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Hawaii Democrats Say No To Roundup Spraying
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05-03-2016, 08:35 PM
Most people have some bleach in their house. Drink a glass of that stuff and you might die horribly, yet I don't see politicians calling for it to be banned.
For a more scientific perspective, you might want to read a Nature article: http://www.nature.com/news/widely-used-h...er-1.17181 
05-04-2016, 01:21 AM
quote: Meta studies like this are carried out all of the time in science in order to bring a 'big picture' view on the topic and see if there is any consensus building based on evidence. As already pointed out, the problem wasn't with the original paper, but with the wild conclusions posted on the anti-roundup site that aren't backed up by the article itself. Just call me Mike
Me ka ha`aha`a,
Mike
05-04-2016, 02:54 AM
Classic fear-mongering - and complete nonsense from STOP MONSANTO crusade.
"Of all dietary pesticides that humans eat, 99.99% are natural: these are chemicals produced by plants to defend themselves against fungi, insects, and other animal predators. Each plant produces a different array of such chemicals. On average, Americans ingest roughly 5,000 to 10,000 different natural pesticides and their breakdown products. Americans eat about 1,500 mg of natural pesticides per person per day, which is about 10,000 times more than they consume of synthetic pesticide residues." The above is a quote from this publication: "Misconceptions About the Causes of Cancer", by Lois Swirsky Gold, Bruce N. Ames and Thomas H. Slone in "Human and Environmental Risk Assessment: Theory and Practice". Ames is credited with inventing the most widely used test for chemical mutagenicity and is among the most cited scientists in the world. This whole Monsanto hate-crusade is a demonstration of manipulation of mob mentality in a technologically illiterate populace. That the Hawaii Democratic Party can adopt a platform based on such specious nonsense demonstrates their complete lack of integrity and concern for the overall welfare of Hawaii's residents. Sadly, the rise of Trump (and Cruz) demonstrates the same for the Republicans... This is my favorite "sound bite" from Ames: "They've identified a thousand chemicals in a cup of coffee. But we only found 22 that have been tested in animal cancer tests out of this thousand. And of those, 17 are carcinogens. There are ten milligrams of known carcinogens in a cup of coffee and that's more carcinogens than you're likely to get from pesticide residues for a year!"
05-04-2016, 04:28 AM
This whole Monsanto hate-crusade is a demonstration of manipulation of mob mentality in a technologically illiterate populace.
Cigarettes produce formaldehyde (among other known carcinogens) during combustion. Somehow, attempts to regulate this product fail against a very well-funded industry. I expect no different in the battle against Monsanto. That said, let's assume -- just for a moment -- that the US government bans these "dangerous" agricultural chemicals. Guess what? Much produce is imported -- and from countries which either can't or won't pass an equivalent ban. Earth is still a single biosphere, so the chemicals find their way into the environment whether or not they are applied "locally". The unintended side effects are also somewhat amusing: how many County workers would be needed to cut the weeds -- and how many gallons of gas will be burned in their stringtrimmers, creating how much additional pollution? Maybe we're better off cooked by the runaway greenhouse effect; at this rate it will make the planet unlivable long before glyphosate poisons the environment. Have a nice day!
05-04-2016, 05:13 AM
+1 geochem!
There exists a pervasive notion that natural = good, and plants only produce life-giving food and oxygen. Plants have their own agenda, and sometimes it involves poisoning the herbivores that devour them. Chemicals are plants' only weapons, and they've been experimenting with them for about a billion years. And they do not bother with FDA testing and trials before using them. ETA: changed "nature" to "natural".
05-04-2016, 07:13 AM
Disappointing that the anti-science fad has now reached a fringe group of Hawaii Democrats.
I'm sure we've been through all this before just recently on this forum. Here's a tip: if you are lacking in a scientific education, then try to get your information from reliable sources, not websites with names like "infowars" and "weedingtech". The WHO list was a nice try, but it's ridiculously broad, including frying food and being a barber - are the Hawaii Democrats going to vote to ban that as well?
05-05-2016, 03:10 AM
quote:As someone once said: In the age of information, ignorance is a choice.
05-05-2016, 06:33 PM
"As someone once said: In the age of information, ignorance is a choice."
Welcome to Puna, Linchpin!
05-06-2016, 08:05 AM
How about one of these as the subject for a resolution: Ask for more agricultural inspectors; for more money to combat Rat Lung Disease and to warn citizens and tourists how it is communicated; for money to eradicate coquis (difficult, yes, but Canada or France could and would do it if something similar happened in their midst-- I miss the silence of sleeping off-island); for a public information campaign explaining the virtues of science over superstition or unfounded beliefs.
Such a waste of time.
05-06-2016, 08:45 AM
quote:Thank you, it's been quite an eye opener. My mammy used to use a phrase: "clean up your own back yard before knocking on your neighbor's door". Now, my mam was an old Irish woman, and if she said something, you damned well better believe she lived it. Of course, I grew up on a Kentucky tobacco farm, so our nearest neighbor was..... good god, I can't even imagine now how far away the Pence farm was... but anyhow... I pose this: How many of the people doing the chicken little dance and regurgitating the same "bbbbbbut the environment" phrases, smoke a pack or two of cigarettes a day tossing the butts out the window, drive a beat up piece of **** that spits out more gas fumes than my fat ass does after taco Tuesday and leaks like a sieve, fail to properly maintain their septic pits/tanks, etc etc.... Granted, I'm not a pure as Caesar's wife, but I don't call the kettle black when I'm being a pot either. |
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