Don't eat.

Too much happening this week, what to blog...hate, hate, shrill, hate,... the Downing Street Memo, American Torture defended, Ohio Republican fundraising scandal, politically manipulated settlement favoring Tobacco companies, what to write?

I know. How about the tainted American food supply? Happy blog, happy blog!


If you've been aware of the US response to the international occurrences of BSE (mad cow disease) this comes as no real surprise. It would be a good time to become a vegetarian.

Apparently due to political quid pro quo for the Cattlemen's Association (last year was the first time IN THEIR EXISTENCE that they formally endorsed a presidential candidate) the USDA has been turning kind of a blind eye to evidence that BSE has turned up in American cattle. In an isolated event last year, a rancher who wanted to voluntarily test all his cattle (japan requires testing of all slaughter cattle to be imported; many other countries are considering it) was not even allowed to do so. US meat packers would like to test all the slaughter cattle, in fear of losing markt share to overseas markets who require more testing. The USDA is 'considering' this.

Personally, I've been largely staying away from most beef products for the better part of a couple years now, recognizing that the likelihood of an outbreak in the US was substantially increased by this refusal to protect the US food supply. The USDA even forbids voluntary testing, which is what the world marketplace is demanding. I guess the mantra of the marketplace isn't as universal as the Republican free marketeers would like to pretend.

And now the first vector has appeared. Due to the incubation time, and the time involved between infection and cows actually becoming 'downers' (which are the only animals the USDA is currently testing), it is virtually assured and statistically a near certainty that others will be appearing; and the occurrences will increase.

Again, statistically, since it is virtually certain that BSE infected meat has made it into the slaughterhouses, you might as well start taking bets as to when a human case will occur in the US. Where does that steak in the local butcher shop come from? How long until BSE turns up in a Wisconsin herd?

Doctors have been exploring a potential link between Alzheimer's disease and BSE. Apparently, there is some similarity in the brain degradation seen in these diseases. If you knew, or even suspected, that you could decrease your risk of developing Alzheimer's by 50% if you eliminated eating beef, what would you do? How about if you knew or suspected that your risk cold be cut in half if the USDA was universally testing cattle for an infection?

I am starting to wish I hadn't eaten that hamburger last night.