Here's another reason why I don't think I can ever fly again (from MSNBC.com): "About 80 passengers were held aboard a jetliner Saturday afternoon in San Jose, Calif., after a man reportedly stood up in mid-flight and released a powdery substance into the air ventilation system. Police, FBI and emergency crews set up a decontamination tent for the passengers of United Airlines Flight 1669 from Chicago. 'There was apparently a report of a Middle Eastern male who went to the rear of the plane and opened up an envelope. It had some powder in it and it went through the air duct system,' said police spokesman Rubens Dalaison. On another United Flight, this one from London to Virginia’s Dulles Airport, a powdery substance was found in a restroom after landing and was being tested at an Army laboratory in Maryland. Spokeswoman Tara Hamilton said the flight was met Saturday by a hazardous materials team and FBI agents, who determined that 17 people had used the bathroom. Everyone on the flight was eventually released. A US Airways flight from Charlotte, N.C., to Denver was diverted to Indianapolis Saturday after a flight attendant found a powdery substance in the trash can on the plane. The flight attendant was believed to be the only person exposed to the substance, said airport spokesman Dennis Rosebrough."
Sure some of it ends up being Jell-O pudding, Sweet 'N' Low, and the like by copycat idiots in dire need of a few extra working brain cells. But not all of it. And not all of it is testing positive for anthrax (or whatever else becomes the chosen bio-terror weapon of the week) the first time around either. Not worth the gamble to me... Unlike a lot of people in this country, I don't have the luxury of a working immune system -- and I can't receive live-virus vaccinations -- including flu shots. If there's an outbreak of smallpox or the like, I'm dead, along with an estimated 30% of the U.S. population. End of story. I'm just dead. Nice knowin' ya'. So how long 'til the NFL games kick-off on Sunday afternoon?
((hugs))
¤ ¤ posted by Joanne on October 14, 2001 at 05:13 AM ¤ ¤
Oh man, Robyn, that just sucks. I didn't realize there were people out there that can't get vaccinated. I'm sorry. I also hope none of this ever crosses your path.
¤ ¤ posted by Candi on October 15, 2001 at 12:53 AM ¤ ¤
I just read this and I thought I would share this link about how non-trivial it is to do this sort of thing.Here is another perspective on the bio-warfare subject. I can't verify this, and it is somewhat ranty. Perhaps someone else knows more about this?
¤ ¤ posted by Scott on October 15, 2001 at 04:38 AM ¤ ¤
What does concern me are airborn viruses that are transferred from human-to-human by contact, such as smallpox. My husband works in an office campus with 5000 employees, most of which travel frequently. If he brought something like that back home, even as a "carrier", it would be a grave situation. (Literally and figuratively.) If someone has strep throat five counties away, I end up in the ER the next week. It's hard not to worry in cases like that...
¤ ¤ posted by Robyn on October 15, 2001 at 12:30 PM ¤ ¤
*your IP is matched when you comment -- and I reserve the right to edit/delete any comments I do not feel are "appropriate" for my blog and/or would not want said in the presence of guests in my own home
