Wanting to know the how, what when where and why of ebola is NOT hysteria. It is what an informed person requires to be knowledgeable enough to make good decisions. This is just another example of those who would control us trying to make the average person into someone incapable of making their own decisions.
And then there are some competent people we should listen to. Like Michael Osterholm PhD, MPH – Director, University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) here (~20 min long):
Some highlights: 1) "The more I study about Ebola, the less I know about it." 2) Everything we know about Ebola so far is based on a total of 2400 patients from the past 24 outbreaks over 40 years. The longest set of generations has been 5. (We are at 9000-20000 patients, and on generation 20-25 this time around). 3) People are never frightened by statements like "I don't know, but this is what I'm doing to learn." But they do get scared if you tell them A or B with certainty, and it doesn't happen; or if dueling experts tell you A and Z simultaneously. 4) We don't know what will really work. We should try everything we can. "I believe the only thing we can do today is continue to try the treatment bed approach, to try to do as much as we can to isolate infected individuals, and quarantine and so forth...we've gotta do what we can." 5) It's time to reconsider our response, and if we hadn't been so dogmatic about things we didn't know, that wouldn't be so hard. 6) There's no Plan "B". If West Africa is a gas can that was waiting for a match, the rest of Central Africa is a gasoline tanker waiting for a match, and nobody anywhere has a Plan B for what happens if this gets out further, and they're not even thinking about it. We need to start thinking about those answers now. Can we fight it on two fronts if it gets out? We can't even fight it on one front now. 7) I believe we can have an effective vaccine; but there's a big difference between getting a vaccine, and actually how and where we're going to make it, how we're going to get it there, and who's going to get it into Africans now. We need to imagine that Kinshasa is on fire tomorrow, and do all of these things at the same time, not doing one after the other. 8) We have a problem with couching things in certainty for which certainty does not exist. 9) Some Ebola patients don't present with fever, ever. Now is the time to tell people that, instead of waiting until that explodes, and the media asks you "Why didn't you tell us the complete truth?" 10) Aerosols are created, and research has indicated that with Ebola, airborne transmission has been observed between laboratory animal species. We shouldn't not tell people about this, because top Ebola virologists have studied this, seen it, and are very concerned about the possibility. What are we going to do ("Plan B") if we do have an airborne transmission, and we suddenly have a reason to be very concerned about airplane cabin transmission? We need to start making that plan before it's a problem.
The same thing could be said about almost every other subject that is government/expert driven. My understanding of "science" is that it is never settled and always has more to be learned. That is why it is science otherwise it would be fact. When one has something that is capable of mutation then perfect knowledge is not possible. Sadly, those in academe and government have begun to believe that they are actually smarter than everyone else and that life would fail to exist without them when in many cases they are the ones who most endanger us by not recognizing that knowledge exists outside the "box" they have created for themselves. The only thing that "box" has created is walls that keep them from seeing the vast knowledge base that exists outside that "box." This is not about politics it is about doing what is best for the citizens of this country. That they seem not to understand that is more of an indication that they are not intelligent or sage enough to be managing organizations that need to be dynamic and open to problem solutions no matter where they come.
I am disgusted with this Administration's politicization of border security in the firm of non-enforcement. What is the value of U.S. citizenship if people can come and go as they please? Did the White House really not consider the potential for a catastrophe in public health or terrorist infiltration? Yes, bipedal vectors and terrorists have always been able to get through our porous and extensive borders... we couldn't hope to patrol/police them effectively without a fence or militarization of our borders. However, did the Administration have to effectively encourage illegal entry by demonstrating indifference for border security from the White House press podium? It's effectively an invitation -- a welcome -- to illegal immigration without any screening for disease or wicked motivations. That is irresponsible. If we don't protect the integrity of our national borders, are we truly a nation? Do we value citizenship?
POTUS has always been a mystery to me. In every way. Even much of the Left is confused now. He doesn't seem to like his job. Golly, 2 more years. -- Rich Lara
I don't actually see any "Ebola hysteria." What I do see is media types accusing the public of Ebola hysteria.
ReplyDeleteWanting to know the how, what when where and why of ebola is NOT hysteria. It is what an informed person requires to be knowledgeable enough to make good decisions. This is just another example of those who would control us trying to make the average person into someone incapable of making their own decisions.
ReplyDeleteCan we trust anything in the NYT, given what we've seen them do? I think not.
ReplyDeleteThe open borders, and Obama dispersing illegal aliens throughout the nation, undermines any effort to control security threats through quarantines.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there are some competent people we should listen to. Like Michael Osterholm PhD, MPH – Director, University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) here (~20 min long):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cidrap.umn.edu/video-perspective-west-africa-ebola-epidemic-lean-forward-one-step-back
Some highlights:
1) "The more I study about Ebola, the less I know about it."
2) Everything we know about Ebola so far is based on a total of 2400 patients from the past 24 outbreaks over 40 years. The longest set of generations has been 5. (We are at 9000-20000 patients, and on generation 20-25 this time around).
3) People are never frightened by statements like "I don't know, but this is what I'm doing to learn." But they do get scared if you tell them A or B with certainty, and it doesn't happen; or if dueling experts tell you A and Z simultaneously.
4) We don't know what will really work. We should try everything we can. "I believe the only thing we can do today is continue to try the treatment bed approach, to try to do as much as we can to isolate infected individuals, and quarantine and so forth...we've gotta do what we can."
5) It's time to reconsider our response, and if we hadn't been so dogmatic about things we didn't know, that wouldn't be so hard.
6) There's no Plan "B". If West Africa is a gas can that was waiting for a match, the rest of Central Africa is a gasoline tanker waiting for a match, and nobody anywhere has a Plan B for what happens if this gets out further, and they're not even thinking about it. We need to start thinking about those answers now. Can we fight it on two fronts if it gets out? We can't even fight it on one front now.
7) I believe we can have an effective vaccine; but there's a big difference between getting a vaccine, and actually how and where we're going to make it, how we're going to get it there, and who's going to get it into Africans now. We need to imagine that Kinshasa is on fire tomorrow, and do all of these things at the same time, not doing one after the other.
8) We have a problem with couching things in certainty for which certainty does not exist.
9) Some Ebola patients don't present with fever, ever. Now is the time to tell people that, instead of waiting until that explodes, and the media asks you "Why didn't you tell us the complete truth?"
10) Aerosols are created, and research has indicated that with Ebola, airborne transmission has been observed between laboratory animal species. We shouldn't not tell people about this, because top Ebola virologists have studied this, seen it, and are very concerned about the possibility. What are we going to do ("Plan B") if we do have an airborne transmission, and we suddenly have a reason to be very concerned about airplane cabin transmission? We need to start making that plan before it's a problem.
Soviet of Washington,
ReplyDeleteThe same thing could be said about almost every other subject that is government/expert driven. My understanding of "science" is that it is never settled and always has more to be learned. That is why it is science otherwise it would be fact.
When one has something that is capable of mutation then perfect knowledge is not possible.
Sadly, those in academe and government have begun to believe that they are actually smarter than everyone else and that life would fail to exist without them when in many cases they are the ones who most endanger us by not recognizing that knowledge exists outside the "box" they have created for themselves. The only thing that "box" has created is walls that keep them from seeing the vast knowledge base that exists outside that "box."
This is not about politics it is about doing what is best for the citizens of this country. That they seem not to understand that is more of an indication that they are not intelligent or sage enough to be managing organizations that need to be dynamic and open to problem solutions no matter where they come.
On our dollar bill is printed "E Pluribus Unum". The left hates dollar bills as a signifier of capitalism, and EPU as a denier of multi-culti.
ReplyDeleteI am disgusted with this Administration's politicization of border security in the firm of non-enforcement. What is the value of U.S. citizenship if people can come and go as they please? Did the White House really not consider the potential for a catastrophe in public health or terrorist infiltration? Yes, bipedal vectors and terrorists have always been able to get through our porous and extensive borders... we couldn't hope to patrol/police them effectively without a fence or militarization of our borders. However, did the Administration have to effectively encourage illegal entry by demonstrating indifference for border security from the White House press podium? It's effectively an invitation -- a welcome -- to illegal immigration without any screening for disease or wicked motivations. That is irresponsible. If we don't protect the integrity of our national borders, are we truly a nation? Do we value citizenship?
ReplyDeleteInteresting article regarding Ebola by Michael Fumento
ReplyDeletehttp://inference-review.com/article/an-outbreak-of-epidemiological-hysteria
The difference between US vs UK Ebola news coverage
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAz-F1QnyCk
POTUS has always been a mystery to me. In every way. Even much of the Left is confused now. He doesn't seem to like his job. Golly, 2 more years. -- Rich Lara
ReplyDelete