"Outbreak"/_Hot Zone_,etc.

[KAT]

I hope this post is reaching the bionet virology newsgroup.  If it is not, I
apologize.

As a representative of your "ignorant" general public, I would like to say the
following.  I saw the movie "Outbreak", which prompted me to buy _Hot Zone_.  
I can understand your criticism of the movie in the respect that it is
Hollywood, all movies are.  The action  moves faster than is realistic, but
that is necessary for a 2 hour movie.  Of course it is not to be taken
completely literally, yet there are elements of truth as well.

I do think however that the movie and book have value in that they might 
prompt the average person to learn more about the subject of viruses and 
virology.  I am now doing a paper on such viruses as ebola and hanta for a
class on Disease through History.  
Perhaps the average joe will not know as much as you people, but 
using myself as an example (ex-bio major undergrad senior), I can say that it 
fueled my interest to learn more.  And that is never a bad thing.

It even prompted me to look up your pompous newsgroup, for what it was worth.

Kathryn