But the CNN site stated clearly that the white substance was tested and found not to have anything to do with Anthrax. My request for a cite as to letters laced with Anthrax being sent all over the country still stands. Sorry for the confusion on not requesting a cite more explicitly. 
As I am not the person(s) who infected any victims with anthrax, I cannot be sure of the delivery method. I am going by the prevailing suspicion of the law enforcement community (appropriately linked, above), which is focusing on the delivery of disease through the mail. When someone is eventually brought to justice for the crime and found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, I will know for sure. I guess maybe I should stop talking about current events and prevailing suspicions until after a trial and conviction.
There’s a thread discussing this in GD right now - I’m sorry, but the board is loading way too slowly for me to find it right now.
Anyway, I think it’s a wonderful idea. As I said in my post in the other thread, I hope the children who give generously now will become adults who give generously, and not only in the face of crises.
More power to 'em - to Bush, and to the kids, and to the people who are going to help open all that mail. I definitely think it’s going to help with our image as “Great Selfish Satan.”
And for the love of pete, let’s lay of the mass hysteria. Why did Bush say we need to expect more attacks? Because if they do happen, the FBI has their asses covered. If they don’t, the FBI looks like they were prepared.
Took forever, but I found it:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=92690
Yes, it’s nice to get the children involved, and it’s a good piece of badly needed PR. But it’s not likely to do much at all to help the children of Afghanistan.
Several international organizations have already said that the US war is aggravating the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and curtailing humanitarian efforts. Having the kids mail in a dollar is a nice gesture, but it probably will not come close to compensating for the damage that has been done.
Check out this press release from Medecins Sans Frontieres: http://www.msf.org/countries/page.cfm?articleid=70FD6D4D-3B90-407D-81F5119552D7CD9E
I think it’s a kind gesture. Getting children involved in helping out – even if a small effort – is a way to help teach children that our world isn’t all filled with Playstations, computers, Tommy Hilfigger (sp) and fancy scooters. If done right, each child can learn that in some countries, they don’t even have running water, that moldy bread pieces meant for livestock can be a child’s only form of food. (Yes I saw this yesterday on Oprah – she had a pretty good show.)
So, it takes 34 cents to send a dollar but a family can help teach a child an important lesson. It’s not the amount that is sent, it’s the gesture. It’s the feeling that a child is trying to better for the world.
Teaching compassion, even for those we don’t know or have very different ideas is what this world needs. Usually this compassion is learned at an early age.
Come on-it may not seem like a lot, to us-but probably in Afghanistan, it’s a lot of money.
Yeesh.
Just send in the IRS and tax the little buggers.
Well, Bush wants the deficit left to be paid by children, they might as well pay for this too.
And I guess the banks in Afghanistan offer good exchange rates… those that aren’t bombed out, of course. And why would a bank in a country officially hostile to the US be exchanging US money, anyway? I know the Red Cross will be handling this, but that part still doesn’t quite wash with me.
And those kids can buy all sorts of stuff with their money at the corner store… where there are stores, let alone corners. Afghanistan’s economy goes from shit to nonexistent. That’s what happens when the USSR wages a war against fanatics in your backyard (1979-1989, for those who haven’t been paying attention). Kinda like what we did to Vietnam, but probably a lot worse. So even if the average Aghani had money, what good would it do him?
I think the money will go to the Red Cross, which will fund airdrops of food and other stuff. I think that is a great idea we should all get behind, but I think it should be explained better, even to kids. I mean, what kid hasn’t seen an airplane? What kid hasn’t fantasized about dropping things out of them? Telling a kid what their dollar (or five) is really going towards might make little eyes light up at the thought of big boxes falling out of big planes. I know I would have enjoyed the concept. 
So instead of telling the impressionable ones that money is going to little Afghanis, tell them that food is going to be dropped from insane heights to where little Afghanis can use it. I’m sure the donations will skyrocket, especially from little boys. It would have worked on a younger Derleth.
Oh, and my idea reminds me:
“With God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”
Damn, Derleth, whipping out the WKRP reference. I am truly impressed!
Of course, I am dreading the day a palletful of rice (each with USA emplazed all over it) is airdropped and squishes half a dozen orphans. I can see the PR nightmare, with arms, legs, etc sticking out from underneath our charitable gift.