The Deadly Ignorance of Hepatitis

August 3, 2013 - The World Hepatitis Alliance is calling for "urgent attention" to help fight viral hepatitis worldwide, which it says kills as many as does HIV/AIDS. Despite this alarming claim, "the great majority of countries have no programmes in place to tackle it." Tragically, ignorance of hepatitis greatly contributes to the number of deaths caused by the disease itself.

More people, both the public and the healthcare community, need to become aware of hepititis. According to Hepatitis Foundation International, "An estimated 4.4 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis; most do not know they are infected. Most do not know HOW they were infected. About 80,000 new infections occur each year."

Video from World Heptatitis Alliance

Ignorance Kills: Far too many policymakers, health workers and members of the public are ignorant of hepatitis, how to prevent its spread, and how to treat it.

"Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation," says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "An estimated 4.4 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis; most do not know they are infected." NewsMedical reports that "The Global Burden of Disease study released last year in the Lancet shows that viral hepatitis was responsible for almost 1.45 million deaths in 2010, the same as HIV/AIDS and significantly more than TB or Malaria. Despite this enormous annual death toll, leaders in global health consistently leave it off their agendas." It is astounding that such a serious disease remains so ignored. 

The World Hepatitits Alliance has some easy ways for you to get involved and help raise awareness. WHA points out these alarming facts:

• Viral hepatitis was responsible for almost 1.45 million deaths in 2010, the same as HIV/AIDS and significantly more than TB or Malaria
• 500 million people are living with chronic viral hepatitis. Hepatitis B and C are ‘silent’ viruses, because people may experience no symptoms
• If left untreated, hepatitis B or C can lead to advanced liver scarring, liver cancer or liver failure

Being infected with certain types of the hepatitis virus can cause hepatitis and increase the risk of liver cancer. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

Hepatitis is most commonly caused by the hepatitis virus. Hepatitis is a disease that causes inflammation (swelling) of the liver. Damage to the liver from hepatitis that lasts a long time can increase the risk of liver cancer.

There are six types of the hepatitis virus. Hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV) are the three most common types. These three viruses cause similar symptoms, but the ways they spread and affect the liver are different. The Hepatitis A vaccine and the hepatitis B vaccine prevent infection with hepatitis A and hepatitis B. There is no vaccine to prevent infection with hepatitis C. If a person has had one type of hepatitis in the past, it is still possible to get the other types. Read more about the six types of hepatitis...

Also See:
Global policy report on the prevention and control of viral hepatitis World Hepatitis Alliance
World Hepatitis Alliance calls for urgent action to address viral hepatitis News-Medical.net
Hepatitis C on the rise among [baby] boomers ... Sun-Sentinel
Early detection and treatment key to fighting hepatitis... The National UAE
Stigma And Ignorance Hinder The Fight Against Hepatitis MedicalTV.eu
Hepatitis C: Why Baby Boomers Should Get Tested (pdf) CDC.gov

Congressional Black Caucus Wants Idiot Sheila Jackson Lee to Head Homeland Security

Sheila Jackson Lee, Idiot

July 30, 2013 - by T. Mannis - The racist organization known as the "Congressional Black Caucus" (CBC) wants the dumbest woman in Congress to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Surely, there must be somebody that even the CBC could have come up someone with who is smarter than 63-year old Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (18th District, TX). Incredibly, Lee already serves as a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.

Just how stupid is Sheila Jackson Lee? She is probably the only member of Congress who is as dumb as Congressman Hank Johnson. For starters, she's probably the only member of Congress who thinks that astronauts placed a U.S. flag on Mars. In 2005, she visited the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and asked a guide if the Mars Pathfinder was able to photograph the U.S. flag planted on Mars by Neil Armstrong in 1969. Armstrong went to the Moon, not to Mars. In fact, no human has ever set foot on Mars. Either Sheila Jackson Lee confused the Moon with the red planet or she really believes we've sent a manned mission to Mars.

Another good example is in the video here, in which Lee spoke in 2010 about North and South Vietnam working together. Lee not only rewrites history but manages to contradict herself while demonstrating her ignorance:

"Today we have two Vietnams, side by side, North and South, exchanging and working. We may not agree with all that North Vietnam is doing, but they are living in peace. I would look for a better human rights record for North Vietnam, but they're living side by side. Because, that was a civil war. And because the leadership of this nation did not listen to the mothers and fathers who beared, who born the burden of 58,000 dead and did not declare victory, the mounting death, the violence continued going up and up. Rather than understanding the political nature of the war in Vietnam, we did not listen to those families." WARNING: Watching this video more than three times could cause brain damage.

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The problem, of course, is that North Vietnam won that war and then completely absorbed South Vietnam in its 1975 invasion as the U.S. was pulling out. Since then, there is only one Vietnam. But Sheila Jackson Lee - the CBC's choice for heading DHS - was unaware of that as late as 2010.

"For the benefit of any natural born damned fools that may have wandered in: there is no South Vietnam anymore," wrote Moe Lane for RedState in 2010. "It was conquered by North Vietnam in 1975, shortly after a Democratic Congress – yes, the same political party as Rep. Jackson-Lee’s – defunded the defense of South Vietnam, in defiance of our promises made to that unhappy country as part of the cease-fire that ended the Vietnam War."

South Vietnam officially surrendered to communist North Vietnam on April 30, 1975. On July 2, 1976, Vietnam was reunited as a communist country, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. How is it that a member of Congress does not know this? How is it that the CBC could recommend someone who does not know this to be the head of Homeland Security?

Some of you may be wondering why I referred to the Congressional Black Caucus as a "racist organization" as the beginning of this post. Simple: It is a group based entirely on race, and has recommended the incredibly unqualified Sheila Jackson Lee for head of DHS solely because she is Black. Imagine an organization called the "White Congressional Caucus." Imagine a "WCC" nominating somebody as ignorant as Sheila Jackson Lee to head DHS, knowing that they would only consider someone who is White. The Congressional Black Caucus is racist by its very nature, as its very name suggests. If Sheila Jackson Lee does manage to become the successor to Janet Napolitano, who will step down as DHS Director in August, it could only be because other members of Congress - Black and White - approved her because she is Black. It could not possibly be for any other reason, especially not for her knowledge of history and current world affairs, both of which are sadly, tragically stunted.

Also See:
Sheila Jackson Lee Catches Flack for Citing "Two Vietnams" CBS News
Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee's Personal Brand of Revisionist History Townhall.com
CBC recommends Sheila Jackson Lee for Homeland Security post Washington Times
Sheila Jackson-Lee: Don’t Condemn the Gangbangers. Blame the Guns Frontpage Mag
Is Sheila Jackson Lee really that stupid? Examiner.com
Sheila Jackson Lee: Racist and Moron Frontpage Mag
Sheila Jackson Lee (Idiot-TX) Re-interprets the Constitution Urban Grounds
Shiela Jackson-Lee Leaves Us All Speechless RedState
Sheila Jackson Lee, Worst Boss In Congress? Huffington Post

Absurdly Restrictive Homeless Shelter in Houston

Can You Help a Homeless Patriot? Please Give To My Homeless Survival Fund! Keep Me Alive and Fighting!

Homeless Patriot (my alter ego) talks about a homeless shelter in Houston that treats its "customers" like work release prisoners:

"To be there, I realized, would be to effectively lock myself up. With no or very limited funds, I can't afford to take public transit to look for work. If I'm put out on the street everyday, I would not be able to use my computer at a wifi coffee shop as I am doing right now. My computer would let me do that if Star of Hope allowed it. 

In addition, I make a little scratch from ad revenue on my websites. Many shelters in Chicago have rules and regulations, naturally, but most have 10:00 p.m. as the time that you must return. That's not unreasonable. Six o'clock is just insane. The ban on cell phones and computer usage is megalomaniacal." More at Homeless Patriot...

Updated: Houston Metro Train Kills Female Bicyclist

Vivian Ziwei Guan
Photo via Rice University

July 22, 2013 - by Tom Mannis - A southbound Metro light rail train struck and killed Vivian Ziwei Guan, a 20-year-old Rice University architecture student. She was hit by the train at the intersection of Main and Walker during the busy morning rush in downtown Houston. The accident happened around 8:08 a.m. while commuters were waiting on the platform to board the Fannin South train. The woman was dead by the time first responders arrived a few minutes after the accident.

UPDATE: Memorial for Vivian Ziwei Guan held on Friday, July 26 (Houston Press).

I was at that intersection when the accident happened. While standing on the northeast corner of Main and Walker, I heard a loud crunching sound, like metal on metal, that quickly turned into a grinding sound. It was a sickening sound. I turned to see what was happening and saw what appeared to be a mangled bicycle being dragged through the narrow space between the train and the boarding platform.

Metro train killed a cyclist, Houston (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Vivian Ziwei Guan's bike after being hit by a Metro train on Monday,
July 22, 2013. Image from video by dtblackmorelaw, YouTube

Passengers on the platform were horrified by what they had just witnessed. One man, in business attire, was so shocked by the horrific accident that he held his head with both hands and repeatedly shouted "Shit, shit!" as he walked away from the scene.

Curiously, the Houston Chronicle reports that "witnesses said they saw the woman riding down the middle of the tracks before the collision. They started screaming at her to get out of the way."

However, I did not hear anybody screaming before I heard the train hit the bike. If the Chronicle's report is true, it begs the question as to why the train's driver did not see the woman and stop.

This is not the first time that a Metro train has struck and killed someone. Many Houstonians called the Metro the "danger train." In 2008 another female bicyclist was hit the Texas Medical Center. She suffered an injured knee and minor cuts.

A report on February 12, 2008 said that "A passenger on the light rail train that struck and injured a bicyclist....says the operator did not sound a horn or apply the brakes before the collision." That sounds a lot like what I heard and saw this morning at Walker and Main. No horn. No sound of brakes before the collision.

Also See:
Cyclist Killed When Struck by Metro Train Monday Morning Houston Press (blog)
Rice Student Struck by METRO Light Rail Memorialized in Noon Vigil Today Houston Press
Woman gets pinned under METRO Rail in downtown Houston ABC Local (2012)
Metro train wreck sends 10 to hospitals Houston Chronicle (2012)