Yes, Actually, There Is An Ebola Outbreak In The U.S.
The mainstream media has taken a lot of well-deserved guff over its treatment of the Ebola virus, but they have largely avoided labeling the smattering of cases in the U.S. an “outbreak.” Whether out of restraint or ignorance, they’re missing a golden opportunity to match hype with accuracy.
While the term “Ebola outbreak” is all over the news, most of those references are aimed at the spread of the disease in Africa, even if they inferentially lump in the cases that are happening in the United States. Morning Joe drew some flak on Twitter for this apparently U.S.-specific reference to the “Ebola outbreak”:
Well, here’s how the World Health Organization defines “outbreak”…READ MORE
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Tommy Christopher
Tommy Christopher is The Daily Banter's White House Correspondent and Political Analyst. He's been a political reporter and liberal commentator since 2007, and has covered the White House since the beginning of the Obama administration, first for PoliticsDaily, and then for Mediaite. Christopher is a frequent guest on a variety of television, radio, and online programs, and was the villain in the documentaries The Audacity of Democracy and Hating Breitbart. He's also That Guy Who Live-Tweeted His Own Heart Attack, and the only person to have ever received public apologies from both Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.
62 responses to Yes, Actually, There Is An Ebola Outbreak In The U.S.
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An American in Canada October 6th, 2014 at 13:59
I guess it’s all about definitions. My definition of “drunk” seems to be different than my local police…:D
An American in Canada October 6th, 2014 at 13:59
I guess it’s all about definitions. My definition of “drunk” seems to be different than my local police…:D
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 14:09
I would say that if all known people to have made contact with the one person known to have it is being monitored and contained it is not an outbreak. If we have a case where there are those that are exposed and not monitored or contained, it would be an outbreak. We are in danger of an outbreak occurring but as of yet it has not happened as far as we know.
tiredoftea October 6th, 2014 at 14:25
So, you are disagreeing with the CDC?
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 14:32
At least in terms of how it should be communicated through mass media. It just seems practical. Maybe “controlled outbreak” is more appropriate for what we are experiencing. Outbreak has the connotation of being somewhat out of control.
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 14:35
Right now, under my porch, there is an outbreak of yellow jackets.
Somewhat out of control.
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 14:46
In general yellow jackets are good bugs. To control outbreak, on a cool morning, when they aren’t moving, knock the nest down and move it away from the house and toward a safe place farther away. Preferably at the edge of a garden where you won’t run into them by accident. They will leave you alone, if you leave them alone. http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19990829&slug=2980058
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 16:07
They’re in a hole in the ground. I found it when I moved the toolbox that was over it, but I never got that box out, no sirree, got stung once on the hand and it swelled up clear to my elbow.
After a spell in Rest & Recuperation I tried a night op, but they have night vision goggles, and I couldn’t see them when they stung my neck, and the same damned spot on my hand! My white corpuscles were ready this time though, had armed themselves with antibodies and repulsed their offensive, but I can’t break through their perimeter.
Located the nest though, a big hole with massive traffic like LAX, and heavy security. I’ve heard they don’t like being wet, and they happen to be directly under a crack in the floor boards, so … they may go away in a few days.
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 16:09
Then get them when it is cold. The colder it is the less likely you are to get stung.
Dwendt44 October 6th, 2014 at 17:00
For wasps, chemical warfare is the ticket. Spray bomb the heck out of them and run while it’s doing it’s job.
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 21:05
what kind of granola-eatin’, tree-huggin’, environmental warrior lefty are you?!?
nah…just teasin’…i admit to miracle-gro and sevin dust…
William October 6th, 2014 at 16:45
Wasps and yellow jackets are pretty much the teabaggers of the bug world
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 17:01
If wasps are teabaggers, fire ants are ISIS.
Mike Butkus Jr. October 6th, 2014 at 18:36
Lol! You’re out of control funny…imagination much?
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 21:02
that’s a different kind of wasp, those ground-nesters, aren’t they?
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 22:04
Nope, yellow jackets live in hollow logs, holes, and cozy dry spots under tool boxes. They build paper nests in there, and their home is their castle. They stand their ground. With air support. Mostly they mind their business unless you’re a bug, in which case their lifestyle inspired the movie monster in Aliens and that’s all you want to hear about that.
They like sweet stuff, and offering them a can of soda pop is like holding a kegger, but they’re cantankerous, so be polite, they won’t put up with any discourtesy such as assaulting their hidden hideyhole homes with a weedeater because you can never see the damn things.
Other species of wasps considerately build nests out in the open where you can avoid them. Unless you ride a horse through overhanging tree limbs so your head is just the same height as their nest, but that’s another story.
Tammy Minton Haley October 7th, 2014 at 16:03
are you an entomologist? i’m so pansy-ass girlie about bugs, but i do like to watch the nature shows about them–sometimes…ants are incredible–hell, they all are, really…just so…ALIEN… :)
Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2014 at 14:47
I suggest you burn your house down. That would be the fox news approach.
cogitoergodavesum October 6th, 2014 at 15:08
Ooh! Ooh! And your neighbour’s house! And a randomly selected house on the next block!
Anomaly 100 October 6th, 2014 at 16:39
Random houses are the sneakiest!
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 16:55
They have good books though.
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 21:08
i see what you did there… :)
Anomaly 100 October 6th, 2014 at 22:03
Bwhaaa!
William October 6th, 2014 at 15:14
I agree with Larry
Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2014 at 15:33
Because fire, not sunlight, is the best disinfectant.
Carla Akins October 6th, 2014 at 15:46
OMG – I had one of those this summer, although it was in the middle of the front yard. Bitches be dead now.
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 14:09
I would say that if all known people to have made contact with the one person known to have it is being monitored and contained it is not an outbreak. If we have a case where there are those that are exposed and not monitored or contained, it would be an outbreak. We are in danger of an outbreak occurring but as of yet it has not happened as far as we know.
tiredoftea October 6th, 2014 at 14:25
So, you are disagreeing with the CDC?
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 14:32
At least in terms of how it should be communicated through mass media. It just seems practical. Maybe “controlled outbreak” is more appropriate for what we are experiencing. Outbreak has the connotation of being somewhat out of control.
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 14:35
Right now, under my porch, there is an outbreak of yellow jackets.
Somewhat out of control.
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 14:46
In general yellow jackets are good bugs. To control outbreak, on a cool morning, when they aren’t moving, knock the nest down and move it away from the house and toward a safe place farther away. Preferably at the edge of a garden where you won’t run into them by accident. They will leave you alone, if you leave them alone. http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19990829&slug=2980058
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 16:07
They’re in a hole in the ground. I found it when I moved the toolbox that was over it, but I never got that box out, no sirree, got stung once on the hand and it swelled up clear to my elbow.
After a spell in Rest & Recuperation I tried a night op, but they have night vision goggles, and I couldn’t see them when they stung my neck, and the same damned spot on my hand! My white corpuscles were ready this time though, had armed themselves with antibodies and repulsed their offensive, but I can’t break through their perimeter.
Located the nest though, a big hole with massive traffic like LAX, and heavy security. I’ve heard they don’t like being wet, and they happen to be directly under a crack in the floor boards, so … they may go away in a few days.
mea_mark October 6th, 2014 at 16:09
Then get them when it is cold. The colder it is the less likely you are to get stung.
Dwendt44 October 6th, 2014 at 17:00
For wasps, chemical warfare is the ticket. Spray bomb the heck out of them and run while it’s doing it’s job.
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 21:05
what kind of granola-eatin’, tree-huggin’, environmental warrior lefty are you?!?
nah…just teasin’…i admit to miracle-gro and sevin dust…
William October 6th, 2014 at 16:45
Wasps and yellow jackets are pretty much the teabaggers of the bug world
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 17:01
If wasps are teabaggers, fire ants are ISIS.
Mike Butkus Jr. October 6th, 2014 at 18:36
Lol! You’re out of control funny…imagination much?
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 21:02
that’s a different kind of wasp, those ground-nesters, aren’t they?
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 22:04
Nope, yellow jackets live in hollow logs, holes, and cozy dry spots under tool boxes. They build paper nests in there, and their home is their castle: they stand their ground: with air support.
Mostly they mind their business unless you’re a bug, in which case their lifestyle inspired the movie monster in Aliens and that’s all you want to hear about that.
They like sweet stuff, and offering them a can of soda pop is like holding a kegger, but they’re cantankerous, so be polite; they won’t put up with any discourtesy such as assaulting their hidden hideyhole homes with a weedeater because you can never see the damn things.
Other species of wasps considerately build nests out in the open where you can avoid them. Unless you ride a horse through overhanging tree limbs so your head is just the same height as their nest, but that’s another story.
Tammy Minton Haley October 7th, 2014 at 16:03
are you an entomologist? i’m so pansy-ass girlie about bugs, but i do like to watch the nature shows about them–sometimes…ants are incredible–hell, they all are, really…just so…ALIEN… :)
Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2014 at 14:47
I suggest you burn your house down. That would be the fox news approach.
cogitoergodavesum October 6th, 2014 at 15:08
Ooh! Ooh! And your neighbour’s house! And a randomly selected house on the next block!
Anomaly 100 October 6th, 2014 at 16:39
Random houses are the sneakiest!
uzza October 6th, 2014 at 16:55
They have good books though.
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 21:08
i see what you did there… :)
Anomaly 100 October 6th, 2014 at 22:03
Bwhaaa!
William October 6th, 2014 at 15:14
I agree with Larry
Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2014 at 15:33
Because fire, not sunlight, is the best disinfectant.
Carla Akins October 6th, 2014 at 15:46
OMG – I had one of those this summer, although it was in the middle of the front yard. Bitches be dead now.
William October 6th, 2014 at 15:15
Lets all be extra careful.
Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2014 at 15:42
6) Don’t sneeze in your coworker’s face.
7) Don’t vomit in the soup.
8) If you put your hand in feces, don’t touch your face.
All excellent suggestions.
searambler October 6th, 2014 at 19:00
Oh man! I was gonna have Fried Fruit Bat for dinner…..
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 20:58
well, apparently that “fondling the dead” tip, is kinda for real…i guess the funereal practices and customs do encourage closeness with the deceased–this is very hard, to change customs passed down for generations, especially about something like death…
imagine, if here in America, all of a sudden, we were told…no flowers at funerals are allowed…people would freak–they wouldn’t know how to express their sorrow, without that visible proof…
William October 6th, 2014 at 15:15
Lets all be extra careful.
Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2014 at 15:42
6) Don’t sneeze in your coworker’s face.
7) Don’t vomit in the soup.
8) If you put your hand in feces, don’t touch your face.
All excellent suggestions.
searambler October 6th, 2014 at 19:00
Oh man! I was gonna have Fried Fruit Bat for dinner…..
Tammy Minton Haley October 6th, 2014 at 20:58
well, apparently that “fondling the dead” tip, is kinda for real…i guess the funereal practices and customs do encourage closeness with the deceased–this is very hard, to change customs passed down for generations, especially about something like death…
imagine, if here in America, all of a sudden, we were told…no flowers at funerals are allowed…people would freak–they wouldn’t know how to express their sorrow, without that visible proof…
searambler October 6th, 2014 at 19:17
I think most people hear the word ‘outbreak’ and assume it means ‘widespread with lots of victims.’ While the CDC may use the more technical and specific definition, I’d bet ‘Morning Joe’ wasn’t thinking of a one-person outbreak when they twittered that tweet. My guess is they were going for the shock value and counting on people to assume it means something more than one.
searambler October 6th, 2014 at 19:17
I think most people hear the word ‘outbreak’ and assume it means ‘widespread with lots of victims.’ While the CDC may use the more technical and specific definition, I’d bet ‘Morning Joe’ wasn’t thinking of a one-person outbreak when they twittered that tweet. My guess is they were going for the shock value and counting on people to assume it means something more than one.
R.J. Carter October 6th, 2014 at 21:49
These few cases are nothing to worry about, and we have a firm handle on the situation. I know, because I was told this by the same folks who told me that ISIS was the Junior Varsity division of al Qaeda.
R.J. Carter October 6th, 2014 at 21:49
These few cases are nothing to worry about, and we have a firm handle on the situation. I know, because I was told this by the same folks who told me that ISIS was the Junior Varsity division of al Qaeda.