I think that the "danger" from mad cow disease is one of the most over-hyped, irresponsible pieces of journalism.

There have been two - count 'em, 2 - cases of mad cow disease in North America - one in Canada, one in the US. The one in the US wasn't even a beef cow, it was a dairy cow.

There has been (I believe) exactly one fatality from mad cow disease in Canada, and that was contracted from eating beef in England.

I just had Alberta Roast Beef dip for lunch today, and thought nothing of it. I figure I'm more likely to be killed by lightning while walking to my car in the parking lot than I am to contract Creutzfeld-Jakov disease from eating contaminated beef.

Frankly, it's just so far down my list of things I should worry about that it doesn't even register as a blip on the radar.