Forget anthrax.. Here's what worries me

[mdhome]

I dont know if this would be perceived as being crass but I have just received an unsolicited email from a company offering an anti Athrax device. I cant be sure if this is coming from a company with genuine concerns about the publics safety or just a cynical attempt to cash in on the current problems. For more info glue your eyeballs on the following site
www.germatron.com.


regards MD

[mdhome]

One thing that pisses me of about some muslems is that they are seemingly quite happy to kill each other, (afghan against afghan, Iraq against Iran and Iraq against Kumait etc) but when you involve their pet hate (ie the West) they seemingly lose their dislike of each other and mouth off about fighting some f***ing holy Jihad. Personally I think they should get their own house into order before spouting off their ill thought hatreds.


Regards *slightly peeved* MD

[Wombat]

Funny, we do the same thing here in the States.

[KRSESQ]

"Germatron?" Gimme a break!

This device is based on the perfectly sound principle that Ultra-violet rays kill microorganisms.

Whether this "handheld" device puts out UV of sufficient intensity to protect one from anthrax is doubtful to the point of obscenity.

Verdict: Save your money for something worthwhile, like the new edition of Wolfenstein (has anyone heard anything about availability?).

Kevin

[Dr Mordrid]

They need to use the same technology used to sterilize disposable surgical equipment: irradiation with gamma radiation (x-rays).

You just run a conveyor belt over a sealed radiation source on the floor below (preferrably underground). The source can be either a high powered x-ray machine or cobalt60 sealed in an air-tight canister.

After the target material goes through either beam there wouldn't be an intact DNA or RNA strand anywhere in or near it.

The advantage of these over UV is that gamma radiation can lethally penetrate a pretty deep stack of material while UV would only penetrate a couple of millimeters with enough power to sterilize.

Both require heavy concrete & lead shielding, of course.

This also works on foodstuffs (bye-bye e. coli & salmonella poisoning), but don't use it on photo film

Dr. Mordrid

[Pneumatic]

Originally posted by Dr Mordrid

The advantage of these over UV is that gamma radiation can lethally penetrate a pretty deep stack of material while UV would only penetrate a couple of millimeters with enough power to sterilize.

I may be showing my age, but isn't that how Bill Bixby's problems started?



Don't get me wrong, I would love to be buff, but the whole green thing is bound to turn off the chicks.

[Dr Mordrid]

hahaha...just a new take on the old Jekyl/Hyde story.

Actually my post seems timely. I read in the paper today the powers that be are looking very hard at both irradiation and the use of high energy electron beams.

Both are currently used in food sterilization and are very effective agains anthrax and most other bacteria.

Dr. Mordrid

[Joel]

You know it just pisses me off to no end everytime I hear the Taliban whining about one of our bombs going astray. Especially in light of the fact that there is still over 3,000 bodies still buried somewhere in the World Trade Center rubble. It is unfortunate but at least I know that we are not purposefully targeting the citizens of Afghanastian like the citizens of the US were targeted. Also let's not forget that these people are not beyond bombing their own people just to make us look bad.

Joel

[Joel]

This you won't find as the top story on any news media,

Tue, Oct 23 10:14 AM
The body of Bobahel, 35, is shown after he was killed by a rocket launched by the Taliban which hit a market in Charikar, northern Afghanistan, 30 miles north of the capital Kabul, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2001. Two people were killed and 14 others wounded by the rocket. Photo by Marco Di Lauro (AP)

but let one of the US's bombs go astray...

Joel

[The PIT]

Consider the outcry if one man based in the US sent Anthrax to Afghanistan.