Rattle wrote:
] The big hysteria causing story in the NYC/NJ news today is the
] return of the infamous Bubonic Plague. It is currently
] reported to have been brought to town by a visiting couple
] from Mexico City. Sorry to let you down, no terrorist ties
] seem to exist at this point. The plague does not spread from
] person to person, so it is unlikely this will turn into a
] bigger problem. It is also extremely unlikely that these two
] cases could lead to the NYC rat population becoming infected,
] the primary carriers of the disease.
]
] Between Anthrax and West Nile, it really does not take much to
] get people in this area on edge...

Its not all that shocking to me to see something like the Black Plague popping up every once in awhile in isolated events. Viruses and bacteria have a way of sticking around. For example, arn't you glad you have had your polio vaccination? Polio virus can still be found in water supplies. Comforting thought, eh?:) - Nanochick

RE: Black Blague pops up in NYC

"The presidents of the National Academies said yesterday that the Bush administration was going too far in limiting publication of some scientific research out of concern that it could aid terrorists.
Specifically, they said, the administration's policy of restricting the publication of federally financed research it deemed "sensitive but unclassified" threatened to "stifle scientific creativity and to weaken national security." "

A continuation of the debate Jeremy, Tom and I were having this summer about government restriction on scientific publication.

Researchers Say Science Is Hurt by Secrecy Policy Set Up by the White House

"Attacking Iraq - Countdown Timeline"

Very interesting timeline. The lock is at 29 days and counting down, see Nov. 5th.

[hrm. /me is anti-war. -Nano]

Attacking Iraq - Countdown Timeline

One weighed 450 pounds, another about 800 pounds, and the third came in at 1,245 pounds, just 17 pounds shy of the world record.
Tim Bailey said he grew the large orange fruits from "Atlantic Giant" seeds, and gave them a lot of water and "organic matter." "

Marie, contact this guy for seeds!!! :)

[I mean...damn! These pumpkins are on crack! - Nano]

Yahoo! News - Man Grows 1,245-Pound Pumpkin

"FRANKFORT, Ky. (Reuters) - The mosquito-borne West Nile virus has killed an 84-year-old Kentucky man, state health officials said on Tuesday....The Kentucky victim, not immediately identified, lived in Union County in western Kentucky south of Evansville, Indiana and died Monday, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services said."

Reuters | West Nile Death Reported in Kentucky

Ok, this is getting kinda scary. THe national total of anthrax exposure cases are up to 42 now. My opinion is that this isn't bioterrorism from abroad...I think that someone saw the opportunity to take advangtage of these vunerable times, but it makes you start to think about people doing "kitchen biotechnology". Hrmm.

New Scientist - Anthrax

Because of the threat of Bioterrorism, The Journal of the American Medical Association has put five articles addressing antrax, smallpox, plague, botulinum toxin, and tularemia online for free. Go read up on the history and potential for these to be used as bioterrorist agents.

JAMA

Fook!

Anthrax Alarm