I'd really love to know who's doing it..just out of curiosity at this point. I just read that one bunch...and now I can't remember which one it was...was mailed out on September 8 from Atlanta, GA., although not opened until October 11. If that's true, it looks more connected to the hijackers than not.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by pat:

I'd really love to know who's doing it..just out of curiosity at this point. I just read that one bunch...and now I can't remember which one it was...was mailed out on September 8 from Atlanta, GA., although not opened until October 11. If that's true, it looks more connected to the hijackers than not.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Wasn't that the one that went to Kenya?? If all of this is connected to the hijackers, why Kenya...and if its not connected, why Kenya?

I haven't heard WHO it was sent to though, only where.

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by fitzy on Oct 18, 2001 ---</FONT></center>

Ah, I think you're right. I think that all they said was that it was opened by a private citizen and no other information was given. Without knowing more than that, I guess it's hard to say why.

Someone in my office put it all in a pretty good perspective the other day.....he pointed out that probably more people die - not just injured, but actually die - in car accidents every day in this country than the number of people who have tested positive for anthrax. Hell, probably more people die from car accidents, or even just natural deaths, than have even been exposed to it.

People need to chill out a little and the media needs to tone the whole thing down a lot. All this panicking over it is exactly what WHOEVER is doing it wants. If they were capable of doing more than just stirring up a little fear with bioweapons, we'd probably all know it by now.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kim:

...more people die - not just injured, but actually die - in car accidents every day in this country than the number of people who have tested positive for anthrax. Hell, probably more people die from car accidents, or even just natural deaths, than have even been exposed to it.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I know rationally that is true Kim, as well as the fact that more people die from the flu...my problem with that argument is that we make a choice to get in our cars and we have come to accept the fact that complications can be associated with the flu...but in general it is the elderly and the young that die from complications. Antrax can get anyone who happens to open to wrong piece of mail!

While I agree that the media is helping to panic people I do have a problem with downplaying the whole issue too. I heard that when Brokow's assistant (I think it was his) suspected anthrax, she was poo-pooed for awhile...it was her persistence that finally resulted in a diagnois.

I agree with both of you. We need to know what's going on. However, the media is giving the impression of a whole nation in a state of panic. Well, of course, from my vantage point I can't see the whole nation, but no one I see is in a state of panic. Some people who deal with the mails are taking precautions and buildings where anthrax is found are shut down to be inspected and cleaned out, and then they're reopened. Life goes on.

It's not all bad, though. It's usually good to have the enemy underestimate you. If the enemy believes what bin Laden is supposed to have said, they believe we're in political and economic turmoil, instead of being in, if anything, less political turmoil than is normal for us, and while we're looking at a economic slowdown that certainly has been exacerbated by the attacks, we've had recessions before - lots of them. They suck. Then there's a recovery and things get better. Basically, we're not in nearly as much trouble as bin Laden and company would like to believe.

That's one of the few things that gives me hope in all this Pat - I really do believe that despite the ability some of them have shown in blending in with us, I think they understand us (the general American mentality) about as well as we understand them. Which is to say, not very well at all.

Understanding each other better would be a good thing if it meant we could come to some sort of compromise and peaceful existance. Given what Bin Laden and his groups have stated as their goals, I am convinced that could never happen.

In which case, them not being able to understand us is a very good thing. And I would guess we have a better chance of understanding them than they do us. Oh, not understanding as in sympathizing and thinking they are right, but more the ability to "get" the way they are thinking and anticipate. We didn't before 9/11, and we aren't quite there yet, but we're learning fast.

But the general American psyche...well, let's face it, we're a bit schizophrenic. Not just as a nation, but frequently as individuals even. I know I don't have a problem holding two opinions at the same time which, at least on the surface, seem contradictory. The Wiz frequently says he's a walking contradiction, and I have been known to use that phrase about myself occasionally too. And I think we are fairly average Americans.

The U.S. frequently surprises and confuses the rest of the world with it's thoughts and actions. While that has been to our detriment at times, I think it's to the overall good, and definately a big advantage right now.

pat posts;

"It's usually good to have the enemy underestimate you."

that's military science at it's best..

i'm scared for them! i mean that!!

i agree, pat. i think a lot of that attitude probably stems from the fact that many other people outside the US, not just bin laden seem to think that we're all just way too soft to go on after something like this. they probably believe that because they see us spending far too much time worrying about brittany spears navel and monica's dress stain. what they don't seem to recall is this country was built on the backs of people that endured all kinds of hardships to live in freedom, and that for all we hear about people hating the US, people still want to come here in droves and endure hardships themselves to get here. i heard dan rather say on larry king last night that more people try to come to the US every year, then all the other countries in the world combined. i haven't done any research to check that out, but it seems probably true to me. those people from other parts of the world obviously see what we see and want to be a part of it. i see strength in that...and i accept that the terrorists might take a few more of us out before they figure it out, but we can't let them make us cower in fear. life is different, no doubt about it, but we can adjust...we can figure out ways to handle it and go on...and i have no doubt that we will. the media always goes off the meter when things happen..small things, so something this big is just made for them. i mean the guy that makes up those nifty little graphics for the screen "american under attack", "america strikes back", "anthrax attack"...well, he needs a job, too, i guess.

"The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them; inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors." t. jefferson

Just got this off AOL,

Three letters contaminated with anthrax all were dated the same day as the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington and contained anti-American and anti-Israel messages, officials said Tuesday.
The Justice Department released copies of the letters as it sought help from the public in identifying those responsible for the mail attacks that have killed three people and poisoned more than a dozen others.

The identical dates are yet another indication that the anthrax attacks were coordinated. Authorities have already said the strain of anthrax in the New York and Washington letters and bacteria found at a Florida publishing company were similar. And the three letters were all postmarked from Trenton, N.J


come on, how could it have taken a month for these letters to get delivered? I have never known the post office to be so slow. What do you think?

according to CNN the letters themselves (they have a picture) have the date 9-11-01 handwritten on them, but were not mailed on that day. see article below.. btw...i'm pretty sure that the letter to brokaw was received on sept 25th (but i could have that wrong).

"Anthrax-laced letters sent to NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw and the New York Post contained an identical message and similar handwriting, copies of the letters released Tuesday by the Justice Department show, and both were postmarked September 18. A third anthrax-tainted letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle contained a similar message and handwriting, but it was not identical, and it was postmarked October 8."

thus nathen, the only thing you have uncovered, is that AOL as a resource for information, sucks a big one! Personally, I'd keep away from anything labeled AOL/TIME-Warner if you want to be sure you're getting some decent product...

forget the front page news Tod. It's the back section I want to read. Things like the police blotter. There's something refreshing when your name is not in it.

* I've had a clean driving record for a decade now. Yesterday a cop stopped me for 50mph in a 30mph zone. After a long, heart thru the chest, he gave me a warning. ("THERE IS A GOD"). ya can put that on the calendar, Rb thanking a cop. He could have been a prick and sent me back a few C notes...

**Frederick Exley pointed that out, in 'A Fans Notes'. He explains that (most) everyone takes heart in that back page. It makes the mighty feel good about themselves, in a sick sort of way. Me. I just wanna know who got busted. . . . .

Thanks guys, the way you read it seems a lot nearer the truth then what I was reading.