"BSE Scare Mostly Mania"

Any thoughts on this article?

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-milloy2jan02,1,1634171.story

The "mad cow" disease diagnosed in a U.S. cow has set off a new round of predictable, but groundless, panic.

Foreign governments promptly banned imports of U.S. beef. Investors dumped the stocks of beef- related companies. And, of course, what health scare would be complete without hyperventilating calls for even more government oversight of an already highly regulated industry?

There's no question that bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE — commonly called mad cow disease — is a neurological disease in cattle. But the notion that people can contract a human form of mad cow by eating beef from infected cattle is more bun than burger.

That says it all, really.

It's Steve Milloy. He calls himself the "Junkman" and is this self-appointed crusader against what he terms "junk science". Of course, he is the one who defines what is junk and what isn't. Read the book "Trust Us, We're Experts!" by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber for some interesting background.

I admit to being completely ignorant to both the Cato Institute and Steven Milloy.. I'll be sure to check out that book though.

they are nuts, the sky is falling!

Loook folks they CLOSED the border to UK Beef when it broke o'er there.

Kind of funny, truly

That said, no beef for me

What's the background on this organization?

Which is notorious for distorting any and all facts in its articles.

Its economics view is strict Grover Norquist Corporatism. So it supports elimination of all taxes and all regulations on corporations.

So, for example, it would argue that "the market" would take care of all pollution, health, and safety issues.