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Bed bugs at John Jay
(17 posts)-
Check out the double-speak being spun by the college PR folks...
And congratulations on your bed bug "condition" which is so much preferable to an "infestation." (Ahem.)
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BuggedInSomerville
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Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 65
Posted 1 month ago
Thu Sep 24 2009 12:26:43
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Yes, kids, "No test today!" You better use that extra time to inspect your mattresses when you get home today. It sounds like an alarmingly large infestation, in a building with quite a bit of human traffic. Recipe for disaster.
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Ugh, "condition" sounds so much worse, doesn't it? It makes it sound like a disease.
"I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in..."
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Aris
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Posts: 62
Posted 1 month ago
Thu Sep 24 2009 17:00:30
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I wonder how long the college administration has known about this "condition."
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Blue_Ox
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Posted 1 month ago
Thu Sep 24 2009 19:52:18
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What bothers me about situations like this, and other ones we have seen at publishing houses, etc. is that they make the news for shutting down the building and "taking care of" the infestation. As we all know, that doesn't prevent the bugs from coming back. And it doesn't even necessarily get rid of the infestation, especially if there are lots of eggs.
What they should be doing is getting rid of the bugs and providing mandatory education seminars about how to get rid of/prevent/inspect for the bugs in people's homes and workspaces.
I just don't see how one weekend's worth of exterminating is going to solve the longer-term problem, which is that people are not being educated about why (and how) they shoud inspect for these nasty creatures.
I hope the facilities departments of all other schools and workplaces are taking note and developing procedures for how to address this type of situation before it happens to them.
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cilecto
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Posts: 514
Posted 1 month ago
Thu Sep 24 2009 22:36:09
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Blue_Ox - 2 hours ago »
What bothers me about situations like this, and other ones we have seen at publishing houses, etc. is that they make the news for shutting down the building and "taking care of" the infestation. As we all know, that doesn't prevent the bugs from coming back. And it doesn't even necessarily get rid of the infestation, especially if there are lots of eggs.Yeah, article says they gave an info session in the theatre. Wonder if it was "standing room only".
Of course, they always shut down for the weekend and then announce "problem solved" or "it's only a precaution".
But, the thing that really cures institutional BB uh, "conditions" is when they sacrifice"the virgin', uh,"the temp". -
spideyjg
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Posts: 1,405
Posted 1 month ago
Thu Sep 24 2009 23:00:42
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Maybe they got a different dictionary than Websters? Must be sumthing they learn in those dang state of higher edumacation schools I never went to. ;)
Maybe if you stretch the meaning real thin #4 of condition could fit but nowhere near as well as #2 of infest.
Then again I'm just a dumm southern boy.
Infest...
Main Entry: in·fest
Pronunciation: \in-ˈfest\
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: French infester, from Latin infestare, from infestus hostile
Date: 16021 : to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner <shark-infested waters>
2 : to live in or on as a parasiteCondition.....
Main Entry: 1con·di·tion
Pronunciation: \kən-ˈdi-shən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English condicion, from Anglo-French, from Latin condicion-, condicio terms of agreement, condition, from condicere to agree, from com- + dicere to say, determine — more at diction
Date: 14th century1 a : a premise upon which the fulfillment of an agreement depends : stipulation b obsolete : covenant c : a provision making the effect of a legal instrument contingent upon an uncertain event; also : the event itself
2 : something essential to the appearance or occurrence of something else : prerequisite: as a : an environmental requirement <available oxygen is an essential condition for animal life> b : the subordinate clause of a conditional sentence
3 a : a restricting or modifying factor : qualification b : an unsatisfactory academic grade that may be raised by doing additional work
4 a : a state of being <the human condition> b : social status : rank c : a usually defective state of health d : a state of physical fitness or readiness for use <the car was in good condition> <exercising to get into condition> e plural : attendant circumstances <poor living conditions>
5 a obsolete : temper of mind b obsolete : trait c plural archaic : manners, ways -
spideyjg
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Posts: 1,405
Posted 1 month ago
Thu Sep 24 2009 23:23:15
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The president of the college, Jeremy Travis, said no bites had been reported, only skin rashes.
Wow! I'm just speechless on that. These people have no clue!
Jim
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cilecto, ha! You're so funny!!!
More updates and definition options on the blog post and comments.
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Adele
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Joined: May '08
Posts: 556
Posted 1 month ago
Fri Sep 25 2009 2:38:33
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All I can say is - where is Buggyinsocal when you need her English expertise?!!!!
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This is the perfect example of people sticking their head in the sand and not getting educated on the topic and then when something pops up they try to BS their way through it and make a complete fool of themselves.
It sounds like John Jay is deserving of every ounce of negative publicity they get out of this and needs to look into who's advising them about bed bugs (I guess their PCO?). On top of that, if they have a PR director, which I'm sure they do, they should be fired ASAP. What a terrible job in controlling the quotes that come out of your administration.
Somtimes you just wonder what people are thinking. I feel bad for the students.
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To be fair, there are multiple dictionary definitions and there are some that make infesting sound like swarming. Check out the posts in this discussion for more on that. I do think from the John jay description that they definitely have an infestation (bed bugs sighted on 3 floors and multiple offices/rooms on one floor at least).
To their credit they now seem to be trying to deal with it. I am glad they had a Town Hall meeting, and were willing to address questions.
I do think they need to be super careful about how they follow up (one weekend of sprays is not going to do it) and they really seem like they should be doing a lot more to educate faculty, staff, and students about the pests and how to detect them at home, how to respond if they find anything.
And yes, cut the BS: as I said here, "By any other name, a bed bug problem smells just as nasty."
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spideyjg
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Posts: 1,405
Posted 1 month ago
Fri Sep 25 2009 14:28:15
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Nobugsonme - 46 minutes ago »
And yes, cut the BS: as I said here, "By any other name, a bed bug problem smells just as nasty."
Yep, we can split hairs all day long about the terminology but a festin, my "term" for a group of a BBs, is an issue that needs to be dealt with no matter they call it a condition, infestation, or plague.
Jim
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Yes!
Oh and aside to Jim-- writing the word spam 30+ times in an email also triggers the spam filter. Go figure!
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spideyjg
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Posts: 1,405
Posted 1 month ago
Sat Sep 26 2009 14:01:00
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Nobugsonme - 39 seconds ago »
Yes!
Oh and aside to Jim-- writing the word spam 30+ times in an email also triggers the spam filter. Go figure!:)
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BugsInTO
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Posts: 197
Posted 1 month ago
Sat Sep 26 2009 19:44:21
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Most offices are full of paper kept in drawers. How do they manage to control for bedbugs in offices when there is so much to decontaminate that can't be run through the laundry or thrown in trash?
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cilecto
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Posts: 514
Posted 1 month ago
Sat Sep 26 2009 20:09:57
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TO, you took the words right out of my mouth!
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