My Novels

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Mad Cow...Again

Feds: Safeguards Working Amid Mad Cow Case

Jun 25, 9:00 AM (ET)

By LIBBY QUAID

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States has what may be its first homegrown case of mad cow disease, confirmed a full seven months after officials first suspected the animal might be infected. Despite the delay in reliable results, the government says the food safeguards are working well.


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You know, color me paranoid...but IMO when that FIRST case of Mad Cow was revealed in the USA, I had suspicions that we are already having an outbreak here, albeit largely among the elderly. And remember, it takes YEARS for the end-effects of Mad Cow disease in humans to show up. Think of all the many, many cases of Alzheimers now rampant among middle-age to elderly Americans. Yep, we all may have it, just don't know it yet. Could it be possible that Alzheimers is a variant of Mad Cow?

The sad thing is that now DH and I don't eat red meat, I have grown to dislike it. The last time I tried to eat red meat, it tasted bad -- which, I'm sure, is due to the fact I'm NOT eating it now. I am almost the same way with poultry too, and of course, we primarily eat beans and veggie replacements made from soy and bean products. Humans don't need meat; they need the protein, which they CAN get from other food sources. But the cattle industry is sure to squelch this latest news of Mad Cow, drown out the news with their own business interests ads.

So it goes here... Actually though, the "revenge of the animals" continues anyway: cholesterol is a killer (whether causing heart disease or cancer), and poultry is full of antibiotics which are causing US to be antibiotic resistant, on and on. Go figure, huh?

Well DH has all his buddies out in the pasture, helping with the barn building. The huge truck with equipment to lift the massive steel trusses arrived at 7:30 and will stay until it's done. A friend in construction sent the truck, free of charge. I packed a bunch of snacks/drinks, as well as water in coolers for them all, and that should tide them over until lunch -- which DH will pay for at a nearby restaurant. So it will be a long day, and it is verrry hot already.

I have lots of cleaning/chores to get done this coming week, since all my family will be here next Sunday for a July 4th get-together. Odds and ends I've been putting off, like touch-up painting, in-depth cleaning, etc. Busy, busy week ahead!

Late yesterday afternoon I went on the "Killer Loop" bike ride again, and did the five miles in 25 minutes! That is good time, considering the steep, steep hills and curves, bridges, railroad crossings that I ride through. There was literally NO traffic, which helped my pace, but it was breathlessly still, hot, stifling. That is probably why no one was out. I hope DH will get a bike soon, and we can explore other back-roads along that highway loop. [As an aside, last week when I went on that ride, a train was not faraway down the track. I stopped just past the crossing, and waited and watched it pass. Wish I'd had my camera!]

And with that, I'm outta here for today.

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