Great Scott? Florida Pill Mills and the Governor

Richard Lynn "Rick" Scott is the current governor of Florida. This post presents some biographical information about Governor Scott. Readers may find it interesting to view his business background and discover more about Rick Scott, named by Time Magazine in June, 1996, one of "America's 25 Most Influential People."

In 1987, Scott helped found the Columbia Hospital Corporation with two business partners. This merged with Hospital Corporation of America in 1989 to form Columbia/HCA and eventually became the largest private for-profit health care company in the United States.

After investigation from the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Health and Human Services, he was forced to resign as Chief Executive of Columbia/HCA in 1997 amid a scandal over the company's business and Medicare billing practices. The company ultimately admitted to fourteen felonies and agreed to pay the federal government over $600 million. (Kurt Eichenwald, "2 Leaders Are Out At Health Giant As Inquiry Goes On," The New York Times, July 26 1997)  (M.C. Moewe, "Ex-Columbia Chief Helps Grow Solantic," Jacksonville Business Journal, April 17 2006)

In settlements reached in 2000 and 2002, Columbia/HCA plead guilty to 14 felonies and agreed to a $600+ million fine in the largest fraud settlement in US history. Columbia/HCA admitted systematically overcharging the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursable, by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false data about use of hospital space. ("Largest Health Care Fraud Case In U.S. History Settled," #386 Department of Justice, June 26 2003)

The company also admitted fraudulently billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. They filed false cost reports, fraudulently billing Medicare for home health care workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to doctors to refer patients. In addition, they gave doctors "loans" never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies.

In late 2002, HCA agreed to pay the U.S. government $631 million, plus interest, and pay $17.5 million to state Medicare agencies, in addition to $250 million paid up to that point to resolve outstanding Medicare expense claims. In all, civil law suits cost HCA more than $2 billion to settle, by far the largest fraud settlement in US history. (Julie Appleby, "HCA to Settle More Allegations for $631M," USA Today, December 18, 2002)

After the forced departure from Columbia/HCA (although he was never charged in the fraud), Scott became a venture capitalist. He launched Richard L. Scott Investments, based in Naples, Florida, which has stakes in health care, and manufacturing technology companies. (Drew Ruble, "Great Scott," businesstn.com, July 2006)

In 2003, Scott invested $5.5 million in Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies, which operates drugstores/pharmacies that offer vitamins, herbal medicine, skin products, homeopathic medicines, and prescriptions. Other investors in Pharmaca include Tom Stemberg, founder and former CEO of Staples, and Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot. ("Pharmaca Gets Equity To Expand Store Base," Chain Drug Review, December 15 2003)

In 2005-2006, Scott provided the initial round of funding of $3 million to Alijor.com, which offered hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers the opportunity to post information about their prices, hours, locations, insurance accepted, and personal backgrounds online.The company was founded with his daughter Allison. (Lisa Sibley, "Alijor's Online Directory of Providers Growing," San Jose Business Journal, July 24 2008)

Solantic, based in Jacksonville, Florida, was co-founded in 2001 by Scott and Karen Bowling, a former television anchor whom Scott met after Columbia bought what is now Memorial Hospital Jacksonville in 1995.

In 2006, Scott said that his plans for Solantic were to establish a national brand of walk-in medical clinics. In August 2007, the company received a $40 million investment from a private equity firm and said that it expected to open 35 clinics by the end of 2009, with annual revenues of $100 million once all these clinics were open, compared to $20 million at the time. (Urvaksh Karkaria, "Solantic to Expand Well Beyond State: The Urgent-Care Center Is Planning to Open 35 More Clinics By the End of 2009," Jacksonville Times-Union, August 15 2007)

As of March 2009, Solantic had 24 centers, all located in Florida.

Scott proudly talks about Solantic during his anti-reform campaign, holding it out as an example of the kind of free-market ingenuity that can fix our ailing healthcare infrastructure, as opposed to big government.

Still, Solantic has been the target of numerous employment discrimination suits, including one that settled with seven plaintiffs for an undisclosed sum on May 23, 2007. These suits allegedly stem from a Scott-directed policy to not hire elderly or overweight applicants, preferring 'mainstream' candidates. (Tristram Korten, "A Healthcare Reform Foe's Alleged History of Discrimination," www.salon.com, October 1 2009)

The Latest On Governor Rick Scott

In 2011, Governor Rick Scott moved to abolish a computer database that would track every prescription for narcotic drugs, one of the state's main weapons to combat pill mills. Documents accompanying Scott's budget ask the Legislature to repeal the 2009 law that approved the database after an eight-year fight, state officials said Tuesday.

"I’m trying to figure out in that group where the money is. It has come to my attention that thousands of dollars have been spent on lawyers, travel, meals and board members," Scott said. "I don’t support the database. I believe it’s an invasion of privacy.... it appears that the money’s been wasted."

The database has support from just about everyone (except the governor) — legislators, law enforcement, responsible doctors and pharmacists and legitimate pain clinics.

The database was set to start December 1 but is stalled by a protest from an unsuccessful bidder. "He does not believe this is a function that is best performed by government," Scott spokeswoman Amy Graham told Health News Florida. She did not say who Scott believes should run the system.

The database would be financed with $500,000 in private grants, not by state tax dollars.

Forty-two other states have databases. 

Unless the governor somehow likes the drug tourism, overdoses and other human wreckage spawned by a pill-friendly culture, he should reconsider his decision and support the system.

Prescription drug abuse is blamed for an estimated seven deaths a day in Florida.The database can help law enforcement, pharmacists and health officials pinpoint patients who abuse or traffic in powerful pills like oxycodone by getting multiple prescriptions in a short timeframe, a practice known as doctor-shopping.

Publisher and former presidential candidate Steve ForbesAfter years investigating HCA, federal law enforcement officials found evidence that Scott's hospitals kept two sets of books, Forbes wrote in an op-ed published in The Tampa Tribune. “The first tracked actual expenses, while the second contained inflated figures that were submitted to the government for reimbursement. By the time charges were filed, HCA officials admitted to systematically overcharging the government - and by extension taxpayers - with fraudulent claims, including exaggerating the treatment of Medicare patients to increase billings.(Steve Forbes, "Rick Scott's Troubling Story of Convenience," The Tampa Tribune, July 7 2010)

Forbes wrote that even if Scott was unaware of the fraud, the idea that such a massive crime occurred while he was chief executive raises serious questions about his ability to manage.

“Sounds like the CEO of BP ducking responsibility for the safety of BP's offshore oil rigs,” Forbes wrote.

Plato: Some Sunlight On "The Allegory of the Cave"

Plato, in "Book Seven" of the Republic, presents the Allegory of the Cave. The two elements of the Allegory of the Cave are the fictional metaphor of the prisoners and the philosophical tenets which the story is supposed to represent. The passage itself is not written from the perspective of the prisoners, but rather it is written as a conversation occurring between Socrates and Plato’s brother Glaucon. The allegory isn’t the story, but rather the fictional dialogues between Glaucon and Socrates.

Socrates asks Glaucon to imagine a cave in which prisoners are chained and held immobile: they are bound to the floor and unable to turn their heads to see what goes on behind them. They have been in this state of captivity since childhood. Not only are their arms and legs held in place, but their heads are also fixed, so they are compelled to do nothing but to gaze at a wall in front of them.

To the back of the prisoners, under the protection of the parapet, lie puppeteers who cast shadows on the wall. The prisoners vividly see the shadows, and they intently watch these forms cast by the men, completely unaware that they are shadows. There are also echoes off the wall from the noise produced from a walkway. The prisoners spend their lives interpreting these images because that is all they can see.

As Socrates is describing the cave and the situation of the prisoners, he conveys the point that the prisoners would be inherently mistaken as to what is reality. He explains that the puppeteers behind them are using wooden and iron objects to liken the shadows to reality-based items and people. The prisoners (unable to turn their heads) would know nothing else but the shadows, and they would perceive this as their own reality. In fact, the whole of their society would depend on their understanding of the shadows on the wall.

Plato explains that this part of the allegory shows what people perceive as real from birth is completely false based on their imperfect interpretations of reality and Goodness. The point of the allegory thus far is that the general terms of language are not "names" of the physical objects that someone can see. They are actually names of things that are not visible to most, things that people can only grasp with the mind. This line of thinking is said to be described as “imagination,” by Plato.

Next, Socrates asks Glacoun to suppose that a prisoner is freed and permitted to stand up. Socrates questions, if someone were to show this man the things that had cast the shadows, how would the prisoner be able to recognize them? He would believe the shadows he is accustomed to seeing on the wall to be more real than what he is shown. "And you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him to name them, -will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?" asks Socrates.

Socrates prods Glacoun to perceive further that the man was compelled to look at the fire. Socrates continues, "Wouldn't he be struck blind and try to turn his gaze back toward the shadows, as toward what he can see clearly and hold to be real?" 

And Socrates continues, "What if someone forcibly dragged such a man upward, out of the cave: wouldn't the man be angry at the one doing this to him? And if someone dragged the man all the way out into the sunlight, wouldn't he be distressed and unable to see even one of the things now said to be true?" (516a) The natural reaction of the prisoner would be to recognize only shadows and reflections.

Plato describes the vision of the real truth to be “aching” to the eyes of the prisoner, and how he would naturally be inclined to go back and view what he has always seen as a pleasant and painless acceptance of truth. This stage of thinking is noted as “belief.” The comfort of the aforementioned perceived, and the fear of the unrecognized outside world would result in the prisoner being forced to climb the steep ascent of the cave and step outside into the bright sun.

After some time on the surface, however, Socrates suggests that the freed prisoner would acclimate. He would see more and more things around him, until he could look upon the sun. He would understand that the sun is the "Form of the Good, the source of the seasons and the years, and is the steward of all things in the visible place, and is in a certain way the cause of all those things he and his companions had been seeing." After his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, he would begin to see items and people in their own existence, outside of any medium. (516b–c)

Plato recognizes this concept as the cognitive stage of thought. This point in the passage marks the climax, as the prisoner, who not long ago was blind to "The Form of the Good” (as well as the basic forms in general), is now is aware of reality and truth. When this enlightenment occurs, the man achieves the ultimate stage of thought, known as “understanding.”

Socrates next asks Glaucon to consider the new condition of this man: 

1. "Wouldn't he remember his first home, what passed for wisdom there, and his fellow prisoners, and consider himself happy and them pitiable? 

2. "And wouldn't he disdain whatever honors, praises, and prizes were awarded there to the ones who guessed best which shadows followed which? 

3. "Moreover, were he to return there, wouldn't he be rather bad at their game, no longer being accustomed to the darkness? 

4. "Wouldn't it be said of him that he went up and came back with his eyes corrupted, and that it's not even worth trying to go up? 

5. "And if they were somehow able to get their hands on and kill the man who attempts to release and lead up, wouldn't they kill him?" (517a)

And, the ultimate question becomes: What if the man did return to the cave? Upon his return, the enlightened man would metaphorically (and literally) be entering a world of darkness yet again and would be faced with the other unreleased prisoners. Others there would ridicule him for taking the useless ascent out of the cave in the first place. They could not understand something they have yet to experience, so what leadership can the man provide for he alone would be conscious of goodness?

It’s at this point that Plato describes the philosopher kings who have recognized the Forms of Goodness as having a duty to be responsible leaders and to not feel contempt for those who don’t share such enlightenment.

But, one person's power of enlightenment could encourage a few prisoners to risk emerging from the cave and the deceit therein. As numbers grow, confidence builds and shadows on the wall diminish.

Socrates finally concludes by likening this allegory to the Metaphor of the Sun in his work, The Republic. The sun is the source of "illumination", arguably intellectual illumination, which he held to be The Form of the Good, which is sometimes interpreted as Plato's notion of God. The metaphor is about the nature of ultimate reality and how knowledge is acquired.

"At all events, this is the way the phenomena look to me: in the region of the knowable the last thing to be seen, and that with considerable effort, is the idea of good; but once seen, it must be concluded that this is indeed the cause for all things of all that is right and beautiful – in the visible realm it gives birth to light and its sovereign; in the intelligible realm, itself sovereign, it provided truth and intelligence – and that the man who is going to act prudently in private or in public must see it" --Plato

After "returning from divine contemplations to human evils," Plato concludes

"A man is graceless and looks quite ridiculous when – with his sight still dim and before he has gotten sufficiently accustomed to the surrounding darkness – he is compelled in courtrooms or elsewhere to contend about the shadows of justice or the representations of which they are the shadows, and to dispute about the way these things are understood by men who have never seen justice itself."

Digital Photograph: Tag, You're It

Thanks to a friend, Becky Jenkins, for this post on digital photography and privacy. A photographer and college student, Becky wrote much of the following as research required for her work. She knew I possessed a keen interest in the subject, and she sent me her findings. I have used a lot of it for the post below while adding a little and limiting my own scope. So, Becky is extremely interested in your reactions to this relatively new technology. I hope you reply. Thanks again, Becky.

Mr. and Ms. American Citizen, you have the right to privacy. Correct? Yet, you do understand that the Constitution does not contain any express references or declarations that give you the right to privacy, don't you? Still, you ask, "How about the Bill of Rights?" Yes, some privacy rights are addressed in the Bill of Rights. For example, the First Amendment allows for the privacy of beliefs, and the Fourth Amendment allows for privacy in the home by restricting "unreasonable searches" by authorities.

Still, how about your privacy rights in respect to personal information, specifically those rights that relate to  the Internet and digital photography? You are protected, aren't you?

Here is a little history lesson. In 1980, a photographer for the New York Times snapped a photograph of a man man crossing the street in New York City, and subsequently, the photo was published in the newspaper. The man objected to his likeness being used, but ultimately lost the case because his name was not used, and the photograph was published for illustrative, not commercial purposes. In the ruling of that case, Arrington vs.The New York Times Company (1983), the New York Court of Appeals wrote: “An inability to vindicate a personal predilection for greater privacy may be part of the price every person must be prepared to pay for a society in which information and opinion flow freely.” (The Photographer's Guide to Privacy, The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 1999)

Do many of you need yet another revelation? In 2007, Facebook enabled profiles to become searchable through their new Public Search Listings.You can see privacy concerns in this because it meant your profile would show up on all major search listings, through engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN Search. To make sure that your profiles are kept private, you still can edit privacy settings on Facebook. You are aware of this privacy option, aren't you?

Of course, you are a happy digital citizen of the 21st century. You e-mail, browse, and do some social networking, don't you? With the Internet and interactive technologies being in their infancy, you have only started to understand the possibilities, and maybe more importantly, the consequences of your actions and participation. You may want to understand a little more about things such as tagging photographs.

  
Tagging Photographs

Potentially, people can publish inappropriate photos. These photographs can expose detrimental behaviors, offer sensitive information, or even project negative job attitudes. Today, many people are sharing everything, even the most personal information, with their friends. Sometimes, people unintentionally share too much.

There are also many reasons to be concerned about online privacy that have nothing to do with personal reputation. Whenever going on vacation, most people have someone pick up their mail or have it held at the post office. They arrange to have someone pick up the newspaper, and turn on lights in the house; the goal is to not call attention to the fact that we’re not at home.

Yet, when people post images from their iPhones or when they update their status with a photo and say things like "Today was the first day at the beach! A week isn’t long enough,” not only have they told the local thief that they are on vacation, but they have given him an entire week to steal their belongings.

Many people post the smallest details about their everyday lives online, from where and when they’re having dinner to where and when they are taking their kids to the playground. The un-adoring  public may be privy to such detail.

Tags are really nothing more than keywords used to describe a piece of data — be it a web page, a digital photo, or another type of digital document. The term tagging is often used in the context of organizing digital photos. On the surface, tagging seems harmless and efficient as means to identify pictures.

Tagging can become a problem when information that was thought to be “private” is posted on the Internet for public viewing. Unintended consequences to individuals (and their online “friends”) may occur when someone publicly shares this private information.
 
Caught in the web of convenience provided by instantaneous sharing, many people can't wait to use Internet tagging indiscriminately. The sheer fact people would inquire during a real event (for example, a party) as to whether the event will be recorded via photographs or videos on Facebook is a testament to the cultural conditioning that social utilities have achieved. Sharing photos has actually turning into something psychological in nature.

Often people feel the need to have some sort of physical evidence to show their Facebook friends of the amazing time they have had. It is done as if they have to say, "If I post this on Facebook, the world knows about it, and my sense of self-worth is immediately inflated with a mere photo comment like, 'Who's that girl you're with buddy. She's hot.'"

In the digital age, people can derive satisfaction by publicly displaying their socially active lifestyles through social utilities. Posts can become a sort of self-validation, and they use this to help shape popular Facebook identities. (Daniel Dizon, "Facebook Dangers -- Tagging Photos," goarticles.com, December 20 2010)

With tagging (or linking a post or photo to a user account), friends can “tag” content about others – photos, videos, status updates, etc., and attach that piece of information to their profile. Users can’t block people from tagging them, but they can remove the tag once it’s been assigned.

Users have absolutely no control over what photos are uploaded. If they are tagged, they may not have an immediate opportunity to log in and click "remove tag," or they may be unaware that the function to do so exists. (Jennifer Leggio, "New Privacy, Shmivcy -- Facebook Photo Tagging Still a Big Fail," www.zdnet.com, December 2 2009) 

Here is a tagging scenario. Uncle John is photographed at a wedding or party or other type of function, even if he is innocently eating a sandwich or talking to pals. And although he might be thrilled to have photos taken by friends or family for the sake of making memories, Uncle John may still not want these pictures of himself (or of his children) uploaded to social networks. Nonetheless, the photographer uploads the photos and tags them.

On the Web, people also use tagging to categorize Web pages through social bookmarking sites such as del.icio.us, Technorati, and others. Adobe's Photoshop Album digital photo organizer software brought the tagging concept to the mainstream for digital photography, and the popular online photo sharing service Flickr also helped to spur the trend.

It's a little known fact that most higher-end cell phone units are GPS enabled, and in some cases, image formats contain geotags in the metadata. Metadata is just data about data. Invisible to the naked eye – it’s embedded in the picture. The metadata in images is often retained by default by desktop image processing software and many online photo storage websites.

For example, digital photograph metadata contains information about the camera settings used to create the image, the time and date the image was taken, and on GPS enabled devices, geographic coordinates regarding the place the image was taken. This metadata can be very useful for those who wish to tie photographs to a location when they want to remember exactly where they took the photographs.

There are tools within the menus of these devices to turn off geo-location features, but most people don’t even realize what is happening – and, therefore, they don’t realize they need to turn these features off. And, doing this can sometimes turn off all GPS capabilities, including mapping, so it can get complicated. The Apple iPhone takes a more aggressive approach by asking users to re-decide to share location information with each new application installed.

In most cases, the process for adding the geolocation data either requires specialized add on hardware, or post processing with software on the desktop after the pictures are taken. In fact, less than four percent of all images have this information – but these numbers are expected to grow because the market share for these high-end, GPS enabled devices is growing. What is a mere four percent?

One study attempted to answer this question. It looked at geotags and Craig’s List (a site that’s best described as a virtual flea market). In the study, almost 69,000 images were downloaded and reviewed for EXIF information, and 48% of these images contained location-aware information, probably because many users upload images directly from their phones (Gerald Friedland & Robin Sommer, Cybercasing the Joint: On the Privacy Implications of GeoTagging, 5th Usenix Hot Topics in Security Workshop, 2010)
 
Among the images were photos of goods for sale, including bicycles, jewelry, and collectible items. Anyone, including criminals, could easily scan all items and determine the location of the seller

Even though the majority of modern digital cameras do not automatically add geolocation (Latitude and Longitude) metadata to pictures, one major exception does exist -- Smartphones. (Ben Jackson & Larry Pesce, icanstalku.com, 2010)

The cameras in Smartphones are already equipped with the specialized hardware to automatically add geolocation information to the pictures at the time they are taken. Most people don't realize that the action of automatic geotagging takes place on their smart phones, either because it is enabled by default, not exposed to the user as an option, or was asked and then forgotten. As a result, individuals often share too much information about their location, right down to the exact latitude and longitude when snapping photos with their Smartpphone and posting them online.

Earlier this year, a real life example emerged that showed how easily a seemingly innocent photo gave away much more information about its creator than intended. Adam Savage, co-host of the Discovery Channel’“Mythbusters,” posted a photo on Twitter of his vehicle parked outside of his house. The image was uploaded directly from his Smartphone, and unknown to him, had geotag information embedded: specifically, the latitude and longitude of the location from which the image was taken. In other words, the image contained exact coordinates to find his house.

Not only could image viewers that extracted the metadata locate his house, but also they could figure the house would empty when Savage stated that he was “heading to work." Two of Adam’s followers reviewed the metadata from the image and promptly sent him an email that contained his address and a screenshot of his house via Google Maps. (Kate Murphy, "Web Photo Geotags Can Reveal More Than You Wish."
NYTimes.com, August 22 2010) 

  
Further Applications

Thousands of applications (or ‘apps’) for communication devices are in use or being developed. One popular example is “FourSquare," a data-aggregation site that allows users to virtually “check in” at their favorite spots and alerts users when a friend is physically nearby. The program learns a person's regular routine, and only posts check-ins when the the user has ventured someplace new or unusual. Friends can locate each other easily, and it’s considered to be a social networking application.

Targeting ads by filtering key terms from our email isn’t enough these days; marketers love the idea of learning more about consumer habits and have started using geo-location to target ads and even coupons to users. Yowza!! is an iPhone app already available to tailor this experience to the user’s preferences – users with this app on their device receive virtual coupons for the stores that they are physically close to.

In illustration of Yowza!!, if a user was in New York City and “checked in” at a trendy shopping area, he could literally receive coupons instantly via his device for local shops or restaurants. The coupons are based on previous detected, downloaded, and analyzed choices he had already made.

A creative new use of this technology is straight out of the movie Minority Report. Cameras embedded into a billboard can read metadata broadcast from a device (by an app) or analyze the person's physical characteristics (like age and gender) using special software. Then, the billboard can project a specific ad tailored for the individual.(Nilay Patel, "TruMedia Says Its Facial-recognition Billboards Will Never Record Video," engadget.com., June 10 2008) (Yu-Yuan Chen,"Exploring the Human Computer Interactive Design- Interactive Billboard," 2008)

Location-aware software is also being embraced by parents because it allows them to track the daily the movements of their children via a website or an application on their devices. 

Now, entire websites have been dedicated to helping people understand how their information is being used. Among them, websites like “Please Rob Me” and “I Can Stalk U” post real time data collected from public Twitter feeds. Their goals are to raise awareness of how this information is being shared and offer information on how people can prevent their internet posts from sharing too much.

It is important to understand that each person has the power to make choices about how much and where certain photographic information is shared. These decisions require careful thinking. Everyone should read and understand privacy policies and site usage agreements. An exciting, useful technology exists  As consumers of the technology, each is responsible for its positive and negative outcomes. Education and further research are necessary to further understanding of the value and implications of easy-to-access digital imaging and geo-aware capable technology.

What Does Facebook Say About You?

FACEBOOK STATISTICS (www.facebook.com):

• More than 500 million active users
• 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day
• Average user has 130 friends
• People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook

How powerful is Facebook? One must wonder about the ever-increasing impact of a post on the Facebook social network service and website. The service provides a free platform for the right of expression, yet every right entails responsibility. Facebook allows an individual to unleash information that has the potential to create a firestorm of reaction and activity. This activity may include some unintended results.

No doubt, people use Facebook to achieve ends once believed almost impossible to obtain. Shortly after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped from power, activist Wael Ghonim spoke with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and credited Facebook with the success of the Egyptian people's uprising. Ghonim, a marketing manager for Google, played a key role in organizing the January 25 protest by reaching out to Egyptian youths on Facebook.

Shortly after that first protest, Ghonim was arrested in Cairo and imprisoned for twelve days. Since his release, Ghonim has become a symbol for the Egyptian movement, although he has rejected this notion. "I'm not a hero. I was writing on a keyboard on the Internet and I wasn't exposing my life to danger," he said in an interview immediately after his release. "The heroes are the one who are in the street." (Catharine Smith, "Egypt's Facebook Revolution: Wael Ghonim Thanks the Social Network," The Huffington Post, February 11 2011)

About Facebook and Posts

Nicole Ferraro reminds people that no matter what privacy settings they use, there is nothing at all private about posting something on the Web. Posting something on Facebook gives the entire universe the opportunity to see and interpret the message. This is definitely something a Facebook member should keep in mind. (Nicole Ferraro, "10 Ways Facebook Is Destroying Your Life,"  www.internetevolution.com, February 22 2011)   

According to Ferraro, "This has always been true, but it's only getting worse as Facebook 'matures' and adds new horrifying features. When Mark Zuckerberg decides it's time for YOU to start wanting more people to know more about you, guess what he does? He changes your privacy settings."

Profile details represent an example of Facebook sharing. Facebook decided that all of its users' "Likes" and "Interests"  had to be public information and linked to a community page. Ferraro continues, "The truly frightening part is that sometimes we're not even the ones outing ourselves to the greater Web. Take Facebook Places: If you don't know enough to change the settings Facebook has so kindly designated for you, all of your Friends can check you into places, broadcasting your location without your permission or knowledge." (Nicole Ferraro, "10 Ways Facebook Is Destroying Your Life,"  www.internetevolution.com, February 22 2011)  

The profile is something else users must consider. Many don’t set their privacy settings to limit access to their Facebook profiles. Facebook profiles are often filled with personal, professional, and even private information. Employers, colleagues, the press -- everybody can potentially have access to the information.

At present, Facebook makes no distinctions that divide a life into personal, professional, and private categories. Even if it did, who would distinguish between such divisions when they are snooping to find clues to the character of an individual? People do judge others on their personal lives.

"My rule of thumb is this: Anything I wouldn't be comfortable appearing on the front cover of The New York Times... found in a Google search, and/or proud [for] my parents to read/see simply does *not* get shared. Period," writes social media expert Mari Smith.

Job screening through consumer sites is already happening and is only bound to become more of a mainstream practice. A CareerBuilder survey in 2009 showed 45 percent of 2,600 employers surveyed acknowledged that they used Facebook and Twitter to screen job candidates. And according to the Corporate Executive Board Co., a business consulting firm that issued a survey in December, 80 percent of respondents said they plan to increase their of sites like Facebook when seeking job-candidates and reducing their dependence on online job boards. (Nicole Ferraro, "10 Ways Facebook Is Destroying Your Life,"  www.internetevolution.com, February 22 2011) 

So although Facebook can be a fantastic networking tool, poor posts can represent negative aspects of an individual's life. Adding colleagues, particularly former co-workers or acquaintances to a friend list and sending a quick note to them from time to time on Facebook can be an excellent way to stay in touch with people.

The writers of one career choice guide suggest: "A good guideline to keep in mind is to ask yourself whether you’d be embarrassed if a supervisor, client or customer viewed anything you intend to post on your Facebook profile. If the answer is yes, don’t post it." ("How Facebook Can Impact Your Career," blog.careerchoiceguide.com, January 12 2009)

Examples of Dumb Photo Posts

Thanks to Dan Tynan of PC World ("Say Cheese: 12 Photos That Should Never Have Been Posted Online," September 15 2008) for the following information about six posted photographs. I have left out details such as names, etc. Also, I have not included the final verdicts of those responsible for applying any stated penalties. Finally, I have not included the photos in the post. I'll leave the details up to the readers.

* One intern asked his boss at Anglo Irish Bank if he could take time off for a "family emergency in New York," then went to a Halloween party dressed like a refugee from Peter Pan and decided to put the fairie photo on his Facebook profile.


* A former mayor of Arlington, Oregon, got into trouble with her constituents after a family member posted photos to her MySpace profile showing the ex-mayor displaying her assets in lingerie. The photos were clearly taken in the town firehouse, where she worked as an executive secretary.


* A Boston fireman showed off his muscles to take part in a body-building competition, but he made the mistake of competing two weeks after he'd filed for permanent disability status due to back injuries. Apparently his injuries enabled him to lift barbells but prevented him from inspecting buildings for code violations.


* Two British tennis phenoms lost their sponsorship of  UK's Lawn Tennis Association after the LTA discovered photos of them on Bebo showing them drunk, getting intimate with condom dispensers in public restrooms, and otherwise displaying "a lack of discipline."


* A then-27-year-old student teacher posted a self portrait to her MySpace page under the caption "drunk pirate." The photo featured her sipping liquid from a plastic cup. Even though those viewing the photo could not tell exactly what the cup contained, her Pennsylvania-based university decided the picture was "unprofessional" enough to rescind her degree. 

* A Bryant University student was charged with drunk driving after causing a three-car crash that left one Providence woman in critical condition. Two weeks later he showed up for a Halloween party dressed as "Jail Bird," photos of which made it onto Facebook.

Six Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

The following information should not be posted on Facebook according to Kathy Kristof of CBS Money Watch (June 23 2010):

1. Your Birth Date and Place -- A study done by Carnegie Mellon showed that a date and place of birth could be used to predict most — and sometimes all — of the numbers in your Social Security number

2. Vacation Plans -- You might as well say “Rob me, please” than posting something along the lines of: “Count-down to Maui! Two days and Ritz Carlton, here we come!”

3. Home Address -- A study recently released by the Ponemon Institute found that users of social media sites were at greater risk of physical and identity theft because of the information they were sharing. Some 40% listed their home address on the sites.

4. Confessionals -- You may hate your job; lie on your taxes; or be a recreational user of illicit drugs, but this is no place to confess.One study done last year estimated that 8% of companies fired someone for "misuse" of social media.

5. Password Clues -- If you’ve got online accounts, you’ve probably answered a dozen different security questions, telling your bank or brokerage firm your Mom’s maiden name; the church you were married in; or the name of your favorite song. Got that same stuff on the information page of your Facebook profile? You’re giving crooks an easy way to guess your passwords.

6. Risky Behaviors -- Insurers are increasingly turning to the web to figure out whether their applicants and customers are putting their lives or property at risk, according to Insure.com.

Bottled Water Reflection

Sitting in a crowded church the other day, my mind drifted (as it usually does) into a mode of observation. I noticed a woman sitting in the pew in front of me grab her plastic bottle of water and take a nip or two. At first, I thought nothing of this other than the fact that she was probably a little dry, but as I was just about to shift my attention, something inside made me think further.

I thought, some years ago, no one would have dared carry a water bottle into a church service, much less drink. In the past, if someone needed a drink, he would politely excuse himself and quietly exit to the water fountain. Or, no matter how long the sermon, he would sit parched until the preacher finished his long-winded message. Thirst created an uncomfortable situation for the individual, but that thirst required the person to use considerable contemplation in regard to respect for others.

Granted, way back then, a person had to be prepared in certain times for the potential of distress. If he had a cold, for example, he would pack some cough drops and a handkerchief. Then, if he was seized by a terrible cough that had the potential to disrupt the proceedings, he could execute a sneaky dig into his pocket for a lozenge, but he would accomplish the act with as little noticeable aplomb as possible. The hacker would muff any necessary unwrapping and then casually feign a hand movement to cover his mouth while depositing the needed relief.

Back to the water bottle, was I convinced that convenience now outweighs consideration of courtesy? Maybe this was the reason the act kept my attention. After a little consideration, I decided that courtesy was not the only issue in question. Then, I realized my thoughts were actually questioning the need of so much concern
for personal attention.

A comb, a Kleenex, maybe a pen -- in the old days, people were pretty much set to face the public with the bare necessities of personal care. Today, many of these same people would not leave home without every article and device that granted them more preparedness than an Eagle Boy Scout. And, why the hell do the people honestly care? How much of their "need" for detail is generated by a false ideal that people must take precautions so that they can maintain their maximum personal comfort zones, and the public be damned?

Besides bottled water, many other personal items began to draw my attention. Let me call to mind a few. For the ultimate list, one might inspect the contents of a lady's purse.

1. Breath Fresheners

How many other people in public are actually going to be within a couple of inches of my lips anyway? I remember only a very few times when a stinky breath that respected my personal space upset me. In fact, despite every wonderful flavor of spray and mint on the market, I have rarely smelled someone's mouth. I'm not talking about necessary dental hygiene here: I wonder why people have to "freshen up" every three or four minutes. Maybe they are expecting all acquaintances to suddenly plant a kiss on their lips. Even if someone does that, hasn't she invaded my space? Or maybe the mint masks a sense of inadequacy.

2. Sanitary Hand Wipes

If I am going into a hospital or into a similar facility where there is genuine concern for sanitizing my hands, a hand wipe seems like a great tool of precaution.Yet, aren't people overdoing it when they sanitize continually for no apparent need? If used more than once, the wipe could transfer the bacteria to other surfaces, in essence just spreading it around instead of getting rid of it. And while it's true hands that are the great transfer vehicle for bacteria from patient to patient, many studies have shown that health care workers, including doctors and nurses, often fail to wash their hands as directed.

Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, says that disinfection should not be confused with sterilization. "Our bodies are designed to handle a certain number of bacteria. We use way too many antibacterial agents," she said, adding that the overuse of products such as wipes, soaps and cleansers that contain these substances can lead bacteria to become resistant to our methods of extermination. "I personally believe there isn't anything that good, hot soapy water can't clean," Duberg said.

3. Smart Phones, iPhones, Everything Phones

People talk, text, surf, photograph, film and live on the latest versions of the phone. I don't know a BlackBerry from an HTC Touch, but that is because I'm seriously outdated. If a phone doesn't do it all, most people feel inadequate or even threatened. Undoubtedly, a cell phone can be a convenient device, even a lifesaver in situations that require immediate communication. But, what happened to respecting others in public? Many feel their private conversations and correspondence take precedence over the public's rights to common courtesy. Loud conversations and candid photos may infringe.

Sitting in a press conference with a high-ranking public official the other day, I heard at least four ring tones of cells that sent their owners scrambling to find the off buttons. Quite frankly, I understand forgetfulness, but after the first phone blasted off, I expected everyone else to check his phone.

And, don't even get me started on the crazy dependence many have developed over texting. LOL, LOL, LOL.

What's the Point?

What do I want to say to the rest of the world? I think I am convinced that clever marketing and the desire to keep in fashion, not so much the necessity, has greatly driven the "me." Nothing revolutionary in this conclusion. I'm fine with that as long as it doesn't threaten to destroy completely every vestige of civil, sensible congregation. Water bottles and hand wipes are not going to do that, I know; however, employing every personal accoutrement in every situation can be damaging to maintaining anticipated public respect.

There is certainly nothing wrong with wearing a hat outdoors, but when I see people at a baseball game not lifting their cover during the National Anthem, I have trouble restraining myself from tapping them on the shoulder and offering them a gentle reminder of courtesy. False analogy -- special circumstance? I would answer that the hat is a personal item, and some people defend their rights to complete control of any safe personal item during any public circumstance. And, even if you take the point of view that they are correct in doing so, I'm still ticked.

The Sunset Limited: Blood On the Tracks

How often do you watch anything on television that challenges your mind with its depth? Last night I watched HBO's The Sunset Limited. Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson are the only two characters in the film, an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's play examining the nature of belief. The entire film features a dramatic dialogue, a debate, between these two men, whom McCarthy calls simply Black and White.

Jackson's character, Black, a convicted murderer, has just saved Jones' character, White, from taking a dive in front of the Sunset Limited train. He has brought White, whom he refers to as Professor, back to his modest apartment in the hopes of persuading him not to try it again. He tries to accomplish this by offering the angry, suffering man the prospect of eternal life, which is precisely what White is trying to avoid.

"If I thought that in death I would meet the people I've known in life, I don't know what I'd do," he says at one point. "That would be the ultimate horror."

At one point, Black asks White, "What you got against being happy?"
 
"Suffering and human destiny is the same thing," replies White.

The rapid, sparring dialogue in the film requires total concentration from the viewer, so much so that the words become a little exhausting at times, but the challenge to understand completely the characters' reasoning makes for memorable, thought-provoking entertainment. The Sunset Limited resembles theater more than standard film.

Action movie fans will merely moan and reach for the remote. Yet, those who seek unique form and style will find plenty to whet their thematic appetites.The film features camera movement and direct conversation. "This play is made of language,” said Jones, during the recent Winter TV Tour in Hollywood. “That’s the job description: Language. And it’s a happy occasion for me, and I was happy to see Sam take such joy in working with language, car-crash-free language.”

Mary McNamera of The Los Angeles Times condenses elements of the plot: "Jones' White, who once believed in the power of art, now believes in nothing but the ability of the Sunset Limited to provide him lasting silence and peace. His intellect has rendered him contemptuous and full of self-satisfied despair. Black, meanwhile, embraces Christian simplicity - his apartment is bare, he says, because if he owns anything, 'the junkies will just steal it,' and he admits that he doesn't have 'an original thought in my head,' that all he now knows and follows comes directly from the Bible." ('The Sunset Limited,' Premiering Saturday on HBO," February 10 2011)

Hank Stuever of The Washington Post writes, "Early on, "The Sunset Limited" faintly suggests that Black is some sort of celestial presence, as if sent by God to investigate White's worthiness for the afterlife. White keeps asking to leave Black's apartment, but Black won't let him go, on the pretense that White might head back to the station to leap in front of another train.

"This lends the movie a feeling of purgatorial entrapment. The apartment is perhaps some sort of waiting room for wayward souls, in which White must pass a theological test. Maybe White is already dead. Maybe Black is Saint Peter at the gate." ("HBO's 'Sunset Limited' Review: All Aboard the Theological Choo-choo," February 12 2011)

A review of  The Sunset Limited could spoil a potential viewer's experience by providing too much detail. Instead, the film is best understood by feasting eyes and ears on the product, then allowing adequate time for digestion. At worst, the viewer will feel overwhelmed by words that offer few straight directions but more than adequate intellectual maps. At best, once intrigued by characterization, the viewer will be quite happy to be wandering two different paths filled with uncertainty.

Theme

As aging Professor White argues against the overall metaphysical value of being alive when all hopes have been exhausted, Black takes the opposite view. Black is simple in his dialect, yet addresses wonderful complexities and paradoxes of Christian thought, his ideas of God's design wonderfully circular and avoidant of easy rhetoric. Is White justified in his quest for suicide?  Is Black correct in sustaining his frontal assault of questions about morality, redemption and love for one's fellow man? It seems White's soul may be at stake as well as Black's own spirituality.

When Tommy Lee Jones was asked what he believes the message is in The Sunset Limited, he thought about it and said: “I don’t think there is a message. The idea, it seems, is to make the biggest ideas in the history of the world entertaining and immediate. It would seem, therefore, that the questions become far more intriguing than the answers.”

Then he added: “You can never be certain of the answers.” (Nicole Laporte, "True Gruff," Newsweek, February 6 2011)

The Importance of Vision

Araminta Harriet Ross was born a slave in Dorchester County, Maryland in 1820 or 1821. The exact date is not known. Throughout her childhood, she was known as Harriet. As a child, Harriet was a small girl, but she grew to be strong physically and strong willed. She was often hired out to other slave masters to do housework as well as work in the fields, and while a slave she suffered many beatings at their hands.

As a young girl, Harriet was greatly angered about the treatment of slaves, and she often wondered if anyone could help them gain their freedom. The Bible story of Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt had special meaning to Harriet. The people of Israel had been slaves like her people. Harriet began to form a great vision of a country, the United States, free of slavery.

Once Harriet was terribly injured trying to help another slave when she blocked a doorway to stop an angry overseer from hurting him. The overseer took an iron weight and threw it at Harriet striking her in the head. As a result, she was near death for some time.

For the rest of her life, Harriet suffered severe headaches, seizures, and powerful visionary and dream activity. A devout Christian, she ascribed the visions and vivid dreams to premonitions from God that served to instruct her in life. She often spoke of "consulting with God," and trusted that He would keep her safe. Thomas Garrett, the famous abolitionist and leader in the Underground Railroad, once said of her: "I never met with any person of any color who had more confidence in the voice of God, as spoken direct to her soul."

In 1844, Harriet married John Tubman, who was a free man. She and John lived close to the Brodas plantation in John's cabin. Harriet frequently talked about freedom but John was content with the conditions he had. He thought escaping was too risky when they already had a nice living.

In time, Harriet became unhappy in marriage, and she grew impatient with her husband. Harriet could not abandon her dream of freedom. "[T]here was one of two things I had a right to," she explained later, "liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other."

One night in the summer of 1849, without telling anyone, Harriet decided to escape from the plantation with her brothers Ben and Henry. But once they had left, Tubman's brothers had second thoughts. The two men went back, forcing her to return with them. Soon afterward, Tubman escaped again, this time without her brothers.

Harriet found help and shelter in the home of a Quaker woman who had connections with the Underground Railroad. Much of her escape involved traveling at night. The North Star was her guide that gave her hope and pointed her in the direction of freedom. Finally, Tubman crossed the state line of Pennsylvania and gained her freedom.

In overwhelming joy she said, "I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person now I was free. There was such a glory over everything. The sun came like gold through the trees and over the fields, and I felt like I was in heaven."

When Harriet arrived in Philadelphia, she began to work to earn enough money to help get her family to freedom in the North. Soon, Tubman joined William Still, an abolitionist who was instrumental in organizing connections and financing of the Underground Railroad. She soon became a conductor for the railroad.

Between 1850 and 1860, Harriet saved money to make 19 trips to the South to free about 300 slaves. Slowly, one group at a time, she brought relatives out of the state, and eventually guided many other slaves to freedom. Traveling by night, Tubman (or "Moses", as she was called) "never lost a passenger."

After years of eluding slave hunters, white slave owners posted a huge reward for her capture. With the help of her allies and well planned routes, Tubman was never captured and the reward was never collected.

When the Southern-dominated Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, requiring law officials in free states to aid efforts to recapture slaves, Harriet helped guide fugitives farther north into Canada, where slavery was prohibited.

When the Civil War broke out in1861, Tubman served with the Union army as a nurse, a scout, and a spy. In 1863, she became the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war when she guided a group of black soldiers under Colonel James Montgomery on the Combahee River Raid, which liberated more than 750 slaves in South Carolina.

After the war, Harriet Tubman returned to her home in Auburn, New York. She continued to help the sick, poor, and homeless blacks and support their efforts for black voting rights. The United States Government eventually gave Harriet a $20 a month pension for her service in the Civil War. She used the money to support these causes. Near the end of her life, she lived in a home for elderly African-Americans which she had helped found years earlier.

Harriet Tubman died on March 10, 1913. Harriet was buried with full military honors in Fort Hill Cemetary at Auburn, New York. She will always be remembered for her courage, bravery, kindness, and love. Her vision of freedom has served as inspiration for millions.

Having a Vision

Harriet Tubman could attribute her personal vision to her faith in God, her experiences with injustice, and her strong will. She was not content to let that vision remain a dream unfulfilled or a promise unattained. Despite suffering significant personal loss, Harriet secured her own freedom. But, much more than that, she dedicated her life to actively helping others share her attainment. In truth, her vision became the free lives of those she touched. 

Many of us lack a personal vision. Visions serve to motivate, give direction, instill meaning, and keep us focused on issues of significant importance.Very often, we find it very difficult to have a sense of attachment in a dark, meaningless environment. A vision can help us see a brighter future, even in dark times, and attempt to secure that future with realistic aspirations.

A collective vision can help us come together as a group to strive for the common good. References to collective identities make people feel that they belong to an organization that makes a difference. Visions that emphasize collective identity use terms such as we, our, together, united, partner, participation, organizational culture, community, team, and teamwork to impart purpose, values, and impacts.

As we align a vision with our collective values and our culture, a vivid picture starts to emerge. Most images may be described in words called vision statements. An example of such a vision statement was President John F. Kennedy's announcement that America would put a man on the moon by 1969. It seemed very unlikely at the time, but it motivated private industry and government agencies alike to marshal their resources, lay out a plan, then coordinate and cooperate to make it happen. In fact, although President Kennedy did not live to see it, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon.

If we imagine we have been abducted by aliens and taken to another universe – and now they are returning us after five years of absence, we might imagine what we would like to see on earth in terms of change and accomplishment. Most of us can envision a better, more harmonious existence. A vision statement is often built from such positive dreams.

The average vision statement is about 35 words, or two to three sentences. This length seems to be about right for effectively communicating the vision statement to others. It is long enough to clearly describe the vision but not so long as to be difficult to remember.

Here is an example of such a vision statement.


Within five years, citizens of Scioto County, Ohio, will work as a harmonious community by using our education, skills, and resources to reduce drastically the distribution rate of prescription drugs. Together, we will improve the conditions of those negatively affected by the current epidemic.
  
I feel we, in Scioto County, must share this collective vision to assure victory in a war against prescription drug abuse. With the help of God, I am confident that we will seize the opportunity and set our collective sights upon the common good. 

 

Drug Market Intervention -- A Strategy For Improvement

What can be done for the law-abiding residents who experience nightly intrusions from those selling drugs? Their neighborhoods have become havens for criminals. Each infestation offers an oasis for come-and-go transactions. The people living with this terrible crime want a chance to reclaim their communities and live peaceful lives.

The Drug Market Intervention program presents a strategy for improvement. It offers help for those suffering the ill effects of drug infestation, and for some drug dealers, it is a chance to avoid prison and reclaim their lives.The DMI focuses on the police developing, or in many cases repairing, their relationship with local communities. Implementation of the DMI relies on the participation of four linked stakeholder groups: the police, the local community, offenders and local social service providers.

Here is a report on DMI community action taken in Ocala, Florida. The enforcement officers and citizens, among others, initiated this program to help stop drug abuse in their community. (Austin L. Miller, "Program Confronts Suspected Drug Dealers," www.ocala.com, October 9 2010)

( page 1 of 3 )

"Sitting on a table were unsigned arrest warrants in their names. Staring at those warrants were three men and a 14-year-old boy.

"Behind them were 11 empty chairs with wanted posters pasted on the back and fliers on the front. The pictures of the 10 men and one woman were a reminder for the four people up front that they were lucky. Of those 11, 10 have been arrested; one is on the run.

"The three men and the teenager are now faced with a choice: Continue selling drugs and be arrested, or walk away from that lifestyle and seek help.

"I had to drop my head ... I was embarrassed," said the 14-year-old's mother, sitting beside her son Thursday night following a presentation inside the Community Room at the Ocala Police Department."

The foursome are participants in OPD's Drug Market Intervention program, an initiative implemented in 2004 in High Point, North Carolina, as a way to eliminate open-air drug markets. The local police showed the carefully screened defendants the evidence against them, and they were given a chance to change or be arrested.

Several speakers (including former drug dealers, ministers, public defenders, and residents) talked to the four about the dangers and consequences of selling drugs in Ocala. Assistant State Attorney Tommy Thompson told the four DMI candidates, "My job is to put people in prison" and warned them that, "You're in a lot of risk right now."

Steps In Conducting the Program

1. OPD Sgt. Corey Taylor visited High Point and other communities nationwide to see how they implemented the Drug Market Intervention program

2. OPD's Criminal Intelligence Unit conducted a city-wide research of violent behavior, and drug and prostitution activities. 

    A. Six neighborhoods stood out as drug markets. 

    
    B. In two neighborhoods, operations were conducted that entailed drug buys: the first was a  

        two-month operation and the second lasted five months.   

  

3. Officials identified 28 drug dealers — two women, 25 men and a juvenile, ranging in age from 14 to 63.

4. Of 28 identified drug dealers from the first two target areas, 10 fit the criteria for participation in the DMI program. The other 18 were arrested.

5. The 10 candidates for DMI went through a process in which police first identified them as drug dealers then checked their backgrounds to see if they could be rehabilitated. 

6. They then attended a meeting where they were shown the evidence against them and were given an opportunity to change or be arrested.

According to Sgt. Taylor, after the first DMI meeting, which involved six of the 10 candidates, three violated their promise to stop selling drugs and were arrested and taken to jail.

The Need

Everyone has an excuse for drug infestation. Depending upon your job and your place in the community, you believe something MUST be done but you also have definite ideas about what is NOT being done. For example, many citizens who constantly see the criminal element say, "I report the crimes to the authorities and nothing is done." The law enforcement personnel reply, "Without adequate staff and funding, our abilities are limited, and besides, we require lots of real evidence and not hearsay."

Frustrations reach the boiling point; fingers are pointed; and time and crime marches on. At some point, communication breaks down and scars of the fight dig deeper wounds. Distrust sows fertile seeds.

The drug trade is a MONSTER. It is not going to pack up and leave town. All efforts to control and defeat this scourge must be coordinated and managed with efficiency. Time is a critical factor to those in the midst of suffering the worst effects of crime. The Drug Market Intervention program is a viable weapon in the fight.

Florida - Land of Sunshine and Prescriptions

Florida governor Rick Scott wants to repeal plans for a computer database that would track all prescriptions filled in Florida. Scott spokesman Brian Hughes said that the electronic monitoring delayed by contract challenges may not be as effective as advocates claim.

Scott said the database hasn’t worked (it’s not up and running yet because of a bid dispute). “And I don’t’ believe we ought to be doing it,” he said.

The governor also was worried the use of a database might infringe on patients' privacy. "Is that a function of government to track the activities of law-abiding people in order to track a smaller subset of criminal behavior?" Hughes asked in an interview with The Associated Press.

Hughes has been stated as saying that the database is not a core government function, especially in "lean economic times." He also questioned whether it has the necessary funding to even get started.

Lawmakers in Florida never provided money for the system, instead directing the governor's drug control office to raise private contributions. So what was the result? One of the first things Scott did after becoming governor was to disband the drug office.

Governor Scott said instead he’s backing Attorney General Pam Bondi’s announcement that she’s going to step up prosecutions of the pain clinics with a team led by former state Senator Dave Aronberg, a Greenacres Democrat.

Many people in Florida have been anxiously awaiting the much-anticipated computer system aimed at curbing the sale of prescription drugs by pill mills. Scott's actions have created shock waves in the law enforcement community and among lawmakers who backed the program. These shock waves do not affect only the Sunshine State, but they extend from Florida all over the nation.

  
Why A Database?

The database would crack down on “doctor-shopping” by allowing doctors to look up patients’ prescription records. Twenty-five states currently have some form of prescription drug monitoring system in place.

Drug routes from Florida to points north have been appropriately dubbed the “Flamingo Road” and the "OxyContin Express." Thousands of unscrupulous drug dealers and addicted users make the trek to Florida because of the ease of access to these powerful and habit-forming drugs. Once there, dealers and their mules typically "doctor shop" by obtaining multiple prescriptions.When given such opportunity, those in the drug trade prefer purchasing pills from the pharmacy or from a doctor instead of purchasing heroin or another illegal drug from a drug dealer.

OxyContin, one of opioids of choice, is basically heroin made in a legal lab as opposed to heroin bought in the streets. Because OxyContin is made under strict pharmaceutical guidelines, users know exactly what they are getting. Users heat the pills and shoot them or crush the pills and inject or snort them. 

In most states, doctors are not able to dispense pills on-site because it creates a financial incentive to prescribe more pills than needed.  But, in Florida, they can.  These clinics do not provide a diagnosis or provide therapy.  They only prescribe medication and they only accept cash.

In Florida, the booming OxyContin and prescription drug industry operated by health clinics and “pain management” centers (pill mills) has exploded.  The number of this type of business tripled in 2008.  In one local Florida newspaper, the last 10 pages are devoted just to these businesses. In South Florida overall, there were 176 pill mills, up from 66 just 14 months before. (Thomas R. Collins, "Invasion of the Pill Mills In South Florida," Time, April 13 2010)

Attempts To Change Scott's Mind

Both West Virginia and Kentucky, currently flooded by Florida prescriptions, have sent communications to Governor Scott urging him not to repeal plans for the computer database tracking system. In West Virginia, thirteen members of the House of Delegates introduced a resolution (HCR75) to do so. And, Kentucky U.S. Representative Hal Rogers, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, drafted a letter urging Scott to reconsider axing Florida's prescription drug database.

President Obama’s Drug Czar and former Seattle police chief Gil Kerlikowske will tour Kentucky next week to survey the Commonwealth’s enormous troubles with prescription drug abuse. Representative Rogers said, "I can tell you that he will find that our problems begin in the Sunshine State. I strongly encourage you to see through the implementation of Florida’s PDMP and not turn your back on the coalition of Florida police officers, physicians, pharmacists, treatment professionals, and even legitimate pain management clinics who have fought tirelessly in search of a solution."


The Buckeye State

Many Ohio prescription drug dealers frequent bogus pain clinics in the Florida counties of Palm Beach and Broward. There are more of these pain clinics in Broward County than there are McDonald's restaurants: 115 so-called pill mills, vs. about 70 of the burger franchises. Reports confirm the fact that in the parking lot of the Broward Pain Clinic, there are just as many license plates from Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky as there are from Florida.

The pills are bought by traffickers for resale at a healthy profit on Ohio streets. Cars, buses, and airlines all aid the illicit export of prescription drugs into Appalachian states. 

 

One 23 year-old man arrested in a pill ring in Tennessee last September said that the pill-seekers were first instructed by the pain clinic to go to an unidentified location, where they paid $150 each for a "fake" MRI as documentation of feigned injury. With the bogus MRI in hand, the addict returned to the clinic, paid another $150 in cash and walked away with a prescription for hundreds of painkillers.

With a prescription, the opiate-based painkillers carried an average price of $5 per pill. The pills were then sold to addicts in East Tennessee for $20 to $25 per pill. (4 to 5 times the cost)

Ohio citizens, especially those in Southern Ohio, must speak out against Governor Scott's decision to do away with the plans for a Florida database. The influx of prescription drugs from Florida serves to cripple the region as do Ohio pill mill operations. I urge state officials to contact Governor Scott and make him acutely aware of the disturbing consequences of his actions.

Also, Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske must visit Southern Ohio to view not only the progress already made but also the huge task that lies before us. Please, Mr. Kerlikowske, visit Ohio.