Mad Cow Suspect in Washington State

Oh, gads, and I just ate a burger. Do we have to kill all the cows now?

UPDATE: From the Fox News article (emphasis mine):

A form of mad cow disease can be contracted by humans if they eat infected beef or nerve tissue, and possibly through blood transfusions.

And here:

Scientists believe humans can be infected with the brain-wasting disease by eating meat contaminated with diseased brain or spinal column material. BSE is usually not found in meat like steaks and roasts.

In other words, the muscle cuts of meat are not known to transmit the disease, although it still remains if meat such as hamburger is completely free of spinal cord and brain tissue. Perhaps we can eat our burgers in safety. Here's some more info from Fox.

And here, Asia reacts by banning beef imported from the U.S. Testing is reported to be completed within the week.

Here, the UPI reports on the contention that BSE (Mad Cow) has been in U.S. beef herds for a while.

eMail to Andrew Sullivan

Mail shamelessly reprinted here:

While having a beer at a neighborhood bar/restaurant in NYC's West Village last weekend, I was party to a situation that I think you'll find directly on point.

Three mid-50's liberals were going on about the capture of Saddam; how it was a conspiracy, that the president knew where he was at all times and picked a politically opportune moment to capture him, it was all about the oil, etc.

The mid-20's girl sitting next to them broke from her conversation to chime in with the following, 'I wish 60's sensibilities had stayed there. Someone points a gun in your face and you think 'My Fault', when you should be thinking 'You just picked the wrong fight'. Get your heads out of your asses'.

They responded with dismissive claims about Republicans and tourists from the midwest.

She replied with, 'One, I've grew up in Brooklyn. Two, I voted for Gore -- but I'll sure as hell take W. over someone who thinks the French are the height of moral authority and without ulterior motive.'

I asked her out on the spot, and have a date for this Friday. Foxy, Cunning, and Fearless -- wish me luck!

You go, girl!

Holiday Terror Alert Analysis

Winds of Change has an interesting and annotated analysis of the possible terror threat against America. Good reading.

You Want to Swing It?

Yo, check out the Dissident Frogman's recent effort. Push the RED button.

(Flash required)

OK, I Lied II

Here is a great article on three fronts: 1) It discusses the current trend to de-Christmas December, 2) It discusses our power as a consumer to not frequent those businesses that support ideas that we find distastful or even "vicious" and 3) it discusses reverse sexual discrimination. Great stuff, key grafs from Wendy McElroy.

On the yanking of the Reagons mini-series (ed: i.e., hatchet job) after consumers threatened boycott of advertisers:

The left screamed "CENSORSHIP!" but the opposite was true. Censorship is the suppression of words or images through force, usually by law. The threatened "boycott" was nothing more than consumers exercising the freedom of speech to say "no" to a product and to the people peddling it. It was discretionary spending in the free market of ideas.

On t-shirts that sport slogans such as "--Boys are Stupid -- Throw Rocks at Them", "--Boys Lie -- Poke Them in the Eye" and "--Boys are Full of It -- Fling Poop at Them". McElroy sees:

the gender feminist attack on men that causes us to take for granted or even smile at the widespread defamation of males. . .Hate mongering is a lucrative business and the best remedy is to yank away the financial incentive.

Good stuff.

OK, I Lied.

One more post for the road, something way too juicy to pass up. Apparently, the rebuilding of Mordor will be the REAL quagmire, according to the Politburo Diktat:

Notice how movie ended with Fall of Sauron's Tower? Nothing at all about the reconstruction of Mordor. And everybody knows that's the hard part. GW's whole approach completely disregarded cultural norms of the Orcs, and HOOmiliated them frequently. Just going to make Orcs angrier, "Now GW defeated us AGAIN in another war. Is great HOOmiliation." How about all the Orc civilian casualties? Never saw those.

Ho HO! Middle Earth is not safer now that GW (Gandalf the White) has brought down Sauron. No, Middle Earth is MORE dangerous now that the Orcs have been humiliated--they will seek revenge!

Why didn't the Last Coalition between Elves and Men try weapons inspectors and international sanctions?

Merry Christmas

Well, the Carpetbloggers will be off Christmas week for regular updates as there is much last minute shopping and preparations for family to do. We'll be back after the New Year or if there is something really interesting to blog about.

Have Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

(Unless you're on public grounds, in which case we'll say: "You are encouraged to enjoy your faith or secular appropriate seasonal customs in compliance with applicable laws. In accordance with Proposition 65, this website and the computer you are viewing this website with may contain some substances that have been known to cause cancer and/or birth defects, such as and not limited to: lead, arsenic and alcohol residue. Drink responsibly. The views expressed in this seasonal greeting in no way reflect the views, opinions or positions of the public organization on which this greeting appears. Void where prohibited by law. No warranty, expressed or implied, is applicable to this greeting except where mandated by law and in the states of California, Washington and West Virginia where applicable laws take precedence. Cash redemption value one tenth of one percent. This greeting not redeemable for cash. Offer expires 1/2/2004.")