a look at Colorado prop 105 – labeling genetically modified foods

This is about whether or not they should have to label genetically modified food.

The popular definition of a GMO is (according to Wikipedia) “an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.”

In short, the ‘No’ side: we have been eating genetically modified food for generations. It’s how we maximize crops and water usage. No one has grown a tail yet. On a level, this activity goes back to monk Gregor Mendel splicing peas in his garden several hundred years ago. He is the father of discovering genetics (things like recessive genes and stuff).

The ‘Yes’ side: the terrifying evil that is Monsanto.

The issue here is NOT if you want genetically modified food. You are already eating it, and have been for 20 years. You were not given a choice. The issue is do we want to force agrarians to label food if it contains GMO (which stands for Genetically Modified Somethingorother.  At this time, this is mostly about corn production.  Corn is in every single thing you eat.  Also, it is in your gasoline now.  America runs on corn.  Monsanto’s corn.

That’s all. This is ONLY about the label. Remember that.

Now, the ‘no’ side will say “this is a huge pain in the ass. All you are doing is making shit more expensive for us to do business. Like it isn’t hard enough being a fucking farmer, and now you fucking hippies want a special sticker on your goddamn Sourdough Loaf for your fucking hummus, you little lazy do nothing shits!”

The no side has a compelling point. I do drive a Subaru, after all.  Now, We are already eating GMO food, why make small farms, who are already struggling, take extra steps to feed America? This is a true and fair point. However, it is also largely disingenuous. We aren’t talking about the American Gothic farmers, here. We are talking about a HUGE monolithic company that has taken over the heartland and now OWN everything you eat. You bought that wheat cracker? Nope. You are only borrowing it. Monsanto owns that wheat, cracker (fun with commas, eh?)

The NO side also has Popular Science on its side. Full disclosure, I subscribe to popular science and pretty much take what they say as gospel. They say, without question or qualification that… well.. it’s a long and thoughtful and sciency piece. So, I will link it here with my summation

It’s fine. You aren’t going to grow a tail. Quit twisting your panties over non isues – Popular Mechanics (in so many words).

So, it would appear science wins here, right? No big whoop. Let them do their shit; it feeds more families in a safer and more efficient manner. This is the very compelling argument of the ‘NO’ side.  All you do with this bill is hassle farmers and raise prices.  Let’s take a look at this graph.

I don’t know what this graph is for.  I think it is from a cutlery site.  I just thought an article like this would have more credibility if it had charts and stuff.  You are welcome.

Let’s look at the YES side. Remember my piece last month about prop 68? In it, I mentioned I am generally against the side that is spending the most money on an issue? Well, that certainly falls true here.

The argument on the YES side is this: sweet mother of god we have to stop Monsanto corporation. Really, that is it.  I am going to go out on a limb here and say this entire ballot issue is directed at one single company – Monsanto. They are a company who sells, markets, and controls GMO seeds. They do this with terror, literally. These guys are like Bond villains and cartoon villains all in one. They are very very big and powerful. They now have seats in our government, and have also gotten their own legislation passed to protect them. It is known as the ‘Monsanto Protection Act’. Keep in mind, the MPA was not signed by nefarious scheming Republicans. This was Obama.

This transcends political parties. These are gazillionaires with literally unlimited resources. They control the foodstuff of the United States. Not ‘will control’… DO currently control. Their power is limited outside of the US, because most countries have bans on this stuff.

Sixty-four countries, including all of the European Union and Japan, already have GMO labeling. Many U.S. food manufacturers are already labeling food containing GMOs for export to these countries.

With these facts in mind, labeling GMOs will not result in a spike in grocery costs. (Denver Post, verbatim)

What. exactly, is Monsanto doing that should leave you wide awake at night terrified to fall asleep? It’s complex stuff, so let me find someone slightly more succinct than myself.

Roundup Kills Everything except the genetically engineered crop.   The seeds are engineered to resist the Roundup herbicide and further, the toxic (weed killing) residue of Glyphosate remains on the Roundup Ready seeds are genetically modified to withstand the herbicide toxicity.  This is also the primary purpose of ALL genetically modified seeds, to resist pest’s – drought – and most importantly pesticide and     herbicide.
Seeds that are “Roundup Ready” will survive Monsanto’s glyphosate herbicide while killing everything around it.

When these crops are harvested, they contain high levels of glyphosate and it doesn’t just go away.  Millions of gallons of this have been sprayed all across the U.S. – for years!  Corn crops are treated this way too.  The Corn is fed to animals, used in cereal and many other products… in fact, you probably know that corn products are in 75% of the things you buy at the grocery store and all of these products have traces of herbicide.

In addition, because weeds are pretty “smart” – the ones that used to die from the RoundUp herbicide treatments don’t die anymore.  They have adapted and become tolerant of the product that used to kill them.  Sources confirm that as many as 20 new types of weeds nicknamed “SuperWeeds” have been found growing in GMO crop sites.

Throughout its history, Monsanto has developed chemical products which have eventually become controversial or been banned, including DDT, Agent Orange, Bovine Growth Hormone, and PCBs.

Now, allow to me again recap what each side would say in their defense. Monsanto is most known for creating ‘round up resistant seeds’. ‘Round Up’ is the name of their chemical that kills bugs and weeds. When farmers plant a ‘round up resistant seed’, they are then able to spray their crops with pesticide to kill the bugs and weeds. This results in a large and fruitful bounty for the farmer, with minimal effort.   Further?  Let’s take a look at some more empirical data:

This system works for farmers… assuming they are using their seeds and their pesticides. How they get you to do this is very, very, very heavy handed.

Someone against the issue will then also point this out: crops like corn used to be ‘self seeding’. This meant that the corn would keep growing if you took care of it year after year. You didn’t have to replant seeds. It was like those tulips you keep mowing over. They come up year after year no matter what you do.   This is no longer the case. Monsanto pioneered what are called ‘terminator’ seeds. This means they are only good for one season. Then, each season, you have to go back to them (and only them) for more seeds and more pesticides. It’s quite brilliant, really. In one fell swoop they created the problem AND the solution.

another analogy – two men in suits and dark sunglasses come to your door.  They ask if you would like to buy the antidote to CootiesH69. They explain that it is deadly, and showing up increasingly in this neighborhood.   You say, politely “no thanks.  I don’t see the need for that.  Btw, aren’t you guys the ones who invented CootiesH69?”   but you don’t get that sentence out.  Before you finish the sentence he shoots a blow dart gun into your neck.  He explains “Guess what, asshole?  Now you have CootiesH69.  Want the antidote now?”.

So, at the end of the day does GMO help or hurt farmers? It doesn’t help. The cost of crop production has remained steadily declining outside of the Monsanto curve. We are not getting a bigger yield out of these magic seeds. Instead, this is what the average farmer is encountering:

Monsanto has shut down many small farms via lawsuits because their patented crop was found on the farms. While it was only small percentages of the crop that were Monsanto’s seeds, they were able to get a ruling in their favor regardless of the fact that Monsanto was accused for purposely putting their seed onto farmers land as well as the fact that Monsanto crop pollen from nearby farms can easily blow onto other farms who are not using Monsanto crop.

Percy Schmeiser is a Canadian farmer whose canola fields were contaminated with Monsanto’s Round-Up Ready Canola by pollen from a nearby GMO farm. Monsanto successfully argued in a lawsuit that Schmeiser violated their patent rights, and forced Schmeiser to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.This type of biotech bullying is happening all over North America. Monsanto performed no independent tests as their tests were all performed in house or by experts hired by the company.

Basically, you still need to do further research on this stuff. It is super important and super complex. It is happening now, and has been for 20 years. It will continue to happen, that much is fact. The idea of Prop 105 (which several states have on their ballots) is how much the consumer deserves to know about their food. This is why I support the YES of forcing GMO food to be labeled. It is a checks and balances system against the influence of Monsanto.

Oh, this is fun. I just found this out while researching this piece. Monsanto has covered food production for the United States. They control it. Most other countries won’t let them in. So, where does Monsanto go from here? Apparently, to what you drink. This is a piece in Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair? Isn’t that the magazine with pretty hot skinny ladies on it? What do they have to do with journalism? I dunno, but when fashion magazines start writing about agriculture production threats, you best take notice. This is no longer an issue for wonks and policy nerds.

Further, the Denver Post endorses this measure. I would not call the Post a stooge for the Dems buy a long shot, either. Those fucknuts actually endorsed GW Bush’s second term. Will never forgive them for that. – Ed note to self:  CORRECTION.  The post does NOT endorse this bill.

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I encourage you to learn more about this. Do NOT take my word for it (ever, about anything).  However, if you don’t have the time to sift through the madess, I hope this serves as an honest primer and discussion point on the issue.  There are several links posted throughout the above piece that delve deeper. There are also several documentaries you can watch streaming right now. Here. Here. And Here. Oh, and here and here. Full disclosure, these are all anti-Monsanto. As am I.

The truth is, we don’t know if these lab made crops are going to give us cancer and make us grow tails. We may not know for generations. Like Climate Change, the question is if we are willing to trust the super duper rich to take care of us. You may think ‘why would they hurt us? If we are all dead, they don’t profit?”.   I see it more like this. We will all grow tails, and odds are Monsanto will have the only tail repellant on the market. Seriously.

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Friday Fives – Geesh, he really just went off the rails on that one

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allow me to explain a bit before you read further.  I came home from work and spend 7 hours cleaning for reletaives visiting this weeking.  SEVEN HOURS>… AFTER A FULL DAY of work.  now, most of you women say “welcome to my life”. or “that is what you get for having kids”.  I don’t have kids.  So, I got home at 9 am and drank four pots of coffee and cleaned (and watched action movies, of course).  So, I was a little fighty and punchy by the time I published this at 3 or 4 am.

also, I have to admit that I see this country getting SO fucked every single day by people voting against their own interest.  So, I get set off when I see the GOP explain to 50 million uninsured Americans why they don’t want to need health insurance… and then those fuckstards (and by that I mean every single person in the grianbelt) vote against giving themselves health insurance.  Did you know healthcare is the #1  cause of bankruptcy today?  So, I admit I got [ushy and fighty and I shouldn’t have.  At this point, though, i just say ‘fuck em’.  You want govt out of your life?  you win.  no more seatbelts, no more gun laws to protect your kids, no more copys or fire departments.  no more tv.  No one pointing nuclear weapons BACK a the middle East. no more fixing bridges or paving roads.  No more going to the doctor EVER.  You and Ron Paul will all be very happy… for about a week.

you use the govt every walking moment of your life, and they are genuinely there to help you.  Yes, we all know it’s expensive and inefficient but we get to that below.  I don’t even expect you to thank the govt, or me… just shut the fuck up about it unti you educate yourself.  OR… more to Florida.  They literally have NO laws, it is quite something.

1. What is the creepiest local legend in your hometown?

Love Canal.  I am from Buffalo.  We had a small accident with buried toxic waste.  Well, that was the plan.  Admittedly, we didn’t quote know that toxic waste doesn’t break down in our lives.  Well, they knew… but we didn’t it.  So… they buried this all of this nasty stuff outside of a Buffalo NY suburb known as ‘Love Canal’  They buried the stuff and put a whole housing community and school on it.  Figured ‘no big whup’ and kinda didn’t tell people.

According to Wiki, this was in the early 70’s  I MUST stress this timelines.  I am from Buffalo, NY.  I lived there in there early 70’s.   This is not a ‘legend’ or a ‘myth’.  the ground caught on fire.  Good news, that was 40 years ago.  it is STILL a ‘superfund’ site.  I was there three years ago.  it is still abandoned.  Miles of housing and schools just super empty like a twilight zone episode. gone.  emptied, and will forever be in lifetimes.

Here is another gem, Remember Erin Brockovich?  It was that great Julia Roberts film about a  utlitity company killing everyone off with cancer… and then covering it up while everyone died?  That shit HAPPENED. That isn’t a movie.  They fucking killed everyone and got away with it.Well, they were fined $450,000.  That is like asking me not to play a C7 anymore on guitar.  I kinda never was going to anyway.  Thanks, Toad, for putting that in every songl  Major props to the real Erin Brockovich who is still an aggressive environmentalist

Oh, and the company caught killing everyone?  They are doing just fine, no surprise

Then, you had British Petroleum fill the gulf with oil for 87 days.  Longest spill in HISTORY… of fucking EVER.  K?  not the biggest spill in recent memory, or in the us.  The worst still in EVER.  The latest figure are 210 million gallons.  Half the size of Oprah’s pool!

But here is what super pissed me off and scared me about that spill.  Not that it happened so much.  Accident’s happen, and I don’t think anyone had malicious intent (even though it is documented they were warned repeatedly).  I am no energy angel.  I drive a big ass prick up truck.  I admit, I AM the the problem.  But, my point about my concern with the BP spill is no one had any idea what to do about it.  There was NO plan to stop it or burn it off or turn of the hose.  There was nothing anyone on earth could do but watch for four months.

Now we have fracking and climate change concerns.  Don’t bevel me those won’t fuck us?  Think big business will protect you?  This is why I am a Democrat.  It is more than just ‘let big business alone, we all win in the end”.  Big Business willl murder you in a heartbeat for profit.  They always have, and they always will.  AND, they will get away with it.  They always have, and they always will.  If you believe  otherwise you are a dumbshit, gun nut, or religious idiot.

Sorry, didn’t mean to get so preachy.  It started as a quick reference to Love Canal as quick answer to #1 and I started thinking about the AMAZING history of the rich killing off the poor and getting away with it.

You see, I am not a Democrat because I am jealous of rich people, and I want my hand out.  None of us are.  We are Democrats because because the rich and powerful have fucked over the world for too long and never been held accountable.  Quick last example – wanna know how I vote o ballot initiatives?  Easy, the side with the least amount of money.  The poor kids went door to door to get that issue on the ballot and it took them years and thousands of dollars and hours.  Yet, some super rich company is going to produce this ten million dollar commercial telling you everything is fine and stop being such a pussy?  Well, if everything really was fine, why are they spending all that money?  Fracking, Corn Syrup, and Monsanto.  I am looking in your direction here.  If everything really is fine, then get off out dicks and stop spending billions tell us it is.

Do you remember that super expensive commercial where the sun had to prove it made plants?  Remember that campaign about drinking blood of your enemies was ok?  Hmmm.  Maybe because that shit is so obvious they didn’t need an ad campaign.

start here, then here, then here. then here. then here. and this one is just a gem.  Spoilert alert… its the gays.  historic climate change, worse droughts in history, a govt backrupted by environmental disasters related to climate change?  ALL the gays fault… and this isn’t a Fred Phelps story.  This is people interviewing Kansas folk as to why they vote their state unto ruin every single election?  Gays!  Seriously, watch it as long as you can

sorry, I usually keep this lite and fun.  But, for too long YOU have ruined America.  Proof.  YOU.  The latest gallup numbers says Congress approval for early 2014 is 13%

yet YOU assholes have re-ected them at a rate of over 90% for every election for the last 30 years.  Congress is not the problem.  YOU ARE for re-electing them.

same thing with wal mart.  everyone bitches about wal mart.  wal mart isn’t the problem.  They are getting you the best deal they can and maximizing profits in the mean time.  That is the job of every business on earth.  Sadly, wal mart sacrifices human rights and health care to do so.  That isn’t the free market anymore, dumbass.  Wal Mart pays so little that 40% of their employees are on govt assistance.  YOUR tax dollars pay to keep wal mart employees alive.

my point isn’t anti wal mart at all, it’s you.  Don’t blame wal mart for maximizing value.  Blame YOURSELF for shopping there.  Quit bitching and go to Coscto, who pays a living wage offers health care, and was recently called out by consumer reports as one of America’s best stores.   Prices, friendliness, location, viability of employees, and employee loyalty.

see, the problem isn’t ‘they’.  It’s not Congress, it’s not Wal Mart, It’s not Fema or Kansas.  it is YOU.  Take responsibility with your life and dol.  Vote out every single person in congress, your party or not.  Dont’ shop at wal mart, because I just proved to you that you are not saving DICK there.  You saved $.30 on cheese its over Costco, but your paycheck also send $300 a month to the gal who sells who cheese its.  Congress is the most fixable of all.  In football, the guy who drops the ball EVERY time gets fired.  In burger king, that kid who spits in your fries gets fired.  Yet, in Congress… they not only don’t get fired.  they get promoted.  THEN… they vote on their own raises.  THEY, they make a law that says most people deserve spit in their burgers.

well, something tells me this will generate some comments, eh?

2. What’s the nicest bathroom you’ve used?

you know, I don’t much care.  I am bothered by nice place where well dressed black guys sell you toilet paper.  as a white guy, this bothers me a LOT.   I don’t want to pay to poo… and I  certainty feel weird about paying a black guy for the privileged to poop.  WAY too much white guilt for me to process.

but that isn’t my real concern.  my biggest concern is businesses who use cheap toilet paper.  They ALL do  it – including my own company.  I know a guy, and we don’t need to use names (but it’s Tyler) who brings his own toilet paper to work.  As a consumer, it really bothers me.  Would you go to a business that said every time you walked in someone said “hey fatty fuck face” would you?  NO.  That is how I feel about every single business who uses cheap toilet paper.  I can’t think of a single business who does NOT do this.  Admittedly, I am a pretty cheap shopper.

3. What are you the “go to” person for?

at work?  fraud avoidance and detection.  For real like, anything you need to know about trucks or guitars.  Go ahead and ask me, PLEASE.  No one never does.  plus, as you can guess, I am a bit of a politico.

4. What news headline would cause mass hysteria? 

fuck it, there is nothing left to disappoint me about America.  Louisiana and Oklahoma just voted out Fema support through their Senators.  This is VERY pertinent because they are two largest states that require Federal aid for natural disasters.  and don’t be too concerned that BOTH those states have seen the most expensive years in history due to extremes of climate change.  It’s funny, because neither state believes in climate change.  Even better?  Guess who DOES believe in Climate Change, and is already making changes?  The insurance companies.  Because nothing like the disasters we are seeing have happened in the history or the recorded United States.  Righties, do you get the irony here?  You don’t believe in Climate Change (which still drives me nuts, because Dems have NOTHING to gain by making this up)…. anyhow, you think it’s a myth.  You are also dumb enough to trust big business to protect yo.  This is why if you are a righty you are a DUMBASS.  because… guess what… you may not believe it’s happening, but it is.   That is a fact that is doubling your insurance.  Are you getting the irony?  You don’t trust Dems, just big business.  and Big Business is about to start raping your insurance rates for climate change.

get it yet.  whether or not you believe in climate change, your big business buddies sure as shit do and you are about to pay for it.  PLUS…. remember when you shop at wal mart you are not just sending all your racist money to China… you are paying for Obamacare via medicare because Wal Mart won’t pay enough or allow fulll time employees so they can access healthcare.  That is what you get when you save you 75 cents on cheetoes and skoal.

that pic up top, it’s a Firenado.  since I know your buddy in El Camino doesn’t believe there is such a thing…. have him drive into it.

5. What should be done to people who don’t wash when leaving the bathroom?

ah jesus, haven’t I complained enough here already?