Earlier this month, a Southern California immigrant rights group asked a major retailer to pull a Halloween costume from the shelves.
The costume depicted a spaceman type mask, an orange jump suit, a green card, and a sign that read “illegal alien”
The group claimed it furthered negative stereotypes for Hispanics.
There’s another popular costume generating similar negative views, of all places, in the nursing profession.
The costume is the Naughty Nurse. Arguably one of the best selling costumes of its type.
Colleen Conway-Welch is the Dean of the Vanderbilt Nursing School for the last 25 years.
Conway-Welch says the Halloween image of the naughty nurse is denigrating, especially at time when, she says, there is a national nursing shortage.
“The nurse is the glue that holds the fragmented and somewhat deteriorated health care system together. We would not have a health care system without nurses, and they work hard 24/7 to help us keep it together. It is important to recognize, they are well educated people, men and women, working for your best interest and it frankly drives me crazy, when I see TV shows, and you have a wonderful nurse who is a drug addict, or Halloween comes along and you see these ads for naughty nurse costumes.”
The dean’s office sends me this note detailing the nursing crisis.
In the July/August 2009 Health Affairs, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and coauthors found that despite the current easing of the nursing shortage due to the recession, the U.S. nursing shortage is projected to grow to 260,000 registered nurses by 2025. A shortage of this magnitude would be twice as large as any nursing shortage experienced in this country since the mid-1960s. In the article titled The Recent Surge In Nurse Employment: Causes And Implications, the researchers point to a rapidly aging workforce as a primary contributor to the projected shortage. On July 2, 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the healthcare sector of the economy is continuing to grow, despite significant job losses in nearly all major industries. Hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other ambulatory care settings added 21,000 new jobs in June 2009, a month when 467,000 jobs were eliminated across the country. As the largest segment of the healthcare workforce, RNs likely will be recruited to fill many of these new positions. In September 2009, the BLS confirmed that 544,000 jobs have been added in the healthcare sector since the recession began.
In the November 26, 2008 Journal of the American Medical Association, workforce analystDr. Peter Buerhaus stated: “Over the next 20 years, the average age of the RN will increase and the size of the workforce will plateau as large numbers of RNs retire. Because demand for RNs is expected to increase during this time, a large and prolonged shortage of nurses is expected to hit the US in the latter half of the next decade.”
Over at Performance Studios, where every day is Halloween, the mood is much different.
Gary Broadrick, co-owner, tells me that the naughty nurse started the trend for sexy women’s costumes and is clearly the best seller each year.
Broadrick says he has the utmost respect for nurses, calling them the unsung heroes of the medical profession, but he says it’s one night, and the naughty nurse image should be treated as fun, not demeaning.
“We do sexy construction workers, and sexy judges and we do sexy cops, and military. It is a fun thing. I would find it flattering, if someone would do a sexy version of a retail clerk. I would say someone thinks I am appealing. I am sorry she feels that is demeaning to make any woman feel more appealing and sexy. But the way they feel about themselves, obviously the women feel attractive, they are buying these things.”
Today’s Messed Up Email of the Day comes from a viewer who is not happy with how Metro is handling the closure of the Tennessee State Fairground.
I’m using a pseudoname because I do not want to be contacted in any way. However, the issue is important. You may have heard about the Nashville Flea market coming to an end starting next summer (like June 2010?). Well That’s Messed Up because Nashville’s economy has gone down the drain, and now our great city councilmen and government officials want to close this monthly event down. It’s fine that they want to close it at it’s current location, but they have not said that they will have it at another location instead. These people (both vendors and customers of the flea market) bring in good business to the city (i.e. people, particularly the vendors, come in from all parts of the country/Southeast, so they boost the hotel/motel businesses; gotta have something to eat so they boost dining; and some like to hang out in Nashville after the Flea market closes so that is money in itself). It is understandable that the shabby current state fairgrounds may need to be renovated and used for something else. However, I find it totally irresponsible for our government officials to not find an alternate location for the Flea Market to be held. It hurts the economy and they are taking away whatever small influx of business we have. (Opry Mills already screwed up business after it replaced the awsome theme park we had that drew lots of attention in the summers). I will appreciate if you can look into this matter and see why our councilmen/government officials who are supposed to be helping us improve the economy are being detrimental to it. Thanks….you are AWSOME (even if you don’t do this story, though I hope you do, you are great for getting things done that otherwise would have been left undone)!!
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Area law men are on the look out tonight for some low life bandits who stole money from a donation jar.
The money was on the counter at the Mapco at 1501 Murfreesboro Road in Franklin, TN.
Officials say the plastic jar contained about $60, money donated by patrons to help off set the cost of medical procedures a clerk had recently gone through.
On 10/13/09 at 10:07 in the morning, Franklin Police say a man and woman enter the store and begin to distract the clerks.
Store surveillance photos show the man discreetly handing the jar to the woman. The two leave the store and get in a black four door ford, possibly a Taurus or Contour. The police describe the couple in their late 40’s or early 50’s.
Franklin police Sgt. Charlie Warner has this to say about the theft:
“There was only 60 dollars in the jar. Everyone who put a dollar in there, meant for the money to go to the person it was meant for. Its sixty bucks. It’s not much money, but the fact that someone would take something not intended for them, intended for someone who is in serious need, that’s disgusting!”
MAPCO doesn’t typically allow employees to go on camera, but in response to this crime, a corporate spokesman writes:
“Mapco is committed to collaborating with the authorities to help ensure the safety and overall well-being of the communities we serve. By aggressively prosecuting crimes such as this, we believe the authorities will help to deter similar criminal activity in the future.”
If you have any clues that might help the police, call Franklin PD or contact us here at that is messed up. 615 369-7236.
At the time, many of you complained about dangerous and confusing driving conditions. Airport officials told us to hang in there, that it would be over soon.
Messed Up has been following the issue for weeks.
Sources at the airport now tell me that by mid-week, IT’S DONE!
By and large, the source confirms that the renovations to Ring Rd, which circles the airport are completed.
Gone are the confusing signs, and squiggly arrows and lanes that stop and start for no apparent reason.
Enjoy the smooth sailing and pay attention to the new signage.
Now if I could only promise that your pilots won’t be texting and flying.
Today’s Messed Up Email of the Day comes from a viewer in Murfreesboro that got a huge water bill.
I have lived in my residence in Murfreesboro for almost 4 years. During that time I have manged to use 135700 gallons of water. Avg water bill is about $50.00. I was informed via note that I had a leak on my side of the line. Without delay I consultated a plumber and had the leak solved within 12 hours of notice. I recieved bills from Consolidated Utility District billing me for 140000 gallons and $1228.47. Because the leak pointed into the ground there was no visable evidence of the 140000 gallons of water on the surface. I called C.U.D a couple times to discuss a website option of a “rerate”. The option they offered is 1/2 the overage. Which still leaves me with a charge of over $600.00, 10 months worth of water bills for a leak I would of fixed the moment the told me if they could of identified 10 - 12 days earlier. I find this charge to be unfair beyond words. Please help.
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When a monsoon forced the abrupt and controversial cancellation of the Alice in Chains show a few weeks ago, many of you wrote us to say that is messed up.
We’ve been checking regularly on what will be done to make things right for concert goers.
Nothing confirmed yet, but Sources close to the Buzz tell Messed Up that an announcement is expected, perhaps as early as Monday or Tuesday.
You remember our story about all the hard work students put into this Jefferson Street mural and how vandals defaced it? Well, they’ve struck yet a third time, and that’s Messed Up!
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - For the third time this year, vandals have defaced a mural celebrating Nashville’s historic Freedom Riders.
Located on Jefferson Street in north Nashville and painted by local high school students, the mural captures the spirit of the Freedom Riders, who rode buses into the Deep South in the 1960s, trying to bring an end to racial segregation.
Completed in June, the mural was desecrated in mid-September.
Sometime Thursday, vandals struck again, scrawling graffiti across the artwork.
Here’s something that’s less Messed Up but definitely a little bit weird.
Available for your bidding pleasure:
A custom made grill. No not the kind you throw steaks on, the kind that you put in your mouth.
That’s right, available through Metro Government’s auction web site: a decorative 10K gold grill complete with “genuine blue topaz stones.”
A certified appraiser estimates the value at $349.00, but as of this writing the highest bid is a scant $63.00.
Perhaps the thought of the grill being inside the mouth of convicted drug felon Victor Lamont Owens has something to do with the low bid.
Metro Police confirm that the grill was confiscated as part of a drug forfeiture in 2005. At the time, authorities say Owens was 18. How old this ornate grill is? Unknown.
Mr. Owens is currently in jail where use of a grill for either steaks or teeth is not immediately needed.
A man is killed in South Nashville earlier this month. Metro Police arrest a 17 year old Antioch High School student for the murder and call the shooting gang related.
Meanwhile, Metro councilwoman Anna Page, who represents parts of South Nashville, tells messed up, there has been an increase in the number of graffiti incidents.
A quick trip down Nolensville road reveals the extent of the problem. Swirling black spray paint litter bus benches and buildings. It screams problems to anyone who sees it.
James Golden owns K & T Auto Parts on Nolensville Road.
Golden says as soon as he paints over the graffiti on his Nolensville business, it mysteriously returns.
“They say, I have to paint over it. I don’t know how quick. I try and paint it asap, but…”
His voice trails off as he stares at the paint on the front of his business. I can tell he’s frustrated by this never ending process of painting over vandalism.
“People don’t respect each other’s property,” he says. “We are trying to serve this community with replacement parts, and just people don’t respect each other’s property.”
I travel around the alleys and side streets and find so much graffiti it is over whelming.
I call a member of the Metro Gang task force who tells me that the ubiquitous B K I see everywhere stands for Blood Killer. I am told the 2 11 I see next to that is alphabetical code for B K as well.
I see BP which stands for brown pride. I see MS 13.
Officer Jason Cregan tells me this area is known for gang graffiti.
“It’s not a territorial battle. It is more a battle with paint to let them know yes we are in this area. I don’t think they are fighting over turf or anything.”
Meanwhile, Lt. Duane Williamson tells News 2 that the October 7th murder Near Nashboro Blvd and Longhunter Court was gang related.
He tells us that a 17 year old Antioch student, Christian Walters is charged with Criminal Homicide in the shooting death of Dontrell McFadden.
Williamson tells us this: “The man walked up to the golf course. Dontrell McFadden was shot one time. The bullet stopped in his neck. He died at Southern Hills. We arrested (Walters) at Antioch H.S. He is a known Crip. The victim was a blood. He (Walters) was interrogated and they were riding around in a car. The victim had a flag, a red bandana. They asked if he was a blood. McFadden threw some gang signs. They disrepected him and he got out a weapon, a 38 revolver, and pulled up and shot him 3 to 4 times. This tells us if you are walking down the road showing colors, opposite gang can take a shot at you. What should bother us: a kid has a gang color, will they do something to them. This gang stuff is way out of hand.”
Councilwoman Anna Page is doing what she can. On Sunday October 18th, she and several volunteers painted over Gang Graffiti including the horrific mess at Mr. Golden’s Auto Parts store.
Mr. Golden called to say how extremely grateful he was.
Mrs. Page had this to say about the on going fight against graffiti:
“I believe that the graffiti in the district ebbs and flows. There are
Times we are saturated with gang graffiti and other times it is lighter. In my opinion we are experiencing a heavy amount of “tagging”. I will not speculate why, for I am not expert in the field. Like many things in the 16th district, when we don’t like something - we try to fix it the best we can. I have a small “crew” of citizens that have agreed to photograph and give me the address for graffiti they locate - then I in turn, report it to the proper Metro agency and the police. The most important, critical, imperative thing citizens can do is COVER the graffiti after they either contact the police or photograph and let the police know. I don’t think
You could stress enough the escalation that happens when “tagging” is not quickly covered.”
Anna Page urges her constituents to continue to call 782-3301(gang unit) or 862-8600 the police non emergency number
Today’s messed up Email of the Day comes from a viewer who says her favorite pizza delivery company is taking her tax money and buying people expensive pizza.
Hello:
I think this is messed up. I received an advertisement from A pizza co. that included a feature noting they accept EBT (food stamps). Huh? I am all for helping out people who really need it, but buying expensive pizza shouldn’t be included.
by
Colleen Conway-Welch is the Dean of the Vanderbilt Nursing School for the last 25 years.
Gary Broadrick, co-owner, tells me that the naughty nurse started the trend for sexy women’s costumes and is clearly the best seller each year.Loading …
Store surveillance photos show the man discreetly handing the jar to the woman. The two leave the store and get in a black four door ford, possibly a Taurus or Contour. The police describe the couple in their late 40’s or early 50’s.
Meanwhile, Lt. Duane Williamson tells News 2 that the October 7th murder Near Nashboro Blvd and Longhunter Court was gang related.
