When one program featured some particularly emotional footage of a British girl paralyzed by the incurable disease that destroys the brain, the national anxiety seemed to skyrocket. Many consumers began avoiding beef entirely. The French public has some reason not to trust the authorities, who have had a poor track record of keeping the public informed about health dangers. In that case, the French heard that with millions of dollars at stake some government officials preferred to keep quiet. So last week, many French citizens wondered out loud if this was happening again, in an effort to protect France's huge cattle industry.
Some passengers pull blankets over their heads.
Then the crew pop the tops on two cans of a sickly sweet aerosol and walk quickly down the aisles, a white cloud billowing behind them. This is mosquito control at the nexus between the poor, infected world and the rich, scared one. Luckily for mankind, only a few relish human blood. Seven cases have been reported this year. Most mosquitoes don't fly five miles in their lives, but a few have joined the jet age.