Re: Irradation

I would suggest looking over the photography discussion groups and reading 
about their members' plans to deal with mailing unprocessed film.

A company called Sima makes reasonably priced flexible film pouches lined 
with lead, which are supposed to be widely available. Physicists may correct 
me, but I believe anything that will beat x-rays will beat beta rays, which 
is what these "electron beams" are. Note, I didn't say "cheap," I said 
"reasonably priced," I seem to recall in the 3-5 buck range.

Talk about "The Effect of Beta Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Aroids" Or was that 
"Gamma Rays on Marigolds..." LOL!

I agree with what has been said on the list; my guess is that for the next 
few months, only the plant people mailing into or out of the vicinity of 
Washington, DC will have anything to worry about anyhow. But I don't know how 
people are going to ship food in metal boxes any more... granny's cookies in 
care packages to college students, etc.

How do we know that UPS and FedEx are any "safer" for live tissue? For all we 
know, they are setting up these electron beams, too.

This is all going to have to be dealt with, because there are too many people 
sending live tissue through the carriers for everything to get nailed with 
these beta rays-- not just our beloved aroids and other plants and seeds, but 
medical test samples and of course tubes of bacteria and spores for 
scientific purposes!

To be perfectly honest, I think it's true what was just written in the New 
Yorker, that it's illogical for people to be getting scared about anthrax 
when influenza is much more lethal and common. My 2 cents.

Best wishes,
Laura
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