short notes:
will brady's ruminations
will brady's ruminations
2007-02-15
blips + updates
homelessness: Homeless children are one of America's dirty secrets. An estimated one million young people experience homelessness each year. Many are unaccompanied teenagers, sleeping in parks, abandoned buildings or "couch surfing" at friends’ houses. Others are younger children, often in the care of a single parent, who double-up in relatives’ homes or in crowded shelters. The even-less fortunate live in cars, tents and under freeway overpasses.
Children and families are the fastest growing segments of the homeless population, according to advocates, who say this serious social problem driven by poverty and a scarcity of affordable housing is not widely recognized by the public.
"The reason why this isn’t a priority for people is because people don’t see children on the streets. It’s not visible, it’s not shown," said Dr. Ralph Nunez, president of the New York-based Homes for the Homeless, a group providing housing, training and employment to homeless people.
Read the rest of the story and find out more at Stand Up for Kids and M Brico's Fight Poverty. PICTURE CREDIT: Stitches for Britches
drug wars: Judge gags critics of Eli Lilly pharmeceuticals. On February 13, 2007, Judge Jack Weinstein issued a permanent injunction, prohibiting attorney, Jim Gottstein, and Dr David Egilman, an expert witness in litigation involving Zyprexa, from further disseminating certain Eli Lilly documents.
The documents are from Lilly's corporate offices and "The files show that the manufacturer hid vital information about the drug's safety," attorney Gottstein states, "not only from patients, but also from doctors."
US District Court Judge Jack Weinstein delivered a partial victory and a partial loss for the public right to know about Eli Lilly's documents regarding their psychiatric drug Zyprexa. In a 74 page "Final Judgment," the judge said web sites might become free to distribute the files, but some individuals are enjoined from disseminating. For more info go to Eli Lilly's secrets.
homelessness: Homeless children are one of America's dirty secrets. An estimated one million young people experience homelessness each year. Many are unaccompanied teenagers, sleeping in parks, abandoned buildings or "couch surfing" at friends’ houses. Others are younger children, often in the care of a single parent, who double-up in relatives’ homes or in crowded shelters. The even-less fortunate live in cars, tents and under freeway overpasses.Children and families are the fastest growing segments of the homeless population, according to advocates, who say this serious social problem driven by poverty and a scarcity of affordable housing is not widely recognized by the public.
"The reason why this isn’t a priority for people is because people don’t see children on the streets. It’s not visible, it’s not shown," said Dr. Ralph Nunez, president of the New York-based Homes for the Homeless, a group providing housing, training and employment to homeless people.
Read the rest of the story and find out more at Stand Up for Kids and M Brico's Fight Poverty. PICTURE CREDIT: Stitches for Britches
drug wars: Judge gags critics of Eli Lilly pharmeceuticals. On February 13, 2007, Judge Jack Weinstein issued a permanent injunction, prohibiting attorney, Jim Gottstein, and Dr David Egilman, an expert witness in litigation involving Zyprexa, from further disseminating certain Eli Lilly documents.
The documents are from Lilly's corporate offices and "The files show that the manufacturer hid vital information about the drug's safety," attorney Gottstein states, "not only from patients, but also from doctors."
US District Court Judge Jack Weinstein delivered a partial victory and a partial loss for the public right to know about Eli Lilly's documents regarding their psychiatric drug Zyprexa. In a 74 page "Final Judgment," the judge said web sites might become free to distribute the files, but some individuals are enjoined from disseminating. For more info go to Eli Lilly's secrets.
Labels: drug wars, homelessness, youth
¶ 01:18 0 comments
2007-02-14
outdoor sports
The winning entries were smaller than previous years. People had a good
time anyway.
Temperatures were brisk but not cold enough to keep people away. Three lakes were fished, bringing in mostly perch, some pickerel but very few bass. Wonder why.
The ice had frozen thick enough to drive across. There were contestants of all ages. When someone thought they had a winner whoops and hollers were heard across the vast expanse of frozen lake. And the weather, well, a sunny day made the event perfect!
Only three weeks ago we had considered cancelling the derby this year [so warm the weather had been] a freeze took place powerful and long enough that we could even have camp stoves burning atop the ice to keep people warm and still with no worries 
of it melting.
Dave got to show off his ice shanty prototype. Big enough to stand in and even sleep of one wished to.
The winning entries were smaller than previous years. People had a good 
time anyway. Temperatures were brisk but not cold enough to keep people away. Three lakes were fished, bringing in mostly perch, some pickerel but very few bass. Wonder why.
The ice had frozen thick enough to drive across. There were contestants of all ages. When someone thought they had a winner whoops and hollers were heard across the vast expanse of frozen lake. And the weather, well, a sunny day made the event perfect!
Only three weeks ago we had considered cancelling the derby this year [so warm the weather had been] a freeze took place powerful and long enough that we could even have camp stoves burning atop the ice to keep people warm and still with no worries 
of it melting.Dave got to show off his ice shanty prototype. Big enough to stand in and even sleep of one wished to.
Labels: ice fishing, moodus sportsman's club, rural living
¶ 22:44 0 comments
allergies
One of the drawbacks of traipsing about in the woods is poison ivy and it's irritating oil urishiol. For the resinous oils in the poison ivy plant can infext and irritate you no matter what time of year it might be, even mid-winter. Which is exactly what happened to me ...this weekend.
The absence of snow cover makes for excellent firewood harvesting times. And while I was able to harvest what will likey cut into a cord or two of firewood [ash and maple mostly], my skin also harvested a dose of poison ivy oils.
Mind you, I knew I was working with wood that had thick fibrous roots with attachments resembling hair, and which I knew to be poision ivy roots. But I figured I was protected, was wearing long sleeves and heavy gloves. I lopped off some of the vines, tossing them back in the woods. But I hadn't counted on what happned next. The next day, however, a small but growing rash was evident on the forearms around my left eye [I'd probably rubbed it while working] and, since I had to pee while working in the woods, I also got the oil on some very tender body parts. [Don't look if you are squeamish]
The next day, while out ice fishing I began to sense the peculiar itching underneath the layers of clothes. I knew what it was. I had gotten caught by the poison ivy anyway.
Regrettably, this is not the season that I could use my natural remedy Jewelweed which grows plentifully down the road from my permanat woodpiles. Now it's only a matter of time to wait until the painful after effects go away. This cas was severe enough that I even tried using watered-down bleach, which worked when I was up in the Adirondacks and nothing else was available. It burns, but it also successfully dries out the skin. But for now it's me with a bottle of Technu, generic Benadryl [it doesn't cut down on the itching far as I can tell, but it numbs me to sleep] and a whole passel of paper towels to wipe away the weep.
"The poisonous weed, being in shape but little different from our English ivie; but being touched causeth redness, itchings, and lastly blysters, the which howsoever, after a while they pass away of themselves without further harme; yet because from the time they are somewhat painefull, and in aspect dangerous, it hath gotten itselfe an ill name…"
Captain John Smith, circa 1609
Captain John Smith, circa 1609
One of the drawbacks of traipsing about in the woods is poison ivy and it's irritating oil urishiol. For the resinous oils in the poison ivy plant can infext and irritate you no matter what time of year it might be, even mid-winter. Which is exactly what happened to me ...this weekend.
The absence of snow cover makes for excellent firewood harvesting times. And while I was able to harvest what will likey cut into a cord or two of firewood [ash and maple mostly], my skin also harvested a dose of poison ivy oils. Mind you, I knew I was working with wood that had thick fibrous roots with attachments resembling hair, and which I knew to be poision ivy roots. But I figured I was protected, was wearing long sleeves and heavy gloves. I lopped off some of the vines, tossing them back in the woods. But I hadn't counted on what happned next. The next day, however, a small but growing rash was evident on the forearms around my left eye [I'd probably rubbed it while working] and, since I had to pee while working in the woods, I also got the oil on some very tender body parts. [Don't look if you are squeamish]
The next day, while out ice fishing I began to sense the peculiar itching underneath the layers of clothes. I knew what it was. I had gotten caught by the poison ivy anyway.Regrettably, this is not the season that I could use my natural remedy Jewelweed which grows plentifully down the road from my permanat woodpiles. Now it's only a matter of time to wait until the painful after effects go away. This cas was severe enough that I even tried using watered-down bleach, which worked when I was up in the Adirondacks and nothing else was available. It burns, but it also successfully dries out the skin. But for now it's me with a bottle of Technu, generic Benadryl [it doesn't cut down on the itching far as I can tell, but it numbs me to sleep] and a whole passel of paper towels to wipe away the weep.
FOR MORE INFO ON POISON IVY SEE: The Food + Drug Administration's page Outsmarting Poison Ivy and Its Cousins | Poison Ivy Information Center | The Poison Ivy Tutorial | CME online class on Toxicodendron Dermatitis, this last one proof positive that doctors train themselves to be indecipherable | A couple of remedies: Technu, Sumactin | UPDATE 02/15/07: There are those who opine that the toxic potency of urishiol shall strengthen with the upsurge of CO2 in the atmosphere. So, global warming may be bad for polar bears and penguins but great for poison ivy. See the MSNBC article and this other note from National Geographic | PICTURE CREDITS: University of Minnesota, Cooperative Extension Yard + Garden Line News; | Tarleton State University, R. E. Rosiere's Range Types of North America
Labels: allergies, climate change, FDA, global warming, nature, poison ivy
¶ 15:20 0 comments
2007-02-12
criminals
As far as I'm concerned the Director of the Michigan Department of Corrections Patrica Caruso, should be personally held accountable for the murder of 21 year old Timothy Joe Souders.
Timothy Souders, a 21 years old man diagnosed with a major dpressive disorder, died naked and dehydrated in his isolation cell. Mr. Caruso was serving one to four years for resisting arrest, assault and destroying police property. He took medicine for manic-depression, psychosis and hypertension, and attempted suicide three times while a prisoner.
He was placed in solitary confinement "...because of unruly behavior... and left to lay shackled by his arms and legs to a concrete slab in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, for 17 hours soaked in his own urine. The guards claimed he refused water when offered. The "offere of water was necessary since the gurads had shut off water to the sink in his cell.
Mr. Souder was on a complex polypharmaceutical "cocktail, typical of those foisted on people deemed as severely mentally ill.
Several of the chemicals Souders was administered, including lithium and the antipsychotic drug Seroquel, are well known to cause kidney failure, increased urination, and dehydration without careful psychiatric monitoring.
Mr. Souder's death was videotaped by prison guards. The length of time in restraints was not disputed. Staff attempted to validate their own callous actions and fired a nurse for being inattentive and not completing paper work on time to get him transferred out of the prison.
Although a DOC social worker recommended that Mr. Souter be immediately transferred to a less restrictive mental health facility before has last days, that reccomendation was ignored. Providing mental health care, in Michigan, is corntrated out to Correctional Medical Services, which prides itself on "... reputation for providing quality, responsible correctional healthcare services nationwide." I suppose it is moot to determine whether or not they actually do provide excellent care, but they were faulted as not taking Mr. Souter out of the prison and placing himn in an appropriate care setting in a timely manner. The independent reviewers at the Prison Policy Initiative, has cited CMS as providing below standard or incomletent treatment in at least two other states, including Missouri and Texas.
While I seriously doubt that Ms. Caruso was present for Mr. Souder's ungraceful death [he died of thirst after 4 days in locked seclusion and restraints] her leadership role at the Michigan State Department of Corrections clearly sets a tone for what is acceptable for her guards to do to inmates and what is not. She laughed during the 60 Mnutes interview, defending this reaction with a glib "...well, the guards have to protect themselves from being hit with feces and urine by the inmates". Her rationales presented for restratints, although prefaced with empty claims such as that "...restraints are never used to punish inmates", that they'd only be used for safety purposes, except that, clearly, the safety of young Mr. Souder apparently was never in the cards.
Evidently, indiscriminate use of restraints is deemed acceptable in the State of Michigan. In the facility where I work, the maximum length of time that a person can be kept in restraints is 3 hours. Even then there must be 15 minute checks to see if the person has calmed down and released. But where I wrok, use of restraints has been aggressively discouraged in favor of actively working to help someone who is out of control to de-escalate aggressive behaviors. In Michigan, Commissioner Caruso said they are "considering" limiting the use of restraints to 6 hours. That said, the prios has already been reported as violating Court orders to limit this type of intervention.
According to Amnesty International standards, this suggests that Michigan officials consider torture by means of excessive use of restraints is acceptable as well. Personally, I find this reprehensible if not truly obscene.
At the very least, I hope Commissioner Caruso doesn't sleep well these days. But why is that I suspect that she doesn't care at all. Maybe it was the nervous laugh on the 60 Minutes interview about dealing with unruly prisoners.
As far as I'm concerned the Director of the Michigan Department of Corrections Patrica Caruso, should be personally held accountable for the murder of 21 year old Timothy Joe Souders. Timothy Souders, a 21 years old man diagnosed with a major dpressive disorder, died naked and dehydrated in his isolation cell. Mr. Caruso was serving one to four years for resisting arrest, assault and destroying police property. He took medicine for manic-depression, psychosis and hypertension, and attempted suicide three times while a prisoner.
He was placed in solitary confinement "...because of unruly behavior... and left to lay shackled by his arms and legs to a concrete slab in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, for 17 hours soaked in his own urine. The guards claimed he refused water when offered. The "offere of water was necessary since the gurads had shut off water to the sink in his cell.
Mr. Souder was on a complex polypharmaceutical "cocktail, typical of those foisted on people deemed as severely mentally ill.
Several of the chemicals Souders was administered, including lithium and the antipsychotic drug Seroquel, are well known to cause kidney failure, increased urination, and dehydration without careful psychiatric monitoring.Mr. Souder's death was videotaped by prison guards. The length of time in restraints was not disputed. Staff attempted to validate their own callous actions and fired a nurse for being inattentive and not completing paper work on time to get him transferred out of the prison.
Although a DOC social worker recommended that Mr. Souter be immediately transferred to a less restrictive mental health facility before has last days, that reccomendation was ignored. Providing mental health care, in Michigan, is corntrated out to Correctional Medical Services, which prides itself on "... reputation for providing quality, responsible correctional healthcare services nationwide." I suppose it is moot to determine whether or not they actually do provide excellent care, but they were faulted as not taking Mr. Souter out of the prison and placing himn in an appropriate care setting in a timely manner. The independent reviewers at the Prison Policy Initiative, has cited CMS as providing below standard or incomletent treatment in at least two other states, including Missouri and Texas.
While I seriously doubt that Ms. Caruso was present for Mr. Souder's ungraceful death [he died of thirst after 4 days in locked seclusion and restraints] her leadership role at the Michigan State Department of Corrections clearly sets a tone for what is acceptable for her guards to do to inmates and what is not. She laughed during the 60 Mnutes interview, defending this reaction with a glib "...well, the guards have to protect themselves from being hit with feces and urine by the inmates". Her rationales presented for restratints, although prefaced with empty claims such as that "...restraints are never used to punish inmates", that they'd only be used for safety purposes, except that, clearly, the safety of young Mr. Souder apparently was never in the cards.
Evidently, indiscriminate use of restraints is deemed acceptable in the State of Michigan. In the facility where I work, the maximum length of time that a person can be kept in restraints is 3 hours. Even then there must be 15 minute checks to see if the person has calmed down and released. But where I wrok, use of restraints has been aggressively discouraged in favor of actively working to help someone who is out of control to de-escalate aggressive behaviors. In Michigan, Commissioner Caruso said they are "considering" limiting the use of restraints to 6 hours. That said, the prios has already been reported as violating Court orders to limit this type of intervention.
According to Amnesty International standards, this suggests that Michigan officials consider torture by means of excessive use of restraints is acceptable as well. Personally, I find this reprehensible if not truly obscene.At the very least, I hope Commissioner Caruso doesn't sleep well these days. But why is that I suspect that she doesn't care at all. Maybe it was the nervous laugh on the 60 Minutes interview about dealing with unruly prisoners.
THINGS YOU CAN DO: Watch the 60 Mnutes Video | Check out the Real Cost of Prisons Blog | Sign on to the petition to restrict restraint use in Michigan prisons
UPDATE 02/15/07: Other bloggers writing about the murder of Timothy Souder include Care2 : Friends of Timothy Joe Souter and John Schneider | PICTURE CREDITS: Michigan Department of Corrections; Stills taken from CBS 60 Minutes
UPDATE 02/15/07: Other bloggers writing about the murder of Timothy Souder include Care2 : Friends of Timothy Joe Souter and John Schneider | PICTURE CREDITS: Michigan Department of Corrections; Stills taken from CBS 60 Minutes
Labels: arrogance, malfeasance, mentally ill, prisons, torture
¶ 14:55 1 comments
