I don't know if non-Norton users have access to the sight listed below,
probably do, but it is a very up-to-date source of information about
viruses and worms, etc . . . At any rate, this "takes guts to say Jesus"
thing is probably a virus hoax as there's nothing about it at this Symantec
web site. Hoaxes like this usually have the urgent "SEND THIS TO EVERYONE
YOU KNOW!!!!!!!!" kind of thing.

My understanding and experience with viruses is that you cannot be impacted
by a virus simply by reading an e-mail message. However, the attachments
included in an e-mail (like the Happy99.exe -- a worm) can impact your
system if you click on the file to open it up. Also, macro viruses
associated with Excel or Word files can also revise your software's
settings by opening infected files attached to e-mail messages.

The best thing you can do (IMO) is to equip yourself with relatively cheap,
easy to update anti-virus software. I use Norton Anti-virus and have had
my pelt preserved three times in the last month. It automatically lets you
know if an attachment is infected before it affects your system. In many
cases, it can automatically repair the file to let you continue with what
you were doing with the file.

Here's the web-site. I might amicably suggest to Bob and all other caring
folks out there to check out a virus warning prior to sending/forwarding
these messages about what is most probably a virus hoax. However, if
anyone has had *direct*, *personal* experience that contradicts what I've
suggested here, I'd be pleased if you let us know.

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html

And I had two PILEATED WOODPECKERS fly over my house a couple weeks ago
near Totem Lake/Evergreen Hospital. There, my birding butt's covered. :)

=========================================
Ned McGarry
Kirkland, WA
nmcgarry at gte.net


-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Taylor [SMTP:taylorrt at email.msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 7:17 PM
To: Tweeters
Subject: Re: VIRUS WARNING

Hi Tweets

I just rec'd this e-mail from the South African
Bird Net. I cannot comment on its legitimacy
but probably someone else can. If it is a
problem then a comment from a knowledgeable
person would be appreciated.

Bob Taylor
Sumner, WA
taylorrt at msn.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Geoff Crane <birdtour at hbic.co.za>
To: sabirdnet at und.ac.za <sabirdnet at und.ac.za>
Date: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 11:12 AM
Subject: VIRUS WARNING


>VIRUS WARNING
>If you receive an email entitled "IT TAKES GUTS TO SAY JESUS" DO NOT OPEN
IT
>It will erase everything on your hard drive. Forward this letter out to
>as many people as you can. This is a new, very malicious virus and not
many
>people know about it. This information was announced yesterday morning
from
>IBM;
>please share it with everyone that might access the internet, Once again,
>pass
>this along to EVERYONE in your address book so that this may be stopped.
>AOL has said that this is a dangerous virus and that there is NO remedy
>for it at this time.
>
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