At 12:55 AM 4/10/2003 -0400, Jaimie Vernon wrote:
>Some children were shipped to Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto. 

First off, can I just say that this has always been my absolute favorite
hospital name ever.  I wish to endow a new wing for it called "The Stewart
Mason Wing For Those Feeling Vaguely Punk," or a gastrointestinal
department called "Hall of Ooginess."

>And for those who have lived through the terrorist Anthrax 
>scare, believe me when I say that this respiratory disease is NOT a threat 
>via mail or any other airbourne career. You must come in direct contact with 
>an infected person to catch the disease. 

And those of us in American cities with large Chinatowns should remember
that very few cases have been diagnosed in the states, and that these cases
for some reason are generally much milder than the more virulent strains in
Asia and Canada.  If you make a habit of going to Chinatown, GO!  You're
about a hundred times more likely to get hit by a bus than you are to catch
The Scary Asian Death Flu, but in the meantime, unnecessary panic is
causing a lot of good people to have their livelihoods endangered...not to
mention a few mean-spirited pranks and hoaxes, at least here in Boston.

We went for our usual once a month dim sum in Chinatown on Sunday, and I
was just saddened and appalled at how deserted it was.  The restaurant we
eat at usually operates at breaking-fire-codes capacity, with a line of
customers down the stairs, out into the street and halfway down the block.
It was maybe two-thirds full.  More cha siu bao for me, of course, but
still, it's just wrong.

S