Harry, stuck as I am behind my computer screen today, I think you ought to lead a walk of Futureworkers to the South Downs. It sounds lovely!
Cheers, Lawry > -----Original Message----- > From: Harry Pollard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 9:27 PM > To: Brad McCormick, Ed.D.; Ray Evans Harrell > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Ed Weick; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Mad Cow and the English Countryside (was Maggie Thatcher + > Albert the Laboratory Rat) > > > Brad, > > The problem was more prosaic than an "evil" woman getting her kicks. But, > you do love to personalize. > > There were once local abattoirs. The EEC changed that to fewer large > abattoirs. The beef had to travel a distance across country, > taking the Mad > Cow with it. So, what might have been a local problem became a > countrywide > epidemic. > > The animals could have been vaccinated, but the government feared > it would > put off foreign buyers - so they weren't. Agriculture brings in about $1 > billion a year. Tourism brings in $5 billion. So, the tourists were > prevented from traipsing around the English countryside - which is a joy. > > Come to think of it, the English don't seem to appreciate their > countryside. A few years ago, I walked the 14 miles from Wareham > to Swanage > one lovely summer Dorset day - using footpaths across country (along with > some paths I made on the spot). (No dank, dark redwoods - the > forests were > deciduous and alive!) > > Met no-one along the way, except around Corfe Castle, where I stopped for > an excellent Cottage Pie - not a good decision with 6-7 miles to go. > > Similar experience walking in a large 11 mile circle around the > South Downs > - perhaps 15-20 miles from downtown London. Hardly a soul was > encountered - > except at the pub for lunch and Bass. > > Harry > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > Brad wrote: > > >Ray Evans Harrell wrote: > >>Hi Brad, > >>Actually, I had forgotten about those VPs but I do remember the > daughter of > >>that government official in the UK eating a hamburger on > television to prove > >>that the beef was OK during the mad cow situation. > > > >Does anybody recall Maggie Thatcher herself getting on TV and > >eating a hamburger? > > > >At least one real-life Brit > >told me matter-of-factly that the reason for > >Mad Cow disease was that Maggie cut the nunber of > >meat inspectors. I call it: Mad Thatcher Disease. > > > >And, why not quote that great New Scientist cartoon again: > > > > Albert the laboratory rat > > ------------------------- > > > > The British magazine New Scientist had a cartoon > > series, ca. 1980: "Albert the laboratory rat". Each week Albert had a > > different adventure in the world of science. One episode began > > with the Lab Director being "made redundant" (AKA "laid off", > > fired...) by Margaret Thatcher, as a cost saving measure. > > > > Next frame: Albert is appointed new Lab Director (presumably > > at lower salary than the former director). > > > > Next frame: Albert > > hires back the former Lab Director as the new laboratory rat. > > > > Final frame: Albert relaxes in his director's chair, popping > > positive reinforcement cookies with one front paw, and pressing > > the button on a box with his other paw to administer electric > > shocks to the new lab rat. Through a one-way mirror, we and > > Albert watch the former Director writhing in pain from the > > shocks Albert is administering. > > > >Maybe Reagan really has CJD and "they" are keeping it > >hushed up to avoid public hysteria and embarrassing Maggie? > > > > Wake up Maggie, I've something to say to you.... > > (--Rod Stewart song) > > > >\brad mccormick > > > ****************************** > Harry Pollard > Henry George School of LA > Box 655 > Tujunga CA 91042 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Tel: (818) 352-4141 > Fax: (818) 353-2242 > ******************************* > > _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
