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I could offer a counterpoint to each of Russell's falsehoods but will just address one.
Russell stated this:
"60 countries regulate gmos."
I found this question that was asked and answered.It illustrates the regulation,and it isn't science based but driven by unfounded fear,much as Russell is promoting !!
“Why are GMOs banned in so many countries?”
To answer these questions, we reached out to Dr. Robert Paarlberg, Betty Freyhof Johnson Class of 1944 Professor of Political Science at Wellesley College and Adjunct Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Associate at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.
Dr. Robert Paarlberg
Dr. Paarlberg said, "The European Union does not formally ban the consumption of GMO corn or soy. Some countries in the EU - such as Spain - grow modest amounts of GMO corn for animal feed, and the EU as a whole imports considerable GMO soy, again for use as animal feed. It is also legal in the EU to import various types of GMO cotton, maize, rapeseed, and sugar beet. What makes the EU different from the United States is not a 'ban' on consumption or imports, but instead 1) non-approval of domestic cultivation of many GMO products, plus 2) mandatory labeling of food products that have even small traces of GMO content. Food companies in Europe have reformulated their products taking out all GMO ingredients so as to avoid these labels, and this is what has squeezed GMO foods for direct human consumption out of the market. But products from animals raised on GMO feed do not need a label, so Europeans continue to use GMO corn and soy for animal feed.
"Very few countries explicitly 'ban' GMOs. In most cases, governments have simply not yet 'approved' various GMO crops for cultivation, or for import, or for human consumption. The presumption that each separate GMO should require case-by-case and use-by-use approval, by national government regulatory committees, has greatly slowed down the uptake of the technology. In effect, GMO foods and crops are being regulated as strictly as medical drugs, even though there is no evidence that they carry more risks than conventional foods and crops (in the official opinion of the EU Research Directorate, for example). Critics of GMO crops have promoted highly precautionary regulatory systems as one way to slow down the spread of the technology, and in large parts of the developing world governments have not yet given any cultivation approvals at all."
Here is a pertinent read also:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonentine/20...eal-story/
Edited for James Weatherford.
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Even though Russell is "out of here", I thought I would address one other of his false statements.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/pu...orQYXazKpg
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Basic error, correlation equals causation. I am surprised if Russell does not understand this. By his logic everything introduced when there is growth in some disease should be shelved. Let's start on that: wireless technology of all types, ethanol additives in fuel, electric and Hybred Cars, coffeemate in large premixed cartons, Led lights, flat screen TV's, Vog,
You get the point.
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foul, Obie: Russell did not say that 60 countries "ban" GMO's as you wrongly quoted him as saying. Russell said 60 countries "regulate" GMO's.
...play ball.
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Why all the drama
I dont get it .... when we buy salmon it is identified as farmed or wild caught
Id like to have the same option with my corn - get over it....
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quote:
Originally posted by Bullwinkle
Why all the drama
I dont get it .... when we buy salmon it is identified as farmed or wild caught
Id like to have the same option with my corn - get over it....
The corn you eat is not genetically modified,the corn in your gas tank is (At least if you live on the mainland).Because of the Jones act the ethanol in Hawaii comes from Central or South America and may be sugar cane based.
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quote:
Originally posted by Bullwinkle
Why all the drama
I agree. After 20 years there is no credible scientific evidence that GMOs are harmful, either to people's health or to the environment. Sorry, but that's just the truth. So why all the drama?
In August the top French Court struck down the French ban on two kinds of GMO corn:
quote:
A wrangle over growing genetically modified crops in France flared anew on Thursday as the country's top administrative court overturned a government ban on growing GM corn sold by the US giant Monsanto.
In the second legal setback to French restrictions on MON810 corn in five years, the Council of State court said a moratorium imposed on the product since March 2012 failed to uphold European Union law.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/art...kB2tgqCBlg
Not that that will stop the anti-science crowd from trying to throw their sabots into the machinery to jam it, as they famously did early in the Industrial Revolution. Now the Agricultural Council has indicated they'll ignore the court decision. <sigh>
The first US law mandating GMO labelling was ruled invalid on Constitutional grounds. The 1994 Vermont rBGH labelling law was struck down in a 1996 decision by the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which made it clear that food companies can not be forced to label their products with a "demonized" label which has no scientific basis.
So why all the drama?
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Quote
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Russell said.
Richard Ha says.geothermal prices will stay the same for 500,000 years. Of course, statistically speaking all the geothermal areas will be covered by lava in much less time. But, Richard assures us that won't affect prices. This must be the research style that Rob admires.
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Sen Ruderman. The GeothermEx 2005 report estimates that it would cost 8.9 cents per kilowatt hour for geothermal generated electricity.
That was the estimated cost to develop geothermal from scratch.
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Russell said.
I do understand why GMO proponents like Richard Ha. It's the same reason Tea Partiers love SarahnPalin; They spout the slogans they want to hear, undeterred by logic or reality.
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Sen Ruderman. I was the only person from Hawaii to attend five association for the Study of Peak Oil (ASPO) conferences. I went to those conferences to figure out how to position my business to be relevant for the future. I was not there to fool myself. I met a lot of people and paid close attention to energy matters. I don't spout slogans for its own sake.
I've said, that geothermal generated electricity is half that of oil (21 cents per kilowatt hour). And, it will stay stable for 500,000 years. I've been to Iceland and the Phillipines to see geothermal plants in operation. I was co chair of the geothermal working group that was commissioned by commiissioned by the state legislature. i sit on the Hawaii Clean Energy Steering committee. Yet, none of this is rocket science. Its all about adding and subtracting because one needs more coming in than going out. Or, one needs to quit what one is doing. All that is necessary is a bit of common sense.
I've also said, it isn't the strongest or the smartest that survive, its the one that can adapt. That was the essence of Darwins work. He was 22 years old when he spent five years going around the world on the HMS Beagle. He sent back about 1,800 samples. Although. He published his book The Origin of Species 30 years later, his ideas and concepts were pretty much fully formed from early on. Your saying, it was only about " natural selection" is missing the point.
A year ago, I brought professor Charles A S Hall to Hawaii to give a series of lecturers. He is an internationally renowned systems ecologist. He is best known as the father of the term Energy Return on Investment (EROI). In the 1930's, it took the energy in one barrel of oil to get a hundred barrels. By the 1970's, that had become 30 to 1. Now, it is around 10-1. The lower it goes the more expensive it is. It is estimated that we need a return if 12-1 to maintain a society as we have become accustomed. Biofuels is barely break even.
I also use the term rubbah slippah folks. It parallels the 99% to 1% term that is commonly used. Most folks can find themselves in the rubbah slippah category. To me it is easier to understand than 99% to 1%. As it relates to the Big Island. we have the lowest median family income in the state.
But, we can do something about it by lowering the cost of living. Our best prospects are in geothermal and biotech. But, you are against both.
I just don't think that you get it. I keep asking what about the rubbah slippah folks? You seem to be out trying to save the world. But, you have no solution for the rubbah slippah folks.
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quote:
Originally posted by Obie
The corn you eat is not genetically modified,the corn in your gas tank is (At least if you live on the mainland).Because of the Jones act the ethanol in Hawaii comes from Central or South America and may be sugar cane based.
foul, Obie:
With about 80%+ of corn (maize) grown in the USA being gmo and something less than half of that going to ethanol the non-organic corn and corn not labeled "non-gmo" IS gmo. Which means most of the corn in beef, pork, eggs, chicken, and turkey IS gmo and the corn in corn chips, corn bread, corn grits, and corn whiskey IS gmo.
And, of course, that does not address pollen drift ...
...play ball...
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Have just listened to this debate:
Resolved, Federal government should mandate labelling of gmo foods.
If you are earnest about this topic -- and I know that Richard Ha and Russell Ruderman are, though not so sure about the several trolls here -- then sit back, listen, and think about it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv_oydmwVls
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