April 26, 2020
By Charles Davis
Back in March, (click here) US President Donald Trump promised that "anybody that wants a test can get a test." That was not true then — but, eight weeks later, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says it is now the case in his city, making it the first in the nation to achieve the milestone.
"We know that coronavirus is a silent killer that moves quietly through the population," Garcetti said at an April 29 press conference, announcing the move. As of Wednesday night, Los Angeles had over 1,000 deaths from the virus and 22,485 cases.
"Many people who transmit the disease — this is why it is so deadly — don't know that they have it," the mayor noted. "And this illustrates why making testing available to anyone who wants it is essential. We heard national leaders talk about that in early March, but it's difficult for folks to scale that ."...
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
I wish American workers would know their rights and respect there own sense of safety AND VALUE!
March 9, 2020
Question 1. May an employer (click here) send home an employee involuntarily who has or is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19?
Answer 1. Yes. In response to the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has cited its 2009 pandemic H1N1 flu guidance, which states that advising workers with symptoms to go home either (a) is not a disability-related action if the illness is akin to seasonal influenza or (b) is permitted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) if the illness is serious enough to pose a direct threat to the employee or coworkers. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance advises that employees with symptoms of acute respiratory illness and a fever (greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius, using an oral thermometer) should stay home. Of course, employers should apply this type of policy uniformly and in a manner that does not discriminate based on any protected characteristic (e.g., national origin, gender, race, etc.)....
The only people Donald John Trump or any other of his morons can demand to accept life-threatening danger in their jobs is the USA military.
...Q4. When may an employee who was sent home for exhibiting symptoms (subjective or measured fever, cough, difficulty breathing) return to work?
A4. The CDC has indicated that in general business settings (i.e., non-healthcare settings where individuals in the workplace are not at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19), employees may return to work at least 24 hours after no longer having or exhibiting (a) a fever (defined by the CDC as a temperature greater than 100.4º F or 37.8º C), (b) signs of a fever [what the CDC means is unclear], and (c) any other symptoms, without the aid of fever-reducing medicines (e.g., anything containing ibuprofen or acetaminophen) or other symptom-masking medicines (e.g., cough suppressants).
The return-to-work standards and time periods may be different for an individual with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Employers should consult the CDC’s and other public health authorities’ guidance.
Employers considering implementation of policies beyond the CDC’s guidance (e.g., a longer “return to work” time period) should consider the basis for those and consult with legal counsel.
An employer may want to meet with any returning employees to remind them to practice good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene, avoid close contact with individuals who appear to be sick, and stay home if they begin to feel sick, for the health and safety of those employees and their coworkers, as well as the continued operations of the employer....
Any person being threatened by their governor to report to work or else is violating the law. The law they are violating is harassment. There are also issues of terroristic threats when anyone is threatening another USA citizen with harm in any manner.
Harassment (click here) is a form of employment discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA).
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive....
Run, do not walk, to the nearest attorneys that can uphold the integrity of a person to a right to work IN SAFETY and NOT IN DANGER of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus!
Many people believe (click here) that because Iowa is an at-will state, employees have no rights and can be terminated for any reason at all. Luckily, this is not true. With experience handling all types of employment law cases, we at Higgins Law Firm, PLLC, understand that it’s essential to combine education with strong representation....
My understanding of the meat processing plants that Trump is using to carry out his ego-driven dictatorship is not providing N-95 masks, a separate residence for their employees from their family to ensure they are not bringing SARS-CoV-2 virus to their spouses, roommates or children.
There is an order Trump used to compel the meat processing plants to produce meat regardless of the dangers of the virus and/or orders of the CDC. That does not mean the employees are compelled to compromise their safety or that of their families to carry out the employer's responsibility. This is a virus that has already killed workers in meat processing plants.
Meat Processing Plants may have to purchase meat from other countries to fulfill Trump's demand.
While Trump is compelling the meat processing plants to provide food to the American people, there is no clear definition that employees under threat by dangerous working conditions have to meet the need of their employers.
Rosie the Riveter never faced death on the job.
The only people Donald John Trump or any other of his morons can demand to accept life-threatening danger in their jobs is the USA military.
...Q4. When may an employee who was sent home for exhibiting symptoms (subjective or measured fever, cough, difficulty breathing) return to work?
A4. The CDC has indicated that in general business settings (i.e., non-healthcare settings where individuals in the workplace are not at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19), employees may return to work at least 24 hours after no longer having or exhibiting (a) a fever (defined by the CDC as a temperature greater than 100.4º F or 37.8º C), (b) signs of a fever [what the CDC means is unclear], and (c) any other symptoms, without the aid of fever-reducing medicines (e.g., anything containing ibuprofen or acetaminophen) or other symptom-masking medicines (e.g., cough suppressants).
The return-to-work standards and time periods may be different for an individual with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Employers should consult the CDC’s and other public health authorities’ guidance.
Employers considering implementation of policies beyond the CDC’s guidance (e.g., a longer “return to work” time period) should consider the basis for those and consult with legal counsel.
An employer may want to meet with any returning employees to remind them to practice good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene, avoid close contact with individuals who appear to be sick, and stay home if they begin to feel sick, for the health and safety of those employees and their coworkers, as well as the continued operations of the employer....
Any person being threatened by their governor to report to work or else is violating the law. The law they are violating is harassment. There are also issues of terroristic threats when anyone is threatening another USA citizen with harm in any manner.
Harassment (click here) is a form of employment discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA).
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive....
Run, do not walk, to the nearest attorneys that can uphold the integrity of a person to a right to work IN SAFETY and NOT IN DANGER of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus!
Many people believe (click here) that because Iowa is an at-will state, employees have no rights and can be terminated for any reason at all. Luckily, this is not true. With experience handling all types of employment law cases, we at Higgins Law Firm, PLLC, understand that it’s essential to combine education with strong representation....
My understanding of the meat processing plants that Trump is using to carry out his ego-driven dictatorship is not providing N-95 masks, a separate residence for their employees from their family to ensure they are not bringing SARS-CoV-2 virus to their spouses, roommates or children.
There is an order Trump used to compel the meat processing plants to produce meat regardless of the dangers of the virus and/or orders of the CDC. That does not mean the employees are compelled to compromise their safety or that of their families to carry out the employer's responsibility. This is a virus that has already killed workers in meat processing plants.
Meat Processing Plants may have to purchase meat from other countries to fulfill Trump's demand.While Trump is compelling the meat processing plants to provide food to the American people, there is no clear definition that employees under threat by dangerous working conditions have to meet the need of their employers.
Rosie the Riveter never faced death on the job.
If Pence can't even take care of himself, he will never take care of Americans.
It is gross neglect and abuse of power exhibited by the Vice President. Trump stated some time ago that Pence had to conduct himself as Trump would. We already know Trump refuses to wear masks. This is nothing short of a political stunt setting the absolutely worst example possible to the country and international community. The Trump administration is a disgrace.
A lot of news about COVID-19 today.
The most urgent is the strokes our young people are experiencing in regard to COVID-19. We know young adults went to Florida beaches, contracted SARS-CoV-2 and then carried it back into the country. We also know will these young people sustain well against the virus and my only feel like the flue, this is NOT the flu and the myths need to end.
We also know the virus itself is very, very dangerous, and causes blood clots. As a result of these clots, there are strokes in young adults and quite possibly heart attacks in middle age and older adults.
Deaths have occurred across the spectrum of age and no one is exempt from a dangerous pathology.
Young adults need to call 911 immediately as soon as their symptom of strokes begins. If there is someone to drive them and traffic is not usually heavy, then they can drive to the ER. Kindly remember EMTs have a direct link to an ER doctor and treatment begins when they arrive. There are many reasons to call 911 and sit tight but if it is more prudent to be driven to the ER then do so safely.
BUT, the important issue is that strokes are recognized at all ages and require a hospital and doctor to adequately address this type of emergency. With that, what then are the symptoms of a stroke?
This is an interesting icon to begin to understand the signs of a stroke. This is from a health care system (click here).
The word FAST is used by the American Stroke Association (click here).
But, basically, a stroke attacks everything that makes us human.
B - Our ability to walk and run is effected with a loss or impairment of balance.
E -When it comes to the eyes, the question is What are you seeing?" But perhaps the person is also being affected in their speech. When look at the eyes to determine if the pupils are equal. If they are not there is something seriously wrong going on with the person.
F - Facial droop is a cardinal sign of a stroke. If there is any facial drooping call 911 immediately.
A - Any changes in arms or legs in the way a person would normally control them. If for any reason the arms or legs are not NORMAL then an emergency is occurring, especially if the limb has become weak or flaccid.
S - I mentioned speech difficulty. It can occur in that the person is not able to speak or speak well, but, also if their statements are estranged from the person's normal. If for whatever reason an answer to a question is not forthcoming or not cohesive to the moment in time and the subject at hand, they are most likely struggling with their cognition and need to go to the hospital.
T - The last element is TIME. Take action quickly. Do not doubt your decision. If a person has any of the signs of a stroke, immediately act to assist. There is NO SHAME in being helpful. Call 911 immediately and let the EMTs do their job.
As mentioned blood clots can cause heart attacks. They can also what is called "thrombosis." Some of the most dangerous are those in the lungs that effect breathing and cause chest pain. Lung thrombosis (blood clot) can also travel to the heart. Other thromboses are those found in the leg, they are frequently called "Deep Vein Thrombosis." They are as equally dangerous as a lung thrombosis.
It can be difficult to decide (click here) when you should go to the emergency department. By knowing the signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, you can empower yourself to make the best healthcare decisions for you.
Signs of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) include:
- Swelling of the legs, ankles, or feet
- Discomfort, heaviness, pain, aching, throbbing, itching, or warmth in the legs
- Skin changes in the leg such as discoloration, thickening, or ulceration
Signs of pulmonary thrombosis:
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Rapid or irregular heart rate
Blood clots are very abnormal occurrences in the human body. They are very dangerous to the people experiencing them. It is important to recognize the signs of a blood clot and act to help and end the danger.
Depending on where the blood clot is found the emergency room doctors will know how to proceed. There are anti-thrombolytics that work immediately and end the threat of the blood clot, but, sometimes surgery is needed to remove the clot and possibly close a leaking blood vessel. Any of these treatments are important and saves lives. Frequently when these therapeutic measures are applied there will be no lingering effects of the blood clot or stroke and life can return to normal. The medicines that treat these clots are amazing. But, they can only be given in the ER under the observation of health care professionals.
Every life is important.
We also know the virus itself is very, very dangerous, and causes blood clots. As a result of these clots, there are strokes in young adults and quite possibly heart attacks in middle age and older adults.
Deaths have occurred across the spectrum of age and no one is exempt from a dangerous pathology.
Young adults need to call 911 immediately as soon as their symptom of strokes begins. If there is someone to drive them and traffic is not usually heavy, then they can drive to the ER. Kindly remember EMTs have a direct link to an ER doctor and treatment begins when they arrive. There are many reasons to call 911 and sit tight but if it is more prudent to be driven to the ER then do so safely.
BUT, the important issue is that strokes are recognized at all ages and require a hospital and doctor to adequately address this type of emergency. With that, what then are the symptoms of a stroke?
This is an interesting icon to begin to understand the signs of a stroke. This is from a health care system (click here).
The word FAST is used by the American Stroke Association (click here).But, basically, a stroke attacks everything that makes us human.
B - Our ability to walk and run is effected with a loss or impairment of balance.
E -When it comes to the eyes, the question is What are you seeing?" But perhaps the person is also being affected in their speech. When look at the eyes to determine if the pupils are equal. If they are not there is something seriously wrong going on with the person.
F - Facial droop is a cardinal sign of a stroke. If there is any facial drooping call 911 immediately.
A - Any changes in arms or legs in the way a person would normally control them. If for any reason the arms or legs are not NORMAL then an emergency is occurring, especially if the limb has become weak or flaccid.
S - I mentioned speech difficulty. It can occur in that the person is not able to speak or speak well, but, also if their statements are estranged from the person's normal. If for whatever reason an answer to a question is not forthcoming or not cohesive to the moment in time and the subject at hand, they are most likely struggling with their cognition and need to go to the hospital.
T - The last element is TIME. Take action quickly. Do not doubt your decision. If a person has any of the signs of a stroke, immediately act to assist. There is NO SHAME in being helpful. Call 911 immediately and let the EMTs do their job.
As mentioned blood clots can cause heart attacks. They can also what is called "thrombosis." Some of the most dangerous are those in the lungs that effect breathing and cause chest pain. Lung thrombosis (blood clot) can also travel to the heart. Other thromboses are those found in the leg, they are frequently called "Deep Vein Thrombosis." They are as equally dangerous as a lung thrombosis.
It can be difficult to decide (click here) when you should go to the emergency department. By knowing the signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, you can empower yourself to make the best healthcare decisions for you.
Signs of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) include:
- Swelling of the legs, ankles, or feet
- Discomfort, heaviness, pain, aching, throbbing, itching, or warmth in the legs
- Skin changes in the leg such as discoloration, thickening, or ulceration
Signs of pulmonary thrombosis:
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Rapid or irregular heart rate
Blood clots are very abnormal occurrences in the human body. They are very dangerous to the people experiencing them. It is important to recognize the signs of a blood clot and act to help and end the danger.
Depending on where the blood clot is found the emergency room doctors will know how to proceed. There are anti-thrombolytics that work immediately and end the threat of the blood clot, but, sometimes surgery is needed to remove the clot and possibly close a leaking blood vessel. Any of these treatments are important and saves lives. Frequently when these therapeutic measures are applied there will be no lingering effects of the blood clot or stroke and life can return to normal. The medicines that treat these clots are amazing. But, they can only be given in the ER under the observation of health care professionals.
Every life is important.
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Now it is obvious. Trump is not interested in solving the problems, but, only to cause them.
No one is dying on my behalf. I am home and will not eat meat coming from "hotspots."
April 28, 2020
By Kaitlan Collins and Maegan Vazquez
President Donald Trump (click here) is expected to sign a five-page executive order under the Defense Production Act to compel meat processing plants to remain open amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump had highlighted the order during an Oval Office meeting with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that was opened up to reporters.
"We're going to sign an executive order today, I believe, and that'll solve any liability problems," Trump said on Tuesday.
The President is expected to sign the order after some companies, such as Tyson Foods, were considering only keeping 20% of their facilities open. The vast majority of processing plants could have shut down -- which would have reduced processing capacity in the country by as much as 80%, an official familiar with the order told CNN....
The USA food supply has become less safe under Trump and now Americans are dying because of the Trump administration's disastrous deregulation. Deregulation and denial causes a far greater problem and does not solve them. The USA needs to go on a diet of healthy foods, not contaminated food.
20 April 2020
By BiBi van der Zee, Tom Levitt and Andrew Wasley
The US government (click here) is accelerating controversial regulatory rollbacks to speed up production at meat plants, as companies express growing alarm at the impact of Covid-19 on their operations.
Last week Smithfield shut down one of the largest pork plants in the country after hundreds of employees contracted the coronavirus. The plant in South Dakota – whose output represents 4–5% of US pork production – is reported to be the largest single-source coronavirus hotspot in the US, with more than 600 cases. In response, the company said it was “critical” for the meat industry to “continue to operate unabated”.
Now it has emerged that as a wave of plants announces closures, US meat plants are being granted permission to increase the speed of their production lines. This comes despite warnings that the waivers for higher speeds on slaughter and processing lines will compromise food safety....
Food workers state: "If one gets sick, we all get sick." (click here)
April 28, 2020
By Kaitlan Collins and Maegan Vazquez
President Donald Trump (click here) is expected to sign a five-page executive order under the Defense Production Act to compel meat processing plants to remain open amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump had highlighted the order during an Oval Office meeting with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that was opened up to reporters.
"We're going to sign an executive order today, I believe, and that'll solve any liability problems," Trump said on Tuesday.
The President is expected to sign the order after some companies, such as Tyson Foods, were considering only keeping 20% of their facilities open. The vast majority of processing plants could have shut down -- which would have reduced processing capacity in the country by as much as 80%, an official familiar with the order told CNN....
The USA food supply has become less safe under Trump and now Americans are dying because of the Trump administration's disastrous deregulation. Deregulation and denial causes a far greater problem and does not solve them. The USA needs to go on a diet of healthy foods, not contaminated food.
20 April 2020
By BiBi van der Zee, Tom Levitt and Andrew Wasley
The US government (click here) is accelerating controversial regulatory rollbacks to speed up production at meat plants, as companies express growing alarm at the impact of Covid-19 on their operations.
Last week Smithfield shut down one of the largest pork plants in the country after hundreds of employees contracted the coronavirus. The plant in South Dakota – whose output represents 4–5% of US pork production – is reported to be the largest single-source coronavirus hotspot in the US, with more than 600 cases. In response, the company said it was “critical” for the meat industry to “continue to operate unabated”.
Now it has emerged that as a wave of plants announces closures, US meat plants are being granted permission to increase the speed of their production lines. This comes despite warnings that the waivers for higher speeds on slaughter and processing lines will compromise food safety....
Food workers state: "If one gets sick, we all get sick." (click here)
NASA has a sterilization unit. The White Room was a sterile room so germs didn’t go into space. This is not new technology. The implications of that is huge. The only thing it can’t sterilize is a person that is a a carrier. For that reason the testing and mitigation still has to go forward.
COVID-19 test needs to be required for a marriage license.
Attorney General Barr is propagating SARS-CoV-2 by restricting states and cities from protecting their citizens. Currently, Greensboro, North Carolina is providing free masks to use by their citizens. Greensboro is doing it in expectations of their use. Wearing a mask in public is illegal in N.C. The state legislators only convene twice a year. They are expected to change that regulation to accommodate the current virus emergency. North Carolina is not enforcing the very silly law at this time. I don’t know a wintertime that doesn’t demand a scarf or face covering with cold temperatures. It is a silly law.
Bill Barr does not have jurisdiction over a national HEALTH emergency. He is trying to assault the states with basically quarantine orders entitled “Stay at Home.” Any state or local health department is operating within their authority to carry out quarantines no matter what they are called.
BEST PRACTICES are required by state or city governments. Barr is CYAing his with Trump. If he wants to enforce a parking ticket, Barr can still do that as a hero among the streets and people in quarantine.
People could be making decisions about the future in the state of depression and/or in expectations of defeat of control of the future due to SARS-CoV-2. Both are unhealthy ways of thinking about the future. It has been months and not years the USA has been coping with this virus. Everyday there is more and more hope that the future is being returned to the people. We now have NASA’s sterilization unit and Rutgers’ RELIABLE testing. Those are huge. Tomorrow is still ours.
COVID-19 test needs to be required for a marriage license.
Attorney General Barr is propagating SARS-CoV-2 by restricting states and cities from protecting their citizens. Currently, Greensboro, North Carolina is providing free masks to use by their citizens. Greensboro is doing it in expectations of their use. Wearing a mask in public is illegal in N.C. The state legislators only convene twice a year. They are expected to change that regulation to accommodate the current virus emergency. North Carolina is not enforcing the very silly law at this time. I don’t know a wintertime that doesn’t demand a scarf or face covering with cold temperatures. It is a silly law.
Bill Barr does not have jurisdiction over a national HEALTH emergency. He is trying to assault the states with basically quarantine orders entitled “Stay at Home.” Any state or local health department is operating within their authority to carry out quarantines no matter what they are called.
BEST PRACTICES are required by state or city governments. Barr is CYAing his with Trump. If he wants to enforce a parking ticket, Barr can still do that as a hero among the streets and people in quarantine.
People could be making decisions about the future in the state of depression and/or in expectations of defeat of control of the future due to SARS-CoV-2. Both are unhealthy ways of thinking about the future. It has been months and not years the USA has been coping with this virus. Everyday there is more and more hope that the future is being returned to the people. We now have NASA’s sterilization unit and Rutgers’ RELIABLE testing. Those are huge. Tomorrow is still ours.
It is a little terrifying to run out of oxygen tubing.
By Meghan Bartels
NASA engineer (click here) Mike Buttigieg works on the Aerospace Valley Positive Pressure Helmet, a device that was successfully tested by doctors at Antelope Valley Hospital in California....
Bridenstein had brought with him three examples of technology (click here) that agency employees have been developing in the six weeks or so since the pandemic entered the U.S. in earnest and the four weeks since the agency launched the NASA @ WORK program to crowdsource its pandemic response activities.
Typically, engineers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California work on technologies related to aircraft; lately, some have instead developed an oxygen hood in partnership with commercial suborbital spaceflight company Virgin Galactic. The new device provides the oxygen pressure COVID-19 patients require while protecting healthcare workers from infection, Bridenstine said.
Another technology on display builds on NASA's dedication to spacecraft sterilization and planetary protection, preventing contamination of other worlds. "We took that technology to sterilize a spacecraft and we said how do we use that to sterilize the inside of a room, and that's what this device is," Bridenstine said. "It will fog the room and every surface in the room will then be sterilized. No coronavirus."...
Monday, April 27, 2020
Pence is speaking to the US Air Force Academy because it is the closest thing to the US Space Force.
Trump might need those graduating Air Force cadets to fly planes all over the country to ensure the health of the cadets at West Point. Unfortunately such flights don’t include family.
There is a 3 mile runway in Cornwall that accommodates C5 cargo planes so the cadets can avoid landing in New York City. Most commercial airlines are not running a full compliment of routes nor should they be unless every passenger tests negative at the gate at time of boarding. It is a very sealed and pressurized environment.
Trump might need those graduating Air Force cadets to fly planes all over the country to ensure the health of the cadets at West Point. Unfortunately such flights don’t include family.
There is a 3 mile runway in Cornwall that accommodates C5 cargo planes so the cadets can avoid landing in New York City. Most commercial airlines are not running a full compliment of routes nor should they be unless every passenger tests negative at the gate at time of boarding. It is a very sealed and pressurized environment.
I don’t watch the president anymore. He has nothing to say that is helpful. As a matter of fact I find him hurtful and ultimately on a spectrum of hurt he can physically hurt Americans to the point of poisoning leading to possible death. What is he still doing there?
It can be said the media is irresponsible in indulging his flight of thought. It is nothing but sensationalism.
Where is OSHA at the JBS plant? Who is going to be charged with negligent homicide for the violations of law and continued operations where five employees have died because of occupational exposure to COVID-19? The union needs to support a job action with its members due to unsafe working conditions.
The Board of Diectors and the CEO need to be arrested. Compare JBS to the new working conditions at FORD automotive and tell me there is no crime at JBS!
The USDA should be at the JBS meat packing plant to condemn the plant and confiscate the meat. SARS-CoV-2 is a viable virus up to several days on fomite and probably longer on food products. The meat is most likely unsafe for consumption. I wouldn’t feed it to animals either.
It can be said the media is irresponsible in indulging his flight of thought. It is nothing but sensationalism.
Where is OSHA at the JBS plant? Who is going to be charged with negligent homicide for the violations of law and continued operations where five employees have died because of occupational exposure to COVID-19? The union needs to support a job action with its members due to unsafe working conditions.
The Board of Diectors and the CEO need to be arrested. Compare JBS to the new working conditions at FORD automotive and tell me there is no crime at JBS!
The USDA should be at the JBS meat packing plant to condemn the plant and confiscate the meat. SARS-CoV-2 is a viable virus up to several days on fomite and probably longer on food products. The meat is most likely unsafe for consumption. I wouldn’t feed it to animals either.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been brilliant.
28 April 2020
New Zealand has moved today (click here) to a slightly less-restrictive way of living with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declaring the coronavirus "currently eliminated" - and the country's efforts now the focus of international attention.
The country moved to level 3 at 11.59pm on Monday, easing some of the restrictions of the level-4 living of the past four-and-a-half weeks - including another 400,000 Kiwis returning to work and the lifting of fast-food restrictions. People were already lining up at McDonald's drive-thrus early on Tuesday.
New Zealand's main centres are buzzing for the first time in almost five weeks. Timesaver Traffic's Rebecca Apolosi says it's clearly visible on Auckland roads....
New Zealand has moved today (click here) to a slightly less-restrictive way of living with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declaring the coronavirus "currently eliminated" - and the country's efforts now the focus of international attention.
The country moved to level 3 at 11.59pm on Monday, easing some of the restrictions of the level-4 living of the past four-and-a-half weeks - including another 400,000 Kiwis returning to work and the lifting of fast-food restrictions. People were already lining up at McDonald's drive-thrus early on Tuesday.
New Zealand's main centres are buzzing for the first time in almost five weeks. Timesaver Traffic's Rebecca Apolosi says it's clearly visible on Auckland roads....
Did your health care rates increase after the Affordable Care Act began? There is a reason and it is the Republicans under McConnell.
There is a very good chance the health care insurance increases may have resulted from the refusal of Republicans to appropriate and pay the "risk corridor" program. Consumer groups need to investigate the reason their premiums skyrocketed after the Affordable Care Act went into effect.
By Ian Milhiser
On Monday, (click here) the Supreme Court voted 8-1 to reject a Republican effort to sabotage parts of the Affordable Care Act. The upshot of this decision is that health insurers will receive payments owed to them under Obamacare’s “risk corridor” program.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s majority opinion in Maine Community Health Options v. United States, relies on “a principle as old as the Nation itself,” according to the opinion. That principle: “The Government should honor its obligations.”
The vote in Maine Community was not close. Eight justices joined all or nearly all of Sotomayor’s opinion, leaving Justice Samuel Alito in a lonely dissent. That’s a bit of a surprising outcome given what was at stake in the case, which involved a $12 billion Republican scheme to sabotage Obamacare.
And yet, after years of litigation seeking to destroy the Affordable Care Act, and after many more years of partisan rancor bitterly dividing the two major political parties on whether Obamacare should continue to exist, only Justice Alito was willing to endorse this particular effort to undercut President Obama’s primary legislative accomplishment.
The other eight justices all agreed that the risk corridors program should be preserved....
...Much of Sotomayor’s opinion focuses on prior precedents establishing that courts should be very reluctant to read one federal law as implicitly eliminating an obligation laid out by another law. “Repeals by implication are not favored,” Sotomayor writes, quoting from a 1974 Supreme Court decision. When confronted with two laws that seem to pull in different directions, courts should “‘regard each as effective’—unless Congress’ intention to repeal is ‘clear and manifest.’”...
SARS-CoV-2 is a very invasive virus. It is dangerous.
The reason people are hospitalized is that their lives hang in the balance. They need oxygen and/or a ventilator to help them breathe. That doesn't mean that is the only place the virus finds success. The respiratory system is delicate and people will not survive if their oxygen is depleted without replenishment in 5 mins. That is why the virus is receiving attention.
August 27, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (click here) has added several new symptoms to its existing list of symptoms for COVID-19.
The CDC has long said said that fever, cough and shortness of breath are indications that someone might have the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. It has now added six more conditions that may come with the disease: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.The expanded symptoms list could prove important because with a limited number of test kits available, typically those seeking a test must first show symptoms.
There is anecdotal evidence for some of those newly listed symptoms. NPR and other news outlets reported last month that loss of smell and taste were reported by some people with COVID-19. Patients with the disease caused by the coronavirus have also reported muscle pain, chills and headache....
Realize today there are patients experiencing far different symptoms than others and if there are deaths they may not be counted. That was the case in the past.
The Washington Post has done some very interesting work. They found average death rates at the beginning of the pandemic were significantly higher than only a year earlier. Should these deaths be considered part of the pandemic statistics? The researchers should ask other foreign scientists if this phenomenon was discovered in their countries as well. The case numbers and numbers dead may change dramatically if that is the case.
April 27, 2020
By Emma Brown, Andrew Ba Tran, Beth Reinhard and Monica Ulmanu
In the early weeks of the coronavirus epidemic, (click here) the United States recorded an estimated 15,400 excess deaths, nearly two times as many as were publicly attributed to covid-19 at the time, according to an analysis of federal data conducted for The Washington Post by a research team led by the Yale School of Public Health.
The excess deaths — the number beyond what would normally be expected for that time of year — occurred during March and through April 4, a time when 8,128 coronavirus deaths were reported.
The excess deaths are not necessarily attributable directly to covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. They could include people who died because of the epidemic but not from the disease, such as those who were afraid to seek medical treatment for unrelated illnesses, as well as some number of deaths that are part of the ordinary variation in the death rate. The count is also affected by increases or decreases in other categories of deaths, such as suicides, homicides and motor vehicle accidents....
August 27, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (click here) has added several new symptoms to its existing list of symptoms for COVID-19.
The CDC has long said said that fever, cough and shortness of breath are indications that someone might have the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. It has now added six more conditions that may come with the disease: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.The expanded symptoms list could prove important because with a limited number of test kits available, typically those seeking a test must first show symptoms.
There is anecdotal evidence for some of those newly listed symptoms. NPR and other news outlets reported last month that loss of smell and taste were reported by some people with COVID-19. Patients with the disease caused by the coronavirus have also reported muscle pain, chills and headache....
Realize today there are patients experiencing far different symptoms than others and if there are deaths they may not be counted. That was the case in the past.
The Washington Post has done some very interesting work. They found average death rates at the beginning of the pandemic were significantly higher than only a year earlier. Should these deaths be considered part of the pandemic statistics? The researchers should ask other foreign scientists if this phenomenon was discovered in their countries as well. The case numbers and numbers dead may change dramatically if that is the case.
April 27, 2020
By Emma Brown, Andrew Ba Tran, Beth Reinhard and Monica Ulmanu
In the early weeks of the coronavirus epidemic, (click here) the United States recorded an estimated 15,400 excess deaths, nearly two times as many as were publicly attributed to covid-19 at the time, according to an analysis of federal data conducted for The Washington Post by a research team led by the Yale School of Public Health.
The excess deaths — the number beyond what would normally be expected for that time of year — occurred during March and through April 4, a time when 8,128 coronavirus deaths were reported.
The excess deaths are not necessarily attributable directly to covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. They could include people who died because of the epidemic but not from the disease, such as those who were afraid to seek medical treatment for unrelated illnesses, as well as some number of deaths that are part of the ordinary variation in the death rate. The count is also affected by increases or decreases in other categories of deaths, such as suicides, homicides and motor vehicle accidents....
Isn't this similar to the adult patients? There is inflammation. Children are known to test negative for the SARS virus.
This more or less indicates children have far less body tissue to invade and the virus moves quicker in children to include other body systems besides the lungs. The viral load needed to cause tissue damage in children is most likely smaller than adults and that may be why the children are testing negative when these symptoms manifest. The tests are not specifically designed to test children. The tests are designed to test adults.
April 27, 2020
By Michelle Roberts
The alert, which was issued to GPs in North London (click here) by their clinical commissioning group, said there was "a growing concern" that a coronavirus-related inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children in the UK or that there may be another, as yet unidentified, infection linked to these cases.
April 27, 2020
By Michelle Roberts
The alert, which was issued to GPs in North London (click here) by their clinical commissioning group, said there was "a growing concern" that a coronavirus-related inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children in the UK or that there may be another, as yet unidentified, infection linked to these cases.
These young patients of varying ages were extremely ill. They had similar features to toxic shock syndrome, which can include a high temperature, low blood pressure, a rash and difficulty breathing.
Some also had gastrointestinal symptoms - tummy pain, vomiting or diarrhoea - and inflammation of the heart, as well as abnormal blood test results.
Experts say these are the signs you can see when the body is becomes overwhelmed as it tries to fight off an infection.
The alert, which has now been shared more widely, advises these cases need urgent treatment.
But experts stress that very few children become severely ill with coronavirus - evidence from around the world suggests they are the population least affected by the disease....
How old are the parents of the children developing illness? Younger people show up far less in the demographics of COVID-2. Are the parents being tested after their child became ill? Age 45 or older is where the demographics show more victims. Age 75 or older is when infestations kill nearly 50 percent of the victims. I still think an infusion of White Blood cells would help this group.
How old are the parents of the children developing illness? Younger people show up far less in the demographics of COVID-2. Are the parents being tested after their child became ill? Age 45 or older is where the demographics show more victims. Age 75 or older is when infestations kill nearly 50 percent of the victims. I still think an infusion of White Blood cells would help this group.
While Trump advises Americans to drink bleach and other caustic substances, he is allowing Netanyahu to proceed with expansion plans into the West Bank.
The Rooster
"Okeydoke"
April 26, 2020
Jerusalem - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (click here) voiced confidence on Sunday that Washington would give Israel the nod within two months to move ahead with de facto annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank....
Trump not only misinforms Americans about facts, but he is also going forward with other extreme measures in foreign policy.
The idea that 30 percent of the West Bank will be annexed by Israel came to the forefront of Trump's continuing rage against Palestine as the SARS-Cov-2 was beginning it's spread in November of last year.
November 19, 2019
By David Ignasius
One more timber of the United States’ bipartisan (click here) foreign policy collapsed this week when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reversed a 41-year State Department legal judgment that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank were “inconsistent with international law.”
Pompeo promoted this change in policy as a pragmatic acceptance of fact. “What we’ve done today is we have recognized the reality on the ground,” he said Monday. He argued that the United States could help solve the Palestinian problem by “taking away this impediment, this idea that somehow there was going to be a legal resolution.”...
This is the beginning of the end of the two-state solution. Unless there has been a large shift in the American Jewish Community, a year ago Jewish Americans had not abandoned the two-state solution for Israel.
There is an occasional poll that will state the American Jewish community accepts the decision to annex Palestine.
When it comes to the two-state solution (click here) and the American Jewish community, the old joke about “two Jews, three synagogues” simply doesn’t apply.
The alphabet soup of organizations comprising the so-called American Jewish establishment – from the muscular pro-Israel AIPAC to the “pro-Israel, pro-peace” J Street, through the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, the policy arms of the Reform and Conservative movements, the Jewish Federations of North America and the rest – are all in lockstep agreement that a two-state solution is a declared goal to securing a Jewish and democratic state....
Opinions in the USA can be seen as shifting with resignation as noted by J-Street.
...The contours of a two-state solution are well known. (click here) President Clinton outlined the parameters in 2000, and progress on this basis was made in Taba in 2001 and under Israeli Prime Minister Olmert in 2008. Various initiatives have spelled out the principles and even the details.
Unfortunately, time and political-will in the region are in short supply and it appears to many observers that the window of opportunity for achieving a two-state solution is rapidly closing. While majorities of both the Israeli and Palestinian populations continue to support a two-state solution, ongoing developments, entrenched and expanding settlements, and a growing movement in some Palestinian and international circles for a one-state outcome suggest that the trajectory is trending against the two-state option, thereby threatening Israel’s future.
Lastly, growing radicalization in the region makes achieving a two-state solution evermore challenging. We no longer have the luxury of waiting for a riper time to pursue peace; now is that time.
It has been a long-held belief that a two-state solution was vital to maintaining Israel as a sovereign state. Since the rise of radical groups like Daesh, Israel is seeing expansion as a solution to any threat. This move to take 30 percent of the West Bank is due to the recently formed government in Israel under Prime Minister Netanyahu in response to SARS-CoV-2. The move against Palestine will come by July 1st. The movement of this extremist agenda in Israel began when the USA built a new embassy in Jerusalem. Since then, Israel has kissed the Trump ring by naming a street and an unbuilt community after the American President.
I think it is unclear to the extent Russia will seek to prevent such steps by Israel as it continues the support of an Assad government in Syria. That is escalated by Hezbollah in Lebanon. I don't believe those that support a free Palestine will accept the new extremism by Israel. There is not wide-ranging support for Israel's aggression regarding the West Bank and until that occurs Israel may be surprised when confronting the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Israel expects no resistance from the PA in the West Bank, but, I doubt it will be easy and without military escalation.
I have no doubt Israel will be experiencing increased terrorism within it's borders with such views of Palestine. With outside and inside violence to these measures regarding the West Bank, will Israel survive it's extremism under this newly formed government?
“Good Night, Moon”
3.7 day old moon
14.9 percent lit
April 21, 2020
By Mike Watt
Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin (click here) is leveraging his famous Apollo 11 quarantine experience of five decades ago to help society deal with the coronavirus pandemic, which has much of the world under a stay-at-home order.
Aldrin and Apollo 11 crewmates Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins endured a three-week quarantine inside a modified Airstream trailer after their historic moon mission ended in July 1969, to ensure that they didn't spread any potential "space germs" to the rest of us here on Earth....
Sunday, April 26, 2020
I want to take this opportunity to address the need for safety in relation to the terrible circumstances we are facing with a virus, SARS-CoV-2.
Opening the country when so many haven't become comfortable with the idea of being out and about is wrong. People have to come to terms with the reality before them and they are simply not used to it. They are more worried right now about their paychecks or unemployment checks and maintaining their home. They haven't had a chance to catch their breath from a stay at home orders and now they have to prepare for a return to work and school. It isn't the right time.
I do not believe the statistics are encouraging enough either.
The reporting from doctors and nurses are still worrisome. There is currently no real means to prevent the spread of additional infections except to stay at home. The children are acclimated to classrooms through video links in the home. Where students don't have access, they have people that care about that.
April 1, 2020
By Sarah Al-Arshani
...School districts across the country (click here) are turning school buses into WiFi hotspots where students can connect to the internet to complete assignments.
Topeka Public Schools in Topeka, Kansas, set up three WiFi buses where students can sit near the bus and use the code written on the windshield. Each bus is set up in a parking lot of one of the district's schools, local outlet KSNT reported.
According to The Associated Press, almost 3 million students in the US don't have access to the internet at home. That's a little less than 20% of all students. According to the US Department of Education, about a third of the homes with school-aged children don't have internet because they can't afford it....
The country is simply not ready to dive back into defying the virus from hurting them. If the national statistics showed a very slowed spread it would be different. But, the reality today dictates the 14 weeks of unemployment plus $600 needs to begin and continue while the news about the virus gets better and more encouraging. I don't want to hear "Fake News" either. The press is doing a great job.
COVID-19 is a very dangerous virus and it needs to be treated that way. Americans don't feel as though they have enough control and they don't want high amounts of risk in their lives. They have the right to feel safe in their homes, school, and at work and it just isn't there yet.
There is a lot that has to happen before the country is ready to begin their lives differently. There needs to be a tracking system for virus contact. There needs to be an abundance of PPE for the hospitals and sales to average Americans. There needs to be a firm indication in the numbers of cases and deaths that the trend is looking good and decreasing at an almost predictable rate.
Americans need to be able to work as much as possible from home. Why does that have to change? The children are fine. They are learning new skills while learning their studies. Many aspects of the stay at home orders are working well. Why disturb that right now?
The statistics need to be better. The society needs to be ready. We are fine for now. Let's just remain calm.
I am not in a hurry to push Americans to be compromised when they still don't believe they are prepared. I certainly don't appreciate the state governors overriding the cities and towns that believe they are not ready to be opened just yet. They haven't received the funding they need to make necessary changes.
The time will come. Until then, be and stay healthy.
Opening the country when so many haven't become comfortable with the idea of being out and about is wrong. People have to come to terms with the reality before them and they are simply not used to it. They are more worried right now about their paychecks or unemployment checks and maintaining their home. They haven't had a chance to catch their breath from a stay at home orders and now they have to prepare for a return to work and school. It isn't the right time.
I do not believe the statistics are encouraging enough either.
The reporting from doctors and nurses are still worrisome. There is currently no real means to prevent the spread of additional infections except to stay at home. The children are acclimated to classrooms through video links in the home. Where students don't have access, they have people that care about that.
April 1, 2020
By Sarah Al-Arshani
...School districts across the country (click here) are turning school buses into WiFi hotspots where students can connect to the internet to complete assignments.
Topeka Public Schools in Topeka, Kansas, set up three WiFi buses where students can sit near the bus and use the code written on the windshield. Each bus is set up in a parking lot of one of the district's schools, local outlet KSNT reported.
According to The Associated Press, almost 3 million students in the US don't have access to the internet at home. That's a little less than 20% of all students. According to the US Department of Education, about a third of the homes with school-aged children don't have internet because they can't afford it....
The country is simply not ready to dive back into defying the virus from hurting them. If the national statistics showed a very slowed spread it would be different. But, the reality today dictates the 14 weeks of unemployment plus $600 needs to begin and continue while the news about the virus gets better and more encouraging. I don't want to hear "Fake News" either. The press is doing a great job.
COVID-19 is a very dangerous virus and it needs to be treated that way. Americans don't feel as though they have enough control and they don't want high amounts of risk in their lives. They have the right to feel safe in their homes, school, and at work and it just isn't there yet.
There is a lot that has to happen before the country is ready to begin their lives differently. There needs to be a tracking system for virus contact. There needs to be an abundance of PPE for the hospitals and sales to average Americans. There needs to be a firm indication in the numbers of cases and deaths that the trend is looking good and decreasing at an almost predictable rate.
Americans need to be able to work as much as possible from home. Why does that have to change? The children are fine. They are learning new skills while learning their studies. Many aspects of the stay at home orders are working well. Why disturb that right now?
The statistics need to be better. The society needs to be ready. We are fine for now. Let's just remain calm.
I am not in a hurry to push Americans to be compromised when they still don't believe they are prepared. I certainly don't appreciate the state governors overriding the cities and towns that believe they are not ready to be opened just yet. They haven't received the funding they need to make necessary changes.
The time will come. Until then, be and stay healthy.
What about a virtual class trip?
Zoos count on visitors to help with feeding their residents. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is getting in between visiting the zoo and best practices.
Zoos often have webcams to enjoy their residents often closer than in person. So, if by chance you want to peek in on your favorite zoo, also consider making a donation instead of the price of a ticket.
April 26, 2020
By Andrea Sachs
Grizzly bears Keema and Denali live at the Northern Trail of the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington.
What’s that outside your kitchen window? (click here) An orangutan? A Gentoo penguin? Nope, it’s just a squirrel. For animal lovers, the neighborhood wildlife might not be as exciting as the more exotic creatures that live in zoos and aquariums. Although their doors are temporarily closed, you can take a peek behind the gates and observe the animals through live streams captured by video cameras set up in enclosures and tanks.
“Maybe you’ve never seen a walrus before, so you could watch for a while and realize that even though they’re a little awkward on land, they are very graceful in the water,” said Carla Knapp, who works for the Indianapolis Zoo. “Or perhaps after a few days of watching our tigers, you may notice that they’re all drawn to the same tree or rock. That’s because they can smell the other tiger that was there a couple days ago.”
With the live footage, each episode is different. Maybe you will see the animals playing or snacking or sleeping. (Don’t be alarmed if there are no animals on view. It just means they have disappeared into a private area or a staff member was not available to move the camera.) Here are a few animal cams you should tune into:...
Zoos often have webcams to enjoy their residents often closer than in person. So, if by chance you want to peek in on your favorite zoo, also consider making a donation instead of the price of a ticket.
April 26, 2020By Andrea Sachs
Grizzly bears Keema and Denali live at the Northern Trail of the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington.
What’s that outside your kitchen window? (click here) An orangutan? A Gentoo penguin? Nope, it’s just a squirrel. For animal lovers, the neighborhood wildlife might not be as exciting as the more exotic creatures that live in zoos and aquariums. Although their doors are temporarily closed, you can take a peek behind the gates and observe the animals through live streams captured by video cameras set up in enclosures and tanks.
“Maybe you’ve never seen a walrus before, so you could watch for a while and realize that even though they’re a little awkward on land, they are very graceful in the water,” said Carla Knapp, who works for the Indianapolis Zoo. “Or perhaps after a few days of watching our tigers, you may notice that they’re all drawn to the same tree or rock. That’s because they can smell the other tiger that was there a couple days ago.”
With the live footage, each episode is different. Maybe you will see the animals playing or snacking or sleeping. (Don’t be alarmed if there are no animals on view. It just means they have disappeared into a private area or a staff member was not available to move the camera.) Here are a few animal cams you should tune into:...
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