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The people of the UK, along with most of the world, are gripped by sheer, unadulterated anthrax panic. The threat of biological warfare has swept the planet and many of us are stockpiling food, antibiotics and protective clothing in the hope that we will survive the latest attacks from terrorist mastermind, Osama bin Laden. Anxious homeowners are nailing shut their doors and windows and hibernating underneath the floorboards, postmen are using lead-lined gloves to deliver mail and all white powders (including bags of flour) are considered highly dangerous.
This is the impression that the tabloid press (and many of the broadsheets) have been giving. It seems that 'Nation Gripped By Anthrax Panic' makes a better headline than 'Nation Reads About Anthrax, Tuts Loudly And Turns To The Sports Pages'.
The kinds of people that are desperatly buying gas masks are the same ones that ran to their nuclear bunkers to escape the millennium bug. Then on January 1st popped their heads out expecting to see carnage and devastation, and were confronted by thousands of party-goers lying in bed with sore heads.
It is the press that are feeding off the corpses of the 7000 people that died. Apart from the Daily Star who are happy to continue giving us front page updates on Britney Spear's chest, the presses voracious appetite for panic and chaos is getting out of control. Is it too much to expect intelligent, informed debate rather than scaremongering?
For the papers, the recent tragedy has been a godsend. Other than the collapse of Railtrack, there hasn't been a great deal of interesting news recently, so the terrorist attacks have given them something other than David Beckham's hair to write about.
I'm not saying that biological warfare isn't of concern. It is a scary thought that terrorists could use virus' to attack people, but it really isn't worth losing sleep over. The fact is that around 6 people out of the world's population of 6 billion have been affected, so to be honest, I like those odds. So, out of interest, is anyone here gripped by terror or just mildly concerned? Has anyone bought a gasmask (for anything other than kinky sex)?
This is the impression that the tabloid press (and many of the broadsheets) have been giving. It seems that 'Nation Gripped By Anthrax Panic' makes a better headline than 'Nation Reads About Anthrax, Tuts Loudly And Turns To The Sports Pages'.
The kinds of people that are desperatly buying gas masks are the same ones that ran to their nuclear bunkers to escape the millennium bug. Then on January 1st popped their heads out expecting to see carnage and devastation, and were confronted by thousands of party-goers lying in bed with sore heads.
It is the press that are feeding off the corpses of the 7000 people that died. Apart from the Daily Star who are happy to continue giving us front page updates on Britney Spear's chest, the presses voracious appetite for panic and chaos is getting out of control. Is it too much to expect intelligent, informed debate rather than scaremongering?
For the papers, the recent tragedy has been a godsend. Other than the collapse of Railtrack, there hasn't been a great deal of interesting news recently, so the terrorist attacks have given them something other than David Beckham's hair to write about.
I'm not saying that biological warfare isn't of concern. It is a scary thought that terrorists could use virus' to attack people, but it really isn't worth losing sleep over. The fact is that around 6 people out of the world's population of 6 billion have been affected, so to be honest, I like those odds. So, out of interest, is anyone here gripped by terror or just mildly concerned? Has anyone bought a gasmask (for anything other than kinky sex)?
To be honest, I'm worried about the threat of biological and chemical warfare, but this is not it. Some sick people have been posting letters with mysterious white powder in them, and these either contain anthrax, or another white, powdery substance. If you ask me, the hoaxers are just as bad as those who are attacking the Americans.
As it has been revealed over the past 24 hours, the letters are getting closer and closer to the White House and President George 'Dubya' Bush. This, however, is not a huge attack. There are many people who hate Bush, and would be glad to see him dead. This does not mean Britain is going to be attacked by these terrorists, whoever they are.
The media are just trying to sell their papers, and trying to get viewers to watch their news shows. If this means scaring people and getting them worried, then so be it. The media has always been like this, and so it will forever be. I have spoken to many people since September 11th, and none of them are so worried they are buying full-body chemical protection suits or gas-masks or building underground bunkers.
The terrorists have done this at an ideal time for terrorising innocent people. The winter months are approaching, and many people will come down with the 'flu or other colds. Unfortunately, this is one of the symptoms of anthrax. This will probably get more people worried than the media, although I will admit that headlines such as 'PANIC' on the front page of The Mirror do not help the situation at all.
The anthrax being used is not one single strain. The most deadly form is being used as much as the less deadly ones. I'm sure if the terrorists only used the deadliest form, then there would probably be mass-hysteria, but as it is, you have as much of a chance of surviving as you do of dying. As mentioned before, anthrax is not an ideal biological weapon by any means. Sarin is much more effective, as proven by a Japanese cult in a Tokyo subway station, when 12 people were killed in a single day.
This means that those who are behind these attacks are only interested in harming two things - America's government, and America's media. I they wanted to kill thousands of Americans, as bin Laden does, then there are many better ways of doing it. So no, I'm not gripped by anthrax panic, just the ever clearer threat of bio- and chemical-warfare
As it has been revealed over the past 24 hours, the letters are getting closer and closer to the White House and President George 'Dubya' Bush. This, however, is not a huge attack. There are many people who hate Bush, and would be glad to see him dead. This does not mean Britain is going to be attacked by these terrorists, whoever they are.
The media are just trying to sell their papers, and trying to get viewers to watch their news shows. If this means scaring people and getting them worried, then so be it. The media has always been like this, and so it will forever be. I have spoken to many people since September 11th, and none of them are so worried they are buying full-body chemical protection suits or gas-masks or building underground bunkers.
The terrorists have done this at an ideal time for terrorising innocent people. The winter months are approaching, and many people will come down with the 'flu or other colds. Unfortunately, this is one of the symptoms of anthrax. This will probably get more people worried than the media, although I will admit that headlines such as 'PANIC' on the front page of The Mirror do not help the situation at all.
The anthrax being used is not one single strain. The most deadly form is being used as much as the less deadly ones. I'm sure if the terrorists only used the deadliest form, then there would probably be mass-hysteria, but as it is, you have as much of a chance of surviving as you do of dying. As mentioned before, anthrax is not an ideal biological weapon by any means. Sarin is much more effective, as proven by a Japanese cult in a Tokyo subway station, when 12 people were killed in a single day.
This means that those who are behind these attacks are only interested in harming two things - America's government, and America's media. I they wanted to kill thousands of Americans, as bin Laden does, then there are many better ways of doing it. So no, I'm not gripped by anthrax panic, just the ever clearer threat of bio- and chemical-warfare
Whilst the threat of antrax is not of concern to me, what is of concern is that whoever has done this has used the mail system in America as a distribution system. Theo nly thing thats stopped this becoming a real panic is the fact its "only" anthrax. If this was Ebola, smallpox or similar then that would be panic. The trouble is that until someone reaches the late stages of many of these diseases you dont even know its been released, and if its airborne person to person then its too late. Game over. These attacks have proved its possible, and that we need to find whose responsible and make sure they don't get another chance, and while were at it find anyone who wants to try this sometime. Then we need to make sure they are incapable of doing anything, and if that means opening another front in this war then so be it.
The people of the UK, along with most of the world, are gripped by sheer, unadulterated anthrax panic. The threat of biological warfare has swept the planet and many of us are stockpiling food, antibiotics and protective clothing in the hope that we will survive the latest attacks from terrorist mastermind, Osama bin Laden. Anxious homeowners are nailing shut their doors and windows and hibernating underneath the floorboards, postmen are using lead-lined gloves to deliver mail and all white powders (including bags of flour) are considered highly dangerous.
This is the impression that the tabloid press (and many of the broadsheets) have been giving. It seems that 'Nation Gripped By Anthrax Panic' makes a better headline than 'Nation Reads About Anthrax, Tuts Loudly And Turns To The Sports Pages'.
The kinds of people that are desperatly buying gas masks are the same ones that ran to their nuclear bunkers to escape the millennium bug. Then on January 1st popped their heads out expecting to see carnage and devastation, and were confronted by thousands of party-goers lying in bed with sore heads.
It is the press that are feeding off the corpses of the 7000 people that died. Apart from the Daily Star who are happy to continue giving us front page updates on Britney Spear's chest, the presses voracious appetite for panic and chaos is getting out of control. Is it too much to expect intelligent, informed debate rather than scaremongering?
For the papers, the recent tragedy has been a godsend. Other than the collapse of Railtrack, there hasn't been a great deal of interesting news recently, so the terrorist attacks have given them something other than David Beckham's hair to write about.
I'm not saying that biological warfare isn't of concern. It is a scary thought that terrorists could use virus' to attack people, but it really isn't worth losing sleep over. The fact is that around 6 people out of the world's population of 6 billion have been affected, so to be honest, I like those odds. So, out of interest, is anyone here gripped by terror or just mildly concerned? Has anyone bought a gasmask (for anything other than kinky sex)?
This is the impression that the tabloid press (and many of the broadsheets) have been giving. It seems that 'Nation Gripped By Anthrax Panic' makes a better headline than 'Nation Reads About Anthrax, Tuts Loudly And Turns To The Sports Pages'.
The kinds of people that are desperatly buying gas masks are the same ones that ran to their nuclear bunkers to escape the millennium bug. Then on January 1st popped their heads out expecting to see carnage and devastation, and were confronted by thousands of party-goers lying in bed with sore heads.
It is the press that are feeding off the corpses of the 7000 people that died. Apart from the Daily Star who are happy to continue giving us front page updates on Britney Spear's chest, the presses voracious appetite for panic and chaos is getting out of control. Is it too much to expect intelligent, informed debate rather than scaremongering?
For the papers, the recent tragedy has been a godsend. Other than the collapse of Railtrack, there hasn't been a great deal of interesting news recently, so the terrorist attacks have given them something other than David Beckham's hair to write about.
I'm not saying that biological warfare isn't of concern. It is a scary thought that terrorists could use virus' to attack people, but it really isn't worth losing sleep over. The fact is that around 6 people out of the world's population of 6 billion have been affected, so to be honest, I like those odds. So, out of interest, is anyone here gripped by terror or just mildly concerned? Has anyone bought a gasmask (for anything other than kinky sex)?