CDC On Border Closures And Flight Bans

According to the director of CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Thomas Frieden, banning flights and closing off borders would not help contain the current Ebola outbreak and could end up driving those infected underground and lie about their conditions.  Furthermore, it could further create complications like logistical problems for transportation of aids and supplies.  

Ebola can be contained but it requires proper education and training of the medical staff all over the world.  

A good twitter to follow at this time is also the CDC director's Twitter account as are the CDC accounts (CDC, CDC Emergency). I have found the general #Ebola stream on Twitter is filled with nonsense and does not help when it comes to getting accurate information.

I'm glad the CDC is coming forth quickly with new information.  It would put to bed any rumors and unfounded innuendoes and provide up-to-date information for all.   

Ebola: Second Patient Contracted Ebola

According to CDC, a breach in protocol resulted in a nurse who was treating the index patient, Thomas Eric Duncan.  The CDC is making sure that infected will get the best care and CDC team is making sure others who have had contact with her are isolated.

The only way you can contract Ebola is with direct contact with the bodily fluid of an infected.  

The key like I've always said regarding Ebola, other hemorrhagic fevers, or bacterial outbreaks is education, doing everything to avoid contamination or the infected, and common sense.

It is possible at this time there could be additional infection cases due to the same nature of beach in protocol that resulted in the nurse being infected.

Source:  Fox News.

Mobile: Congress Is Pro-iPhone (Not So Much Android) But What About Its Policies?

Source: The Hill.

According The Hill,  of 108 members of Congress who have responded to The Hill's survey, 71% and 95% of them uses the iPhone and iPad respective.  Of the lot, 9% uses Android and Blackberry is alive and kicking with 28%.

While it's not surprising that Apple has also won the heart and minds of Congress when it comes to their choice of mobile devices, the high number of respondents who use the iPhone is questionable only because it's likely Apple fans in Congress are more likely and willing to turn in the survey.

For instance when Tim Cook was dragged in front of Congress to answer questions relating to Apple legally paying all the taxes it is obligated to, Senator Claire McCaskill (Democrat, Missouri) unabashedly declared her undying love for Apple.  When members of Congress questioned Google executives, no one ever made similar declaration or, at the very least, acknowledge how great Google's search results are.

What's of interest would be the breakdown of operating systems, Chrome OS, Linux, OS X, and Windows that are used by congressional staffers.  In the show The West Wing, White House operatives could often be seen with a Powerbook sitting on their desks.

Interestingly, their love of Apple only goes so far.  So far, the Obama administration has not shown Cupertino much love nor has Democratic senators who use iPhones, iPads, and Macs.  It goes to show just how powerful traditionally based political bases still are.

In recent years, however, tech companies like Apple and Google that have shied away from big lobbying operations in Washington has started beefing up their presence in DC.  It's rather sad that these companies, instead of investing these millions in R&D, are forced to spend them on lawyers and lining the pockets of politicians.

Snowden: Still A Traitor But His Privacy Views Are Correct

"Nothing to hide" is something many including myself have said when it comes to government snooping around.  Edward Snowden, who I do consider to be a traitor to his country, got my attention in this  New Yorker interview (Techcrunch) with respect to privacy.  He said that if you rationalize about how you have nothing to hide, then you are effectively saying you don't have that right or are will to give it up.  

I agree.  However, my beef is mostly with commercial services that continue to move the goal posts for privacy and double-speak about how they value ours when its their bottom-line that they are more concerned about.  However, for the most part, I use Google, Twitter, or Facebook knowing certain information that I would be giving up.

It's an interesting read and the video might be worth watching.  At the very least, when he spoke about not using Dropbox, I did learn about SpiderOak and I'm definitely going to be looking into it.  But you have to wonder about any online service and how effective they truly are in protecting their customers' privacy, it's the cloud, you know?

Halloween: I Hate Clowns (Social)

Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns.  Look through the citations and do a simple search on Google will result in numerous articles explaining who clowns are almost universally feared by adults and children alike.  And with the day getting shorter, colder weather, and Halloween season now upon the US, what better time to spook the public and engage its imagination than scary killer-clowns.  After all, vampires and werewolves are embraced as sex objects and zombies are nothing to fear as long as  one is a good shot and is fit enough to outrun them.  

So, in an attempt to gain notoriety and social media creds, idiots in Bakersfield, California are dressing up as clowns and made a point to look as sadistic and menacing as possible.  It’s all fun and games unless someone is seriously hurt or actually killed as a result of such pranks.  

This all started in Wasco, California where a husband and wife team began taking pictures of the clown (presumably the husband) as an photography project.  As a result of the weird and not quite normal nature of a scary clown walking about town, others have taken to duplicate the experience.  

Now in Bakersfield, multiple sightings of copycat clowns have been reported resulting in the arrest of one teenage clown.  To the teens and bored individuals who perpetrated these pranks, being able to post pics and stories onto Instagram or Twitter might be fun, law enforcement in Bakersfield did not find it amusing. 

In all likelihood, more reports of clowns or other costumed individuals will be reported leading up to the 31st, just know that fear of clowns is rational and nothing to be ashamed of.

Source: Los Angeles Times.

Smart Move: Ebola Funding Approved

After dropping objections from Republicans, $750 million of the $1 billion in funding requested by the Obama administration has been approved, allowing the Pentagon reprogramming the funds to fight the deadly disease in West Africa rather than the hospital beds of America.

However, the GOP still seem unsure about the White House's long-term plan to combat the hemorrhagic fever that has killed more than 4,000 worldwide and resulted in the first US case. 

Source: Politico.

Russia: Capital Control Likely To Happen, Keep The Pressure On Putin

That's right.  Make it hurt.  It looks like the Russian central bank may adopt controls to keep capital from leaving Russia and plunging its economy into a deep recession or worse.  This stemmed from the sanctions imposed by The US and the EU over Putin's ego trip into Ukraine.  If anything, this further damage the former KGB colonel's legacy and won't do squat to reintegrate his Soviet empire pipe dream.

So, what's next?  For the West, we keep the pressure on.  We give him wiggle room so the dude can save face but that's the least of his worries as he'll soon face pressure at home as the Russian economy further falls into a recession.  Just how far it'll go depends on whether Putin cares more about himself or his people.  You and I know what the answer to that is.

Furthermore, it may push Russia into China's arms.  And China itself faces some difficult decisions over the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong.  Two repressive regimes deserving of each other. 

However, Putin has done the political math.  Look weak in the short-term but turn Russia around and join the West or become a second-class citizen in China's hegemony.  Because believe me, Russians will not be treated as equal partners by the Chinese.  And Beijing would be just fine with that.

Source:  Bloomberg.