The Real, Real Issue

[per]

Boy what a tragedy that would be if the consumer wanted a higher standard. Incremental change in any system was created by forward thinkers that saw a need and filled it. I am sure that BIG C and Creekstone would be the first to revamp their airlines to fit into the realities of the day. Air Canada and United would continue to languish and maybe even die. That is how some thrive and others fail. When the cheese gets moldy find a new source of cheese. No wonder our industry is in such trouble, we are trying to change the consumer instead of changing for the consumer.

[cakadu]

While your analogy is a good one farmers_son, I tend to find it a bit of a red herring. Air travel is but one form of transportation that has many choices - it is partially dependent on how quickly one wants to arrive. Bottom line is that we will survive if we choose not to travel or to choose one method of travel over another.

When it comes to food, we have to eat in order to survive. Yes, we have many food choices but the bottom line is we MUST eat. It is only in the Western world that we have food choices and can sit back fat, sassy, happy and somewhat arrogant about what food is best. Many in the world have absolutely no choice and spend over 80% of their day getting their one meal of the day.

Where has science gotten us when it comes to our food? What is good for us one day is bad for us the next. As an example, remember oat bran? How about the benefits of margarine (a trans fat) over butter? Now we recognize that trans fats are very bad for us. I would encourage you to read a book called "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan. Our so-called food has become so processed and adulterated that it really isn't food any more.

The reason BSE became such an issue in the U.K. is that both science and government were telling people that it was safe to eat beef. We have come a long way in our understanding of BSE since then, but we still don't know much about it. Same with e-coli. We don't know what we don't know about it.

Are you advocating that the way we process our beef now - in these mega packing plants that process thousands per day - is safer than what we had before? The potential to sicken many in a far greater area is tremendous. Yet aren't these internationally recognized "standards"?

[rkaiser]

That was a lot of effort batman ---- Good to know that you and ABP may be using BIG C Airlines in the near future.

In fact - you better check with the office, some of them are already booking I believe. You might miss the boat if you continue wasting your time trying to convince us all not to BSE test.

Or better yet - farmers_son. Get on a damn plane and get your butt over to Japan and convince them that the OIE is right and they need to start importing our SRM removed, safe product tomorrow. Only problem you might have is showing someone beyond North America how the USA is choosing full OIE guidelines when dealing with their little Canadian cousins. Guess what farmers_son ----- they ain't. Damn them Yankees, ---- convincing us to stand by them while they piss in our cornflakeys.