posted on October 31, 2001 07:19:39 AM new
Watching the news, and seeing private citizens now ill and dying because of Anthrax, (and they did not work in post offices) are you considering just taking electronic Payments for your auctions? I never gave it a thought before opening my mail from my bidders, but just yesterday, got a payment from New Jersey, and I was a bit nervous about it.
posted on October 31, 2001 07:34:16 AM new
I'll be watchful and careful. But I'm not going to switch to just online payments. Seems like lately, my biggest sales get paid for w/money orders, so if that's what the folks w/deep pockets like, I'm sure not going to alienate them.
posted on October 31, 2001 08:17:10 AM new
I read in the paper what to do if you think you got a contaminated piece of mail. It said to put it down, cover it, leave the room, shut the door, wash hands, call 911.
I think about this...what if I contaminated myself and walked out where my kids are? So I envision locking myself in the office, calling my husband to come get the kids, and then 911.
But that's just to give myself the illusion that I can do anything about it. How many of the infected people so far even had an inkling they came into contact with the spores?
posted on October 31, 2001 09:30:27 AM new
keziak> My point exactly. A piece of mail just touching another piece of mail with the spores leaking, contaminates it. I have been fighting bronchitis for 3 weeks. How would I know the symptoms when I already have them from bronchitis? My take on this is: If the government can spend one million a bomb, they can spen the money to install the radiating machines in every post office or main branch in the country. Make 20 screening sites (an example) for out going radiated mail,and all incoming to the many post offices must go directly to the radiating sites before being processed. That way they could also monitor that if the mail is securely radiated,and a post office turns up with the spores, then they could investigate it as an inside job. (remember the going postal?)
posted on October 31, 2001 10:21:23 AM new
A (1) private person died of anthrax out of 280 million persons in this country.
There is a much greater chance that you will win the powerball than of getting infected by a stray anthrax spore that got onto a piece of mail.
The terrorists are winning. We are now a country cowed by fear. And, worst of all, the news media is frenetically fueling the paranoia with some of these ludicrous scares broadcast 24-7.
Did you know that cutaneous anthrax is actually not an uncommon disease, and that people around the world contract it on a regular basis? And in much greater numbers than we have seen publicized by the fearmongerers of the media? And in 99% of those cases they survive?
Educate yourself, be vigilant, but please don't lock yourself up in a box.
posted on October 31, 2001 12:33:57 PM newA (1) private person died of anthrax out of 280 million persons in this country.
That would be small of course, unless you were that one. I don't think it has anything to do with being locked in a box, but rather dealing effectivly with what we know is happening and then deal with possibilities. These terrosrists have no regard for human life, their's included. what would stop them from injecting themselves with a highy contagious disease and then just waltze around through the general public, infecting people at will. I feel we should find out diseases that are highly contagious, and then make sure there are enough antibiodics or vaccines on hand to deal with it. Be prepared!
posted on October 31, 2001 12:54:16 PM new
We all have to remember that this anthrax attack still is extremely limited... geographically and in the number of people directly affected. We also don't know if this anthrax threat comes from suicidal terrorists -- or homegrown nutcases (which seems quite likely, considering the liberal bent of all of the intended targets).
No one knows how the woman who died today in NY came in contact with Anthrax... same is true of one NJ skin anthrax case.
The case of the ABC producer's baby (skin anthrax), also is a bit up in the air, last I saw.
But the rest of the Anthrax deaths and infections were the result of targeted mailings (media and a politician) -- and postal workers who apparently came too close to the infected mail.
So far, there have been NO infections reported outside of Florida, Washington and NY/NJ.
I feel far more endangered at work than I do opening my mail from customers.
posted on October 31, 2001 01:31:15 PM new
last nite it was indianapolis post office.
this lady in nyc has no checking account,buy postal orders from post office.her place of work is close to the mail room.
i am in houston,no one is wearing gloves or mask even though they are given ,but the mood is sober,not so much anthrax but fear of losing their job.
posted on October 31, 2001 01:35:05 PM new
from what i understand rural farmers who work with livestock harbors anthrax and are not ill.
it takes more spores than those found on envelopes,they have to be inside the envelope like the one passed around in the office in florida,it was sealed in an envelope with a white sponge like material ,a news clipping and a cheap star of david charm.
that nyc lady could have come into contact with lot of anthrax spores,live in a basement apt and has low immune system
posted on October 31, 2001 01:35:36 PM new
More people die from second-hand smoke inhalation each year, but we don't do much about that.
Yes, it's sad -- but its sadness is derived from the overall madness that is going on right now. The sooner we kick Osama's but out of Afghanistan and put him before a firing squad, the better. And then on to the next goon.
posted on October 31, 2001 04:57:18 PM new
I think it was a guy from the CDC on the news last night who was saying you have a better chance of dying in a car wreck than from anthrax.
Well, sure. But what a cold thing to say.
Over 5000 people presumably had a better chance of being struck by lightning than killed in a collapsing tower while at work one morning, but it happened.
Statistics may be true, but who cares? Saying such things ignores the fact that we take risks everyday, but don't relish the notion that we - or our loved ones - may be hurt or killed by terrorist activities beyond our control.
I notice they never say your average military person has a better chance of dying from a car accident than from combat duty. In this type of war we are all possibly on the front lines. Not that I have any idea what to do about it.
posted on October 31, 2001 05:04:56 PM new
Just on the News. Possible Anthrax spores found in a Minneapolis, Minnesota Post Office. Just 150 miles from here. Way too close for comfort. That electronic payment for auctions is looking better all the time to me.
