Is the Media Making You Paranoid?
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Look! Another article about the possibility of biological attacks on America!

The media can be a real pain in the anal area sometimes. But in times of crisis, for example, the media can be crucial in providing information. Now, a little more than a month past the tragedy of September 11, the media has gone from source of information, back to its usual role, the thing that never seems to report anything worthwhile.

However, there's a new element here. The media is now spreading paranoia of future terrorist attacks. CNN has done heavy reporting on the rise of sales in gas masks. However, they have not talked about how the masks are of varying quality, and will probably not even be necessary in the case of a biological attack.

The possibility of contaminated water supplies has seen heavy press. But if water supplies are contaminated, it would be months before people started getting sick, and weeks more after that for determining that water is the source. If it can take that long to track down biological agents in your water, by the time it is figured out that your water is contaminated, you'll already be sick. The bottled water you stocked up on will do you no good.

Also, the media has virtually ignored all other events national and international. What ever happened to the rise in shark attacks on the East Coast? Where did the Gary Condit scandal go? The media doesn't want to focus on that anymore, so it rubs the story out completely. It's good news if you're Gary Condit, but bad news if you're the rest of the US.

And finally, it is recommended by news agencies that American citizens look for "suspicious symptoms". Oh good, care to define what those might be, or let the public decide what may be suspicious? Let's all think our colds, which are perfectly normal for this time of year, are Al Qaeda seeking further distruction on the US. I have a sore throat, does that mean that Osama bin Laden sent out some mysterious germ and planted it on me, hoping I'd spread it to my fellow Americans? No! I've got a little cold. The terrorists aren't out to get me!

So, do yourself and the American public a favor; turn off "America's New Paranoia", and think reasonably. You're in America; you're going to be ok. You have a better chance of winning the lottery while in a snow storm in the desert than getting a deadly disease from our fanatical foes from the East.

What do you think?
Leave your comments below.

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Name: Brian Korte
Comments:
In all seriousness, a lady on the first floor had the hazmat team at our building today, inspecting a "suspicious package." She was given the rest of the day off, and although everyone appreciated her attention for our well-being, she was more of a nuisance for watching too much CNN and taking valuable civil workers off of more important things.

Because the next thing we knew, everyone was sending corporate-wide emails asking about the "guys in biohazard suits" on the first floor. Sheesh. Take it easy people. If we're going to die, we'll die. Why go out in a panic? Heck, I plan to take a lil' trip down to the third floor and introduce the hottie I see in the elevator all the time to the broom closet. :)

Name: Brian Korte
Comments:
I was going to embed it in my comment, but I probably wouldn't have appreciated that a few years ago either. :)

Oh, by the way, all browsers recognize target="_blank" to be a new window. Simply "new" isnt' universal, and if you have more than one link pointing to "new," the browser names the newly made window "new" and all links show up there. "_blank" is the only one that works among IE, Nutscrape and Opera. (Oh yes. I wrote Opera.)

And beware target="_anthrax" because this guy I know has a friend who knew this girl who ate breakfast with a dude whose roommate clicked on a link with target="_anthrax" and he died right there on the spot.

Name: rachel
Comments:
when did a few people getting (or coming in contact with) anthrax mean we have an epidemic? all i hear is epidemic this and epidemic that.

and ps brian - thank you for the target=new :)

Name: Jeff
Year: Senior
Major: English
Comments:
< condom >Whim Internet Magazine< /condom >

Name: Brian Korte
Year: '00
Major: media
Comments:
Isn't it odd that reports, articles, broadcasts and published works refer to "the media" as if they are not a part of it? Accusing other media types and delivery methods by referring to the umbrella that they themselves fall into? Even now as I type this, I am contributing to a medium. This means that I am part of the hypocrisy.

CNN continuously reported the "Media Hype" of an anthrax scare, yet on their cover, they featured images like this one shown here. Being a web guy myself, I have to constantly remember that we're all part of the same hypocrisy. Keep up the good reporting work, Whimmers, but never forget that we're all lumped together in this "media" thing and that the best thing we can do is not give things attention that do not deserve it. We're all media whores. We just need to slip on the condom every once in a while.

Study hard. Play harder,
Brian :)

Name: jen
Comments:
yes, everyone, they are going to send Anthrax to people whom NO ONE in other countries know...jeez, if they do that, they're dumber than i thought.

Name: Shaun
Year: Grad
Major: English
Comments:
CNN, FOX News, CSPAN, ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC-they're all media whores. I'm so sick of turning one of those channels on and seeing "America Strikes Back" or "America Recovers" or "Anthrax in America" ENOUGH! All they're doing is circulating propaganda and not allowing healthy debate and criticism. Everyone do yourself a favor and turn these channels off.