Amazon's Deadly Covid19 Policy

Me, guarded by my loyal pittie, Nissi. 

A combative post. Here, have a nice picture of Nissi & I on our couch.

Times are tough lately. Covid19 is still killing us, and there is no end in sight.

Do not inject disinfectant into your lungs our anywhere else! For fuck's sake, people. 

The 'helpful' effort in question is Amazon's policy to cordon off PPE (personal protection equipment) to be sold only to hospitals. The public version of this on their web page can be read here and more specifically, here. You do not have to read it now, once you go looking for gear you might need you will be sent to this over and over again.  The issue discussed here is not just a problem at Amazon and it's holdings, this kind of decision making is all over the place. Amazon is the place where I am struggling with this the most. Some policies meant to help just make things worse. 

I am interested in purchasing masks. No I am not a hospital or medical practice oriented business. I am someone struggling with auto-immune deficiencies. So I am a person that needs this kind of help more than a regular person with a regularly working immune system. According to my doctor, general medical guidance, and specific lupus guidance. 

Other sorts of folks that need extra protection: cancer and chemo patients, diabetics, people with MS, ME, SLE/lupus, organ transplant recipients, people with replaced joints, older folks... Remember that scary list you hoped would not include you or your loved ones? Yeah, that list. If you are not on it, someone in your life will be, you can count on that. Usually we do not afforded any extra thought or notice, but we are in fact extra vulnerable.

Perhaps in order to get away from the fact that Amazon's system initially allowed predatory market controlling behavior on the part of speculators, they have gone too far in the other direction and currently allow no sales of PPE to the general public. There are no exceptions for people that may be extra vulnerable and trying to stay out of the very places that can purchase PPE.

I want to say that again: in the middle of a plague Amazon will not let sick or disabled people to buy lifesaving gear.  No exceptions, no more finely tuned policy in sight. 

Maybe they should go ask some NYC nurses if they would rather see people like me in a mask in public or clogging up their emergency room. Sure, cloth masks are now recommended for use by the public but that only protects you from me - and I already know I do not have it. How? Because I went through a two week quarantine after suspected exposure at my doctor's office. My family and I started staying home when it was first recommended, and we will be at home except for essential errands, until the stay at home orders are no longer recommended.

It was easy to find gloves, gowns, and shields on their site that I could buy. Hell, I did buy some gloves. Masks are blocked much more stringently. 

This is an easy fix - put account limits on monthly purchases. Require contact through the standard chat help windows or even phone calls with issue trained account help representatives. Tag accounts that do buy restricted gear so that they come to company attention if they try to sell masks later.

Contacting Amazon got me sent back to the same document listed above, over and over again - even if I start the conversation with "I read your statement regarding PPE and #Covid19..." 

Next time you see those tallies of the sick and the dead, maybe you will wonder along with me, about how many of those folks would still be here if they could have protected themselves.

Yes, I am aware of the stated goals of leaving this gear for purchase by hospitals and I do somewhat agree. Nurses, techs, and staff need the right gear to to their job. That point is getting a lot of play everywhere, but for the record I want people to know about this particular consequence of knee jerk over reactions. Sick people wanting to avoid Covid19 are not the cause of the shortage: US government corruption, neglect of the emergency stockpiles, for profit hospitals using "just in time" supply chains, the wicked looking to corner markets... That is one of many reasons why people are dying for the lack of PPE.

Yikes!

Well, hello there, stranger! Here we are again, me thinking I may be able to hold a thought long enough to write about it and you here to read it. Heavens help you.

Adorable black "pit bull" gazes longingly over a cushion over the back of a couch.

This election cycle I signed up to help local Democrats, and they seemed to be okay with my position of being a liberal that settles for Democrats, especially in Indiana. 

I saw Janelle Monae's Dirty Computer and it was amazing.

While many things have changed, many have not. 

I had spinal shots again, they do not last as long as we hoped. But they do help, so we will keep at it as long as that is true. I still do my PT exercises when my SI joint dysfunction acts up and that still works, but again, not as well as it used to work.

The Minions flew the coup but the Menfolk remain.  I have some things to get off my copious chest there.

I am learning to draw! For real! I can put marks on paper that resemble objects to other folks. 

My Nissi is big and healthy and willful. I am so happy with her and so proud of her. Look forward to lots of photos!

I have a computer to get used to, so many mistakes will be made. We can hit those things as they arise.

The current PotUS is the worst in my meager lifetime. There is much to say there.

I have found a lot of shortcuts to share that make it easier to live this life. I will share those: from talking about disability to friends and family to nail polish tricks.

I have some older post drafts that are, unfortunately, still relevant.

No promises, but I intend to be back for good. Now I will get to writing and hopefully produce something I can share with you on the regular.

Little chi-wow-wow mix starts to wake up in his round leopard print bed.

One of the dogs broke my face today. Not the big one, but the little one right above this paragraph. Some one was at the door so I leaned forward to get up off the couch just as he was launching himself from the end it and we collided in a manner most unpleasant. I grabbed my chin and put it back before I finished realizing that he may have actually dislocated my jaw. While there is swelling, I can talk and eat. Casual contact with healthcare providers advised that I take analgesics, ice and rest. I am doing just that, but if it is still swollen or the pain has not subsidized I will bug my doc about it tomorrow.

So start watching this space again, Dear Reader.  I am going to start writing for me but sharing it with you - which will be quite different than before where I was trying to write for you without knowing who you might be or what you might think. 

At least you  know you will see sex talk and cute dog pictures! 

Thank You, Mr. President

I guess you know what word is spreading like wild fire that you affirmed the personal belief that you hold regarding marriage equality. You sat down and told the world that you believe gays and lesbians should be able to marry. That is terrific! Great news! The first time in history that a sitting US President has done such a thing.

I think this is what fact based patriotism feels like. I have twinges of it during your administration: the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell; ending defense of the Defense of Marriage Act, hell - your election!

There are some mixed feeling out there, and I feel some of them myself: from supporting oppressive structures in your statement to OFA not lending itself to the North Carolina fight that was lost this week. These are valid, and with the Jedi 3D chess that is your campaign mechanism you had to be aware that such was the case.

I get that but here is the thing: when you, the President, comes out in favor of something like this, the country inevitably follows. And with that follows complete civil rights. I think that you, Mr. President are keenly aware of that, and just applied for the drum major position in this parade. Now, the drum major does not write the music, the drum major does not even play the music. But the marching band cannot do a damn thing without that drum major. Now we need you to do the thing you just signed up to do.

I am in a difficult position right now. I happily acknowledge all the good you have done. And yet I lament the opportunities that passed by ignored. I see you as a shining leader, and yet I have to acknowledge that you are, in fact, a politician. You are a damn good politician. And with that comes the ability to sometimes ignore moral callings that may hurt your career - all done in the name of being able to do more good down the road, of course. I see you as a pragmatic politician, not a craven one.

Given everything, I still have to say: Thank you, Mr. President.

Most sincerely,


PatientC

The President's First Hangout

Note: I am writing wrote this as the Hangout happened and I watched it on YouTube. The hangout, I think, will be archived on YouTube here. (I am having tense issues, writing it as it happens knowing you can only read it later - so please pardon the ones I do not catch. Thank you!)


This was exciting! I love that this White House Administration is on top of tech trends and that they are using G+ to interact directly with the public. The people they picked to speak to President Obama are smart, have good questions, and over all are leaving a good impression with me. PotUS seemed comfortable and real (as real as a politician can be, anyhow), like you are talking to him and not the facade a lot of people in politics seem to put on in public.


The wife with the unemployed husband had a very real story. I am impressed that the President delved into it, finding out his specialty and asking for a resume. He treated it like he was dealing with lives and not talking points.


The #Occupy protester reached out and squeezed my cardiac muscles in a way I did not expect. It seemed kind of hollow to go to "grow the economy" as an answer, but I guess I understand it. But the big picture plans ring hollow when your stomach is empty.


The mom that is asking about children and learning about economics
PotUS rightfully mentioned Know Before You Owe, which is a new program from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. You cannot just have one talk about how to manage finances with your kids. While they should probably not have a lot of contact with the family's personal finances, they should know that this is something they will have to manage and get solid advice on how to do so.


I like the explanation that the President gave on foreign aid. It is less that one percent of the budget, and that needs to be emphasized in the conversation. He touched on the strategy and human interest involved. People misunderstand almost everything about foreign aid from how much we spend to what we spend it on and why. Sometimes we give money to people that, as they say, "hate us," but still have a good reason to spend money there.


The next question was about unmanned drone strikes. The President does not believe that the drones cause "large" numbers of civilian casualties. I think there is a perception problem there, but that may just be me. If it is your child killed in a drone strike, even that one death is unacceptable as an operational risk. He emphasized the information gathering that happens before a drone takes off and that they do a lot of work to make sure that they are going after appropriate targets only and do their best to minimize civilian casualties. I disagree with him here completely, but feel he answered the question fairly well.


The next subject as education and employment. Who needs what kind of training? Maybe, said the President, you want to be a graphics designer and only need a two years or a six month program before you have the skills to do your job well. Then he moved on to the changes made in student loans and cutting out the middle man in getting school funds directly to student. Then he mentioned encouraging tax credits for families with students in colleges and universities. The President has also asked the states to help more with funding schools and programs. Then he went to rewarding innovation and good ideas from schools that save money but get the job of educating done.


On the same subject, he talked about how the economic outlook is hitting people as they try to plan their future like college. He acknowledged that it is difficult to invest in a higher education if it looks like you may never be able to pay it back. He does congratulate young people for having such a keen and able eye on their future, but continues to emphasize that they will do better with a degree than with a high school diploma.


SOPA and PIPA were brought up in a question. President Obama spoke about protecting against internet piracy while allowing ideas and information to flow freely. He does seem to have some respect for the open culture of the Internet, which is unusual in our politicians. He addressed a case involving extradition and revealed that he is not involved personally involved in it.


And then came Alpha Cat! He asked his question as President Obama and it was funny but not disrespectful. The President stated that he felt that the ability to poke fun and satire political figures is important and speaks to the strength of our democracy.


The Hangout members were then given the opportunity to ask a quick personal question. The first one was about the PotUS and dancing. He answered it with grace and humor. I felt like there were uncomfortable racial overtones in asking a white person asking a black person to dance for them, let alone the President of the United States. The next questioner asked if he could be the personal physician to PotUS after he graduated. The third asked about how it felt to no be able to go get a snack at a convenience store if he wanted to - and the President talked about the nuts and bolts of just wanting to go run an errand. The forth questioner asked if PotUS would come to his school and expand the under-dog school's prestige. PotUS responded with the idea that their participation in the Hangout/Interview would hopefully help with that (as the only school participating). The last asked about the President and the First Lady's upcoming 20th wedding anniversary. He stated that there may be some logistical trouble since it is in October (near the election) and he may have to delay a big celebration. She also asked to and then put her children on camera briefly. The President smiled and eagerly told her to bring her kids out, which was pretty cool.


The Hangout was quickly and neatly wrapped up. I am really impressed at how smoothly this went. With both pre-recorded and live questioners, it could have been a big mess. Hell, I was on the page before it started and even their "Hey is this thing on" was professional and brief. Over all, I want to see a lot more of this kind of near-direct interaction with the President and his Administration. The White House already has an A+ in my book on their use and understanding of tech and social media.