Can someone with some background please explain to me why "tens of thousands" of people take to the streets protesting the lifting of restrictions on US beef.

Are these people insane , stupid or is there something else fueling their protests and this is just a lame excuse to hit the streets?

Video: http://www.yahoo.com/s/897558

Print: http://www.startribune.com/business/19710009.html

I have to believe they just like to protest. We here in the states have been eating US beef even during the peak of the mad cow disease craze and the disease they are so afraid of happened in only 1 case per MILLION, before more restrictions were put in place to curb mad cow disease.

Of course they could be worried about this:

"In 1997 a number of Kentuckians contracted the disease. It was discovered that all the victims had a penchant for squirrel brains.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creutzfeldt-Jakob_disease#cite_note-5)[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creutzfeldt-Jakob_disease#cite_note-6)"

Does the treaty allow the import of squirrel brains?:devil

I have a story about squirrel brains from my childhood.

My granny used to make the best chicken and dumplings ever. One day I had spent the night with granny and awoke to a "tap, tap", "tap, tap" coming from the kitchen. I went down the hall and met my granny and uncle. My uncle was skinning the squirrels and granny was pecking on their heads and scooping out the brains. I was like, "ew what are you doing?" She said "why I'm making dumplings of course." I ran to the bathroom to vomit thinking of all those times I'd eaten her dumplings. She later told me she always tossed in some squirrel brains whenever my uncles caught a mess of them.

Seriously growing up in Hillbillyville NC left some disturbing scars on my childhood. And the best way to describe my granny is to think of granny from Beverly Hillbillies....that's her to a tee.

Anyway didn't mean to derail but your comments took me down memory lane. /vomit

'possum gizzards?

You need to learn something about Mad Cow disease. It can lay dormant for decades without any symptoms.

I'm not saying each of us has mad cow right now, but it's entirely possible with the nature of the disease that millions of Americans have it right now. We wouldn't have the first clue though.

The only thing I found mentioned up to a four year incubation period in animals. Do you have links with more in depth info, like that decades dormant thing? I'd like to learn more.

There is alot of anti American sentiment there.

They resent our base there, they think we are stopping reconciliation with the North, they have alot of other reasons too, but basically one political party has lambasted the other party for its close ties to the US.

And before people get too offended... During the Korean War, South Korean military personal, with American assistance, went on a campaign of terror and murdered about 100,000 Korean peasants with suspected Communist ties.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h2rT2wzhviymfyfyRdmdKw6tciagD90O9DJ80

There is alot of anti American sentiment there.

They resent our base there, they think we are stopping reconciliation with the North, they have alot of other reasons too, but basically one political party has lambasted the other party for its close ties to the US.

And before people get too offended... During the Korean War, South Korean military personal, with American assistance, went on a campaign of terror and murdered about 100,000 Korean peasants with suspected Communist ties.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h2rT2wzhviymfyfyRdmdKw6tciagD90O9DJ80
Wouldn't it be more apt to say there is a severe gulf in polar camps towards Americans? Seems to be black and white towards us.

I have a story about squirrel brains from my childhood.

Your story made me nauseous :(

Damn Fil that is horrible!

Got a love Grandmas though, they can whoop up a meal.

I am not seeing the best of source, not the ones I read before, but here are a couple I guess. Though I am sure they are biased.


http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/1000705.html

Scientists had believed that only 40 per cent of the population with a specific gene type were susceptible to vCJD, the human form of the cattle disease BSE. But they recently discovered that the disease can lie dormant for decades in other people.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_911.cfm

People could be infected with the human form of mad cow disease for more than 50 years without developing the illness, which means the size of a potential epidemic may be underestimated, UK scientists said on Friday

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mad-cow-disease.htm

Because the infectious agent that causes mad cow disease can lie dormant for a number of years, putting the pieces of the puzzle together took some time, but it is now believed that mad cow disease is transmitted via a misshapen protein called a prion (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-prion.htm).

Ok, time to get an array of facts on this:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/01/08/mad.cow.health/

The CDC says the chance of actually contracting mad cow disease is extremely slim -- less than one in 10 billion, if at all.
But if you are concerned about your burger, the Web-based consumer advocacy group Consumeraffairs.com has come up with some precautions when you eat meat:
• Avoid brains, neck bones and beef cheeks
• Avoid bone marrow and cuts of beef that are sold on the bone
• Choose boneless cuts of meat, and for ground beef, choose only meat that is ground on-site in the store.
The group also says that unlike most other meat-borne illnesses such as E. coli bacteria, cooking does not kill mad cow disease.


...and avoid Squirrel brains apparently :')

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/mad-cow-disease-and-variant-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease

Infected adult cattle may develop signs of the disease slowly. It may take from 2 to 8 years from the time an animal becomes infected until it first shows signs of disease

I haven't been able to find a good source that says anything about dormancy in humans. The CDC says 14 mos. total length of illness.

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/pressrelease_detail.cfm?release=42

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm?article=142

The best science available says, overwhelmingly, that mad cow disease poses near-zero risk to American consumers. Yet activists-many with hidden political or financial agendas-continue to promote needless food scare myths in order to frighten consumers.

Pretty much sums it up.

From the CDC:

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-VariantPrions.aspx

From 1995 through mid August 2006, a total of 195 human cases of vCJD were reported worldwide, 162 in the UK, 20 in France, 4 in Ireland, 2 in the United States (US), and 1 each in Canada, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Spain. Seven of the non-UK case-patients were most likely exposed to the BSE agent in the UK because of their having resided there during a key exposure period of the UK population to the BSE agent.

Sorry, but I have a fairly extensive "list 'o fears" already...this is, and from what I can see, will never be, one of them.

I'm not afraid of it, at all. I'm a carnivore first and foremost. I'm just saying that if the Koreans want to protest American meat, than by all means. Let's just hope they can produce enough on their own.

Maybe the supply will increase and I'll afford to eat Steak more than once a week.

Hmm, based on that, would that mean a fillet is a more suspect cut than some others? Doesn't that come from the back, near the spine?

Is my much beloved Tbone steak at risk??? I'mma eat it regardless, as Tale said I'm a meateater dammit!

Joking aside I lived and ate on the Germany economy during the mid 80's. After I returned I was a regular blood donor ( neg O blood type felt pressured, hell they'd call me and beg me to come up) for 20 years. Suddenly during one donation the Red Cross asked me new questions in regards to my time in Europe.

Now I'm flagged as a non donor because of possible Mad Cow disease exposure in the mid 80's from my time in Germany ;(

I've yet to show signs, never have I raised a hoof in anger towards my fellow herd mates!!!!! MoOOoooodammit!

Is my much beloved Tbone steak at risk??? I'mma eat it regardless, as Tale said I'm a meateater dammit!

Joking aside I lived and ate on the Germany economy during the mid 80's. After I returned I was a regular blood donor ( neg O blood type felt pressured, hell they'd call me and beg me to come up) for 20 years. Suddenly during one donation the Red Cross asked me new questions in regards to my time in Europe.

Now I'm flagged as a non donor because of possible Mad Cow disease exposure in the mid 80's from my time in Germany ;(

I've yet to show signs, never have I raised a hoof in anger towards my fellow herd mates!!!!! MoOOoooodammit!

That would lend credence to my claim it could lay dormant for decades, right?

Of course ;P hence my last line!!

Well I always knew you were crazy, maybe even 'mad,' but this takes it to a whole new level!

Kiss my rump roast you beefitch...errrr

That was such a "Mooooving" Story, i have to Cow down...Err Bow down to you. I don't understand it udderly....:rolleyes:

(Iknow, i know...bad puns...lol)