From: mcochran@nyx.cs.du.edu (Mark A. Cochran)
Subject: Re: Use of Force
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Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 03:36:58 GMT

In article <1993Jan24.214807.18135@netcom.com> harp@netcom.com (Gregory O. Harp) writes:
>mcochran@nyx.cs.du.edu (Mark A. Cochran) writes:
>
>>In article <1993Jan24.114141.9949@netcom.com> harp@netcom.com (Gregory O. Harp) writes:
>>>Some OpRisk-lives members have already adopted life-threatening
>>>tactics again.  During one of the recent protests at a Dallas clinic
>>>they shut off the power after breaking in.  No telling what could have
>>>happened to a patient _who_waysn't_necessarily_even_having_an_abortion_
>>>(Do the OR folks actually think that's the only thing clinics do?).
>>>Luckily, at least according to the news, no one was hurt.  No thanks,
>>>of course, to a bunch of brain-washed pre-teens who think they're
>>>_saving_ lives.
>
>>In hospitals, all essential equipment is on a seperatewiring system
>>with a backup generator to rpevent problems like this from causing any
>>serious harm. Ventilators, anesthesia machines, minimal lighting, etc
>>would continue to work after such an attack, unless the culprits were
>>also able to getto the generator and disable it. I don't know if this
>>holds true for free standing clinics all over, but the 2-3 here that
>>do surgery have backup generators.
>>There's still a risk of injury form idiots like this, but it's at
>>least minimized.
>
>I'm relatively sure that clinics that perform surgery are required to
>have such backup systems.  Such a system would also have its own set
>of circuit breakers.  I have no idea whether these kids were able to
>get to them, or just the main power breakers.  However, my concern was
>about accidents caused by the sudden (though most likely temporary)
>panic resulting from a group of kids storming the place and killing
>the main power.  I wouldn't want to have someone using a scalpel on
>_me_ when they jumped.  Also, the potential of needle-sticks and the
>like goes way up in a low-light situation.
>
Sure they have circuit breakers. The ones here are about 5 feet from
the generator, so they'd have to get way far in to turn them off.
Your point about the 'startle factor' is cetainly a bigger concern.
I'd worry more about the patients then the staff, though. Needle
sticks are (fortunately) a vanishingly small occurance. One of the
things mandated by the OSHA universal precautions standards (mandatory
in all health care centers) is that sharps aren't recapped. They're
just dumped into a sharps container that is required to be in each
room (we have one by each bed), so needle sticks aren't likely even in
the dark (night shift personel have thesame rate of sticks as day
shift, and most report that they rarely, if ever, turn on the lights
before injecting. The nightlights are sufficient in most cases to
visualise the site). The only recent stick I've seen was from a
sharps container that should have been replaced. Needles were sticking
was out the top.
Cochran's Law #1: Never visit a surgeon who will answer to the
nickname 'Thumbs'...

>>>Two laws I've suggested would work well here: 1) Prosecute minorities
>>>as adults when they commit gang-related crimes.  2) For legal
>>>purposes, treat groups of protestors as ad hoc gangs.  This would put
>>>an end to the tactics of using children who are for all intents and
>>>purposes currently immune to legal recourse for their terroristic
>>>actions.
>
>>Just a minor point, but your limitation of prosecuting gang-related
>>crimes as adults to minorities strikes me as fairly racist. Are you
>>operating under the false impression that gang members are minorites?
>
>Sorry.  It was brain damage on my part.  That should be "minors" not
>"minorities".  I guess I shouldn't try to carry on a separate
>coversation with someone while composing a post. ;)
>
I had hoped that was what you had intended to write. Correction noted
thankfully.

>Apologies to those who might have been offended by such an
>implication.  I assure you that those who know me would attest to my
>general lack of racial prejudice.

And if any of them are warlorders, they'll prolly meaniton the hyphen
abuse and whitespace abuse in your .sig...
(Note to the humor impaired, sprinkle with :-) to taste)

>-- 
>-----------------Greg-Harp----------------harp@netcom.com------------------
>
>                     Dallas Cowboys -- NFC Champions
>                           The 'Boys are Back!

--
                  Mark Cochran          merlin@eddie.ee.vt.edu
These are the views of my employer, your employer, your government, the
Church of your choice, and the Ghost of Elvis. So there.
Member, T.S.A.K.C.
Newsgroups: talk.abortion