An E. coli Vaccine? (with poll)

by: OrangeClouds115

Sat Jul 12, 2008 at 16:00:00 PM PDT

Will we see an E. coli vaccine for cows in the near future? Looks like it's a possibility, if the research going on at Montana State University (with participation from the USDA) is successful.

While any technology that can prevent human sickness and death from E. coli is a good thing, this looks to me like a case of "there was an old woman who swallowed a fly." The simple way to reduce E. coli is to feed cows grass during the last few days before slaughter. To keep fecal matter out of the meat, we could keep the cows in more sanitary conditions so they do not get so much manure on their hides and slow down the line speed in our slaughterhouses so the workers make less mistakes resulting in contamination.

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An Idiot I Met - And So Much More

by: OrangeClouds115

Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 22:16:04 PM PDT

This past weekend, I was walking home wearing an Obama shirt. Walking because gas costs a million dollars now and I'm trying to do as little as possible to contribute to Exxon's bottom line. As I passed a used bookstore, a man commented on my shirt.

I stopped and chatted with him for a minute and then he said "Yeah... I still don't know who I'm voting for yet."

I said "Are you kidding me? Is there a choice? McCain's such an asshole!"

Idiot: "If it weren't for the war, I'd vote for McCain hands down. The Democrats want to socialize everything. They practically want a national bed time."

The conversation that followed is SO TELLING about everything that's wrong with America, and why we need candidates who are willing to make it right to win in November.

There's More... :: (5 Comments, 1395 words in story)

While You Fear Salmonella, Don't Forget to Fear E. Coli Too

by: OrangeClouds115

Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 12:00:00 PM PDT

Salmonella's taking all of the headlines, but you may have noticed E. coli making news too. A big recall's under way. Ground beef... again.

The culprit in this case is Nebraska Beef. Based on what Washington Post reports about them - I'd like to know why they are still in business. In 2003, the USDA tried to shut down their Omaha packing plant. So what did Nebraska Beef do? Clean up their act? Nope... they sued the USDA. (Where are the Republicans calling for tort reform now?) They settled and Nebraska Beef did not close down its Omaha plant.

A few years later, Nebraska Beef sold ground beef tainted ith E. coli that killed a Minnesota woman. She ate meatballs at a church event and died. The woman's family sued Nebraska Beef. Nebraska Beef sued the church. Because Nebraska Beef sold the church tainted beef, they said the church was at fault. Are you kidding me?

Last year, Nebraska Beef sued the USDA again because they thought they were being "unfairly targeted" by USDA inspectors. The suit was dismissed.

So now they are recalling 5.3 million pounds of beef. 41 people are sick. E. coli yet again. Why are they allowed to remain in business??

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