"A Biochemist's Natural & Traditional Recommendations For 'OCCUPY' Lice Outbreak Sufferers" By Rev. Barbara Sexton 'Dear Ones Healing Ministry'

 

Pubic lice infesting the eyelash

 courtesy: http://www.lindane.com/scabiesandlice/perspective/

WATCH THIS ON YOUTUBE: http://youtu.be/C5ypeLuKnLg
Dear Ones:
     Okay.  So as I predicted in a previous article, LINK: http://dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/2011/10/occupy-protesters-face-many-disease.html   "Occupy Portland" protesters have discovered 'x' number of head and body lice 'cases'.
LINK: http://outbreaknews.com/2011/11/07/occupy-portland-reports-lice-outbreak/
     THIS IS NO BIG DEAL...but it must be dealt with SWIFTLY if these pesky critters are to be eradicated!
     Lice and their eggs, known as 'nits', are NOT the end of the world, but they are unpleasant and require vigilance.
     Not surprisingly, any and all persons IN CLOSE QUARTERS can easily become infested, especially when items are shared.
     Any parent knows, for instance, that head lice can become a major problem in grade-school classrooms as children 'rough and tumble' and share hats, etc. during playtime.
     And all homeless shelter facilities...and military encampment areas, for that matter...also run the risk of becoming 'overrun' with lice if things aren't dealt with quickly.
     So here's what you must know and do NOW if you are an OCCUPY Protester anywhere:

1)  Understand that head/body/public lice can live ANYWHERE on the body.  In other words, body lice can be found on the head, etc.  These little guys just want to live, eat and reproduce and they don't care if it's on your eyebrows, under your armpits or behind your ears or anywhere else for that matter.  Particularly 'hairy' people can harbor an infestation EVERYWHERE, in fact, and certainly not just on their heads.  But if there is a doubt as to exactly what type of lice you may have, a health care provider can identify them for you and prescribe the exact remedy that you need.  Please note: most over-the-counter preparations are quite effective when used as directed.  Also note that shaving/cutting the hair ALONE will NOT rid one of a lice infestation.

2)  Lice infestation is not necessarily a reflection of poor hygiene, believe it or not.  All it takes is 'person-to-person' contact and/or sharing of clothes and other items for transmission to occur.  On the other hand, I have personally seen homeless individuals so loaded with lice that their very BEARDS--at first appearing to be 'gray and grizzled'--were actually TEEMING with what are known as 'cooties' aka lice aka 'crabs'.  Not a pleasant sight at all.  I've also seen 'eyebrows wiggle', which upon closer inspection proved to be also crawling with lice--such is the reality of life with homeless and other disenfranchised persons.

3)  There is only one way to eliminate a lice infestation in a camp, classroom, shelter or barracks: All persons must be treated with a commercial lice preparation.  'Nix', which is 1% permethrin is a good one.  Malathion 0.5% in IPA (isopropyl alcohol) is also approved by the FDA for tough head lice cases, but it can cause significant side effects.  After treatment, make sure that any remaining 'nits' sticking to their hair shafts ANYWHERE ON THEIR BODIES are removed manually with a 'nit-picking' comb.  Liquid detergents and certain 'waxy' substances and hair-care products can help dissolve the 'cement' that holds the nits in place on the hair shaft.  Finally, any and all clothing/bedding/etc must be decontaminated by dry-cleaning, or by sealing it all in a plastic bag for a period of at least two weeks (to effectively let the lice die off) or via some heat and/or chemical treatment.  LINK: http://www.oakgov.com/health/assets/Documents/fs_headlice.pdf  A last resort is 'burning', which would be very dangerous and illegal if done without proper facilities and authorization.
LINK: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001843/ 

Abscess From Head Lice 

courtesy: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_head_lice/article_em.htm

     Probably the only other caveat I would add here is that should an individual prove to be sensitive to lice attachment to the skin, it is possible for a type of 'dermatitis' (skin irritation, redness and itching) to occur.  Usually this can be relieved (after the person is relieved of his or her lice infestation) with a simple anti-itch preparation...again, something your personal health care provider can recommend.  Over-the-counter products would include things like calamine and/or caladryl (benadryl) lotion.  Consult with your pharmacist for these.
     On rare occasions, skin that is degraded by lice infestation can become infected by any offending pathogens that it might be exposed to.
     In the event of a secondary infection due to lice infestation and eradication, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting prompt medical help!
     It is rare, but there is always the possibility that some type of regular Staphylococcus (which is found everywhere all over our skins) or a more dangerous strain of Staph, such as MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) LINK: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004520/ or  Streptococcus species ('flesh-eating disease' aka 'necrotizing fasciitis' (pronounced: NECK-crow-TYE-zing FASH-EE-EYE-TUS)  LINK: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002415/ could take hold.
     You don't want these.
     So, once again, if you have any SKIN INFECTION...'skip' the 'medic tent' and head to a professional health care provider pronto!
     From a 'natural standpoint', a dilute solution of essential oils of cedarwood/lavender/eucalyptus in water (two dropperfuls each in a pint of water in a spray bottle) makes a good anti-insect spray for non-skin surfaces.  (DO NOT SPRAY THIS DIRECTLY ON THE BODY OR IN THE EYES, ESPECIALLY)
     Finally, Kiehl's ORIGINAL MUSK Blend No. 1 Eau De Toilette, when worn with no other scents, is pretty good at keeping biting and flying insects and spiders off the body.
     During  warm weather I routinely spray my arms and lower legs with this Kiehl's and it does the trick for me.  So you might want to try it if you find yourself threatened by lice re-infestation when you're 'trying to keep your distance' and exercising all other common sense precautions like not sharing hats, etc.
     As with all 'natural, essential oils' and perfume products, be sure to discontinue use if signs of allergic reaction appear after application of what I have suggested here.
     So, go with God, oh 'relentless OCCUPIERS'.
     I'm still trying to understand a number of things that 'OCCUPY' supposedly represents.  I still don't have a clear view of who and what you are.
     Nevertheless, I present this in 'good faith' as I pray that 'lice' is the worst of it for you.
     I pray that no major medical outbreaks or other serious events in your 'camps' ever manifest...
     And I pray for peace in this world.
In Christ,
Rev. Barbara Sexton 
"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"
www.DearOnesHealingMinistry.blogspot.com

Image of head lice infestation showing hair strands covered in “nits” or eggs. Severe itching and scratching can lead to bacterial infection and clumping of hair from fluid that weeps from the infected area.                

courtesy:  http://www.lindane.com/scabiesandlice/incidence/

"Stamford Mayor Calls for Partial Evacuation of City and Issues Curfew for City Streets" Posted By Reverend Barbara Sexton 'Dear Ones Healing Ministry'

Mayor Calls for Partial Evacuation of City and Issues Curfew for City Streets

Saturday, August 27, 1011, 6:30 PM, Stamford
Mayor Michael Pavia met at 6:00 P.M. this evening with all City and operations emergency personnel.

“Because wind gusts may exceed 75 mph, I am issuing a curfew of all non-essential, non-emergency vehicular and pedestrian traffic from City streets effective 6:00 A.M. Sunday morning, until further notice,” declared the Mayor. “We are closely monitoring this storm for severe weather and unsafe conditions. We urge our residents to use extreme caution and stay at home.”

Earlier today, Mayor announced a mandatory evacuation of areas that are most vulnerable to flooding. “Due to expected high tides, storm surges, and heavy rains, I am advising anyone that lives in a low-lying area or along river flood plain areas, to relocate to higher ground,” the Mayor stated.

Residents who live on the following streets are reminded to evacuate their homes and move to higher ground. Those streets are as follows:

Sea Beach Drive (#76 and above, even numbers only)

Saddle Rock Road

Rogers Road (#49 and above)

Ralsey Road South (#1 through #37, odd numbers only)

Downs Ave. (#111 through #142)

Ralph Street (#9 and #15)

Dolphin Cove Quay (#160 and above)

Kennilworth Drive West (#73 through #95)

Weed Ave. (Weed Circle, #195 through #225)

Residents should make arrangements with family, friends or other accommodations. If none of those options are available to you, the City has opened a shelter at Stamford High School, located at 55 Strawberry Hill Ave. at 5:00 PM.

Please bring any necessary medications, toiletries and bed linens you will need with you. Shelters are pet-friendly, however all animals must have their vaccinations up to date (tags or paperwork) and must be crated. Please bring food and medicine for your pets.

If necessary, additional shelters will open and be announced on the City’s website: www.cityofstamford.org and on Twitter @cityofstamford. Emergency workers at Stamford HS will direct evacuees to additional shelters, if necessary.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION AND CONTACTS:

Emergency Hurricane Hotline 203-977-8840

CL&P 800-286-2000

Yankee Gas 800-989-0900

LOCAL NON-EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

Stamford Police Dept. 203-977-4444

Citizens Service Center 203-977-4140

Stamford Hospital 203-276-1000

Connecticut Poison Control 800-222-1222

LINK: www.cityofstamford.org/content/40/default.aspx#

"Stamford RESIDENTS & Their PETS Saturday UPDATE For Hurricane Irene: Shelter(s), Preparation, Assistance & Warnings For You" By Reverend Barbara Sexton "The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"

 

courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamford,_Connecticut

 Dear Ones:
     Today, Mayor Michael Pavia has declared a 'state of emergency' for Stamford, CT:
"Mayor Michael Pavia is declaring a state of emergency effective at 8:00 a.m. Saturday
August 27th, 2011. This state of emergency will be in effect until further notice. The City recommends that residents in low-lying areas evacuate and seek shelter on higher ground. Evacuation should be complete by no later than 7:00 p.m. on Saturday August 27th. To determine if your home will likely be affected please review the maps included in
this briefing. Residents should make arrangements with family, friends or other accommodations immediately. If none of those options are available, the City is opening a shelter at Stamford High School on 55 Strawberry Hill Avenue at 5:00 PM. We are prepared to open additional shelters if necessary. Emergency workers at Stamford High School will direct evacuees to additional shelters if necessary.  Shelters are pet-friendly, but all animals must be crated. Please bring food and any medicines for your animals to the shelters. Please bring food and any medicines for your animals to the shelters. The Mayor has temporarily suspended all parking meter rules beginning at 12:00 p.m. today so that residents in low-lying areas with multiple vehicles can move their vehicles to higher ground. All city parking garages are open and free. Please routinely check you local news outlets for up to date information. The City will issue further information as it becomes available on its website and via Twitter, WSTC -1400AM and News 12 CT.
For further information on storm preparedness visit the American Red Cross website www.redcross.org , and the federal government www.ready.gov for pointers on personal readiness. During the emergency the City will use the Reverse 911 system to send a recorded message to each resident that has a published number.
EMERGENCY HELPLINES – UTILITIES 
Aquarion Water Company 1-800-732-9678 
Northeast Utilities (203) 386-2000
Yankee Gas 1-800989-0900
LOCAL NON-EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
City of Stamford Citizen Services (203) 977-8840
City of Stamford Police Department non-emergency (203)-977-4444
Stamford Hospital (203) 279-1000
Connecticut Poison Control 1-800-222-1222
STAMFORD GOVERNMENT CENTER
888 WASHINGTON BOULEVARD
P.O. BOX 10152
STAMFORD, CT 06904-2152
Phone: (203) 977-4150
FAX: (203) 977-5845
Email: mpavia@ci.stamford.ct.us
Mayor
MICHAEL A. PAVIA"

Read Mayor's Press Release Here: 

LINK: www.cityofstamford.org/filestorage/25/50/IrenePosting_Update.pdf/

      We are blessed to have 'shelter arrangements' in Stamford that will allow our beloved companion animals to be with us when the 'worst' hits.

     May I remind you that many shelters across the country do NOT allow pets into (human) emergency shelters, leaving their poor owners to either abandon them or to risk 'life and limb' in order to stay with their animals!

     In any case, if you find that you WILL need to evacuate your residence, please do so in a timely manner and do it sooner-than-later, in order to avoid very dangerous driving conditons.

     Don't forget that we will likely encounter downed trees and powerlines, dangerous winds and flying projectiles and flooding, as well as fellow travelers in distress if we wait too long to seek the safety of one of Stamford's emergency shelters.

     So, please be responsible and act wisely and decisively.  As we all monitor the 'news' today, of course we pray for those who deliberately put themselves in peril saving others.

     Please, dear God, put your Protective Hands over those who put themselves at great risk in service to others, as they travel to and fro, on missions of assistance and rescue.

     Please, Lord, watch over all of us who will be affected by the power of this storm, that we be not afraid, but safe and secure under You.

     We pray these things in our individual traditions, which for Christians is in the Name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

AMEN. 

     And one more thing: I am truly surprised by some of the comments being made about Stamford's city public safety director Bobby Valentine 'being out of town'.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Valentine-out-of-town-during-Hurricane-Irene-2143505.php
http://www.sbnation.com/2011/8/27/2388012/hurricane-irene-bobby-valentine-public-safety-director  
     In this day and age of computer and smart-phone communication, 'mileage' is often irrelevant.  Are people complaining because they wish Bobby Valentine to 'be here to share the experience'?
     Exactly what will that accomplish, considering all emergency personnel know what their roles are and are on 'alert' and ready to roll?

     In fact, 'emergency preparations and training' are done WELL in advance of any actual emergencies.  

     And when an actual emergency is imminent, a more emergent time schedule is developed and news disseminated as in the 'news release' above.

     You can believe that busy Bobby has been putting in his fair share of work.  I'd think that Stamford would be THANKFUL to have someone like Bobby who is essentially a well-qualified VOLUNTEER (who has saved the city around 100K, to boot!)

     I call his willingness to serve 'REALLY stepping up to the plate'!

     But...."no good deed will go unpunished" and Bobby V. is being 'blessed' by those who are griping about him at this time.

     Emergencies/deaths/funerals/grave illnesses ALWAYS bring out both the very BEST and the very WORST in each and every one of us, every single time...no doubt about it.
God Bless Us All
Reverend Barbara Sexton

"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"

www.DearOnesHealingMinistry.blogspot.com/

Member Medical Reserve Corps. 

"Before Hurricane Irene 'Hits' Lower Fairfield County & Stamford, CT Directives" By Reverend Barbara Sexton 'The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"

Dear Ones:
     At this time, we are under the 'threat' of a substantial Hurricane named 'Irene'.
     As I prepare, myself, to help with emergency sheltering in the area...and secure my own family...I wanted to make sure to share some information with you.
     Please do take the time to make note of what I've written here, so that you can assure the best safety for yourselves and for your loved ones.
     DO IT NOW!  PLEASE!
     The 'emergency hurricane hot-line number' for Stamford is 203-977-8840.  Use it while you can.
     And most of all, make sure that you have appropriate emergency preparedness supplies and are 'good-to-go' for whatever may befall us.
     Please be prepared for the worst of loss of phone systems and power, flooding, wind,  tree-tumbling, structural damage, lack of food, water and all the essentials we ordinarily take for granted.
     Rest assured that our best emergency preparedness people are 'on top of things'.
     While we pray that we need not initiate the highest levels of assistance for this Hurricane Irene, I can tell you that people like Bobby Valentine (Dir. of Emergency Preparedness for the city of Stamford) and Elizabeth Rodriguez of the MRC (Medical Reserve Corps) have things well in hand.
     But I truly love our most precious of Stamford's Health And Social Services former MRC Director Elaine Braccia R.N. and her group of wonderful, caring healing 'Angels'.
     It is a pure joy to have the opportunity to work with such selfless and 'giving' people!
     There are so many good people in Stamford who care about YOU, dear Readers!
     All that is asked is that you 'stay current', be prepared and be responsible for those around you.
     We are not alone on this earth--our sisters and brothers of all ages are here too!
     Here's the link for Stamford Government Center's 'homepage', which you can check as long as the Internet is up and running:
http://www.ci.stamford.ct.us/#

     Maybe I will see you soon.  If so, please say 'hello' and know that you are in my prayers more than you can ever know.
     And if someone gives you a 'helping hand', please be sure to thank them and go on, yourself, to help others, if you are able!
     As we all work together, we can overcome anything that may befall us with God's love and help.
With Love in Christ,
Reverend Barbara Sexton
"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"
www.DearOnesHealingMinistry.blogspot.com/
Member U.S. Medical Reserve Corps

"About The Earthquakes In Japan & Elsewhere Today" By Reverend Barbara Sexton "The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"

Today's 6.6 Mag earthquake in Japan & elsewhere

LINK: http://www.iris.edu/seismon/

Dear Ones:
     Yesterday I wrote a 'piece' on tornadoes attendant to energy from the sun reaching earth (as indicated by a rise in the Kp Index (the 'planetary K Index') and causing geomagnetic storm activity. LINK: http://dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/2010/11/about-tornadoes-today-by-reverend.html
     If you've been following my 'Tutorials', you know by now that energy from the sun can combine with the internal energy of the earth as well as with 'atmospheric energy' to produce: tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, storms, lightning, thunder, auroras and any number of observable earth weather phenomena.
     Today, we had a substantial 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Japan after 'yesterday's' USA tornadoes.  I thank God that engineers there have been able to design and construct 'earthquake-resistant' structures, since Japan is so seismically active.
     The details of this earthquake are as follows.
DATE               TIME        LAT    LON  MAG  DEPTH km   LOCATION
30-NOV-2010 03:24:41 28.41 139.14 6.6 478.3 BONIN ISLANDS REGION
    
     The two earthquake data links I recommend are:
LINK: http://www.iris.edu/seismon/  for those with a mag >=4.0  and
LINK: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/ for smaller ones.
     The 'lesson' for today is this: yesterday's solar energy affecting the earth (as tornadoes across the USA) are TODAY also spawning some seismic activity, such as that in Japan.  Fortunately, this 6.6 quake was a 'deep one', at 478.3 km below the earth's surface.  As you will learn from my my Free 'Tutorials' (click below), 'the shallower the earthquake, the greater the potential for damage it has, in general'.
     It is almost impossible to precisely 'predict' when and where 'geomagnetic storm activity' on earth will manifest itself.  USUALLY, it takes 'a few days' for released solar flare energy to actually have an effect on our planet. 
     When and where this energy 'hits' is an imprecise science, at best.  We do well to observe all natural indicators (including animal behavior!) as we monitor our instrumentation.
     WE can learn to be on the ALERT when one of our NOAA or NASA sources indicates 'incoming energy' and attempt to anticipate how 'space weather' will be affecting our 'earth weather' via the 'geomagnetic storms' of movie fame...and which really do exist.
     Officials rarely want to 'alarm' anyone...even when they are giving the go-ahead to divulge an opinion.  Alas, by the time any 'official alerts' get to the public-at-large, it is often 'too late' for the masses to 'take action'.
     For this reason, I am encouraging all of you to take the sensible steps necessary to assure yourselves that (as long as you have computer access of some sort) that you are current with weather events.  This is especially important if you live in an earthquake-prone area or know someone who does.
     You owe it to yourselves and your families to take a few moments with my 'Tutorials.  You will quickly see the usefulness of the links and information I provide you with and that they are worth paying attention to.
     The 'scientist' in me is fascinated by today's technology even as the 'spiritual me' reaches out to the world in faith.
In Him,
Reverend Barbara Sexton
"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"
http://www.dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/

"TSA Luggage Searches & Infective Potential Due To Dirty Unchanged Gloves & Bad Technique" By Reverend Barbara Sexton

Dear Readers:
     First of all, let me say that I am in no way blaming any TSA shortcomings on TSA Officers alone...but also on those who train, equip, monitor and discipline them.
     The fact is that TSA Officers are, at present, not CERTIFIED nor can they be EXPECTED TO conduct body and luggage searches with any type of consideration for 'sanitation', 'hygiene' or 'good health practices'. 
     As far as we know for now, all they are required to do is 'wear gloves' and conduct their searches without hurting, spilling, breaking or losing anything.  We can't expect of them anything resembling 'aseptic technique' and that's just a fact...especially at their paltry salary level.
     In a perfect world, care would of course be taken to make sure that persons' bodies and belongings were examined under as 'sanitary' conditions as possible.  Yes, this takes longer and costs more, requiring 'regular glove changes', as well as the wearing of masks and perhaps other protective gear apparel by the examining TSA Officer.
     And let us not forget that TSA Officers are deserving of more training and HAZARD PAY if Officials are determined to 'stay this course' of unsanitary 'pat-downs' and luggage searches, as well as 'dubiously safe 'scannings'.
     But as it is today, how is one to know if the TSA person examining their person and luggage is not harboring some kind of respiratory pathogen-viral, bacterial or even more exotic?  We'd like to know that the TSA Officer is not sneezing and hacking all over our luggage contents, but how can we know?
     The fact is, even 'in the best of scenarios', we just can't!
     How do we know that a 'good sneeze' on our toiletries did not take place, thus contaminating our personal items destined for use on our skin?
     We can't!
     How do we know that a TSA Officer's dirty gloves--contaminated with staph or strep or worse from a 'previous toiletries check'--has not just 'contaminated' our undies, handkerchiefs and personal items? We can't! 
     'Used' and 'sticky' personal hygiene items, toiletries and cosmetics--we all have them in our little plastic bags.  But few realize what GREAT HARBORERS and potential TRANSMITTERS of microorganisms they also are.
     Or, maybe we do and, if so, it's time to remember it!
     Don't we tell our children and young people NOT TO SHARE lipglosses, lipsticks, mascaras, deodorants, hairbrushes, washclothes and the like, product preservative systems notwithstanding?  Yes, we do.
     Is the public, let alone the TSA, cognizant of the fact that many 'soaps', far from being part of the 'cure' for our microbial contamination issues, are actually HAVENS for some of our worst water-loving pathogens?
     I don't know if they do.  But the fact is that the water-loving and living Pseudomonas aeruginosa (which produces a blue-green discoloration to the flesh and nails it infects), for instance, has been found to actually live in and 'EAT' certain (liquid) soaps!
     Pseudomonas' notoriety stems from the fact that systemic infection with it is overwhelmingly fatal.  And it 'loves' soap.
     With the advance of science, humankind is astounded to grasp the significance of the vast ability of the tiniest forms of 'life' to hunker down and survive and even thrive in any number of substances we use every day.
     And this knowledge ought rightly reduce us to humility as we realize that organisms invisible to our naked eyes can bring us not only to our knees, but to our Maker. 
     Thus my prayer is that such 'humility' will compel us to consider that which we might not otherwise and I start 'here' by way of simple example:
     You've packed 'damp' swimsuits for 'quick travel', haven't you?  Maybe you gave your child's suit a 'quick soapy rinse', packed it in a plastic bag for a flight and thought nothing of it.
     But have you considered the consequences of dirty, unchanged, potentially contaminated TSA Officer gloves closely examining this 'damp garment', since it is 'out of the norm'?  Have you considered that a little 'soap' can serve as a culture medium for some bad bugs?
     Or maybe you've just packed that suit, still damp with some chlorinated pool water.  In this case, I ask, "You DO realize that that little bit of chlorine is useless as an antimicrobial in the event of gross TSA Officer glove contamination, don't you?
     Unless you literally 'disinfect' that suit post haste, it is a real health hazard. 
     In a forthcoming article, I will detail some effective and practical ways to 'disinfect' items that have been subjected to 'TSA Screening'.  If you've never given this much consideration before, you will now...or you should, anyway.
     I'm not suggesting that we all adopt what some call 'Howard Hughes Syndrome'.  I'm not advising that we get OCD when it comes to 'germs'.  But we must get realistic and practical.  
     What is 'good for the traveler' is ALSO 'good for the TSA Officer', I might add.  From the standpoint of sheer exposure, the group MOST at risk from luggage and body-handling 'woes' is not the public, but the TSA workers themselves.
     So we all must listen and we all must act. 
     When it comes to the realities of living and travel today, "These are not 'our parents microorganisms' at all".  Gone are the good old days when eating a peck of dirt in a lifetime would help assure a 'good immune system'.
     We've 'blown out' our immune systems via various pharmaceuticals, environmental conditions and lifestyle choices.  And... 
     We have many more pathogens (microorganisms that cause disease in humans and other animals and even in plants).  And...
     Not only are there more pathogens, but many of them have become more virulent, meaning their 'infectious capability' and potential deadliness have also increased. 
     Far from being 'panic talk', what I am saying here is long-overdue for public consumption, in my opinion.  I've personally never worked in a biology or chemistry lab which didn't work in close association with a microbiology unit and sometimes a virology unit, as well.
     Many of us have 'cross-trained' and for good reason in both academic and manufacturing settings.  And some of us will speak openly about things the public needs to know in order to make intelligent decisions.
     By now you Readers are aware that the  'traditional medical establishment' is loathe to speak openly about nosocomial (hospital-acquired) and community-acquired infections...especially since the line between the two has become increasingly 'blurred' in the last decade.  You'd better bet that hospitals and health care facilities of all sorts are very dirty places!
     Just ask any patient or family member who has been unfortunate enough to have suffered from an infection in a health care setting.  Or just ask an honest health care provider and they will tell you also.
     The time to address all this is now.  How fortuitous in a sense, the TSA situation is, if only because it forces all to take a good look at 'public sanitation issues'.  
     In this age we do well to be concerned about our 'global health'.  As all 'flu outbreaks' originate in Asia and migrate sequentially to Hawaii, to California and onward to the east coast per epidemiological studies (typically, but not always!) we see new 'patterns' emerging every day. LINK: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/
     Dengue Fever, for instance, despite a popular and misleading commercial to the contrary, is alive and well in Miami, Fl.  Here's a recent article I did on this, in fact: LINK: http://dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/2010/08/dengue-fever-redux-socio-medical.html    
     MISinformation dies hard, it would seem.
     Simply put, just because 'the public does not hear about it', doesn't mean that global patterns of disease spread are not morphing and changing before our very eyes, via the 'human vector'.
     You know what 'disease vectors' are.  Mosquitoes are one, as are birds and swine.  Vectors are, simply put, the factors by which disease is spread.
     And now, since 'man' is 'the most deadly predator', I am fearing that likewise, man in the end will be the 'deadliest disease vector' as well, a la 'the 'TSA Dirty-Glove Syndrome'.
     When we consider the natural and bioengineered microbial variants being discovered every day, we wonder how, with the status quo, we are to be safe in this 21st century.
For You In Christ,
Reverend Barbara Sexton
"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"
http://www.dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/

"TSA Bumper 'Snickers' For You" By Reverend Barbara Sexton-- Dear Ones HealingMinistry

From e-mail:

Dear Readers:
     Sorry, I know some of these may be 'close to the line', but considering the subject matter, maybe not.  In any case, I hope you can at least have a little 'chuckle' at some of them. 
     THANKS UNCLE CHARLIE for sending these along!
     But seriously, the new TSA 'regulations' are no picnic for TSA Officers, any more than they are for (we) hapless travelers.  I say this not only as someone involved with the MRC (Medical Reserve Corps) LINK: http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/HomePage , but as a PASTOR and BIOCHEMIST who is a fellow traveler, as well.
     And so I say, let us remember that TSA Officers are 'as much at risk'-if not more so-than the customers they must 'frisk'! 
     If you think about it, those in charge of our 'security' are also as subject to the communicable diseases (not to mention the words and actions of angry persons) as we are. 
     I cannot help but think that this must be so very stressful for those who work to keep us safe and I have written about this before, recently.  LINK: http://dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/2010/11/biochemist-concerned-tsa-pat-downs-will.html
     Let us pray that we can ALL contribute to and formulate a reasonable solution, before things get even MORE out-of-hand.  
     I would urge the federal government to 'get real' about WHO the likely culprits may be when it comes to airline security.  I would urge our leaders to 'opt out of' POLITICAL CORRECTNESS and 'opt in' for decent treatment of United States Citizens. 
     It is possible for Homeland Security and the TSA to continue their vigilance on our behalf regarding those who would appear to have the potential to DO HARM to airline passengers WITHOUT infringing TOO MUCH on the rights of American travelers.
     I understand, as I'm sure you do, the need to investigate atypical, anomalous persons, items and events.  Five years ago,I traveled to Florida with an old, beat-up, 'popped open and taped' laptop and was 'called aside'.  No surprise there. 
     I was asked to 'open the computer up'.  Truth to tell, I was more embarrassed about the state of my device than I was about being 'singled out' in line.
     Not only was my computer swabbed, but coincidentally a wrist splint I was wearing was ALSO liberally swabbed by some very competent & polite TSA people.  We all 'survived' the day.
     Yes, I understood, explosives can indeed be secreted in casted limb material.  I just hadn't thought of it at that time.    
     I passed their scrutiny and all was done with good 'humor' and I learned to remove any 'prostheses' and orthopedic devices well BEFORE reaching my airport 'screener".
     But now we are in a 'New Age' and we wonder if we can get BACK to such 'easy travel for all citizens of the U.S.A'.  For what it's worth, I believe we can.    
     I think we can overcome our divisions and come together, get our act together and find a way to DO THINGS RIGHT!
     Please pray with me on this, whatever your 'religious persuasion' and even if you are an 'atheist', 'agnostic', 'pagan'...or none of the above.
     I believe in my heart that we can get past this.
May God Grant You ALL'Traveling Mercies' this Thanksgiving & Holiday Season & Beyond!
Reverend Barbara Sexton
"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"
http://www.dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/