WARNING

At work today the following printed message was given to all employees. I work for the
government and it was given out by the supervisors.

This is very scary and is not a joke. It is definitely a threat to our lives and health.
This is an alert about a virus - one that affects your body - not your hard drive. There
have been 23 confirmed cases of people attacked by the Klingerman virus, a virus that
arrives in your mailbox. Someone has been mailing large blue envelopes to people. On the
front of the envelope in bold letters is printed " A Gift For You From The Klingerman
Foundation". Inside the envelope is a small sponge sealed in plastic. This sponge
carries what has come to be known as the Klingerman virus. Public health officials state
this is a strain of virus they have not previously encountered. Those who have come in
contact with the Klingerman virus have been hospitalized with severe dysentery. So far
SEVEN OF THE TWENTY THREE VICTIMS HAVE DIED. There is no legitimate Klingerman foundation
mailing gifts.
If you recieve one of the envelopes, DO NOT OPEN IT. Place it in a strong plastic bag or
container and call the police. The gift is one you do not want to open.

Another "lurker" appears from the shadows! I couldn't resist responding to Bill's warning: The Klingerman virus is a hoax. For information about this and other legends, check out http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa100101a.htm or you can get to the site by starting at www.about.com and searching for "urban legends". There's some pretty wacky stuff out there!

R.K.
Huntsville, AL

Also try truthorfiction.com.

Originally known as the "Klingerman Virus," the hoax itself has behaved in a "viral" manner of late, mutating to adapt to new circumstances and ensuring its own survival. In the weeks since the September 11 terrorist attacks, amid lingering fears of further assaults and official warnings of the possibility of biological warfare, the original text has found its way back into circulation alongside a virtually identical alert describing a "Kinderman Virus," plus variations ranging from envelopes containing a chemical that kills instantly when sniffed, blank sheets of paper that cause a rash followed by a coma and mailings decorated with American flags that contain a "powdery substance" contaminated with Anthrax.

No such attacks have been confirmed by authorities or reported in the press. On the contrary, officials say the rumors are false and urge the public not to pass them along (see news and information links on next page). http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa100101a.htm