What to do...
October 15, 2001 2:55 PM Subscribe
What to do... if you get a letter full of somethng nasty.
You mean the char-broiled Gumby in this post won't take care of me? I sincerely hope that if my number is up, and an anthrax letter crosses my path, that my acrobat plug-in doesn't crash my browser.
posted by machaus at 3:17 PM on October 15, 2001
posted by machaus at 3:17 PM on October 15, 2001
What do people here think of this latest military outbreak among nations who are supposed to be allies? Granted it was a little distasteful to salute the "evil one", but is it a sign that excessive patriotism causes unnecessary violence, albeit on a micro level? (I would've posted on the front page had I been able.)
posted by thatis at 3:28 PM on October 15, 2001
posted by thatis at 3:28 PM on October 15, 2001
I am happy to report that an anonymous server I have used has just closed down its snail mailer serivce because of the way it works and the terror/anthrax problem. It wokred like this: I would write a letter and put it in an envelope. Send it without a return address inside another envelope, also without a return address. The Service would open the letter addressed to them (not knowing who sent it) and mail my letter (with no return address). Clearly someone could send anthrax in an envelope and the letter would arrive at a destination with the postmark of the re-mailer service rather than the sender's address.
posted by Postroad at 3:41 PM on October 15, 2001
posted by Postroad at 3:41 PM on October 15, 2001
It doesn't strike me as very intelligent to assume that a "suspect" package will be crooked, overly taped, and poorly labelled, as this "FBI" document does.
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A TERRORIST NOR DO I EVER PLAN TO BE, THIS IS JUST HYPOTHETICAL. But if I were going to mail something like a bomb or deadly bacterium, I'd make it look like a phone bill or some other official piece of mail. I mean, honestly, if you're going to go to the trouble, why would you be so dopy as to package it "suspiciously"?
And hey, Thatis, don't hijack (erm, bad choice of words) threads just because you can't post to the front page. The point of Metafilter's posting controls is so you can prove that you are able to discuss threads properly and STAY ON TOPIC before you get the privilege of posting on the front page.
posted by bcwinters at 3:43 PM on October 15, 2001
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A TERRORIST NOR DO I EVER PLAN TO BE, THIS IS JUST HYPOTHETICAL. But if I were going to mail something like a bomb or deadly bacterium, I'd make it look like a phone bill or some other official piece of mail. I mean, honestly, if you're going to go to the trouble, why would you be so dopy as to package it "suspiciously"?
And hey, Thatis, don't hijack (erm, bad choice of words) threads just because you can't post to the front page. The point of Metafilter's posting controls is so you can prove that you are able to discuss threads properly and STAY ON TOPIC before you get the privilege of posting on the front page.
posted by bcwinters at 3:43 PM on October 15, 2001
When I was in the Army, we had a bit of a scare.
There was a large package that arrived addressed to the "Commandar" of our unit. It had brown wrapping over cardboard and there were several greasy stains. Where the return address should have been, all we saw was blurred ink.
Us brave manly men were bravely avoiding the package as it cowered near the CO's door. The CO came back from lunch, and brought the package into the day room. WHERE HE PROCEEDED TO OPEN IT. Several of us bravely ran like hell from the room and a general macho cry to one's mother was raised.
But, it didn't explode. Turns out that he was pen-pals with an elementary class in his home town. They sent us christmas cookies. Home-made shortbread christmas cookies. With huge amounts of frosting on them. As a thank you gift for his information on Alaska "wich we are studing in social studies".
I still hate children.
posted by nickonomicon at 4:14 PM on October 15, 2001
There was a large package that arrived addressed to the "Commandar" of our unit. It had brown wrapping over cardboard and there were several greasy stains. Where the return address should have been, all we saw was blurred ink.
Us brave manly men were bravely avoiding the package as it cowered near the CO's door. The CO came back from lunch, and brought the package into the day room. WHERE HE PROCEEDED TO OPEN IT. Several of us bravely ran like hell from the room and a general macho cry to one's mother was raised.
But, it didn't explode. Turns out that he was pen-pals with an elementary class in his home town. They sent us christmas cookies. Home-made shortbread christmas cookies. With huge amounts of frosting on them. As a thank you gift for his information on Alaska "wich we are studing in social studies".
I still hate children.
posted by nickonomicon at 4:14 PM on October 15, 2001
New MeFi taglines:
Guaranteed 100% anthrax-free
Safer than the U.S. Mail
Where the comments are suspicious, not the package
posted by rushmc at 4:33 PM on October 15, 2001
Guaranteed 100% anthrax-free
Safer than the U.S. Mail
Where the comments are suspicious, not the package
posted by rushmc at 4:33 PM on October 15, 2001
I am happy to report that an anonymous server I have used has just closed down its snail mailer serivce because of the way it works and the terror/anthrax problem...
Frankly, I never knew anything like that existed, but it reminded me of the Thomas Pynchon novel "The Crying of Lot 49" with its story that losely involves a cladestine private mail service. Good book. No mentions of anthrax in the book though.
Is the USPS increasing security due to the "threats?"
posted by drezdn at 5:01 PM on October 15, 2001
Frankly, I never knew anything like that existed, but it reminded me of the Thomas Pynchon novel "The Crying of Lot 49" with its story that losely involves a cladestine private mail service. Good book. No mentions of anthrax in the book though.
Is the USPS increasing security due to the "threats?"
posted by drezdn at 5:01 PM on October 15, 2001
crap. i need to cancel my subscription to 'white powder of the month' club.
posted by jcterminal at 5:15 PM on October 15, 2001
posted by jcterminal at 5:15 PM on October 15, 2001
The link is dead...anyone still have the file?
posted by bradlauster at 5:45 PM on October 15, 2001
posted by bradlauster at 5:45 PM on October 15, 2001
Still has the spelling error that kokogiak pointed out...
posted by machaus at 8:59 PM on October 15, 2001
posted by machaus at 8:59 PM on October 15, 2001
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Wouldn't you love to have your job title be "Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator"?
posted by kokogiak at 3:09 PM on October 15, 2001