STUDY FINDS MOLD EXPOSURE ONLY HAZARDOUS TO GOV'T OFFICIALS

[Guest guest]

October 8, 2005

SPOOF A Media

By Sharon Kramer

As if government officials did not have enough to worry about in these days

of allegations of rampant corruption, a new study finds they may be more

susceptible to toxic mold exposure than the average citizen.

MOLD EXPOSURE ONLY HAZARDOUS TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

As if government officials did not have enough to worry about in these days

of allegations of rampant corruption, a new study finds they may be more

susceptible to toxic mold exposure than the average citizen.

While the average citizen of New Orleans is being encouraged to return to

the city with little concern for their safety from the exposure to molds and

other toxic substances, Governor Kathleen Blanco is residing outside of the

Govorner’s mansion. The mansion is undergoing an $800K renovation, $500K of

which is for mold removal.

In 2004, Brown, who leads the consumer protection division for Kansas

State Atty. Gen. Phill Kline, sued Kansas Republican Party Chariman Tim

Shallenburger over the home Brown purchased from Shallenburger, which was

reported

to have mold. Brown said things started falling apart in the house and that

his children became ill because of mold. Mr. Brown has not taken any

stance in the state of Kansas to assist numerous average citizens claiming

difficulty from mold. This would support the proposition that the current

medical

understanding of mold is that it is only dangerous for government officials

and their families.

Also in 2004, after a $5.6 million dollar renovation of the South Carolina

Governors Mansion three years earlier, First Lady Sanford said

stachybotrys was causing health problems with her family. Stachybotrys is a

known

toxin producing mold. According to Mike Sponhour, spokesman for the South

Carolina State Budget and Control Board which oversees maintenance on the

building, “We understand the concern the first lady has for the health of her

family

and children. We take that very seriously. We’re committed to doing

everything we can to fix the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen

again.†Like

numerous other governor’s families from across the US., Governor Sanford’s

family is apparently highly susceptible to mold induced illnesses.

Another government official who may suffer from susceptibility that the

average citizen does not is North Carolina Governor Mike Easley. In August of

this year, he and his family were forced to move from the governor’s mansion

because of mold. This is the second time in four years that the 114 year old

mansion has been invaded by mold. According to Secretary of Adminstration

Gwynn Swinson, the governor and his family needed to clear out for health

reasons.

Those who do not suffer from the government officials susceptibility to

molds are the general public. In a WebMD Health Alert issued to the public in

September of this year, Emil Bardana, President of the American College of

Asthma, Allergy and Immunology and prolific expert witness in mold litigation

cases, is reported to have done a study of 50 mold cases that end up court. The

study concluded that no credible medical evidence has emerged to link mold

exposure to the wide range of serious medical conditions associated with toxic

mold syndrome. “We know that mold can make people sick if the end up in the

foods they eat. But there is little evidence that inhaled environmental mold

exposure can cause the serious illnesses that are attributed to it,†said

Dr.Bardana.

This is a sentiment echoed by Dr. Redd of the CDC. Redd indicates

there is no evidence of toxic mold causing illnesses, except when eaten. It is

unclear if this health advisory by the ACAAI and the CDC regarding potential

ill health from inhaling mold applies to government officials and their

families or just the public at large. After the implication of safety from

these

health alerts, sales of HasMat suits that are typically worn to protect from

inhaling mold during remediation are anticipated to drop. “Gosh, who knew we

could breathe that stuff in all day long and it wouldn’t hurt us one bit,â€

said Bubba , owner of a brand new remediation company that provides expert

advice to the citizens of New Orleans regarding mold clean up.

Although the study was massive in the number of government officials

observed to have required extensive mold remediation for the protection of their

families, it was inconclusive in establishing if these government positions made

officials more susceptible to mold illnesses or if their positions might

actually have served to benefit their health.

[Guest guest]

Thank you. These are real articles and emails.

BATON ROUGE, La. Mold is forcing Governor Kathleen Blanco and her

husband, , to make other living arrangements this summer.

_http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=3303676_

(http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=3303676)

The Blancos will vacate the Governor's Mansion after the legislative

session so construction workers can clean the air ducts and replace

the heating and air conditioning units.

Facility Planning and Control Director Jerry says the Blancos

will live in a rented house in Baton Rouge for two months until the

525-thousand dollar project is completed.

says the black mold detected in the ducts at the 42-year-old

mansion isn't deadly but still needs to be removed. Former Governor

Mike resisted recommendations to have the work done when he

lived there. Instead, he put filters over the vents when they

started spewing black soot.

During a visit to the mansion this week, says he told

Blanco of a possible alternative to a two-month project. He says he

found on the Internet a new method of using ozone to destroy

anything living in the ducts within two days. He says the state's

recommended method seems to be the -- quote -- old-fashioned,

expensive way.

says cleaning the ducts isn't simple because getting to some

of them requires breaking through plaster. The ductwork in the

mansion dates to 1963, when the building was built.

Under the mold removal plan, construction workers will replace some

of the ducts, install access panels to be able to get to them in the

future, seal storage areas in the attic, remove asbestos and update

the air and heating to improve temperature control.

Breaking out of the mold, governor, husband relocate

Mansion's ducts, vents get a major overhaul

Monday, August 01, 2005

By Ed

Capital bureau

BATON ROUGE -- Expensive period furniture and artwork are pushed aside in

stately rooms and foyers.

Holes are cut in ceilings and the tops of walls.

Advertisement

Sweaty work crews bustle in close quarters as air conditioning is pumped in

from outside.

Wires run wild over the four-level building, and dust is everywhere.

The cause of the hubbub: asbestos and mold.

The place: the Governor's Mansion.

So, from the beginning of July until at least the end of August, Gov.

Kathleen Blanco has moved out, and the work crews have moved in.

Though the mold is not toxic or a health hazard, it could worsen if not

corrected, said Jerry , director of the Office of Facility Planning and

Control, an agency in the governor's office.

Blanco and her husband, Blanco, are ensconced in a fully furnished

4,900-square-foot property in tony Bocage, south of Baton Rouge and about 6.5

miles southeast of the Governor's Mansion at a cost of $5,000-plus a month.

Blanco aides declined to give the home's location or say who owns it, citing

safety concerns.

State Police would not allow news photographers to take pictures of crews

working in parts of the mansion that are not open for public tours, such as the

governor's office space or living quarters.

Records obtained through a public records request by The Times-Picayune

indicate the state is spending almost $739,000 on various phases of the mansion

project:

-- $525,300 to clean or replace an estimated 5,000 feet of ducts and vents

at the 42-year-old building to remove non-toxic mold from the system.

-- $180,248 to remove asbestos from some parts of the mansion.

-- $33,410 to replace the existing fire alarm system, which was called

obsolete and unreliable.

The work on the project started July 5 and is expected to be finished by

late August or early September, said.

Several property owners and real estate agents submitted quotes for homes to

rent, but the space did not need to be publicly bid because it is less than

5,000 square feet, said.

Security a priority

said in his letter to Blanco that the two-car garage home chosen

offered the " lowest monthly rental " and is secure. " The rear exterior of the

home

and the front entrance is (sic) surrounded brick fencing, " he said.

Other sites considered for the Blancos included the unfurnished home of

ex-LSU coach Nick Saban, which is on the market for $2.1 million; the Lod Cook

Hotel and Convention center on the campus of Louisiana State University and a

house on the outskirts of Baton Rouge that rents for $10,000 a month.

In a letter to Blanco in March, said " security capabilities (at the

temporary residence) was a major factor " in choosing the interim residence. He

said the properties had to have space for security and other gubernatorial

staff and be " on gated property or located within a gated community. "

The home that was rented has more than 3,666 square feet, a swimming pool

and a 1,200-square-foot pool house.

Besides the $5,000-a-month rent, the state is paying utilities and

insurance. The state is also paying to install telephone and computer lines and

eight

wireless security cameras. Costs of those items were not available late

Friday.

Blanco spokeswoman Bottcher said State Police have also installed a

temporary guard shack at the south Baton Rouge home.

A copy of the lease was provided by the governor's office Friday, but the

name of the owner, the address and other references to the home's location were

blacked out.

The black flaky mold in the Governor's Mansion started falling out of vents

and ductwork when Gov. Mile was in office.

" You could see the black stuff all over his desk, " said.

But when officials went to with a plan to clean the ductwork and

vents -- which had never been done in the 42-year-old home's history --

rejected the idea. " He just wanted to put filters over it, " said.

Homey touches

Blanco was receptive to the idea of a thorough cleaning of the vents and

ducts, although it meant temporary displacement.

said that some of the vents in the Governor's Mansion " were covered

over. "

Other mansion work includes installing a new air-conditioning system in the

basement of the mansion, a unit that had to be custom made to squeeze into the

" tight spaces where the old units are. " He said parts for the old unit could

no longer be bought.

Some of the renovations done during 's eight years in office are being

temporarily disfigured by work crews who have pulled out some ceilings and

have cut into walls.

But Blanco said she is not worried.

" They are working carefully because the furniture is still in the house, and

we have important wall coverings that need to be protected, " she said. " I am

actually enjoying living in a house. . . . It makes us feel more like real

people. The mansion is a very public place, and it is less like home. "

.. . . . . . .

Ed can be reached at _eanderson@..._

(mailto:eanderson@...) or (225) 342-5810.

Dear Mr. ,

I read with interest, your article regarding the removal of non-toxic mold

from the Governor's mansion in Baton Rouge.

I was wondering if you could be more specific as to what species of mold is

being removed.

Also, I was wondering if the workers were wearing HasMat suits as they

removed this non-toxic substance.

Thank you,

Sharon Kramer

sorry, i was not allowed to see the crews doing the work because state

police regarded that as a " security violation.'' i cannot find anyone at the

mansion who knows the type of mold and the environmental engineer is not

talking.

sorry . you are 0-for-2.

Ed Jr.

Capital Bureau

New Orleans Times-Picayune

225-342-5810

_eanderson@..._ (mailto:eanderson@...)

Hi Mr. ,

Thank you for your prompt reply. Your response does not surprise me. As

far as I am aware, there is no such thing as a half a million dollar mold

abatement of non toxin producing fungi. I would be willing to bet money that

if

you could get inside, what you would find would be workers clad from head to

toe in white Non-HasMat suits as they are cleaning up the Non-Toxic Mold.

Sharon Kramer

August 05. 2005 4:37PM

Costs of work on Gov's Mansion grows with additional renovations

The Associated Press

_http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article_

(http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article) ?

AID=/20050805/APN/508050967

As work crews try to get rid of asbestos and mold in the Gov.'s

Mansion, they are also doing additional renovations that are pushing

the state's total cost for the mansion work to at least $800,000.

The price tag for the mansion project has grown since initial

estimates were provided by the governor's office.

Original estimates pegged the work at about $525,000, but further

details - including the price tag for Gov. Kathleen Blanco's

temporary housing and the addition of the bathroom and dressing area

renovations - have driven the costs to about $805,000 so far. If the

work stretches into September, the costs will grow higher because of

rent and other monthly payments.

According to information provided by the governor's Division of

Administration:

-The cleaning and replacement of ducts and vents, the removal of

mold and asbestos and the replacement of the fire alarm system is

costing about $739,000.

-The temporary housing in Baton Rouge for Blanco and her husband at

a fully furnished 4,900-square-foot home, complete with swimming

pool, totals $5,000 a month for rent since June.

-Upgrades to the rental home, like the additions of phone lines,

high speed Internet data connections and security cameras have added

another $9,000 to the tally so far.

-And the latest additional work, completely gutting and renovating

Blanco's private bathroom and dressing room on the second floor of

the mansion adds another $41,500.

Former Gov. Mike refused to sign off on the duct work even

though black, flaky mold started falling out of the vents, and Maris

LeBlanc, executive counsel in Blanco's Division of Administration,

said also didn't approve the recommended renovations of the

bathroom.

None of that work has been done in the 42-year-old home's history,

officials said.

LeBlanc said Blanco requested a separate tub and shower in the

bathroom, and since the governor already was going to be out of the

mansion for the mold removal, the other renovations were added to

the list.

" It was aged and dated, and they were having difficulty - from a

buildings and grounds maintenance perspective - they were having

problems buying replacement parts, " LeBlanc said Friday of the

bathroom.

Work on the mansion project started July 5 and is projected to be

finished by late August or early September.

[Guest guest]

Sharon, that is great!!! Well written. You should

send it to some media outlets, or try to actually do a

press release....I love it! That is a good way to get

some attention!

--- snk1955@... wrote:

>

> October 8, 2005

> SPOOF A Media

> By Sharon Kramer

> As if government officials did not have enough to

> worry about in these days

> of allegations of rampant corruption, a new study

> finds they may be more

> susceptible to toxic mold exposure than the average

> citizen.

> MOLD EXPOSURE ONLY HAZARDOUS TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

>

> As if government officials did not have enough to

> worry about in these days

> of allegations of rampant corruption, a new study

> finds they may be more

> susceptible to toxic mold exposure than the average

> citizen.

> While the average citizen of New Orleans is being

> encouraged to return to

> the city with little concern for their safety from

> the exposure to molds and

> other toxic substances, Governor Kathleen Blanco is

> residing outside of the

> Govorner’s mansion. The mansion is undergoing

> an $800K renovation, $500K of

> which is for mold removal.

> In 2004, Brown, who leads the consumer

> protection division for Kansas

> State Atty. Gen. Phill Kline, sued Kansas Republican

> Party Chariman Tim

> Shallenburger over the home Brown purchased from

> Shallenburger, which was reported

> to have mold. Brown said things started falling

> apart in the house and that

> his children became ill because of mold. Mr. Brown

> has not taken any

> stance in the state of Kansas to assist numerous

> average citizens claiming

> difficulty from mold. This would support the

> proposition that the current medical

> understanding of mold is that it is only dangerous

> for government officials

> and their families.

> Also in 2004, after a $5.6 million dollar renovation

> of the South Carolina

> Governors Mansion three years earlier, First Lady

> Sanford said

> stachybotrys was causing health problems with her

> family. Stachybotrys is a known

> toxin producing mold. According to Mike Sponhour,

> spokesman for the South

> Carolina State Budget and Control Board which

> oversees maintenance on the

> building, “We understand the concern the first

> lady has for the health of her family

> and children. We take that very seriously. We’re

> committed to doing

> everything we can to fix the problem and make sure

> it doesn’t happen again.� Like

> numerous other governor’s families from across

> the US., Governor Sanford’s

> family is apparently highly susceptible to mold

> induced illnesses.

> Another government official who may suffer from

> susceptibility that the

> average citizen does not is North Carolina Governor

> Mike Easley. In August of

> this year, he and his family were forced to move

> from the governor’s mansion

> because of mold. This is the second time in four

> years that the 114 year old

> mansion has been invaded by mold. According to

> Secretary of Adminstration

> Gwynn Swinson, the governor and his family needed to

> clear out for health

> reasons.

> Those who do not suffer from the government

> officials susceptibility to

> molds are the general public. In a WebMD Health

> Alert issued to the public in

> September of this year, Emil Bardana, President of

> the American College of

> Asthma, Allergy and Immunology and prolific expert

> witness in mold litigation

> cases, is reported to have done a study of 50 mold

> cases that end up court. The

> study concluded that no credible medical evidence

> has emerged to link mold

> exposure to the wide range of serious medical

> conditions associated with toxic

> mold syndrome. “We know that mold can make people

> sick if the end up in the

> foods they eat. But there is little evidence that

> inhaled environmental mold

> exposure can cause the serious illnesses that are

> attributed to it,� said

> Dr.Bardana.

> This is a sentiment echoed by Dr. Redd of

> the CDC. Redd indicates

> there is no evidence of toxic mold causing

> illnesses, except when eaten. It is

> unclear if this health advisory by the ACAAI and

> the CDC regarding potential

> ill health from inhaling mold applies to government

> officials and their

> families or just the public at large. After the

> implication of safety from these

> health alerts, sales of HasMat suits that are

> typically worn to protect from

> inhaling mold during remediation are anticipated to

> drop. “Gosh, who knew we

> could breathe that stuff in all day long and it

> wouldn’t hurt us one bit,�

> said Bubba , owner of a brand new remediation

> company that provides expert

> advice to the citizens of New Orleans regarding

> mold clean up.

> Although the study was massive in the number of

> government officials

> observed to have required extensive mold remediation

> for the protection of their

> families, it was inconclusive in establishing if

> these government positions made

> officials more susceptible to mold illnesses or if

> their positions might

> actually have served to benefit their health.

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

__________________________________

Start your day with - Make it your home page!

http://www./r/hs

[Guest guest]

Am I the only one that finds it obscene that these government

officials understand the connection between mold and illness well

enough to protect themselves. But do and say nothing to advocate for

the thousands of ordinary people who cannot just have the tax payer

come in and remediate their homes.

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005 13:28:23 EDT, you wrote:

>By Sharon Kramer

>As if government officials did not have enough to worry about in these days

>of allegations of rampant corruption, a new study finds they may be more

[Guest guest]

>

> Am I the only one that finds it obscene that these government

> officials understand the connection between mold and illness well

> enough to protect themselves. But do and say nothing to advocate

for

> the thousands of ordinary people who cannot just have the tax payer

> come in and remediate their homes.

>

Hi, I assure you we are all discusted in our government. This illness

is devestating enough to live with but to be treated so poorly has

been the hardest thing for me. The mold thing is bad enough but to

know that they are also allowing our cosmetics, baby products, etc to

be made with dangerous chemicals is sickning. I am so tired of

fighting for my life. I wish I could throw this mold information out

the window and never think about it ever again. But since the

government is looking the other way I feel it is our duty to make them

listen before it is too late.

[Guest guest]

>

> Am I the only one that finds it obscene that these government

> officials understand the connection between mold and illness well

> enough to protect themselves. But do and say nothing to advocate

for

> the thousands of ordinary people who cannot just have the tax payer

> come in and remediate their homes.

>

Hi, I assure you we are all discusted in our government. This illness

is devestating enough to live with but to be treated so poorly has

been the hardest thing for me. The mold thing is bad enough but to

know that they are also allowing our cosmetics, baby products, etc to

be made with dangerous chemicals is sickning. I am so tired of

fighting for my life. I wish I could throw this mold information out

the window and never think about it ever again. But since the

government is looking the other way I feel it is our duty to make them

listen before it is too late.

[Guest guest]

Well done Sharon!!!

It is amazing that they move the Governors out immediately, but no one does

anything about the 200 plus children at my school and all the many other

places!!!

Sue

[Guest guest]

AMEN--UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, ITS ALREADY TOO LATE FOR MANY.

VICTORIA

:>(

[] Re: STUDY FINDS MOLD EXPOSURE ONLY HAZARDOUS TO

GOV'T OFFICIALS

>

>>

>> Am I the only one that finds it obscene that these government

>> officials understand the connection between mold and illness well

>> enough to protect themselves. But do and say nothing to advocate

> for

>> the thousands of ordinary people who cannot just have the tax payer

>> come in and remediate their homes.

>>

>

> Hi, I assure you we are all discusted in our government. This illness

> is devestating enough to live with but to be treated so poorly has

> been the hardest thing for me. The mold thing is bad enough but to

> know that they are also allowing our cosmetics, baby products, etc to

> be made with dangerous chemicals is sickning. I am so tired of

> fighting for my life. I wish I could throw this mold information out

> the window and never think about it ever again. But since the

> government is looking the other way I feel it is our duty to make them

> listen before it is too late.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you. Compare this story from today's Clarian Ledger against

my " spoof " . They are allowing these people to return to Level IV Contaminated

Environments, but Governors' children are move out! Note the reference at

the bottom to " stress causing immunological problems " . Gee, do you think they

are going to say stress is the underlying cause of all this illness? We

should all go buy stock in Prozac!

October 9, 2005

Unwelcome guest moves in as Gulf Coast dries out

By Goodman

_jgoodman@..._ (mailto:jgoodman@...)

Joe Ellis/The Clarion-Ledger

Hawthorne talks about the black mold that has begun to appear in her

Gulfport home in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Sections of Hawthorne's

roof were completely removed by the storm's high winds, allowing water from

the storm surge and rain to flow freely into the house.

Mold's effect on health

Molds can cause allergic reactions, fungal infections and other health

problems. Most people will have no reaction when exposed to molds. But

underlying

health conditions increase the sensitivity to mold exposure. Health effects

can include:

Allergic reactions

Rhinitis or sinusitis: Similar to hay fever or the common cold. Symptoms

include a runny nose, nasal or sinus congestion, irritated eyes, scratchy

throat, and cough. Reactions occur quickly after exposure to molds.

Dermatitis: Symptoms include red itchy skin and/or rash.

Other: Reported symptoms include fatigue, headache, fever, muscle ache,

difficulty concentrating and mood changes. The cause of these symptoms is not

completely understood.

Asthma: Symptoms include acute attacks of coughing, wheezing, and shortness

of breath. Reactions usually occur within minutes. May repeat 6-10 hours

later.

GULFPORT — Hawthorne, 48, who lives with her son and three

grandchildren in her Gulfport home, has struggled to tend to debris, roof

damage and

water-soaked carpeting left by Hurricane Katrina.

But once the mess was contained, another horror emerged: black and white

mold that is slowly working its way from her floors and baseboards up the

walls.

The stench is stifling.

" I just couldn't do nothing but cry, I was so upset, " said Hawthorne, whose

family now lives on the property in two travel trailers provided by the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

" It freaked me out. I kind of got nervous because I never knew what black

mold was. "

In the aftermath of Katrina, Hawthorne and other residents around the

Mississippi Gulf Coast are discovering the nasty manifestations of mold, which

has

appeared as green, white and black spots on their walls, furniture and

refrigerators in homes with little ventilation. Mold reproduces by way of tiny

spores and begins growing indoors when the spores land on wet surfaces. And the

homes Katrina left standing have plenty of those.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, controlling moisture and

eliminating mold growth can help contain potential damage to health and

property. The agency recommends scrubbing mold off hard surfaces with detergent

and

water, and drying completely for small moldy areas in the home.

Some homeowners struck by the storm surge have been told they need to strip

their homes down to the wooden frame and yank out their carpeting for a

thorough drying out.

Residents with asthma, organ transplants and emphysema are struggling with

the growth more than others, describing coughing, irritated throats, dry mouths

and trouble breathing. Many have launched into frenzied cleaning with bleach

and water, trying to rid their homes of the mold while not knowing what, if

any, dangers they face.

But Dr. Gailen Marshall, an allergist at the University of Mississippi

Medical Center, cautions residents not to overreact.

While mold can pose significant health risks to those with seriously

compromised immune systems, it does not generally threaten healthy individuals.

Mold

can cause disease in someone with an abnormal immune system, but mold

doesn't create the abnormality.

People with healthy immune systems can develop allergies with prolonged

exposure to mold, also. " An allergy doesn't kill people but it certainly can

make

them miserable and dramatically compromise their quality of life, " Marshall

said.

Hawthorne, who, along with her grandson, is asthmatic, complains of a dry

mouth, and says her heart starts beating more quickly when she's around the

mold. She dons a mask whenever she works in the house, which is mainly to wash

her grandchildren's clothes.

" Once you open the door, it hits you in the face, " she said. " I've just been

coughing and coughing, like something wants to cut my wind off. "

The mold is prevalent around the bottom of her granddaughter's room, where

white and black spots have taken over the bottom half of the bedroom walls.

Talk of the so-called " black mold " is ubiquitous on the Coast. Stachybotrys

chartarum, as it's scientifically known, is the classic black mold. Another

type is Aspergillus, which can lead to an asthmatic condition that causes

scarring in the lungs.

But that condition is life threatening in less than 5 percent of the cases,

Marshall said.

" A sense of concern is appropriate, a sense of urgency and panic is not

appropriate, " he said.

Marshall warns those cleaning their homes of mold to be wary of exposure to

cleaning products in the zeal to scrub, as he has seen patients with lung

damage under those circumstances. Cleaning should be done in well-ventilated

areas, and he recommends purchasing a humidifier to help with the air quality.

Residents struggle to describe the smell that has taken over their homes.

" It just seems like an old, nasty smell, I guess, " said Mires, 26, a

kidney transplant recipient on anti-rejection medication.

He lives with his mother in a Gulfport apartment complex with water-soaked

carpeting and says he's gotten so used to the stench, he doesn't always notice

it.

The property owner says he plans to pull up the carpeting in the units but is

still trying to repair roofs taken off by the storm.

Nearby, 42-year-old Regina Magee, who has emphysema, walks around her

mold-infested home with a breathing tube and an oxygen tank.

Her breathing problems have been exacerbated since Katrina, and professional

carpet cleaners told her the only thing she could do is pull up carpeting.

Her son had to wash her walls, and there is still black mold around her

closet baseboard. She also complains of a phantom stench in her refrigerator she

likens to cabbage. It returns despite periodic scrubbing and having emptied

the refrigerator of all food after the storm.

She takes a baby photograph of her niece off her hallway wall and points to

the mold growth on the back.

" I didn't want to throw my frame away. I know it's stupid, putting it back

up, " she said, as she hanged the picture back on the wall.

Related Articles:

_Study looks at effects of stress on immunity_

(http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051009/NEWS0110/51009\

039/1260)

_In Brief_

(http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051009/NEWS0110/51009\

041/1260)

October 8, 2005

SPOOF REPORTING

By Sharon Kramer

STUDY FINDS MOLD MAY ONLY BE HAZARDOUS TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND THEIR

FAMILIES

As if government officials did not have enough to worry about in these days

of allegations of rampant corruption, a new study finds they may be more

susceptible to toxic mold exposure than their constituents.

While the average citizens of New Orleans are being encouraged to return to

the city with little concern for their safety from the exposure to molds and

other toxic substances, Governor Kathleen Blanco has been residing outside of

the Govorner’s mansion. The mansion has been undergoing an $800,000

renovation, $500,000 of which is for mold removal.

In 2003, Brown, who leads the consumer protection division for Kansas

State Atty. Gen. Phill Kline, sued Kansas Republican Party Chairman Tim

Shallenburger over the home Brown purchased from Shallenburger, which was

reported

to have mold. Brown said things started falling apart in the house and that

his children became ill because of mold.

Mr. Brown has not taken any known stance in the state of Kansas to assist

numerous average citizens claiming difficulty from mold. This would support

the current scientific evidence frequently used in mold litigation. Mold is

only dangerous for government officials and their families. As further evidence

of this phenomenon and according to the National Insurance Affiliation,

average citizens complaining of mold illnesses are just liars and whiners.

After a $5.6 million dollar renovation of the South Carolina Governors

Mansion three years earlier, First Lady Sanford said stachybotrys was

causing health problems with her family. Stachybotrys is a known toxin

producing

mold. According to Mike Sponhour, spokesman for the South Carolina State

Budget and Control Board which oversees maintenance on the building, “We

understand the concern the first lady has for the health of her family and

children.

We take that very seriously. We’re committed to doing everything we can to

fix the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen again.†Like numerous other

government officials’ families from across the US, Governor Sanford’s

family is apparently highly susceptible to mold induced illnesses.

Another government official who may suffer from susceptibility that the

average citizen does not, is North Carolina Governor Mike Easley. In August of

this year, he and his family were forced to move from the governor’s mansion

because of mold. This is the second time in four years that the 114 year old

mansion has been invaded by mold. According to Secretary of Administration

Gwynn Swinson, the governor and his family needed to clear out for health

reasons.

A study done earlier this year was able to establish average citizens as

those who may not suffer from the same mold illness susceptibility as analyzed

in the government officials’ study. Dr. Emil Bardana, President of the

American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology and prolific expert witness

in

mold litigation, examined 50 mold cases that ended up court. The study

concluded that no credible medical evidence has emerged to link mold exposure

to the

wide range of serious medical conditions associated with toxic mold

syndrome.

Although memory and immunological complications have been reported by many

Americans who have been exposed to mold in prior flooded buildings, a WebMD

Health Alert regarding toxic mold syndrome and issued to the public in September

of this year quoted Dr Bardana as saying, “We know that mold can make people

sick if they end up in the foods they eat. But there is little evidence

that inhaled environmental mold exposure can cause the serious illnesses that

are attributed to it.â€

This is a sentiment echoed by Dr. Redd of the CDC. Redd indicates

there is little evidence of toxic mold causing illnesses, except when eaten or

touched. He said, “They won't produce these toxins at all times but under

certain circumstances, like the nutrient supply is getting short or some

environmental issue, they may start producing toxins and those can be

dangerous if

they're eaten or if they're touched. There's up to now not been evidence that

airborne mold toxins have produced disease.†It is unclear if the health

advisory by the CDC spokesman regarding no known ill health from inhaling mold

toxins, applies to government officials and their families or only the public

at large.

After the implication of safety from these Health Alerts, sales of HasMat

suits that are typically worn to protect from inhaling mold during remediation

are anticipated to decline. “Gosh, who knew we could breathe that stuff in all

day long and it wouldn’t hurt us one bit besides a runny nose. I’m just

buyin’ me some gloves,†said Bubba , owner of a brand new remediation

company that provides expert advice to the citizens of New Orleans regarding

mold clean up. Mr was unable to remember the name of his new company.

Although the study was massive in the number of government officials

observed to have required extensive mold remediation for the protection of their

families, including W. Bush, it was inconclusive in establishing if these

government positions made officials more susceptible to mold illnesses than

their constituents, or if their positions might actually have served to

benefit they and their families’ health.

Bubba , the National Insurance Affiliations and a study of gov’t

officials mold susceptiblity are fictious. All other information including

direct

quotes are real.

_Household Mold: Health Issues Regarding Mold _

(Clorox%20Corp%20on%20Mold%20Illness.pdf)

(Clorox%20Corp%20on%20Mold%20Illness.pdf) _Guidance For Clinicians

Regarding Mold Illnesses_

(Guidance%20for%20Clinicians%20on%20Mold%20Exposure.pdf)