TWUSEA and the Homeless Underground

September 5 to October 5, 2008

What is the purpose of National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month?

The purpose of National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month is to inform, educate, and raise awareness about the adverse health effects due to exposure of indoor molds and mycotoxins.

What are molds?

Molds are a common name for fungi. Molds are microscopic organisms that produce enzymes to digest organic matter and mold spores to reproduce. These organisms are part of the fungi kingdom, a realm shared with mushrooms, yeast, and mildews. In nature, molds play a key role in the decomposition of leaves, wood, and other plant debris. Molds need moisture to grow.

What are mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are toxic vapors produced by mold spores when they sporulate, or grow, and have serious health effects on humans and animals. Mycotoxins are so poisonous that they have been used as a biological war weapon. Stachybotrys chartarum is the most studied and well-known toxic mold. It is known to produce trichothecene mycotoxins. Aspergillus produces aflatoxin mycotoxins. Aflatoxins are among the most carcinogenic substances known.

How do you get sick from mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, or contact with the skin, and can result in a multitude of symptoms including but not limited to: dermatitis, cough, rhinitis, nose bleeds, cold and flu-like symptoms, headache, general malaise and fever.

How can exposure to indoor mold and mycotoxins affect my health?

Mycotoxin exposure can lead to toxic injury that may include multiple illnesses, affecting the skin and the nervous, vascular, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, urinary, and immune systems; including the formation of cancers and can be life-threatening.

Can mold grow inside the human body?

Yes. Certain species of molds referred to as “body temperature molds” can live and grow inside the human body, causing recurring infections and numerous other health problems as well as death.

Should I use bleach to clean mold?

No. Bleach combined with certain mycotoxins and VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds), can create neurotoxins and brain tumors. OSHA does not recommend using bleach in mold remediation. Ammonia dissolves some molds and neutralizes the mycotoxins. It is important to follow safety guidelines when using cleaners to remove molds. Consult the EPA website for proper personal safety equipment when removing mold. If mold growth is over 10 square feet, the recommendation is to contact a professional who is experienced in cleaning up mold; either a reputable, certified industrial hygienist (CIH) or a qualified mold remediation company.

Are there any events in my area during National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month that I can attend to learn more about indoor molds and exposure to mycotoxins?

To find out if there are any events scheduled in your area, check the following websites for the latest updates:
http://www.nationalindoormoldsociety.org

http://www.moldmadness.com

http://www.myspace.com/faceoftoxicmold

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this flyer/fact sheet is to inform, not treat or offer legal counsel to the public about mold/mycotoxin health related issues. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or take the place of medical advice and treatment from your personal physician, nor is it intended to serve as legal counsel. Please consult your own doctor or other qualified health professional regarding the treatment of your medical problem and consult your attorney for legal counsel.

Also posted on -
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/katysthunder/

Tenants Left Dry at North Austin Apartments

 

CBS 42 Reporter: Jason Wheeler
Email: jwheeler@keyetv.com
Last Update: 6:35 pm

No Water In North Austin Apt Complex

This is one of the only ways for apartment residents to get water. Related Links More Austin Coverage Unlike the water, frustration has been flowing inside building #9 at the Park at Summers Grove Apartments in North Austin near MoPac and Wells Branch. “It’s a miserable situation,” says one tenant who would not give her name. She explained that a plumbing problem early Sunday morning left a dozen or more families without the basic necessity of life. Well, actually, they have had water, it’s just that they have had to go further to get it, filling up from an outside faucet elsewhere in the complex. It’s better than the alternative the woman admits. The resident tells us the affected families have been told to share a single toilet and shower in a vacant unit in another building at the apartments. The dirty laundry and dirty dishes are piling up. Showers have been replaced with sponge baths, and in the restroom, ‘number 1′ and ‘number 2′ now refer to the couple of jugs that have to be lugged in just to flush the toilet. The anonymous tenant, who has been living this way for days, says “I feel like I’m back in the old days, what my ancestors had to go through…go to the river to get the water.” Worse yet, residents say for three days, their thirst for information about the water situation has hardly been quenched by property managers. So KEYE 42 News went to the management office to inquire, and we came up pretty dry, too. “You have a lot of people who are without water and have been without for three days,” we told a manager. She answered “I am discussing with them directly and I apologize, but I cannot discuss [it] with you.” When we pointed out that residents say they haven’t been given updates, the manager maintained, “I just got here today. If you don’t mind, I am discussing with everyone I can.” She then refused to give a timeline for service restoration and asked us to leave. Keyetv.com received a written statement from Riverstone Residential Group, the Dallas-based owner of the apartment complex. In part, it said the company has been in contact with plumbing contractors since the disruption happened Sunday morning. It goes on to explain the delay in fixing the problem is due to the need for “additional equipment” to be brought in to repair the underground line, and that the company “deeply regrets the inconvenience” to residents.

Story -

Documented Facts-Truth-Riverstone-Louisiana Housing Finance Agency

Documented Facts | Truth | Riverstone Residential | Louisiana Housing Finance Agency

It appears there are some who do not want the public to know and see the documented facts about a public health issue that continues to be blatantly ignored concerning Jefferson Lakes Apartments in Baton Rouge, La. and managed by Riverstone Residential.

Documented mold inspection reports were ignored by the owners, Riverstone, and the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency when all were involved in a transaction concerning this complex.

These unethical and unconscionable people leased an apartment to us (myself, my daughter, and her one year old baby) that was filled with years of toxin producing molds.

Even with our report in 2005 and the report in 2007, people are still allowed to move into their toxic apartments and it seems they have no plans to change that - even after the reports have been exposed online.

Our rights to pursue litigation have been manipulated rather obviously and those documents are just starting to come online.

Apparently, this is interfering with THEIR PLAN to ignore all this so someone is reporting my blog and interfering with MY PLAN to show up in search engines so more people can be informed about horrible situations like this.

These people have a conscious disregard for peoples health and laws. How dare they be allowed to do this to us and to others and have it all be ignored.

I can get around the blogging interference and I have many more documents to post.

Sometimes the truth is unpleasant. This whole experience has been “unpleasant” for us and grows more so everyday.

Coming soon - the “unpleasant” medical results.

Recent actions from the City of Seattle have brought a negative response from VFBA. The response will be contained in the district of Tim Burgess, Councilman, position 7, in charge of Public Safety and Human Services. The 300 Veterans associated with the VFBA who work and have homes, many live in his district. So what can these highly decorated Gulf War Vets do? Make life a living hell.

Safer streets does not incorporate arresting homeless-it involves the Mayors initiative to privatize public domain. Bill O’ Reilly’s recently commented “we owe our homeless veterans nothing” which angered Veteran’s across the country.

Tim’s campaign of aggression against the homelessness, will unfortunately end his term in office, replaced by numerous homeless friendly candidates during the next election. Tim’s campaign of Social Terrorism netted 18 arrests of Gulf War Veterans-which is following the philosophy of madness. VFBA, the Homeless Underground and This Way Up-Seattle condemn those arrests.

The new Jail will now become home to those veterans.

he Dames of Westlake Park

by Doc

When you think of homelessness, one often times forgets about those people whom are 60 years old or above. Three women whom fits that description have survived three months in this park. Recent concern over these three have created quite a stir. All were afraid of the local adult shelters because they were rough to women of their age. Two complained about both Angelines and DESC as being predatory. Now, with Tim Burgess’ aggressive policing policy, predatory acts take on new meaning. How? The city took one of these sweet old ladies baby cart-loaded with the the last remaining property she had. Another was sporting a black eye from what is believed by advocates as being a robbery. Her legs had sores from denied medical service at Harborview, whom was reportedly suffering from blood poisoning as a result.

Not all of this is bad, but these Dames have been threatened in numerous ways by the streets, by the police and most certainly the weather! The biggest blackeye and insult comes from the so called “outreach policies” that the City of Seattle sports.

-72 hour removal policy passed by the City was ignored by Seattle Police, when one of the Dames was taken to the hospital by ambulance- the following day, Seattle Police removed that property citing that it was abandoned.

-There apparently is no outreach for seniors living on the streets, no are there any shelters for people their age. They do not feel safe in “adult” shelters.

Recent calls to the City of Seattle’s Department of Human Services by the City of Seattle’s Park Rangers were ignored. Park Rangers. Desperate for action, concerned citizens rallied the Cops in the meeting shown in the video below.

Whats wrong with this picture? The City would rather Jail it’s homeless in their proposed Jail, rather than help them.

by Doc

Mean streets have come from Tim Burgess’ plan to make the streets safer, but for whom? It certainly isn’t the homeless. In fact, meanness, get nothing but meanness in return.

The Rally

The Dead

The Disrespect-Drum Corp for a local high school enters and threatens to disrupt the rally!

Scott Morrow, one of the many protest organizers handles the problem. (below)

The homeless advocates in Seattle held a rally yesterday that was intentionally interrupted by a High School marching band. Last night, TWUSEA investigators mauled over 1 hour and thirty-three minutes of videos hot from perch 17 and 19 yesterday clearly shows disrespect for the Homeless as demonstrated by the high school and the City whom overbooked Westlake Park.

The Homeless Underground is outraged that the city would intentionally engage in malicious harassment or malicious activity by trying to disrupt the proceedings.

Amy

Doc plans to oust four on the city council. Burgess, McIvor, Godden and Conlin will now be sponsored for the Don’t Vote, thanks to recent proof produced by Homeless Intelligence Committee. The proof will air on September 30th.