bmwracer wrote:
Thanks for the info, Doch.
Guess my memory banks are still functioning.
For now. :sweat:
Sure thing. I found out who she is. :D
Sure thing. I found out who she is. :D
Interesting/Weird Stories in the News
Started by blender1184 · 8 Jul 2005 · 1,969 replies
General Discussion
Sure thing. I found out who she is. :D
Wow. That chick can eat. :google:
From the LA Times 2005 06/25
USDA Confirms 2nd U.S. Case of Mad Cow Disease
The announcement comes seven months after tests indicated the animal was not infected. The case is said to pose no threat to the public.
By Johanna Neuman and Jerry Hirsch, Times Staff Writers
WASHINGTON — Ending seven months of uncertainty, the U.S. Agriculture Department confirmed Friday that a cow first suspected of having mad cow disease in November had tested positive — the second such case identified in the United States.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, calling U.S. beef "the safest in the world," said the case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy posed no threat to public health because the animal was not sent to a food processing plant.
ADVERTISEMENT
"The BSE threat to humans in this country is so remote that there is a better chance you'll get hurt crossing the street to get to the grocery store than by the beef you buy in the grocery store," he said.
Johanns praised the USDA's testing regimen for BSE, saying positive tests were so rare it would be like "finding a needle in a haystack."
He also announced that department scientists had been ordered to develop a new protocol for dealing with cases in which initial tests for mad cow disease were inconclusive. And he said the USDA would reexamine the system for storing the remains of suspect animals.
The latest case of mad cow disease, however, raised concerns in the cattle industry that consumers would turn to poultry and pork and that trading partners would continue to ban U.S. beef from their markets.
Consumers largely shrugged off the previous U.S. incident, the discovery in December 2003 of a Washington state dairy cow infected with BSE.
That cow was imported from Canada, which earlier had a BSE discovery, and was born before a 1997 Food and Drug Administration rule prohibiting the feeding of ruminant meat and bone meal to cattle. The use of remains from cows, sheep and other ruminants as feed is suspected to be one of the key ways the disease is spread.
USDA officials refused to identify where the second infected animal was when it was slaughtered in November. They said they were investigating the cow's herd mates to determine how it got the disease. The animal reportedly was a Texas beef cow, born before the ban, that was slaughtered for pet food.
Food safety experts said that there still was little chance of consumers eating contaminated meat, which is linked to a human form of BSE known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The disease in humans has no treatment and is always fatal. It has affected 153 people worldwide, most of them in Britain. That country has found more than 180,000 animals infected with BSE.
By comparison, this was the second case found among an estimated 100 million head of cattle in this country.
"Happily, the risk of contracting the human form of mad cow disease is minuscule," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington advocacy group.
But DeWaal criticized the nation's lack of a mandatory animal tracking system.
"This cow was exposed at a time early in its life," she said. "Because we don't have a tracking program, we don't know where it was born, where it grew up and what other animals might have been exposed."
DeWaal said the USDA had delayed implementation of such a system until 2009, though Canada was able to move from a voluntary to a mandatory animal tracking system in one year.
And critics said that in the case of the second infected animal, it was only after prodding by the department's inspector general that officials took the action that led to Friday's announcement.
On Nov. 18, the USDA announced that two preliminary mad cow tests on an animal were inconclusive. More sophisticated tests were ordered, and on Nov. 23, officials announced that the new tests were negative. Officials said they were confident the animal was free of mad cow disease.
In February, the Consumers Union advocacy group urged the USDA to use a more sophisticated method called the "Western blot" test. This month, the USDA's inspector general also recommended using the Western blot test, which resulted in the announcement that the animal had mad cow disease.
Some ranchers and animal rights groups accused the administration Friday of foot-dragging on key reforms promised after the first cow tested positive in December 2003.
They said the government had not yet imposed a permanent ban on allowing nonambulatory animals, called downers, into the food supply. Nor had they taken steps to ensure that cattle feed was free of animal parts.
crazy stuff.
USDA Confirms 2nd U.S. Case of Mad Cow Disease
The announcement comes seven months after tests indicated the animal was not infected. The case is said to pose no threat to the public.
By Johanna Neuman and Jerry Hirsch, Times Staff Writers
WASHINGTON — Ending seven months of uncertainty, the U.S. Agriculture Department confirmed Friday that a cow first suspected of having mad cow disease in November had tested positive — the second such case identified in the United States.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, calling U.S. beef "the safest in the world," said the case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy posed no threat to public health because the animal was not sent to a food processing plant.
ADVERTISEMENT
"The BSE threat to humans in this country is so remote that there is a better chance you'll get hurt crossing the street to get to the grocery store than by the beef you buy in the grocery store," he said.
Johanns praised the USDA's testing regimen for BSE, saying positive tests were so rare it would be like "finding a needle in a haystack."
He also announced that department scientists had been ordered to develop a new protocol for dealing with cases in which initial tests for mad cow disease were inconclusive. And he said the USDA would reexamine the system for storing the remains of suspect animals.
The latest case of mad cow disease, however, raised concerns in the cattle industry that consumers would turn to poultry and pork and that trading partners would continue to ban U.S. beef from their markets.
Consumers largely shrugged off the previous U.S. incident, the discovery in December 2003 of a Washington state dairy cow infected with BSE.
That cow was imported from Canada, which earlier had a BSE discovery, and was born before a 1997 Food and Drug Administration rule prohibiting the feeding of ruminant meat and bone meal to cattle. The use of remains from cows, sheep and other ruminants as feed is suspected to be one of the key ways the disease is spread.
USDA officials refused to identify where the second infected animal was when it was slaughtered in November. They said they were investigating the cow's herd mates to determine how it got the disease. The animal reportedly was a Texas beef cow, born before the ban, that was slaughtered for pet food.
Food safety experts said that there still was little chance of consumers eating contaminated meat, which is linked to a human form of BSE known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The disease in humans has no treatment and is always fatal. It has affected 153 people worldwide, most of them in Britain. That country has found more than 180,000 animals infected with BSE.
By comparison, this was the second case found among an estimated 100 million head of cattle in this country.
"Happily, the risk of contracting the human form of mad cow disease is minuscule," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington advocacy group.
But DeWaal criticized the nation's lack of a mandatory animal tracking system.
"This cow was exposed at a time early in its life," she said. "Because we don't have a tracking program, we don't know where it was born, where it grew up and what other animals might have been exposed."
DeWaal said the USDA had delayed implementation of such a system until 2009, though Canada was able to move from a voluntary to a mandatory animal tracking system in one year.
And critics said that in the case of the second infected animal, it was only after prodding by the department's inspector general that officials took the action that led to Friday's announcement.
On Nov. 18, the USDA announced that two preliminary mad cow tests on an animal were inconclusive. More sophisticated tests were ordered, and on Nov. 23, officials announced that the new tests were negative. Officials said they were confident the animal was free of mad cow disease.
In February, the Consumers Union advocacy group urged the USDA to use a more sophisticated method called the "Western blot" test. This month, the USDA's inspector general also recommended using the Western blot test, which resulted in the announcement that the animal had mad cow disease.
Some ranchers and animal rights groups accused the administration Friday of foot-dragging on key reforms promised after the first cow tested positive in December 2003.
They said the government had not yet imposed a permanent ban on allowing nonambulatory animals, called downers, into the food supply. Nor had they taken steps to ensure that cattle feed was free of animal parts.
crazy stuff.
ahochaude wrote:USDA Confirms 2nd U.S. Case of Mad Cow Disease
So the question is, do you still eat beef? :)
The scary thing about mad cow is that it seems to be caused by these rogue proteins called prions that can't be destroyed even by the hottest bbq. They're not like bacteria or virii. Ick.
loris wrote:
So the question is, do you still eat beef? :)
The scary thing about mad cow is that it seems to be caused by these rogue proteins called prions that can't be destroyed even by the hottest bbq. They're not like bacteria or virii. Ick.
I'm glad to say that I hardly eat beef.
Usually I eat seafood or chicken. I'm not real big on beef. Was when I was a kid however the past several years, I just haven't been eating it all that much.
ahochaude wrote:I'm glad to say that I hardly eat beef.
Usually I eat seafood or chicken. I'm not real big on beef.
That's pretty much my story too. Although I prefer turkey to chicken :) And I love seafood. I just wish I lived closer to the ocean.
I think the risk from mad cow is probably pretty small. It's still scary though. Beef is probably worse from a heart disease and cancer point of view.
loris wrote:
That's pretty much my story too. Although I prefer turkey to chicken :) And I love seafood. I just wish I lived closer to the ocean.
I think the risk from mad cow is probably pretty small. It's still scary though. Beef is probably worse from a heart disease and cancer point of view.
I'm not real big on turkey. Don't really know why though. The only turkey I can eat on a consistant basis is those in the deli packs that you can put into sandwiches. Roast turkey and stuff, not really. Only on Thanksgiving.
Yeah, the risk of the mad cow disease is small but scary indeed. Maybe I'm paranoid but I try to stay away from the mindset that "It won't happen to me".
ok, american news it is
"COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A 16-year-old disabled girl was punched and forced to engage in videotaped sexual acts with several boys in a high school auditorium as dozens of students watched, according to witnesses.
Authorities are investigating and no charges have been filed in the alleged attack last month at Mifflin High School. Four boys suspected of involvement were sent home and have not returned to class.
Also, the principal, Regina Crenshaw, was suspended and will be fired for not calling police, school officials said. And three assistant principals were suspended and will be reassigned to other schools.[...]
School officials found the girl bleeding from the mouth. An assistant principal cautioned the girl's father against calling 911 to avoid media attention, the statements said. The girl's father called police."
"COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A 16-year-old disabled girl was punched and forced to engage in videotaped sexual acts with several boys in a high school auditorium as dozens of students watched, according to witnesses.
Authorities are investigating and no charges have been filed in the alleged attack last month at Mifflin High School. Four boys suspected of involvement were sent home and have not returned to class.
Also, the principal, Regina Crenshaw, was suspended and will be fired for not calling police, school officials said. And three assistant principals were suspended and will be reassigned to other schools.[...]
School officials found the girl bleeding from the mouth. An assistant principal cautioned the girl's father against calling 911 to avoid media attention, the statements said. The girl's father called police."
U.S. to resume plutonium 238 production
Mon Jun 27, 1:57 AM ET
The United States plans to produce highly radioactive plutonium 238 for the first time since the Cold War, The New York Times reported on Monday.
The newspaper quoted project managers as saying most, if not all, of the new plutonium was intended for secret missions. The officials would not disclose details, but the newspaper said the plutonium in the past powered espionage devices.
The Times said Timothy Frazier, head of radioisotope power systems at the U.S. Energy Department, vigorously denied in a recent interview any of the classified missions would involve nuclear arms, satellites or weapons in space.
"The real reason we're starting production is for national security," Frazier was quoted as saying.
Officials at the Energy Department could not be reached for comment.
The program, which the newspaper said had raised concerns among environmentalists, would produce 330 pounds (150 kg) over 30 years at the Idaho National Laboratory. The program could cost $1.5 billion and generate over 50,000 drums of hazardous and radioactive waste, federal officials told the Times.
Plutonium 238 is hundreds of times more radioactive than plutonium 239, which is used in nuclear arms, according to the newspaper. Medical experts say inhaling even a speck posed a serious risk of lung cancer, the Times said.
The newspaper said plutonium 238 had no central role in nuclear arms, but was valued for its steady heat that could be turned into electricity. Nuclear batteries made from it power spacecraft to go where sunlight is too dim to energize solar cells.
Federal and private experts not connected to the project were quoted as saying the new plutonium would likely power devices for espionage under the sea and on land.
The United States last made plutonium 238 in the 1980s and now relied on aging stockpiles or imports from Russia, the newspaper said. It added that under the agreement with Russia, the United States could not use the imports -- about 35 pounds (16 kg) since the end of the Cold War -- for military purposes.
Mon Jun 27, 1:57 AM ET
The United States plans to produce highly radioactive plutonium 238 for the first time since the Cold War, The New York Times reported on Monday.
The newspaper quoted project managers as saying most, if not all, of the new plutonium was intended for secret missions. The officials would not disclose details, but the newspaper said the plutonium in the past powered espionage devices.
The Times said Timothy Frazier, head of radioisotope power systems at the U.S. Energy Department, vigorously denied in a recent interview any of the classified missions would involve nuclear arms, satellites or weapons in space.
"The real reason we're starting production is for national security," Frazier was quoted as saying.
Officials at the Energy Department could not be reached for comment.
The program, which the newspaper said had raised concerns among environmentalists, would produce 330 pounds (150 kg) over 30 years at the Idaho National Laboratory. The program could cost $1.5 billion and generate over 50,000 drums of hazardous and radioactive waste, federal officials told the Times.
Plutonium 238 is hundreds of times more radioactive than plutonium 239, which is used in nuclear arms, according to the newspaper. Medical experts say inhaling even a speck posed a serious risk of lung cancer, the Times said.
The newspaper said plutonium 238 had no central role in nuclear arms, but was valued for its steady heat that could be turned into electricity. Nuclear batteries made from it power spacecraft to go where sunlight is too dim to energize solar cells.
Federal and private experts not connected to the project were quoted as saying the new plutonium would likely power devices for espionage under the sea and on land.
The United States last made plutonium 238 in the 1980s and now relied on aging stockpiles or imports from Russia, the newspaper said. It added that under the agreement with Russia, the United States could not use the imports -- about 35 pounds (16 kg) since the end of the Cold War -- for military purposes.
Even if it's not used for weapons, should another country begin using plutonium, I'm sure we'd cry foul, and rightly so. I understand the debate over other form of energy being needed and I agree, but I can't help but feel there's a severe double standard here.
dochira wrote:Even if it's not used for weapons, should another country begin using plutonium, I'm sure we'd cry foul, and rightly so. I understand the debate over other form of energy being needed and I agree, but I can't help but feel there's a severe double standard here.
Oh, absolutely there's a double standard... We're good, everyone else? Bad. :shakehead:
File this under "No good deed ever goes unpunished" :shakehead:
Texas Man Arrested After Heroic Rescue
Tue Jul 5, 7:09 AM ET
A man who rescued a swimmer caught in swirling river currents found himself in trouble soon afterward when he was arrested by authorities who claimed he was interfering.
Dave Newman, 48, disobeyed repeated orders by emergency personnel to leave the water, police said. He was charged with interfering with public duties.
"I was amazed," Newman said Monday after his release on $2,000 bail. "I had a very uncomfortable night after saving that guy's life. He thanked me for it in front of the police, and then they took me to jail."
Abed Duamni, 35, of Houston, said he had just finished eating at a restaurant Sunday when he decided to go for a swim in a nearby river. Duamni said he didn't see any signs warning swimmers of dangerous currents.
Newman said he pulled Duamni out of the water, swimming under a waterfall and over to the shore opposite from the restaurant. He could hear law enforcement personnel telling him to come back to the other side.
According to police, Newman smirked and seemed annoyed by officers' requests. He stood in the water for about 15 seconds before swimming downstream.
"When he came across the river, the officer stuck out his hand like he's going to help him out of the water, and he put cuffs on him," said John Parnell, pastor of St. Augustine Old Roman Catholic Church in Fort Worth.
Texas Man Arrested After Heroic Rescue
Tue Jul 5, 7:09 AM ET
A man who rescued a swimmer caught in swirling river currents found himself in trouble soon afterward when he was arrested by authorities who claimed he was interfering.
Dave Newman, 48, disobeyed repeated orders by emergency personnel to leave the water, police said. He was charged with interfering with public duties.
"I was amazed," Newman said Monday after his release on $2,000 bail. "I had a very uncomfortable night after saving that guy's life. He thanked me for it in front of the police, and then they took me to jail."
Abed Duamni, 35, of Houston, said he had just finished eating at a restaurant Sunday when he decided to go for a swim in a nearby river. Duamni said he didn't see any signs warning swimmers of dangerous currents.
Newman said he pulled Duamni out of the water, swimming under a waterfall and over to the shore opposite from the restaurant. He could hear law enforcement personnel telling him to come back to the other side.
According to police, Newman smirked and seemed annoyed by officers' requests. He stood in the water for about 15 seconds before swimming downstream.
"When he came across the river, the officer stuck out his hand like he's going to help him out of the water, and he put cuffs on him," said John Parnell, pastor of St. Augustine Old Roman Catholic Church in Fort Worth.
I could see the authorities side though: if he couldn't save the man, then they would have two people to rescue.
dochira wrote:I could see the authorities side though: if he couldn't save the man, then they would have two people to rescue.
Yeah, that's true.
But since it was a happy ending, they didn't have to arrest him... A warning would have been sufficient... Now the authorities end up looking like the bad guy.
Bad PR.
bmwracer wrote:
Yeah, that's true.
But since it was a happy ending, they didn't have to arrest him... A warning would have been sufficient... Now the authorities end up looking like the bad guy.
Bad PR.
^ Definitely. What he did was wrong (ignore warnings from the authorities), but the way they handled it was not cool. Of course this is all said in hindsight, who knows what they were thinking at that time.
dochira wrote:
^ Definitely. What he did was wrong (ignore warnings from the authorities), but the way they handled it was not cool. Of course this is all said in hindsight, who knows what they were thinking at that time.
They were probably thinking like cops. :hehe:
dochira wrote:^ Definitely. What he did was wrong (ignore warnings from the authorities), but the way they handled it was not cool. Of course this is all said in hindsight, who knows what they were thinking at that time.
It was a lose-lose for that guy: if the Good Samaritan law was in place, he'd be busted for not helping. :shakehead:
Astrologist Sues NASA Over Crash
Monday, July 4, 2005; Posted: 4:45 a.m. EDT (08:45 GMT)
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- A Russian astrologist who says NASA has altered her horoscope by crashing a spacecraft into a comet is suing the U.S. space agency for damages of $300 million, local media has reported.
NASA deliberately crashed its probe, named Deep Impact, into the Tempel 1 comet to unleash a spray of material formed billions of years ago which scientists hope will shed new light on the composition of the solar system.
"It is obvious that elements of the comet's orbit, and correspondingly the ephemeris, will change after the explosion, which interferes with my astrology work and distorts my horoscope," Izvestia daily quoted astrologist Marina Bai as saying in legal documents submitted before Monday's collision.
A spokeswoman for a Moscow district court said initial preparations for the case were underway but could not say when the hearing would begin. NASA representatives in Moscow were unavailable for comment.
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/04/deep.impact.sues.reut/index.html
Hahahahahahaha.
Hahaha.
Hahahahaha.
Haha.
Anyway, what are your thoughts?
The woman is a loon. :shakehead:
bmwracer wrote:The woman is a loon. :shakehead:
she needs to get slapped upside the head for being brain dead.
Replying needs an account. Registration opens soon.