recovering I don't need that type of drama. Plus their homes have been quarantined . If you can only get Ebola from close personal contact why the quarantine?
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
JOURNAL ENTRY 41 part 1
Where do I fit in with the homeless situation. . I spoke to a friend and neighbor (and good friend of my father before he passed away) and she was telling me this horror story about her father who is blind and how he was only able to get $11 in food stamps. He couldn't get Medicaid because he got too much in Social Security. .My various thoughts:
1. I obviously don't think that there should be as many people living on the streets as we have now.
2. I DO think it is the responsibility of the government to assist people in need and facing homelessness and hunger. IN addition to private organizations and churches offering pantries and soup kitchens there should be state run facilities.
3. I do NOT believe that private companies should take the lead in homeless issues or hunger issues. This is not about profits.
4. I think that welfare reform was evil and at best , a joke.
5. I think that whoever thought up the current guidelines for food stamps should be jailed. Seriously, nickel and diming people over food.
6. I would love to have a job assisting people get back on their feet.
7. Laws banning the feeding of people should be unconstitutional (Orlando, San Francisco, etc.).
8. It should be illegal for restaurants to throw edible food into the garbage.
9. Similarly, it should be illegal for companies to "donate" rotted food to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Yes, I have gotten word about this.
10. US companies should be taxed higher just to do business in the United States if they make their labor in another country. This is to make it unattractive to set up outside this country while making an enormous profit selling IN the country.
11. Welfare reform is not working. There are some folks who for one reason or another are not suitable for employment.
12. This will bring a lot of arguments but maybe it's time for the state to section off property and land and designate it for displaced people. Create a system within it to help those who are trying to get back on their feet and offer good assistance for those trying to get a job. Everyone should be encouraged to actually find their own place of course. In addition have sufficient mental health assistance available. I know. Wishful thinking.
I know the preceding is like a wish list on Fantasy Island. There is obviously money to be made off suffering. And as long as people are brainwashed into thinking that the homeless and the poor are lazy and should just pull themselves up by their boot strings the situation will stay the same.
1. I obviously don't think that there should be as many people living on the streets as we have now.
2. I DO think it is the responsibility of the government to assist people in need and facing homelessness and hunger. IN addition to private organizations and churches offering pantries and soup kitchens there should be state run facilities.
3. I do NOT believe that private companies should take the lead in homeless issues or hunger issues. This is not about profits.
4. I think that welfare reform was evil and at best , a joke.
5. I think that whoever thought up the current guidelines for food stamps should be jailed. Seriously, nickel and diming people over food.
6. I would love to have a job assisting people get back on their feet.
7. Laws banning the feeding of people should be unconstitutional (Orlando, San Francisco, etc.).
8. It should be illegal for restaurants to throw edible food into the garbage.
9. Similarly, it should be illegal for companies to "donate" rotted food to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Yes, I have gotten word about this.
10. US companies should be taxed higher just to do business in the United States if they make their labor in another country. This is to make it unattractive to set up outside this country while making an enormous profit selling IN the country.
11. Welfare reform is not working. There are some folks who for one reason or another are not suitable for employment.
12. This will bring a lot of arguments but maybe it's time for the state to section off property and land and designate it for displaced people. Create a system within it to help those who are trying to get back on their feet and offer good assistance for those trying to get a job. Everyone should be encouraged to actually find their own place of course. In addition have sufficient mental health assistance available. I know. Wishful thinking.
I know the preceding is like a wish list on Fantasy Island. There is obviously money to be made off suffering. And as long as people are brainwashed into thinking that the homeless and the poor are lazy and should just pull themselves up by their boot strings the situation will stay the same.
HOMELESS RANT part 1
I like former President Bill Clinton. I voted for him twice. Both times because I actually liked him and believed in him and because his opponent wasn't worth much to me. However, welfare reform with be a part of his legacy. I personally think the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 was one of the worst pieces of legislature ever created. Not that I am a huge fan of public assistance and the laziness associated with it. Congress brainwashed people into believing welfare recipients were the cause of the country's financial woes. Over 18 years ater there is still great unemployment but no safety net for those who could have used that little bit of change. Even worse I see a huge increase in the homeless population and I blame that in part to this 1996 law. Check out the links below for the details. I will break down my feelings at a later date.
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/abbrev/prwora96.htm
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-104hr3734enr/pdf/BILLS-104hr3734enr.pdf
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/abbrev/prwora96.htm
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-104hr3734enr/pdf/BILLS-104hr3734enr.pdf
JOURNAL ENTRY 40: Ebola and such
For months the world has been hearing about the ebola outbreak in western Africa. Officials have been assuring the public that there is little to worry about here in the United States. Considering you are only supposed to be able to contract this deadly virus through bodily contact with an infected person I would normally not worry. Then came the report about the cameraman who supposedly got ebola after cleaning a car owned by someone who died from the disease.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11144663/British-American-contracted-Ebola-cleaning-infected-car.html
Now I am back to not trusting officials.
As hideous as this sounds I am all for temporarily closing the boarders and heavily screening EVERYONE who has visited western Africa.
If this gentleman can contract ebola without even coming in direct contact with the patient it means to me that you can possibly get it without even coming in contact with the sick individual. A nurse who supposedly helped treat Thomas Duncan, the man who died last week from ebola, is now being treated for the disease. Authorities are trying to imply that there may have been a breach in how she used her protective gear.
Companies may lose money if we tightly screen people the way that I suggested but in the long run it could save lives and possibly prevent a nationwide panic. Think about it. Even if the only way you get ebola is by physically coming in contact with infected bodily fluids, with a 21 day incubation period it would not take long before there is a pandemic in this country.
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/ebola-outbreak-2014-the-terrifying-statistics-you-need-to-see/story-fneuzlbd-1227088785863
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11144663/British-American-contracted-Ebola-cleaning-infected-car.html
Now I am back to not trusting officials.
As hideous as this sounds I am all for temporarily closing the boarders and heavily screening EVERYONE who has visited western Africa.
If this gentleman can contract ebola without even coming in direct contact with the patient it means to me that you can possibly get it without even coming in contact with the sick individual. A nurse who supposedly helped treat Thomas Duncan, the man who died last week from ebola, is now being treated for the disease. Authorities are trying to imply that there may have been a breach in how she used her protective gear.
Companies may lose money if we tightly screen people the way that I suggested but in the long run it could save lives and possibly prevent a nationwide panic. Think about it. Even if the only way you get ebola is by physically coming in contact with infected bodily fluids, with a 21 day incubation period it would not take long before there is a pandemic in this country.
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/ebola-outbreak-2014-the-terrifying-statistics-you-need-to-see/story-fneuzlbd-1227088785863
Sunday, October 5, 2014
JOURNAL ENTRY 39
1. It's been about a week and Mom is not showing any ill-effects from taking her cholesterol medication.
2. Checked on the storage room I have for the first time in close to two years. It reminded me of Dad. It made me realize (again) that I need to get my ish together and move on and out from the Bronx.
2. Checked on the storage room I have for the first time in close to two years. It reminded me of Dad. It made me realize (again) that I need to get my ish together and move on and out from the Bronx.
JOURNAL ENTRY 38 Job opportunity
I am applying for a federal job in Daytona Beach. The position has to do with being a medical document assistant. I don't have the notice in front of me, lol. From reading the announcement the job has to do with assisting veterans with applications at the Veterans Hospital in Daytona.
Two reasons I am applying for this job:
1. It would put me closer to Mom.
2. It would get me out of immigration and from working with attorneys.
There is a position for social service assistant but according to the announcement I do not meet the qualifications. THAT was the job I wanted. I would have assisted homeless veterans find places to live and things along that line. I never really wanted to be on the front line. I enjoy the background and assisting that way. I am familiar with the VA Hospital. I had to take Dad there. Customer service from that end is better than from working with the attorneys. Granted, I really don't want to move to Florida, but here's hoping I can move around better there than I did at Homeland Security.
Two reasons I am applying for this job:
1. It would put me closer to Mom.
2. It would get me out of immigration and from working with attorneys.
There is a position for social service assistant but according to the announcement I do not meet the qualifications. THAT was the job I wanted. I would have assisted homeless veterans find places to live and things along that line. I never really wanted to be on the front line. I enjoy the background and assisting that way. I am familiar with the VA Hospital. I had to take Dad there. Customer service from that end is better than from working with the attorneys. Granted, I really don't want to move to Florida, but here's hoping I can move around better there than I did at Homeland Security.
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