SHOULD HOMELESS SLEEP IN LIBRARIES?

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I’m concerned about the plight of the homeless. No one should have to live on the streets, IMO. Not in a civilized society. In many cities, the homeless can often be seen in public libraries. Our local library removed all the couches, which helped a little. But many men and women still manage to fall asleep slumped over in chairs. Should the homeless be allowed to sleep in the library? And if not, why?

Three reasons:

1. Public safety. Statistically, many homeless are drug addicts. who could be running out of money for their next fix. When I walk past them– snoring in a chair beside a backpack– I feel somewhat apprehensive. Yes, there are many employees and patrons around, but as we know, that doesn’t always stop a random attack on innocent people.

Library employees are not social workers or police officers, and they are not expected to deal with this problem—nor should they be. Naturally, some folks might doze off while reading a book or magazine, but when it goes on for an hour or more, here’s what I would suggest: Call a plain clothes police officer who can gently awaken the individual and offer to connect them with someone who can help. Wait with that person until you’re sure they have found a roof over their head. If they refuse shelter, then they really must be banned from the library.

2. Public health. Because of where they live, and lack of running water to clean up, a homeless person could be carrying a communicable disease. Whether you touch them or not, they are breathing the same air as you. They’re also using the restroom, touching handles, faucets and door knobs.

3. Humanitarian concerns. If they are truly homeless, their needs should not be ignored. Suppose you saw a child asleep in the library. . Would you walk past them as if they didn’t exist? Of course not. You would ask a librarian to awaken the child , find his parent , or refer him to some social service agency if he was alone. Or, if someone fainted , an alert librarian would call an ambulance if the patron had no companion.. Surely, a homeless person deserves the same consideration.

No man is an island. A homeless person is part of our collective humanity. Should they be encouraged to sleep in the library? I don’t think so.

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021

PLEASE DON’T BRUSH TEETH IN LIBRARY

Everyone is getting upset about the new cases of covid-19 surging in our once-safe city. The governor is not going to enforce mask wearing, but it looks like we’ll have to be extra careful about handwashing and other sanitary habits. Yesterday, I saw a woman brushing her teeth at the restroom sink in the public library. She didn’t appear to be homeless. Nicely dressed, fairly well groomed. Maybe she was going to a meeting and didn’t want to have bad breath. All I know is that she was spitting in the sink, and saliva can spread the coronavirus. Perhaps they should post a sign: Please don’t brush teeth in library.

Please don't brush teeth in the library. It's not sanitara. — Please don’t brush teeth in library. Spitting in the sink can spread the virus.

Etiquette wise, it’s considered acceptable for a person to brush their teeth in a public restroom. But do you want to wash your hands in a sink where someone has spit their food, saliva and germs? In fact, someone with the virus may have contaminated the entire area where you’re turning on water, and reaching for the soap dispenser.

Let’s go back and assume this person actually was homeless. Maybe she had nice clothes, and was well groomed, because she wasn’t always homeless. Perhaps she began living in her car just a couple of days ago. Anything is possible. I just know she was creating a health hazard not only for herself, but for anyone who used the sink after she did. .

It’s hard to know how to handle a situation like this. I’m not into confrontations with strangers, so I didn’t say a word. However, I didn’t care to wash my hands in that sink. So I left the restroom without doing so. Found some sanitizer at one of the desks. Wiped my hands with a Kleenex (they don’t have paper towels) as best I could and tried to avoid touching anything except the books I was checking out. Luckily, I’ve been vaccinated, so I’m not as vulnerable as some. But still. Please don’t brush your teeth in the library–or any public restroom..

March 16, 2020March 16, 2020

IS AGE SIXTY-FIVE THE NEW EIGHTY?

After listening to the Democratic presidential debate last night, my mind was in a muddle. I couldn’t really tell what message Biden and Sanders were trying to convey. It sounded like a couple of angry old guys in a shouting contest. But just before we went to bed, I heard on the news that someone said all people over age sixty five should stay home during this coronavirus outbreak. I’ll find out today who said that, but it has me wondering: Is age sixty five the new eighty?

Should healthy people stay isolated just because their over sixty five? — Should healthy seniors be told to stay at home during the crisis? Is age sixty-five the new eighty?

Most sixty-five year olds I know are pretty healthy. Thanks to modern healthcare, the fitness movement, and plant based diets, these newly retired folks are In much better shape than our parents were. It seems like a bit of overkill to me. Retirees are the ones people fall back on to help out in a crisis—whether it’s babysitting,emergency housing , or other calamities that befall working people.

The recommendation is mostly based on the fact that seniors are most apt to die if they get sick with the coronavirus. But there’s a slight flaw in that statistic. It’s mostly the elderly who live in crowded nursing homes who have died. They don’t get out at all. They’re stuck in stuffy, stinky, crowded places where staffers are too busy to wash their hands as often as they should. And the air doesn’t move very fast in those little rooms.

Naturally, anyone who’s at risk should stay at home during the coronavirus outbreak. But not everyone over age sixty-five has heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes, or other serious health problems.

So what’s a healthy senior to do? Should we wear hats to disguise gray hair, and sunglasses to hide our wrinkles. Shall we be arrested for going to the grocery store for a bottle of milk? Is sixty five really the new eighty?

And by the way. What were those two old politicians doing out in public last night? Both Biden and Sanders are over sixty five.

March 6, 2020March 6, 2020

PURELL HITS JACKPOT IN COVID-19

One man’s poison is another man’s meat, to rephrase an old cliché. While the cruise industry is reeling from the shock, and the stock market nose dives, some people are getting an unexpected windfall. The coronavirus appears to have a few beneficiaries. Purell hits the jackpot during the COVID-19 outbreak. Manufacturers of other hand sanitizers will see an increase in their bottom line, too.

Parell and other makers of hand sanitizers are making lots of money — Producers of hand sanitizers are seeing big sales. Purell hit the Jackpot in COVQ10-19

You may wish you owned stock in Purell, but if you work for a company making face masks or respirators, your job security is rock solid right now. Take it a step further. The drugstores who sell all of the aforementioned items are keeping pretty busy

Because more people have stopped attending church or public events, cable and network ratings must be going through the roof. We’ve watched more Netflix this month than we can remember. Just like Joe Biden, what video stores remain in business may experience a comeback.

Don’t worry about layoffs if you’re working in the healthcare industry.. You’re services are greatly needed right now. Not saying the coronavirus will get worse, but everyone who gets sick is going to think they have it. Patients may even get turned away from the emergency room, because there is no room for them.

Booksellers should see a surge in sales, as libraries keep up with the demand for bestsellers. We’ve probably read twice as many books this month as we usually do. I’m checking out as many library books as my arms can carry.

Family life may improve. When people are staying home, they may sit down and eat meals together. Suddenly everyone is bonded by fear of the coronavirus. A common enemy unites us all, as we huddle together in front of the hearth (or television) .

If it goes on too long, the coronavirus may reduce our reliance on Chinese goods and services.. Maybe manufacturers will decide to invest in American workers by moving their factories out of China and into the good old USA.

You never know. Every cloud has a silver lining.

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020

TV ADS HELP SPREAD VIRUSES

Stay home if you’re contagious. That’s the current advice from doctors. Decades ago, when most working people lived paycheck to paycheck, people went to work sick. Even bragged about it. You were tough and maybe even heroic to ignore your misery and punch the time clock. Employers made things worse, docking people for too many sick days. Perfect attendance translated to the perfect employee. TV advertisements for various cold medicines bolstered this mentality. First, you saw a man coughing and sneezing before taking the advertised pill. Hours later, he would be pictured at work. Even today, pharmaceutical commercials promote the idea of masking your symptoms and soldiering on. That’s how TV ads help spread viruses.

Last week, I sat in a car dealership for two hours while my car was being repaired. It was a lovely waiting room, with comfortable lounges, computers, WiFi, free coffee and snacks. Luckily, I’d brought my kindle, while others were stuck with cell phone trivia. The man across from me had a cough, and I prayed my immune system was up to speed.

Big Pharma makes big bucks during flu outbreaks — BIG PHARMA MAKES BIG BUCKS DURING FLU OUTBREAKS.

By the next afternoon, I felt lethargic and thought maybe the cold weather had worn me out. But the next day, I knew what had happened. I’d caught a cold. And I knew exactly how. Just as it happens so often, when you go to a movie, and someone behind you is coughing or sneezing. Why do people do this? Why is it socially acceptable to go out in public when you ought to stay at home?

I’m thinking of the latest pharmaceutical ad for a cold remedy. It’s a commercial I actually enjoy. First, the man is seen sneezing and looking miserable. Suddenly, he takes the advertised capsule. Fast forward to a treadmill, where he’s doing a little dance routine. He’s smiling happily. But what about the other people in the workout room who’s breathing in his contaminated air?

Outwardly, he appears to be perfectly healthy. He’s not sneezing or spreading his cold virus through coughing. Nevertheless, he has a cold or the flu. And he’s filling the air around him with the virus he’s carrying. Recent studies have shown that we can get infected by the flu virus simply by breathing the same air as a carrier.

Who benefits when the cold and flu season is at its peak? You guessed it, Big Pharma. This year, their profits must be soaring. Why should they want sick people to stay home? More cold and flu in the population means more sales. This is why you see aisles full of cold and flu remedies in pharmacies. It’s probably the most profitable game in town during the flu season.

Television ads encouraging sick people to mask their symptoms and leave their house should be banned. TV ads help spread cold and flu viruses