Category: health

Don’t use the condiments

On a local social networking site, a person sounded off about some child drinking from the chocolate syrup bottle at the local BBQ joint. She corrected the child and told management what had happened. The girl behind the counter tossed the syrup. When the boy told his father, he glanced at the woman, waved, and left the establishment.

The thread went on with many weighing in.

Since my thoughts are more verbose than intended, I thought I would put this on my blog instead.

It starts with the parents. It might be more profound than that. Kids are being raised by video games and what used to be Hollywood.

The economy is such that usually, both parents must work. Your children are not raised by ‘Father knows Best, or Leave it to Beaver.’ If they are in a single-parent home, that lack of good behavior goes double. Where do they then learn what is socially acceptable?

I am a writer. Often my characters bump into today’s value system. It has been incumbent upon me to learn where these kids get their values. It was not an exhaustive search. After looking at some of the games they play, examining the amount of unsupervised time they have, and the educational system tolerating bad behavior, I had my answers.

Not long ago, I was in the food court close to some teenagers who were lamenting about their home lives. These were kids wearing designer clothing. They each had a smartphone, some had braces, and they went on about how crappy their parents were. I had to leave.

Speaking with children of different generations, I notice a variance in what they think is acceptable behavior. It is rather shocking.

Today’s 30-somethings that I speak with are clueless. At their age, they should be saving for retirement. Instead, they rent an apartment equivalent to the house they grew up in. They attempt to live as if they were still under their parent’s roof and eat out as if it were free. Many parents enable this behavior by supplementing their income. Their kids live paycheck to paycheck, usually running a deficit by the end of the month. Much like that college loan, they also have credit card debt. Why? They were never taught to manage money.

Instead of attempting to do it for themselves, they complain about how crappy life is and, yes, spend their free time on the computer playing video games. It is no small wonder they cannot afford their student loans.

The gaming industry is $188 Billion. Proponents of video games will argue against what I am telling you. Still, from Sandy Hook to many other mass shooting events, most of those shooters had one thing in common. Can you guess?

One of the officers investigating Sandy Hook told the press that the kid was ‘very proficient’ at killing that many people. It was almost as if he were trained in the military. Huh…

The Parkland Shooter was part of a unique program where his misdeeds (criminal) were kept secret from the School to avoid the school pipeline to prison. The argument for this program is that kids will grow out of it. One trip to the south side of Chicago will change the mind of most. The FBI knew about the shooter’s violent proclivities and were even warned before the shooting. They did nothing. I am still amazed that the activist David Hogg has yet to figure it out.

A teacher in California was beaten by a student because ‘she gave him a failing grade.’ The school system tried to convince the teacher (while she was still in hospital) not to press charges. If memory serves, he broke her jaw, among other things. It would ruin the boy’s life if you pressed charges. I wonder where that ‘child’ is now?

Playing video games releases endorphins which make the player feel good. The hormones and chemicals released are addicting. We humans can be addicted to almost anything, even pain. Does that fact shed some light on why some self-harm?

Those game players reading this will likely chime in, telling me I am wrong. Truth is, I am not mistaken. If you were to honestly log the amount of time you spend playing games, you might be surprised. How does it make you feel to win or take that hill? How do you feel when you lose? When confronted with the truth, how does that make you feel? How does that make you feel if you are a sniper and kill the ‘enemy? No, I am not wrong.

Can you guess why Syrup Boy was drinking the syrup? Sure, it tasted good, but what else? Yes, chocolate is addicting, as is anything that makes you ‘feel’ good. That little feature of most animals is for the survival of the species. I don’t need to spell that out for most of you.

Those proponents of video games immediately tried to spin things differently, but…If you live in a world full of violence, day in and day out, guess what happens to your psychic? Where did this Sandy Hook killer learn to be so proficient? He blew one of the teacher’s heads off and was heard laughing about it after the fact. One wonders why. Was it what he expected?

Were you aware that you could get PTSD from video games? Now we have VR (virtual reality), which will most certainly make the game more real or immersive. Are we even looking into cause and effect? No, it’s the guns doing it.

It is almost as if we should have a consumer protection agency or something looking into cause and effect. What happens if?

There is a real danger among us; syrup boy is just one minor symptom that we are doing something wrong. The prison population is a vast indicator we are doing something very wrong. PFFT

Cause and effect, garbage in, garbage out. Why has nobody put this together? Is it that unpopular? Can we not handle the truth? Are we not paying anyone to look into such things?

Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte, it will all be ok.

I mention the $188 Billion gaming industry because they hire PR firms to spin events like some mass shooting in another direction, away from the obvious. IT’S THE GUNS!!!

Guns are an easy emotional target or trigger word. That is why gaming lobbyists push the gun narrative. They know what it is, but $188 billion pays for PR firms and lobbyists and buys congressmen. It also makes the 2cnd amendment and the NRA the enemies of the people. If they can tie it to a political party, that is just a bonus.

Mental illness is rife. Covid, the lockdowns, and much more play into what is happening. With the lockdowns, the youth have more time to immerse themselves in these games. During the lockdown, the youth were not as socially active as they might have been. Games are an alternate reality. One wonders where reality and games collide. Add drugs into the mix, and that line will get super blurry.

Uvalde; his grandfather was a drug dealer, his mother a junkie, and you know grandma was not innocent or clueless about where the money came from. Pot today has a THC content of up to 95%. In the ’70s, the THC content was about 5%. The effects on the brain are mind-numbing and can cause uncontrollable rage. A toxicology report is still pending on the Uvalde shooter.

Riddle me this, why did the City of Carrollton, Texas, spend tax dollars on creating an E-sports (gaming facility for kids to play video games?) Wouldn’t it be better for kids to play these around their parents? Is this a taxpayer-funded babysitter or surrogate guardian who would also drink from the syrup bottle? Is it for kids who can’t afford a gaming computer?

In truth, I am uncertain what this facility is. On the surface, it sounds like a taxpayer-funded Dave and Busters, only for video games, period. Shouldn’t we try to get kids away from the keyboard and outside playing sports?

I am glad that the kid that shot up the July 4^th celebration was such a coward that he gave up without committing suicide by cop. We need to learn what motivated him and everything else we can. He, like others, will end up being a statistic, but nevertheless, information is valuable.

Where did he learn to be a sniper? He must have known about ballistics to shoot that distance and hit the target. Where did he learn?

Many people claim that School is a pipeline to prison. They blame it on things that are far from the facts. To quote Jack Nicholson, ‘They can’t handle the truth.’ In School, you learn the basics to get by in life and are introduced to social mores.

When I went to School, if your shirt was not tucked in correctly and you were caught, you earned a swat. For the rest of that day, every time you sat, there was this stinging reminder to make sure your shirt was properly tucked in.

Some parents argue against such things. They doth protest. Their argument is that you are teaching kids to hit; I disagree. You are teaching them that we have rules. While you are here, you will follow them. Trust me, parents, kids know how to hit already.

If you have flown, there are more rules than I care to count. Do not joke with the TSA.

In society, there are rules. You and I have those same rules. We get hit in the pocketbook if we speed or drive erratically. If you have one of your tires over the line in a handicapped parking area, the fine is over $600. I am talking about accidentally crossing that little white line with one tire.

One lady had just picked her kid up from school. She was on her phone while speeding through the school zone. The motorcycle cop had his lights on. He tried to get her attention for over a mile before he was forced to go up to her window at a red light and tap on it. I hope her child watched that interaction.

She was terribly distracted by the conversation on the phone. Speeding through a school zone is a hefty ticket. On your phone, while driving in a school zone is yet another. Not seeing the cop for at least a mile…Those mistakes will be quite the spanking.

My point is that there are rules; when do we start teaching them to our kids? There are social mores that are also incumbent upon us to teach. We don’t drink from the bottle. We cannot be our children’s friends. We must be parents first; that is our job. We are not talking about child abuse or beating anyone; we are talking about course corrections. We are talking about parenting. Know what your child is doing. We parents are held accountable for their actions until they reach adulthood. Our job is to raise them so that the criminal justice system does not have to.

Some scream about prison overpopulation. We, the parents, are in part the cause of this. The lack of morality and, yes, the violence are symptoms of not being engaged with your progeny.

Dysfunctional families are endemic to the problem, and that is what congress should be addressing. Breaking the cycle of single-parent homes requires education.

Drugs and the promise of easy money probably eclipse poor parenting, as even the best of parents end up burying a child due to an overdose. Some lose them to gang violence. That, of course, is systemic of drugs and the drug culture.

It starts at home. You are the person they will model until such a time they attempt to emulate some actor or actress. If you teach them correctly and raise them right, you will not need to worry about what the schools are doing to indoctrinate them into this woke world of weirdness. You might also keep them from hanging with the wrong crowd.

Anyone who teaches your kids to hate their country must be in a different vocation. Any person who grooms your young child must be behind bars for pedophilia. The messages children get today are mind-bending. Homeschooling is almost a must.

Your options are clear. Either be of good moral character and lead by example or teach them how to look innocent in a lineup.

-Best

It’s an age thing. #health #doctor

It’s an age thing.

Walking into the doctor’s office, the music blaring through the “system” was very upbeat. In fact listening to it made me jittery.

By nature, I am a calm and collected person. Easy going is an understatement.

Each and every song that played had some repetitive rap component mixed in with the “music.”

Waiting in a doctor’s lounge is tough enough in that they are never on time. Arriving there in a timely fashion is part of the deal and waiting for an extra 30 to 45 minutes after your appointment is also “part of the deal.” Their time is valuable and yours, well…not so much!

The waiting is not what was bothering me however as I had my “smart phone” to entertain me. At issue, however, was this hideous music that was getting under my skin much like poison ivy or a horrible sunburn, you can tolerate it for just so long and then it just pisses you off!

The lyrics were not understandable and as I said the beat was such that it by itself was making me jittery.

I found myself thinking that I might need to find another doctor. If this is the new norm, screw it!

One already feels bad going to the doctor, forced to endure that bullshit, I don’t need!

Leaving on the drive home, thinking back to my parents yelling at me to shut my door or turn that “shit” down; I had to laugh. It could be that it is simply an age thing, and now what folks listen to today is “shit” to me.

Turning on the XM to 70’s music, I calmed, returning my blood pressure to where it belonged.

People today suffer from high blood pressure and one has to wonder how much of it is caused by the music that they listen to.

My Two Cents

-Best

My Fifteen Minutes

Everyone seems to get his or her 15 minutes.

I made the front page of a small East Texas Newspaper twenty-four years ago, in a most austere way.

Driving home this evening I passed more than one person who was weaving in their lane. Usually it is because they are texting or trying to see who called and of course, they are much better at this than every other driver is, so they can do it safely. Sometimes the weaving is simply because they are drunk, or high.

In the year 1992, my life changed forever.

After a head on collision at freeway speeds involving an intoxicated 80 year old, I was forced to re-invent myself. Managing to live through being treated in a small country hospital that doubled as an emergency vet… (Joking…, I think…) I was destined to do other things.

The broken bones and lacerations healed, but the scars remain, hidden just under the surface, pain is a constant reminder of that fateful day 24 years ago. I have legs today because I happen to enjoy coffee. Moments before the impact, I had stopped to purchase Gas and coffee. Filling one of those stainless steel thermoses, I had the thermos upright in the seat beside me. Topping the hill to find a Cadillac, in my lane coming at me, my two options were to dive into the other lane or hit the brakes. A red Truck was in the lane beside me so, in the split second that I had to utter the explicative “Oh Shit!” It was all over. Literally, the accident was that fast. I had locked up anti-locks breaks, and bent the brake pedal…He never attempted to hit his breaks.

The combined collision speed was 115 miles an hour. How they got all that I have no idea however, my speedometer was stuck at 45…frozen in time.

The memory of that split second in time, indelibly etched into my brain is a constant reminder of what happens when idiots drink and drive. Every detail lives with me in excruciating detail. Time fascinates me today because of this, as I think time is not linear but relative. During the Nano second of the impact, the event turned into one of those films you see that was taken by a high-speed camera. Bits of glass tumbled frame by frame, horizontally from my left to right. The dash came up to meet me as the steering wheel crushed my face and chest. The thermos full of coffee tumbled from beside me, launching itself to the floor, lodging between the firewall and the frame of my seat. The hydraulic effect of the thermos filled with liquid, stopped the dash from severing my legs and most probably kept the shaft of the steering column from piercing my heart.

The driver of the other car was under his dash. He was hauled away first in the first ambulance arriving on the scene. He had one small cut on his forehead and released from the hospital that day. He was not even wearing a seatbelt. I never heard what happened with the driver after that. Since both of us had the same insurance company. I was lucky to be compensated for my losses. I remember the claims person as being nasty to me on the phone… They did not even replace my truck as it was now 6 months old. I was upside down on the loan and they did not care…. It was a smaller truck, not one of the full size trucks like I drive today. I understand that claims adjusters work for the benefit of the insurance company but I was surely not in “good hands.” Insurance is in fact unavoidable, if you are lucky; you are pissing your money away paying for something that you will never need. They do whatever they can do to keep from paying out.

The trip to the hospital started as I said, after they removed and transported the person who was responsible for the accident.

My vision was fading, as the pain in my chest was intense. I made my peace with God as I knew that I was going to die and strangely enough, I did not seem to mind. There was a strange peace about it as if the answer was at hand; this is how it will happen. God however had other plans… While waiting for the final sting… I tried to relieve the pain, I managed to remove my seat belt, but the pain was still there.

With what was left of my vision, I was able to watch as they pulled the other driver from under his dash and put him onto the stretcher. A man came to my window talking with me as I told him about the pain and the vision issues. It hurt to talk and my statements were short as breath was scarce. My face had met up with the steering wheel, Or the steering wheel with my face, so talking “clearly, plainly” was not really an option; nor was it possible as blood was now leaving my body through every orifice that I had visible and some places that were not visible.

The engine and tires of my truck were underneath my seat. Using the jaws of life I heard the popping sounds of the metal as they cut my door away from around me. Finally, they got to me after removing my door and cutting what was left of the restraining device that was still wrapped around me. By now, my vision was all but gone, but I could still hear the noises of the equipment, and the voices of the first responders. You have heard people mention the white light. My vision had faded from white sparkles to a blank white screen. One of the responders said, “It is a miracle that he is alive.” Placing that plastic collar on me, they then pulled me out of my truck. Once they laid me down, my vision returned. I could see the emergency vehicles, and the wrecker driver picking up my belongings as they were now strewn over much of the freeway. Steam was coming out from somewhere under my seat which was now where the engine was. The bed of the truck was warped; the force of the wreck torqued and twisted the metal.

Once in the ambulance the man told me that he was going to put some sugar water into me, the 18 gauge needle was going to hurt. Compared to the rest of the pain that I was in, that was a mosquito bite.

Arriving at the hospital, they were already working on the other person that hit me. A curtain separated us, but I could hear him. He was old, drunk and on medications. His wife had just bought him another car as he totaled the last one. He had badgered her about driving so she bought him this old big Cadillac so if he were in an accident; he would be protected. He bragged about how he guessed she was right because he was still there.

Laying there on the other side of the curtain, listening to him tell the story of his classic Cadillac, what was left of my blood boiled! It was not bad enough that they took the old person first, but I had to be in the same room with him!

It was now my turn to be treated like meat.

Cutting my clothing off me there was no shortage of witnesses to watch the story unfold. Doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants (young attractive female with long curly brown hair) and a burly old cop who clearly had never missed a meal, were a few that made the cadre of spectators.

The report of the accident was read aloud to all that were present including the fact that my seatbelt was not buckled.

I tried to tell them that I took it off but, the cop was making notes, not interested in my wellbeing but who was at fault and if there was a ticket to write. He looked down at me as if to say, yea sure…we have heard that one before… I was pissed! Arrogant son of a bitch! If he could not see from the evidence what happened, he was a moron!

As they cut my shirt off, a large purple stripe across my chest and my belly that the belt left, told the tail, and at that; the cop put his ticket book away! I was more concerned about living through this and he was looking to write a ticket. I do not mean to sound churlish. I know many police who I call friends. Thinking about this, I am still pissed at that asshole!

The doctor was wearing a black silky sports jacket with a yellow logo on it as he was at some sporting event and was on call. He was not happy to be there and his bedside manner left much to be desired. There were two hospitals in this town, one for poor folks, and one for people with means. I had insurance and means and they brought me to the other hospital that was in need of so many things.

After examining my naked body in front of many people, the “doctor” flipped me over to stuff a finger up my butt as the final insult… Now I had broken bones, crushed chest, face and legs and without x-rays or anything else, he treats me like a slab of meat to finish his exam so he can write up some orders for the nurses and get back to what he was doing before the rude interruption. After he was satisfied with his initial exam, he left. They did a sonogram of my heart to find that it had been bruised. Then they took me down to x-ray. X-ray was close to the morgue, I could smell dead people, or was it me.

The ceiling tiles, stained from years of leaks and neglect told the tail of the financial history of this place. The X-Ray machine would not stay in place. After she would set it, get some distance to trigger it, the head would slide down, as its joints were old and loose. We had to take several “pictures” before she was finished. No telling how much extra radiation that I was exposed to because of this antiquated relic that belonged in a museum.

Back in the emergency room, the man’s wife arrived. He told her… “They said I was in the wrong lane.”

Laying there listening to him getting his three stitches on his forehead, it was not long before he was released to go home. Before they left, his wife came over to me. From what I could tell, I was covered in my own blood from head to toe. My beard was caked in blood. She rubbed my forehead as she apologized… ”I knew better to get him another car.” She said…then she told me “I am not supposed to tell you this, we have good insurance…”

Even in my state of mind, I was too nice to tell her what she could do with her good insurance… I had to live through this day, this night and then another day before I could even think about getting things taken care of.

After hours spent in the emergency room; I was moved to ICU. If you have never been in the hospital before “and I had not” this was not an experience that I would welcome or recommend.

Since I had a bruised heart, it was decided that I could not have pain medication. A dentist came in and checked my teeth that had gone through my face. Stitching up my face from the inside out, no pain medication was used.

The next fun thing was the doctor that set my broken nose. This person reminded me of the professor on back to the future. Pushing on my nose with his thumb, he could not get it exactly straight so again, without any pain management, he put these huge forceps up my nose and … got it straight. The pain was unbelievable as the final crunching sounds of the bones ceased.

The machine that monitored my pulse echoed the throbbing of the pains in my body.

Listening to the beeping of the machine, I knew as long as it was beeping, I was alive.

The PA came in and tried multiple times to get me to tell her what I was taking. “C’mon, we know you are taking something, what it is…we need to know…” “Really…my word meant nothing… I don’t do stuff like that, never have!” Several times she tried to get me to tell her what I was on…the answer was always the same. I maybe the only person on this damned planet who has never done it but…I don’t…

“We don’t know what you are on so we can’t give you pain medicine.” She said… What was I supposed to do, lie so they could manage my pain?

The next day, after the worst night in my life the toxicology report came back…my potassium was low…”What are you doing to cause your potassium to be low?” the doctor with bad bedside manners asked. “Ummm, I don’t salt my food…” Never did get as much as an aspirin.

The days and nights blurred together as I could not sleep. My nose was packed with cotton, and it throbbed for days. I could barely breathe as my ribs and chests were broken, breathing hurt!

Every few hours someone came in and jabbed me several times with a needle to get blood. The phlebotomist, if that is who they were, sucked at it! I was still getting saline from an IV so peeing was the only activity that I could muster. Lifting the sheets was near impossible and on several occasions, I had to get help…talk about humbling…

After the third day, glass from the accident was still imbedded in my hands left arm and face. My beard was one solid chunk of caked blood and not so much as one person offered to get the glass out of me or clean me up.

For entertainment, I found that I could control the beats of my heart. Using some biofeedback technique, I could slow them down to an eerie slow level or speed them up. I was hooked up with a remote telemetry gadget so someone somewhere could look at a screen and see my heart rhythm. There was also a camera on the ceiling watching me. At some point in time, I wanted a nurse and could not get one. I pulled the telemetry leads off my chest. The monitor went to a silent tone and … nothing. Nobody came for close to 15 minutes! If this was ICU, I shuddered to think what care was like in a regular room.

The next day the hospital administrator came to my bed as I had asked to be transferred to Houston. I personally knew Dr. Debakey and he knew me. He even told me once if I needed his services to let him know. If there was anything going on with my heart, I would much rather he and his team take care of me than this bunch of people.

The next day they moved me to a private room in the “best part” of the hospital. Some wing of the hospital had been made via donations from someone. It was there, with help from family that I managed to get myself into the shower, and stay there until I managed to get all the dried blood off me, out of my hair, and what have you. I then dug into my luggage and used my own damned tweezers to get the glass out of me.

The doctor with the crappy attitude before releasing me was much nicer on his final examination. I guess he was finally satisfied that I was not on anything…the wreck was in no way my fault or…he got lucky the night before…. Either way, I was happy to leave that hospital. Holding a pillow next to my chest my friend of many years drove me home where I lost months of employment and finally had to leave the job I loved, as I was no longer able to do it.

One of the people that I missed was Dr. DeBakey and his team. I had spent years taking care of the doctors in the Texas Medical Center and ended up in a small East Texas hospital that was a joke by any standards.

Loosing months of pay I got a call one day from MADD…mothers against drunk driving. While I could ill afford it, I sent them some money anyway.

Today 24 years later I am often teased about my driving. I am very defensive, leave lots of room in front of me and preach to those that will listen. I tell them to pay attention to what is going on at least 15 cars in front of you and leave enough room so you can see them. I am often told, I drive like a grandpa…slow. Slow translates to the speed limit or a mile or two above or below it, depending on the average terrain.

Driving a full size truck with many airbags is only a small part of my strategy. When I see these people with their damned phones driving and messing with the phone, part of me really wants to scream at them. Then the cops have radios, phones and a laptop computers and a host of other distractions while they drive through school zones…Folks, they are no different from you… Watch them; you will see them drift all over the road as they mess with their toys. I have seen them, and I cringe.

Keep your distance from them, big trucks and cheerleader types who think a selfie while driving through a school zone is smart. They do it! They are all over Facebook… Just the other day a young woman picked up her child from school and took off from the school, passing everyone doing 40 or better in a 20. She was on her phone at the time…texting as she passed me. “Where is a cop when you need one I said…” With that, a cop pulled up on her bumper on his motorcycle. She drove a long way without noticing him behind her, as she was texting on her phone. That ticket had to be pricey!

Who do you think you are that you can endanger others with your BS?

I wish I could say that this is a story and “blah blah blah” but the truth is, that this is the truth.

This happened, and I am certain that by now, some of the memories have faded but I must tell you, most are still there including the pain. Twenty-four years now, I have lived in unmitigated pain. I take nothing for it. I live with it, working out as best I can to help manage it…but there are no meds that would leave me mentally acute.

I do not know what happened with the man that hit me. I know that if you have the same insurance carrier, you lose. By now I am certain he is gone, but there are plenty others to take his place. There were no smart phones back then…Now everyone has one. Weed is legal in some states and I fear that those people will drive impaired as well. Even in states where it is illegal, I am certain that one of three folks is under some sort of influence.

Defensive driving if taught correctly, would be money well spent.

-Best

Gesundheit

: Yep, that tree is sending out its pollen…

This time of year, watering eyes, plugged up noses can be the start of something much worse if not taken care of properly.

Checking your pollen counts for your area when this happens is critical to know what it is that is effecting you.

“Why?” You Asked.

Avoidance things that you are allergic to, is your first line of defense from becoming ill.

746941main_pollenprairiehollyhock_full (1) — Is it any wonder why this thing bothers your sinuses?

Juniper is one of the triggers that affect many. The pollen from this plant causes the sinuses to become inflamed or agitated which in turn causes them to react, in this case, create mucus in order to wash away the offending irritant.

The sinus tissues becomes inflamed and swells, thus trapping that mucus allowing bacteria to find a nice moist place to grow and thrive. Once of course you have bacteria take hold, you now have a sinus infection.

The more disconcerting problem with this is; “why the hell do people plant this plant?” Yes, the plant has a pleasant appearance and stays green all year round.

Juniper_berries_2595104k — Oh, look how pretty….NOT!

From late September to April this thing sends pollen out onto the winds which affect many.

Older folks or people who already have respiratory concerns can become ill with these triggers which could actually lead to pneumonia and death.

“You can’t fix stupidity.”

Juniper plants grow all over the US so avoiding them may be a tough call. There are parts of the country with higher levels of pollen than others however. Living near the ocean where onshore breezes from the salt air is probably why so many live so long in Florida. Respiratory illness is one of the leading causes of death.

If you have ever looked up at the moon and seen this…that is pollen causing it and you can bet it is Juniper…

Manage the symptoms.

Talk with your Pulmonologist about your condition.

If you have not already done so, speak with an allergist and see if you are a candidate for immunotherapy.

When you start to sneeze, that is the time to get serious about your regimen to stay healthy.

Prophylactically attack the problem head on with everything in your arsenal from Nasal irrigation to anti histamines. Nose sprays with steroids in them are also a good idea. Keeping the swelling of the sinus tissues at bay will allow the mucus to actually wash the surface of the tissue and be expelled as they was designed to do.

While Allegra and Benadryl are over the counter, these too should be part of your arsenal if your doctor agrees with this.

What you take must be ok with your doctor, as your other meds may interact with it; or your particular health may not afford you the luxury of taking things such as this.

The idea is to avoid that which triggers your allergies.

Manage the symptoms

Go see your doctor before it gets too bad. Once it turns into an infection, a course of anti-biotics may be needed which we use way too liberally in this country. Bacteria will become resistant to them and then stronger and stronger antibiotics will be needed. These not only kill the offending bacteria but, the good bacteria that lives in us all.

Once these take hold…you may need the big guns to get rid of them.

Like brushing your teeth is a daily regime; I would take your sinus health just as seriously. If you decide to do some landscaping around your house, I would not plant cedar juniper plants just because these things are vile when it comes to health.

-Best

Open letter to GoTopless.org

Warning: The following blog contains pictures from the go topless demonstration in New York Today. Some of these shots “that were taken by other people and posted publicly” contain (nipples.)

You were warned…. 🙂

As stated in my letter to “free the nipple,” there are real issues with public nudity.

While I agree that there is a time and a place for everything; I feel that a truculent style of forcing your “agenda,” detracts from the message.

Why do some women want to go around topless?
Is it really an equal rights thing?
Is this an attack on men?

Most men like nipples ladies and I have to tell you that if the laws were only left to men to make, they would be very generous to any lady that wanted to walk around half nude!

I give the respect that I am accorded.

When you choose to dis-respect a segment of the population; you don’t win over very many of them.

I get it, you got publicity and you made the news. Now people like me are spending their time pontificating on the merits of your cause, and how best to solve the issues.

I don't get the pink mask. — I don’t get the pink mask.

As I stated in my letter to “free the nipple,” men are visually stimulated. (I must admit that nothing in the picture above stimulated me what-so-ever-!) That is the way that we either evolved, or God made us pick your choice; those are the facts! When you expose yourself, you set hormones and other endorphins into action.

A whole host of things happens when we are sexually aroused and visual stimulation for men starts with hormones.

We call it behavior but, in reality, our actions may be partially driven by things out of our control. Things happen automatically that we are not in control of. Chemicals are released which cause us to sweat, pupils dilate, adrenaline is released along with cortisol (the stress hormone) followed by Dopamine the “desire and reward hormone” then comes into play. We have serotonin that causes us to “think about a person” or in this case those “lovely breast,” several times a day!

The list goes on and folks, we are programmed for this action. Had we not been such a puritanical society and ran around naked or “nude,” then I dare say that we would control our “urges much better.”

The argument to allow half-naked folks to run around cart-blanch anywhere should really be addressed by serious people who understand what they are asking.

If you don’t think that what I am saying holds water, then tell me this, why is pornography such a huge issue today?!

Some Men and some women are lost in pornography. Where it used to be restricted by age and content, with the internet there is nothing held back. I find it amazing that with each successive year, each and every magazine took pornography to new lows.

Much like drugs, pin-up girls no longer cut it.

There is an interesting parallel to this and drugs because, if you think about it, both are chemical addictions. With drugs, some of those same hormones are released as well as the action of the drug itself!

Some people cause themselves pain because, endorphins are released that like adrenalin; one can become addicted to them.

From the early days of Playboy, where clover leafs covered the nipples, and maybe a little flash of pubic hair to” gynecologists’ type shots” of inside the vagina or anus! Who thinks that is sexy!?

Where are we headed as a society?

It is clear to me anyway, that you simply can’t just walk around naked, anywhere that you please.

For the same reason drunks who are “recovering,” don’t go where there is booze, people who have issues with porn, or sex addicts, don’t go to strip clubs. It is not fair to everyone to allow you to parade around naked when or where you choose.

On the flip side of the coin, there should be places where such behavior is permitted with adequate signage depicting same.

The bottom line to this is really respect. Ladies from a pragmatic look at things there is little difference in our anatomical makeup and for that, your argument is germane.

Realistically, however; looking at the science involved and how we as humans are “driven;” you can certainly see that unfettered nudity would not work unless you forced the issue making everyone walk around naked! I suspect that after an hour or so, the novelty would wear off and soon; breasts of men and women would look like any other part of them, and a stare would quickly turn into a passing glance, and then into not even noticing.

nudist couples meeting sites — Ok, I included a few bums for effect…you get the point. These folks are enjoying the outing and looking at the scenery and not staring at each other’s rude bits…

That is a part of human evolution that is simply not there in this country at this time.

Most people are way too hung up on their body, whether it be good or bad, and sexuality is right under the surface of most people’s thoughts.

With the Ashley Madison hack, it should have placed a light on what is going on with people of all walks of life.

SEX SEX SEX!

It is not simply sex, as these folks have a wife or husband who they could have sex with. It is different partners or sex with someone else. WHY?

If we could put our differences aside, just let people be who and what they are and “get along” and, we were not thinking about, planning for, and working towards sex, just think about what we could accomplish as a people!

mission_to_mars___mars_ii_ortho_by_unusualsuspex-d7cj7ac — Is it just me or does this thing appear phallic in nature….?

We are terribly un-evolved for the most part. Those that want to “free the nipple,” I actually think might be more evolved than those that see this as some sort of taboo. You can’t simply feel that it is wrong, you need to know “why it is wrong.” These folks are pushing the envelope on social mores, that admittedly are out of date but…to what end?

If you go to a nudist resort, there will be people there who are probably more evolved than those that would condemn such a place just because. Some will undoubtedly be there for the same reason that I thought about becoming a photographer for Playboy as a child. The difference is, I grew up!

When we accept who and what we are, we can move past this truculent dialogue that persists in the world today. We are in fact sexual creatures that are geared for procreation, and that is why we do what we do, and think as we think. That is why sex feels good, and hormones are released to drive us to seek partners to spread our seeds and subdue the earth.

That is why a high percentage of people will read this blog, over the others that I have posted which frankly are much more intelligent and enlightening than this, and many men will peruse the picture of the attractive redhead, longer than those with the pink mask over their faces! Just know why you do what you do, and know who you are….

Life is about more than sex. As a young person, I expect this and make allowances for this. Spring break and other places where young people gather seem to be nothing more than a hormonally charged group of people oozing with testosterone and estrogen. You hope that they make it through it, and hope that someone in the group is adult enough to govern the collective body, so people don’t get injured.

When you become “self-aware,” you learn to ask yourself why?

Why

“Why” is probably one of the most important questions that we learn to ask as a human being. I do not discourage but encourage this.

Why do I like this?
Why do I hate this?
Why is this a good idea?
Why is this a bad idea?
Why did my parents tell me no?

Knowledge is powerful and, self-knowledge is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal!

I call this mirror time. Who is that person in the mirror?

Before espousing your thoughts on a particular subject, know where your thoughts came from.

We as a nation have stopped thinking critically. We act upon emotions which is just stupid. Emotions are one of the easiest ways that there is to manipulate you, and those that are in power; know this.

The Race card is played to divide people and it works because it is an emotionally charged issue.

If I can stir your emotions, I can control you! The elite call these folks, “useful idiots!” They can think for you by stirring your emotions, causing you to act without thinking!

missouri2 — A movement based on a complete lie. While there may be some issues with Police and people this movement which has been the flash-point of much violence and mayhem needs to stop.

If you spend some time in the mirror guess what, they lose that power and you gain it.

Free the Nipple and Go Topless are saying the same thing. Personally, I would not mind seeing everyone wear a shirt. Let’s take this issue off the table, just wear a damned shirt!

If you want to be naked in public, seek out nude beaches or nude resorts or clubs, or even cruises that cater to clothing optional events. There are actually parks in Germany I think that are clothing optional.

Americans are much more prudish than our European counterparts and I am certain that is a left over from the puritan start, this country had not that many years ago. Don’t be disrespectful of them; if you want to be taken seriously, and respected.

With the LGBT community, I have a thought that I would also like to espouse upon.

There are many places “spas” and such where people enter into an area and are expected to remove all of their clothes. They are provided a “uniform” to wear in the common area but not before they are expected to shower and enjoy the wet area with other people who are also nude.

friends Justin Estill age 30 (blond) and Michael Ladagana age 34 of Astoria (dark hair) . Spa castle premier, saunas and pool. 115 East 57th Street Manhattan NY — friends Justin Estill age 30 (blond) and Michael Ladagana age 34 of Astoria (dark hair) . Spa castle premier, saunas, and pool. 115 East 57th Street Manhattan NY

It is no secret that there are men who happen to be gay that go to these spas to watch other naked men shower and what have you. Folks, that is simply creepy.

I know from reading, that some women do this as well, and then you have the folks who are Trans gendered, who identify as one sex or another. What do they do?

In these “wet areas” not only are there adults but there are children, naked children who simply are playing in the water and having a good time.

I think that the laws need to be changed to protect children from let’s face it, pedophiles that might be lurking in the area. As an adult, I can choose to go into one of these places knowing full well that there may be some deviant in there that enjoys watching others shower and what have you.

I don’t believe that we have any business exposing children to possible creeps.

While I am on that subject, since gay folks knowingly go into these areas; how about a communal wet area that anyone can decide to use?

It would be interesting to see how many people of different genders would actually take advantage of it.

Once again I have pontificated to the tune of right at 1700 words on a subject that should be rife with stimulating conversation.

As always, I appreciate comments, shares, re-blogs and of course stimulating conversation. Please keep your comments civil. Thanks!

-Best

Guns, Violence and Video games, is there a connection?

My heart goes out to the people in Charleston. The senseless violence in this country seems to be more and more frequent. While the left will tell you it is the lack of gun control, and use this and every occurrence of gun violence they can to push an agenda; they are dead wrong.

Going after the law abiding citizens’ guns is like going after silverware because there are so many fat people around. Yes, it really is that ludicrous!

While the country is grieving for these folks; we have idiotic politicians out there using this as a bully pulpit to push a very liberal agenda which also happens to be a dangerous one.

In my business it is necessary to do something called a “root cause analysis.” Simply stated, what happened, how did it happen, and how can we prevent it from happening again.

It is more than putting magnetometers at the entrances of all public buildings with security guards.
Do we attend church via skype, and turn Xenophobic?
Do we use this as an excuse to not attend church?
Do we listen to it on the TV or Radio and think that is good enough?
Maybe we use this as an excuse to qualify the absolute lack of a god as a good “god” would not allow this to happen.

The problem is much deeper than this and I am glad that this kid is still alive so we can learn from him, what set him off.

Instinct tells me that when investigated, you will find that he spent untold hours playing violent video games with other on-line people, and simply took it to the next level. These games are so realistic that I fear that after enough of it, the lines between reality and fiction become so blurred that killing for real is simply a “level up” for him.

Since he gave up so easily, my guess is that he is a coward, and picked a soft-target like a church where the odds of him getting hurt were minimal. Being a black church, there may have been an element of racism involved, which made the target more palatable. His racism again would be interesting to study as how and why? Was he picked on or bullied by blacks as a school child?

With the uproar in Baltimore and Ferguson, who knows if that pushed him in that direction?

We cannot afford to ignore these “simulators for killing” any longer. Mental health needs to be a priority for this, and all future administrations as technology pervades our lives and these “kids” who have so much time on their hands and play these games for hours and hours on end.

Cars kill, knives kill, baseball bats kill, just about anything can be used as a weapon!

The common denominator is people. People kill,
and the motives need to be looked at. Go, look for yourself at some of these games and the realities of them. Go to your local game store and look at demos of them, watch these kids as they play these games.

They are dropped into a war-time situation where killing with realistic effects are over the top. I would not be surprised to find that this creep that killed those folks suffers from some sort of PTSD from video games!

Now, go take on the day!

http://www.guard-protect.com

West Nile and You

For the last several years West Nile has made the news.

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne zoonotic arbovirus belonging to the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. This flavivirus is found in temperate and tropical regions of the world.

Zoon: Greek for Animal
Arbovirus: Group of viruses
Flavivirus: The name of the group or genus of viruses that contain or include the West Nile virus, dengue virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, yellow fever virus, and several other viruses which may cause encephalitis.
Flaviviridae: family of viruses typically spread by tics or mosquitoes.

You….

What can you do to a: protect yourself and your family and B: the community in which you live?

Someone told me that there were not that many mosquitoes in my area to worry about anything other than myself. Use pesticides with Deet to protect myself and don’t worry about it.

I however did not believe them, and I also care about my neighbors; and the small animals that live outdoors and become food for those winged vampires of the night!

I installed not one but two bug zappers in my back yard.

Each bug zapper is good for an acre and my back yard is rather small city sized lot.

After one night of operation here are the results:

dead mosquitoes — Bug zapper 1 after one night

dead bugs — Bug zapper II twenty five feet from bug zapper 1

So, now what can you do?

Buy a bug zapper or two and install them, especially if you are in an area with West Nile.

They are on eBay, Amazon and a host of other places and if your hold your mouth right the local hardware store may actually have them, I would not count on that however.

The trick is that these things attract bugs. You know “go to the light…..”

So you need to hang them far enough from your door that they actually draw them away from your house.

Nope, they are not cheap. Anywhere from $50 to $80. What is your health worth?

-Best

PS. Are you itching yet? I am just looking at this…. ZAP!

Update 6/11/15

I have no idea who besides me is interested in this such as this but…..

The next day both bug zapper were about half full... No biggie; use compressed air and blow out the dead mozzies and put the zappers back in place.

Expecting that they would not be as full today I could not have been more wrong.

Today …Day 3 of the great bug barbecue the zappers were both chock-a-block full of fried Mozzies!

Today the newest Zapper arrived, I replaced the oldest with a “clog-proof model.”

Tomorrow will most undoubtedly bring more Fried Mozzies but will there be less, or more or about the same….?

Yes, Mosquitoes were harmed during the making of this blog!

Yes, there were a few other critters that met their maker as well but 99% were mosquitoes!

Stay tuned for more Mozzy mayhem…..

-Best

www.guard-protect.com

Skin Cancer and the 11 year Cycle

Skin Cancer and the 11 year Cycle

I like to tie things together, to figure out the cause and effect.

In my line of work we call this a “root cause analysis.”

Skin cancer awareness has piqued the interest of the news media outlets, as well as the general population.

While I don’t discount the monetary reasons for this with all kinds of expensive potions and lotions, I do think that there is more to it than that. The snake oil sales folks are simply capitalizing on a solution to a problem that may not even be a solution, just simply a prophylactic, much like an expensive sugar pill.

History is rife with such individuals and while their products may provide a modicum of protection, there are certain parts of this conundrum that thousands of miles of solid rock can’t stop!

Cancer, not just skin cancer but cancer itself is nothing more than the instructions from the DNA being either misunderstood or the instructions “code” has been modified in some way by something, either a mutagen of some sort or, there was simply an error in the replication process.

We “think” that toxins cause cancer but I really don’t think they have a clear understanding of how. Whether it be from out-gassing from some plastic product, or fire retardant chemical or from synthetic vitamins or even the prescription drugs that we consume daily. There are those that want to tar and feather Monsanto for their work in genetic modifications of food.

Monsanto — Actually we need this type of research if we are going to feed the population of this planet.

Focusing on Skin Cancer however; that bespeaks of something either contacting it, or something ingested which manifest itself there in the epidermis.

Since I have no government grant to fully investigate this, I want to focus on radiation.

radiation-symbol — We spent millions on Turtle tunnels but something like this..You got to be kidding!

We are exposed to radiation from many different sources from things as simple as dental x-rays to the glow in the hands on your old wind up clock. (Radium)

Skin cancer has been found on 2400 year old Mummies from Peru, pretty sure that there were no plastic bottles or pesticides or dental x-rays back then, so how did it happen?

Naturally occurring radiation on this planet and…the sun and even cosmic radiation from outer space from things like gamma ray bursters, collapsing stars or any host of things left over from the big-bang could be responsible.

Because we travel, we cannot tie down specific geography to cancer. It would be interesting to see if they could find more such mummies or early cancers on folks who were not traveling more than 35 miles from where they were born, to determine if there are indeed “hot spots.”

Having said that, let’s simply focus on the sun for a moment which, is the nearest and most consistent generator of different types of radiation.

While UV light is blamed for so much of the skin cancer we see today, I would proffer that is only partially true. The Climate change proponents would have you believe that Freon and other types of CFC’s are destroying the ozone layer which allows UV light in. While the gasses that make our atmosphere restrict the passage of UV light they allow the visible spectrum in. Ozone is one such gas.

UV light is what causes a sunburn. If you go to a tanning Solon the tanning beds emit what, UV light.

So can a sunburn or mild exposure to the visible light spectrum and UV light cause skin cancer?

Again what is cancer?

An abnormal cell which divides and replicates incorrectly, a cell that either did not understand the instruction given to it or, a cell that was given incorrect instructions.

The truth of the matter is that our skin is a miracle much like the plants that we depend upon for oxygen and the sugars and starches that they create by taking in sunlight and using it through a process called photosynthesis.

Our skin takes in sunlight and…. Creates Vitamin D. The body has natural processes which keep us from overdosing on it, unlike what might happen with synthetic vitamins. Too much of a good thing is what, a toxin.

While we were designed “or evolved” to take advantage of the sun, much like the plants I would have to believe that UV light in moderation is no more of a “mutagen” than toast.

The sun emits the whole spectrum of radiation from radio waves to gamma rays. While “normal sun operation” does not allow too many gamma rays to leave; solar flares are another story and why I have titled this piece …and the 11 year cycle…!

We really need people who think outside the box, and there are damned few of them!

I have no clue how one gets government grants to fund research but I think a study needs to be done to either disprove what I am about to allege or, prove it so we can all be more intelligent with our actions.

It is my supposition that when the sun is most active, as it is now; and has been for a year or two, more gamma rays and other high energy particles make it through our atmosphere and cause genetic damage to people’s skin as well as other living things like plants.

roserosettediease — This is rampant Right now here in Texas! Is there a correlation between this and skin cancers rise?

We know for a fact that pilots have more skin cancers than people who don’t fly..why? At 40 thousand feet or so there is less absorbing or refracting material to keep high energy particles away from the earth so they are bombarded with cosmic radiation, much like you and I when we fly. The skin of the airplane does not stop them. Our folks on the space station are constantly bombarded and this is a real danger to astronauts and space travel! Someone needs to invent a shield for them. Where is Scotty when we need him?

Does that mean we are safe on the ground? No, the amounts are lower and I suspect that the closer to sea level you are, the lower the rates of high energy particles from the sun will get to you. It has to do with the size of the particle and what it might bump into as it travels to earth.

You say but the earth’s magnetic shield deflects all that…. No, not all…most, but not all.

Another interesting study might be to study those that live in the path of the Aurora Borealis or Aurora Australia’s. Are there more cases of cancer there, or less? What other factors might come into play? Food comes to mind… The angle of the sun and the fact that it is cold so they wear more clothes. No nude sunbathers in the arctic circle! So if Skin cancers were higher that would bespeak of high energy particles vs UV light, right? If they had them at all that would still tell a story…

My guess is that when there is a solar storm or flare, that high energy particles across the spectrum are released and simply hit the earth and all those who are out in the sun. The folks at higher elevations probably get more of it than those who live at sea level.

Most probably and in conclusion; not only should we as a people pay attention to our local weather when we go outdoors and or plan activities but, we might also want to pay attention to the suns weather.

What you have just read is completely my work and it could be “crazy talk” or …just maybe it could be fodder for conversation from those who study this stuff.

If research were done, I am certain that with control groups and so forth that a correlation could be made between the suns activity and skin cancer but, that will take years as the sun goes through the cycles of activity every 11 years.

Because some government would want involvement that would stall the process decades for the bureaucrats to all poke holes in the air with their fingers and add pork, just because.

In the meantime let’s assume that what I am proposing makes some sense so; don’t go nude sunbathing when there are solar storms! Wear those expensive lotions and potions, just in case one of them actually does something! Use some common sense….

Dermatologist who have been in practice for eons might look through their history and research the kinds of cancers and frequencies (timing) of them and how those correlate to the solar activity chart posted earlier in this article.

www.timedok.com

www.guard-protect.com

Thoughts, comments, government money to research this?

-Best

I don’t know! #vaccines #measles

I don’t know!

Listening to the news, talk radio or even reading the news online, wouldn’t it be refreshing if someone simply admitted that they did not know, vs. making a statement that is blatantly fabricated?

It is easy to tell why some news outlets have so few in their audience. Even the most desperate of viewers wants it to be true so they watch and listen and parrot what they hear which is again blatantly false!

There is an old axiom regarding telling a lie enough where it becomes fact. I think some in the news media are guilty of this. I think that many in this administration are guilty of this.

Yesterday it was pointed out by Hillary Clinton and other liberal outlets that the GOP will take us back to the stone age if they had their way. Vaccinations are totally safe according to their science.

Do you trust anything that any government says?

Mr, “I did not have sex with that women,” defending his wife! Really, we believe you, ah huh….!

Thimerosal is a mercury additive to vaccines, which are “multi-dose.” This is a way that the drug companies increase profits by putting many doses in one vial instead of individual vials. Problem, while thimerosal is effective at killing any bacteria that might make it back into the vial it is also linked to neurological disorders, especially in children.

I feel for the monkeys….

Let’s think about this pragmatically for just a moment. Mercury was so problematic, so hazardous that the government did away with all batteries that were made with mercury; forcing many to junk electronic equipment that needed that particular battery.

Mercury is so toxic that you cannot throw those CFL light bulbs in the trash, they have to be treated specially. Mercury is so bad that there are specific cleanup methods for the breakage of a florescent light or computer monitor or neon sign as they contain small amounts of mercury.

Handling mercury is incredibly toxic as it will go right through your skin and research on laboratory animals prove that mercury seems to deposit itself in the brain. Could there be an autism link? Mercury, brain… let me think….. “I don’t know,” but if it smells like a fart…… Do you really want to chance it?

Therefore, mercury is bad…yet it is perfectly safe to have it injected into your body. Really, Hillary, now that you tweeted that the earth is round maybe we should check, because I do not believe anything that you say! Someone who leaves the white house claiming they were broke when in fact they had millions, I just don’t know.

All vaccines for children have a Thimerosal free product and if you really care about your child, pay the extra and get the vaccine without the mercury “single dose.” As the matter of fact, if it is not good for kids, it is not good for adults either so, I always opt for the thimerosal free product myself!

I don’t always get vaccinated; but when I do….

Between the lies of this administration, and the IRS, I do not believe anything that this government says. It is one of those “I hear you but,” let me check it myself.

Wouldn’t you like to play poker with him?

Factually, it is politically expedient to lie to the people. Much like the movie Mars Attacks, “horrible movie” but; do you remember the Martians telling the earthlings stop running, we are here as friends, right before they blasted them with their ray guns? Why? Because people are lazy and will not fact check!

Wait, don’t run, we are your friend….

That is the way that I feel about most of the liberal news media and of course, anything that comes out of Josh’s mouth, not to mention his boss. 2016 cannot come soon enough for me, and I hope that the voters this time pay attention to the blather that pervades the airwaves and ignore the millions of social media hacks, trolls and other vermin that seek to get another liberal liar in to the White House.

When you have to spend over a Billion Dollars to “buy the presidency,” what does that tell you?

Well, “I don’t know,” what people were thinking this last time around but I can tell you, I hope that they pay attention to the fact that they are not better off today than they were 6 years ago. We should not have pulled out of Iraq, and we should not be pissing off our allies.

Congress should be looking at this before 2016!

http://www.naturalnews.com/011764_thimerosal_mercury.html#

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-is-not-round/

http://www2.epa.gov/cfl

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/09/hillary-clinton-claims-she-and-bill-clinton-were-dead-broke-when-they-left-the-white-house-see-some-of-the-numbers-for-yourself/?siteID=XdSn0e3h3.k-rr7PVtrK.v1CSe7WZrPGPA

-Best

http://www.TimeDok.com

Ebola / Virus

After the death of the first Ebola patient in American today, one really has to look at this with an objective, forensic attitude. We need to take a pragmatic approach when dealing with this.

Ebola came to this country via a man who became infected. This man allegedly lied to get onto a plane and into this country to get medical help. Further, when he knew that he was sick; he went to the hospital for help. Not tipping his hand that he knew that he had contact with someone who had the disease, he told the people treating him that he had been in that area of the world, but did not offer up the fact that he indeed had contact with people who were victims of this outbreak.

The triage team missed his semi-obscure clue, misdiagnosed him, and sent him home with antibiotics, where he languished for a few days in an small apartment with other people. The disease progressed to the point where this man had to go back to the hospital once again; this time by ambulance.

Had he been forthcoming on his first hospital visit, his outcome might have been better. The experimental drugs were showing signs of working.

Family members were exposed, paramedics were exposed, nurses and doctors were exposed. People in the emergency room were exposed. Anyone who came close to this person was exposed.

The clock is ticking, who next will show signs? Was he contagious on the airplane? How about at any of the airports?

We now know that the virus can be viable for 6 (six) days on a surface. Any sneeze, blood, sweat, vomit or other bodily fluid from an infected person can contain this virus.

Today a man in Frisco Texas not feeling well went into a health clinic reporting symptoms of Ebola. Are his symptoms psychosomatic? Did he just expose everyone in that clinic to his ailment? He is a deputy sheriff that was in the mans apartment.

This is how outbreaks start. This is stage one.

The CDC really needs to amend their protocol in dealing with this for now.

Anyone who thinks that they have these symptoms “imagined or not,” should call 911 or some other special number where a CDC doctor will come to you, or they send a special ambulance to come get you. Containment of this disease is paramount before it gets to stage two, or three. I would call on the CDC to change their protocol and make this happen before it is too late.

The simple facts are, we don’t fully know how virulent this virus is. What we don’t know about this virus eclipses what we do know, and making mistakes now could cause the next pandemic. People walking into clinics, doctors offices and alike who are infected, endanger the collective.

So what is a Virus?

It is interesting to note that a virus is neither dead, nor alive. It does not eat, reproduce by itself nor defecate. It is a parasite of sorts. It contains genetic material that it “infects” a host cell with. The host cell then is forced to do its dirty work. The cell’s normal genetic instructions shut off, and it now creates proteins of a different sort, viral proteins, which make new viral particles.

The interesting thing about viruses is when they infect, they can obtain some of the host DNA in the process. When the new virus’s proliferate into yet more cells, they may in fact bring with them some of the host original DNA.

MS and Hemophilia are two diseases which researchers believe are the result of this ‘transduction.”

Make no mistake; viruses are the original “replicators” (excuse the reference to Stargate). These guys’ sole purpose is to reproduce or “replicate.”

Virus’s are either made up of DNA or RNA and are encased in something called a “capsid” which is made of protein and some also have an envelope which is made up of lipids. One note of interest is that RNA viruses which make up 70% of all viruses mutate much more readily than DNA type Virus’s, due to the error rate of enzymes that are actually involved in the replication process.

“Look out Daniel Jackson!” This must be where the writers of Stargate got their idea for the replicators… I digress…

Ebola is a member of the Filoviridae family of the RNA viruses. Ebola can have a 90% mortality rate however; it should be noted that this number is derived from areas of the world with remote, substandard medical care / facilities. This area of the world is filled with people who believe that this is a work of the devil; and frequently seek out their local witch doctor for assistance. I am not being ugly, those are the facts.

We have a government that is downplaying this, and we have news agencies that are scaring the hell out of people, for ratings. Somewhere in this minutia, is the truth.

If this virus mutates to airborne, which it may already be; allowing unfettered access of people from that part of the world here in this country could be a huge mistake with dire consequences. All peoples from that part of the world should be quarantined until we get a handle on this outbreak in Africa. Their excuse might be, “who knew?”

The simple facts are we need to “Assume” that this disease is very catchy. We need to assume that it can be spread by air, water, touch etc. We need to assume that it can be spread by mosquitoes. Until there is hard scientific evidence that it cannot be, we need to assume that it can. We need to assume that other animals including family pets can become carriers of this disease. Assume the worst, and make your plans around it!

Update 10-14-14

Now with one of the care givers of Mr. Duncan testing positive for the Ebola virus, we have even more questions than answers.

How?

Immediately a breach of protocol was assumed.

It would be very interesting to examine the air handlers in that facility to see if there are any Ebola virus on any of the filtration systems or associated duct work, fans etc.

It was of particular interest to me that the ashes of the bedding and other things that were in Mr. Duncan s apartment are treated as hazardous waste, and being transported to a special facility for such, in Louisiana. Think about this for just a second. Our government is telling us that one must come in direct contact with some bodily fluid of not only an infected individual but someone who is in the later stages of the disease; and yet we are not even comfortable with dumping the ashes in a regular landfill.

My guess is that there was no breach of protocol for the infected Nurse. Again, there is more that we don’t know; than what we do about this disease.

Our heartfelt prayers are offered up to the caregiver who is affected.

This would be one prime use of robotics; we could remotely do what needs to be done via a robot, much like the robot assisted surgery that we have today. Our technology is probably not quite there yet but, I would call for some company that is already in such a field to get some “seed money” to make this happen faster, rather than at its usual pace.

Instead of sending humans into harms way; in this case highly infectious areas of the world, much less our own hospitals, we could send in a robot that was managed by a nurse.

If we can send a robot to Mars and have it do all sorts of scientific test, we should be able to come up with one that can do what needs to be done with extreme infectious patients.

Update 10/15/14

Another health care worker from Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas has tested positive for the virus.

This health care worker traveled by commercial air with at least 139 other souls, not to mention the crew of the airplane.

What did they do and where did they go? Who were they in contact with?

What about the taxi that she took to the airport, how about the ticket agents, what about anyone who she may have had contact with in the airport(s), bathroom(s) eating establishments? Did she stay in a hotel? What about the maid who cleaned their room or the person(s) who handled the sheets / towels from the room? You folks who enjoy playing with fire are woefully unprepared for what you are doing.

If we are treating the ashes of Mr. Duncan s sheets and so forth as toxic waste, which Louisiana has now stated they will not allow it to come there for burial; should we not be all over this?

It seems to me that anyone who is a health care worker, working with Ebola patients, should be quarantined as well; until such a time that it can be proven that they are not a risk to the general population. We cannot afford mistakes, unless of course you are looking to witness another pandemic here in this country.

We need to error on the side of caution and not hubris. You clearly don’t know what you are doing.

Update 10/17/14

The two Ebola infected Nurses have made their way out of Texas to two hospitals that are better equipped to deal with the situation. The Dallas Hospital has a lack of nurses now because so many of them are on “Ebola watch.”

The nurse, Amber Vinson, who flew to Cleveland on the 10^th may have made some very bad decisions in taking public transportation. Flying commercial with a fever, knowing that you had been taking care of an Ebola patient who died of the disease is not very smart. At least she had sense enough to call the CDC and ask if she should fly and they gave her the green light. This is really common sense and she should not have even had to call and ask. If the CDC indeed gave her the green light as reported, than we have bigger problems than a nurse lacking common sense.

Besides all of the people on the plan for that one plane ride from Ohio to Dallas, we have to consider that the plane went on to fly several different places that day, each time with 139 souls on board.

Keep in mind that a Virus is neither alive nor dead. This talk about it being alive for X amount of hours is really not telling the truth. They are depending upon your ignorance of the facts so you don’t ask the real questions. Is the virus viable? How long is the virus viable on a surface or in fluids?

I am thrilled that Nina Pham is doing better and getting good care. My heart goes out to the nurses and doctors who are on the front lines, taking care of people. Our thoughts and prayers go out to both of the nurses Nina and Amber Vinson.

It looks like Frontier Airline is going above and beyond to ensure the safety of their customers. Miss Vinson’s decision to fly home was ill advised, and has already cost millions. We have no idea what the future holds for all of the other people who could have been exposed to her illness. Anyone from ticket agents to baggage handlers to people in public restrooms to janitors to the folks that work the restaurants and anyone who sat in close proximately at the airports. The next two weeks should have the CDC and most hospitals on pins and needles.

The CDC is flailing around with this and they truly need to get a grip. Anyone treating Ebola patients should not be allowed to be in public transportation until they have passed a date that they could not be a carrier of the disease. Compensate them for what they are doing but they have a greater responsibility to sequester themselves until they are deemed clear of the disease.

Flight bans from countries with this outbreak should be observed now. While I am always perplexed by this administrations aversion to the truth or lack of common sense, their number one priority it so protect the American People. We currently are not doing that. Travel bans to and from these countries are just common sense.

Our southern border needs to be closed now! If this disease gets into South America those folks will come here by hook or crook for medical care and I don’t blame them. The issue is that they will come in such a way that we will not be able to trace them, evaluate them and quarantine them. By the time they make it to some ER room, or clinic for help, we will have no clue how many others that will have become infected.

Look at the chaos we have for just one person who came here under false pretense!

This wont stop at our southern border, Canada will be in line for this too.

Rapid response teams should be created now to be able to assist those south of our border should the need arise. Looking into the future, this is not that hard to foretell. If they don’t need the help, great; but if they do I would much rather take the battle there than have people crossing our border under the cover of night hoping to get some sort of medical care.

If you are a praying person; keep these two nurses in your thoughts and prayers.

Update 10/30/14

Both infected nurses recovered from the disease. While we are grateful for their recovery the CDC was totally not prepared for this. The total cost of this is of course unknown, and I am certain that the taxpayers are paying for this too.

We have a nurse who just came home from that area of the world who currently is not exhibiting any symptoms and also is not quarantining herself either. Even though she is a nurse she is not taking any precautions and is out and about as she sees fit. This is course is making the news nightly and I hope for her sake that she remains symptom free as she is playing fast and loose with more lives than her own. She is in violation of the orders she has been given, to self quarantine and test her temperature twice daily, but it appears that thwarting the rules is her current plan. As a nurse she should know better.

Recently leaked information from the White House documents the planning and logistics bringing non-citizen Ebola patients to this country for treatment.

I am not sure (A,) how something like this gets leaked and (B,) why anyone thinks this is a good idea!

If you truly want to get the patient together with our technology; how about sending a hospital ship over there? If things get too far out of hand you only loose the ship and the “volunteers” that are manning it. If things get loose over here well, who knows how far it will go. Do you really want to risk a pandemic to the entire North American Continent? Since we are a very mobile people you very well might be risking a world wide pandemic! Someone needs to pull their collective heads out!

The CDC has continuously displayed incompetence dealing with this. Their Ebola CZAR is nowhere to be seen and knows nothing of this in the first place so, “from me to you,” why not mitigate the risk?

As far as this nurse in Main is concerned, I would lock her butt up until she passes the quarantine period. She has crossed the line! When you do that you get your freedom taken away. When you endanger the public you get stopped. That is the way it works!

I am in hopes that I can stop updating this thread as there is nothing to report. Lets pray that is the case.

-Best