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Article by
John Cox M.A. C/M

When perusing the Internet the other day, with a friend (Anthropologist – Large Mammal Biologist – PhD) and myself found an article I completed a couple of weeks ago. I wrote about contamination in water tanks near, or on pastures, where horses or cattle graze, specifically.

The situation I explained was how harmful Blue-Green Algae, obvious by the blooms floating on top of the water in the tank, and in many Water Tanks, or ponds, can develop into extremely sick livestock, as well as kill them. This also contaminates the beef, et al., and makes it harmful for the public to digest – The amount of Recalls of beef, yearly, serves as evidence, quite well.

We looked at 424 irrational comments, of snide, very ignorant statements of no value. Obvious, by name recognition, the Pro-Slaughter – Protect the Harvest (or whatever they call themselves today) people involved, as well as a few snide ranchers, that were covering their ass. . . All made assess out of themselves, anyway – the obvious seems to be something they have no idea about — Their Ignorance, Bigotry, and Bias showed us, quite well.

What stood out, was their hatred toward anyone that had anything to say about their bad, and even neglectful and incompetent management circumstances (again see the number of yearly recalls of bad-beef i.e. contaminated beef, below). For the most up-to-date information on active recalls, you can check the FSIS Recent Recalls page. But need we not forget, this beef industry on

Our Public Lands, are demanding less regulatory-controls, so they can pump-out more beef products to make more money. The fact is, they are out of control currently, and it is an unnecessary situation (less than 1% of beef product in the United States Markets) –

Out of the 424 people making statements, we found a large percent from places like New York City, Miami, Fl., Detroit, Mi., Dallas, Tx., Salt Lake City, Ut., Phoenix, Az., and other cities, debating and stating how Blue-Green Alge in water tanks on ranches and on the range harmless (packaged blue-green algae on the commercialized beauty-markets are not the same toxic-types we are discussing here, as reading and being able to understand what they read, it is obvious), and Advocates such as myself, were just educated snobs, that know nothing. Interesting, the length people will go to debate an issue. Demeaning people that contradict them (over the internet and from their living rooms), are intimidated by the fact they actually, and obviously, know nothing about the subject they discuss, pretend they are Experts (i.e. Wolves and Wild Horses suffer the same tragedy), and have probably never left their city or town environments, nor their living rooms or home office space.

This is a good example of the Ignorance we deal with daily, the bias, the bigotry, the outright hatred, that politicians, et al., have accomplished in separating our society, as well, which is beneficial to them, not us, as Taxpayers and Americans (as a Vietnam Veteran myself, I take this as a grave insult, the things we see today in Our America). So, let’s look at reality, with the Blue-Green and Toxic Algae that forms in water tanks, when the cattle or horses, in this case, are neglected by ranchers, et al., and the outcome . . .

Beyond a doubt, case-proven. There were no animals harmed, nor people threatened by us, and simply showing here, how people do make asses out of themselves, when doing their attacks toward those of us that provide good information to the public, that may contradict their bias, or going over-their-heads in total, due to lack of an appropriate knowledge-base, in order to communicate their beliefs or opinions. Yes, ignorance. Those who call themselves Experts, and yet . . .

The Reality:

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in a water tank (mixed or blooms) are dangerous and potentially fatal for horses and cows. It can cause rapid death, liver damage, neurologic issues, or severe illness. Tanks should be scrubbed weekly, and if a bloom occurs, animals must be removed from that water source immediately. Science shows this quite well, and an occasional dead Bird in the tanks, floating, as well, among other animals.

Symptoms of Exposure to Horses:

• Neurological: Muscle tremors, convulsions, convulsions, paralysis, and sudden death.
• Hepatic (Liver): Weakness, jaundice, diarrhea, blood in stool, and colic.
• Other: Skin rashes and irritation of the eyes and nasal passages.
Health Risks to Most Livestock:

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is extremely harmful and often fatal to horses. It produces toxins that cause rapid liver failure, severe neurological damage, or sudden death within 24 hours of ingestion. Blooms appear as blue-green, green, or “pea soup” scum on stagnant water, especially in warm, calm weather.

• Neurotoxins: Cause muscle tremors, convulsions, breathing issues, and death.
• Hepatotoxins: Cause liver damage, diarrhea, weakness, and death.
• Irritation: Skin rash, eye issues, and oral sores.
Management Tips for Water Tanks:
• Routine Cleaning: Empty and scrub tanks weekly to remove algae scum.
• Prevention: Avoid using chemical fertilizers near water sources.
• Safe Water Alternatives: If a, pond is infested, pump water from deep in the center or provide an alternative water source.
• Treatment: Use copper sulfate or safe, registered algae control products if necessary, but keep animals away for at least 5 days following treatment.
Prevention and Management
• Restrict Access: Fence off ponds, lakes, or slow-moving water with visible algae.
• Provide Clean Water: Always provide fresh water from tanks, avoiding stagnant, scummy, or nutrient-rich water.
• Check Supplements: Ensure high-quality supplements, as some can be contaminated with blue-green algae.
• Avoid “Scum”: If water looks like green paint, avoid it entirely
The fact is, If you suspect your livestock have ingested this algae, contact a veterinarian immediately.

Facts of Contamination – The Reality (Are we protected as consumers, from this travesty of ignorance and deceptive ranching management situations)

So why do we pay attention to this situation? Well — Contamination. Because the Beef industry and management of Beef is a – get it in, get it fat, get it out, industry. How do we know this?

Beef recalls fluctuate significantly based on contamination events, ranging from small, specific batch recalls to millions of pounds in a single year. While smaller recalls (under 30,000 lbs) occur frequently, major incidents, such as the 2018 recall of over 12 million pounds of beef due to Salmonella, or drinking polluted water from contaminated water tanks / creeks i.e. toxic algae, where cattle graze, or numerous other situations of mismanagement, or neglect — demonstrate how drastically the amount can vary.
• Significant Recalls: Major recalls often involve millions of pounds, such as the 2018 JBS Tolleson recall of 12 million pounds of beef.
• Common Causes: Recalls often occur due to blue-green algae, potential E. coli O157:H7 or O26 contamination, or contamination from foreign materials (metal, plastic).
• Recent Examples: In late 2025 and early 2026, several recalls for E. coli involved smaller, targeted amounts ranging from roughly 2,800 to 58,000 pounds.
• Regulation: The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) handles these recalls, categorizing them based on health risk severity.

For the most up-to-date information on active recalls, you can check the FSIS Recent Recalls page.

In Our Food Supply – Beef Products, et al., when Beef Contaminated by the Blue-Green Algae —

Symptoms of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) poisoning via ingestion of contaminated food, such as meat from exposed animals, include severe gastrointestinal distress (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain), headache, fever, muscle weakness, and numbness. Serious cases involve liver damage (jaundice, shock) or neurotoxic effects (tremors, paralysis).

Symptoms of Blue-Green Algae Toxicity

Symptoms can appear hours to days after consuming the contaminated food:
• Gastrointestinal: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abdominal pain.
• Neurological: Headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, tingling, numbness, and in severe cases, paralysis.
• Hepatic (Liver): Elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, and potential liver failure (often caused by microcystins).
• General/Other: Fever, sore throat, cough, pneumonia-like symptoms, and skin rash.

Mechanism of Toxicity

While direct exposure to contaminated water is more common, poisoning can occur by consuming meat from livestock that ingested high levels of algal blooms (microcystins or neurotoxins). These toxins do not disappear through cooking.” — John Cox, M.A. C/M

John W. Cox – M.A. C/M

Strategic propaganda is a systematic, deliberate communication effort designed to manipulate attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to achieve specific political, military, or ideological goals. It uses tailored messages—through media, social networks, and imagery—to exploit emotions over reason, often amplifying existing biases or creating false narratives to serve a specific agenda. 

Elements of Strategic Propaganda

• Targeted Manipulation: Unlike open persuasion, propaganda often relies on deceit or extreme bias to move audiences toward a predetermined action.
• Emotional Appeals: Focuses on stirring fear, pride, hate, or patriotism, such as using scapegoats or “fear, uncertainty, and doubt” (FUD) to drive opinion.
• Repetition and Dissemination: Utilizes news reports, social media, films, and government reports to create a “surround sound” effect, ensuring the message seems unavoidable or universal.
• Selective Information (Card Stacking): Omitting facts or highlighting only information that supports a specific narrative. 

Techniques 

• Name-calling: Labeling opponents to incite fear or prejudice.
• Glittering Generalities: Using vague, virtuous words (e.g., “freedom,” “justice”) to gain approval without examination.
• Transfer: Using authority symbols to project authority onto an idea (e.g., using a flag to imply patriotism).
• Testimonial: Citing celebrities or respected figures to promote an idea.
• Plain Folks: Presenting leaders as average, relatable people.
• Bandwagon: Creating the illusion that “everyone is doing it” to encourage compliance. 

Modern Application

• Social Media & Disinformation: Foreign actors use social media for coordinated influence campaigns, creating content that appears homegrown to influence foreign politics.
• Military Info Ops: Used to influence emotions and behavior of enemy populations or military personnel, often termed “political warfare”.
• Economic/Commercial: Used in marketing or public relations to shape consumer perception. 

Countering Propaganda

Effective counter-propaganda often requires more than fact-checking; it requires addressing the underlying emotional and human desires that the propaganda exploits.