I think the press is getting all excited over this and I'm not sure why. Do they want an outbreak to report and get ratings? Or are they trying be a part of the story, a part of history (a sad part) by going on and on about smallpox? Are they forcing Bin Laden to do something, anything so they can report and he saves face? I know this sounds sick, but this is our media I'm talking about!

I've seem a real increase in the number of stories about smallpox. on the networks, the cable channels, local news and in the papers. I saw yesterday where CDC workers are being vaccinated in anticipation of dealing with an outbreak. I don't know if this is just typical media hype...they need something to talk about, or if they know something that we don't know. Could the terrorist strike that Ashcroft feared last week have been the introduction of smallpox?

The media is eat up with alarmists.

By the time someone is infectious, they are covered with sores and may be too weak to walk. I'm not discounting the threat but it may not be as bad as some think.

"Smallpox doesn't discriminate against nationality. Chances are that if Osama decided to use a weapon of smallpox, his people would end up dying from it as well."

Negative. Allah will protect the true believer. Isn't that how OBL is gonna think?

I'm not discounting the threat but it may not be as bad as some think.

The paradox is that if the outbreaks start in the United States, it's probable that fewer Americans would die than if the outbreak started in some other place like the Middle East. If an outbreak starts here, there is a chance of containment. Substantial (if not nationally sufficient) stores of vaccine exist, medical professionals know how to deal with it, and communication is ubiquitous. If a case turns up somewhere, countermeasures will begin nationwide within an hour.

Suppose, on the other hand, an outbreak were to occur in the slums of Cairo. It could fester for weeks before anyone recognized it, and by that time it could be all over the place. It would go on a rapid burn across the globe, and would enter the U.S. by ten thousand different channels. There wouldn't be enough vaccine to cover every outbreak here. Still, we'd probably fare somewhat better than any other country--"devastated" rather than "destroyed".

I heard too, last night, on MSNBC, that all the employees at the CDC have been inoculated for Small Pox. Do they know something that we do not?

If ONE person in the U.S. has smallpox, the result will be a GLOBAL epidemic.

And the strong will survive. And the weak shall perish.

Hey, you gotta go sometime. That's why I decided, heck with it. I flew last month, I'm flying again over New Year's, I'm opening every single piece of junk mail, I'm drinking my weight in Michelob Lite every week. So party on, folks!

The government has gone on record stating that anything the media has already said has been thought up by terrorist already. They say that the media is not giving them ideas at all.

I do think however, that if it stays in the media long enough, that the terroroists may just in fact try to make it come true.

I'm sorry, Michelob Lite clearly falls into the category of "weak". For survival's sake, may I suggest a bolder brew, such a Yuengling Lager, or a Guinness Stout, if you dare?

Hey, you know what it's like to be in grad school, dude... Mich's cheap and it takes ya down easy.

Don't worry about the fortitude thing. I've been working through some tequila lately, haha...

"Does the enemy have the virus and will we see it crop up?"

A long time ago we were told that Smallpox had been erradicated, and there was only one small culture in existance in a deep freeze in some lab in Georgia.

Then, later, we were told that there were only two cultures, one in the U.S. and one in Russia. - How did Russia get their culture, and why? - Did 'we' give it to them?

If there is a smallpox outbreak, then we will know that our government has decided that it is time that we had an outbreak.
It is likely that the media have been fed this info to breed panic, so that when the planned outbreak happens, the maximum benefit will acrue to the tyrants that instigated it.

Suppose, on the other hand, an outbreak were to occur in the slums of Cairo. It could fester for weeks before anyone recognized it, and by that time it could be all over the place. It would go on a rapid burn across the globe, and would enter the U.S. by ten thousand different channels. There wouldn't be enough vaccine to cover every outbreak here. Still, we'd probably fare somewhat better than any other country--"devastated" rather than "destroyed".

And this is exactly what the U.N. population control thugs have been planning for decades.

If there is a smallpox outbreak, then we will know that our government has decided that it is time that we had an outbreak.

You are certififable!

If there is a smallpox outbreak, then we will know that our government has decided that it is time that we had an outbreak.

You are certifiable!

If there is a smallpox outbreak, then we will know that our government has decided that it is time that we had an outbreak.

You are certifiable!

And this is exactly what the U.N. population control thugs have been planning for decades.

It's tinfoil ... but then I could imagine Kidssinger with his innoculation thinking this might not be a bad thing.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they are not out to get you.

Either that (NOT) or some scientist in GA decided to sell-out to terrorists long ago. I am doubting the "USA Goverment did it" story though.

How did Russia get their culture, and why? - Did 'we' give it to them?

I never heard anything other than that Russia had it all along, but I suppose that doesn't affect your conviction that your government is out to kill you.

Is there any indication that Russia is vaccinating any of its population? I think they would have a better idea if any has gotten out of their control.