Originally posted by rwingettWell, corruption is a significant problem in the US, and patent legislation needs some serious review. Still, there is nothing wrong with GM crops or companies selling GM seeds in principle, is there? Better crops, higher yields, everyone wins. As long as proper legislation is in place, of course.
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/11/dojs-monsantoseed-industry-investigation-ends-thud
Here's one story about the government's pathetic attempts to reign in the long tentacles of Monsanto.
In general I would say that while I do not condone or would encourage unethical practices of corporations, the root cause of the problem is that often they are allowed to do it. And if you just launch a moral appeal against some particular corporation they can either listen and lose market share to less morally conscious rivals or ignore it. So it's mainly about legislation.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraIn principle, there might be a legitimate use for GM crops. But the way they're being implemented is a recipe for disaster. I would recommend From Naked Ape to Superspecies: Humanity and the Global Eco-crisis by David Suzuki and Holly Dressel. It's an excellent book that deals with the topic.
Well, corruption is a significant problem in the US, and patent legislation needs some serious review. Still, there is nothing wrong with GM crops or companies selling GM seeds in principle, is there? Better crops, higher yields, everyone wins. As long as proper legislation is in place, of course.
In general I would say that while I do not condone or ...[text shortened]... e market share to less morally conscious rivals or ignore it. So it's mainly about legislation.
The problem with legislation is that the industries supposedly being legislated are the ones who are drafting the legislation. The foxes are guarding the henhouse, so to speak. Corporate influence on government institutions, and the revolving door between the two, makes government next to worthless in reigning in corporate malfeasance. Only the most egregious abuses are ever scrutinized. And if it's a near monopoly, like Monsanto, there are fewer and fewer morally conscious rivals to appeal to.
In my "Mayan" thread, I made the case (actually I reiterated Ronald Wright's case) that they had a positive feedback loop which prevented them from altering their self-destructive behavior. As a result ecological degradation was a major factor in causing their society to collapse. With Monsanto fueled agribiz being perceived as necessary to feed our ever growing population is going to have the same end result for us. It will lead to our ecological collapse. And it doesn't appear that we have the political will to put the brakes on that runaway train.
Originally posted by rwingettI think the first step should be to implement some kind of electoral reform to improve the accountability of government officials. Unfortunately, that's not what the Founding Fathers would've wanted.
In principle, there might be a legitimate use for GM crops. But the way they're being implemented is a recipe for disaster. I would recommend [b]From Naked Ape to Superspecies: Humanity and the Global Eco-crisis by David Suzuki and Holly Dressel. It's an excellent book that deals with the topic.
The problem with legislation is that the industries su ...[text shortened]... t doesn't appear that we have the political will to put the brakes on that runaway train.[/b]
Originally posted by ChessPraxisThen don'e eat any of the high yield corn or other vegetables , etc that are placed in front of you when you eat.
Monsanto is killing us all. It's part of the Illuminati plot to kill billions and take what they owned.
Eat the tiny misshapen squalid ugly mexican ears of corn and bug infested crud the article is trying to brag up, I'm sure there's plenty of them around.
Partially due to Monsanto (and there's another multinational down there as well, doing basically the same) the biodiversity in large patches of Argentina has been completely destroyed.
And the Dutch are partially to blame. Pigs.
The Dutch exports gazzilions of pigs a year. But they need to eat. They eat soya beans (soja? Soya? God knows).
The soya beans are grown in Argentina. To make sure the crops are healthy (and you gets lots of soya year in and year out) the crops are sprayed with a pesticide which kills every sort of insect which would eat the crops.
No insects = no birds.
Nothing but soya... no natural flora or fauna... certainly not enough to pollinate.
So, basically everything's dead except the massive fields of soya.
The soya lives one year and the farmers then have to buy new seeds for the next year. This insures Monsanto's profit.
Well done Monsanto. No more malaria in Argentina!!!
Well. There is. Nobody visites the vast spreads of soya beans...
So, if you do go, don't forget your malaria medicine...
Jist sayin'.
