McD's Contribution to a Heathier You

[j_b]

Its use in fighting malaria has little to do with the problems that ensued.

 

QED

 

"DDT is the best-known of several chlorine-containing pesticides used in the 1940s and 1950s. With pyrethrum in short supply, DDT was used extensively during World War II by the Allies to control the insect vectors of typhus — nearly eliminating the disease in many parts of Europe. In the South Pacific, it was sprayed aerially for malaria control with spectacular effects. While DDT's chemical and insecticidal properties were important factors in these victories, advances in application equipment coupled with a high degree of organization and sufficient manpower were also crucial to the success of these programs.[16] In 1945, it was made available to farmers as an agricultural insecticide,[3] and it played a minor role in the final elimination of malaria in Europe and North America.[5] By the time DDT was introduced in the U.S., the disease had already been brought under control by a variety of other means.[17] One CDC physician involved in the United States' DDT spraying campaign said of the effort that "we kicked a dying dog."[18]

 

In 1955, the World Health Organization commenced a program to eradicate malaria worldwide, relying largely on DDT. The program was initially highly successful, eliminating the disease in "Taiwan, much of the Caribbean, the Balkans, parts of northern Africa, the northern region of Australia, and a large swath of the South Pacific"[19] and dramatically reducing mortality in Sri Lanka and India.[20] However widespread agricultural use led to resistant insect populations. In many areas, early victories partially or completely reversed, and in some cases rates of transmission even increased.[21] The program was successful in eliminating malaria only in areas with "high socio-economic status, well-organized healthcare systems, and relatively less intensive or seasonal malaria transmission".[22]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT

[j_b]

Can I get that with extra GMO?

 

so, in other words, besides your broad brush painting of GMO critics as anti-science you have squat to offer.

[j_b]

are you contesting there are GMO and cell phone studies giving us opposing results? are you contesting the findings of the WHO panel? so what tinfoil hat are you talking about, demonizing douchebag?

 

what is it that I hear? well, yes! It is deafening silence.

Edited June 3, 2011 by j_b

[E-rock]

are you contesting there are GMO and cell phone studies giving us opposing results? are you contesting the findings of the WHO panel? so what tinfoil hat are you talking about, demonizing douchebag?

 

what is it that hear? well, yes! It is deafening silence.

 

Mwahahahahah! You are so devastating. QED

[rob]

j_b = anti-science

[j_b]

"President Obama has taken his team of food and farming leaders directly from the biotech companies and their lobbying, research, and philanthropic arms.

 

Michael Taylor, former Monsanto Vice President, is now the FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods.

 

Roger Beachy, former director of the Monsanto-funded Danforth Plant Science Center, is now the director of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

 

Islam Siddiqui, Vice President of the Monsanto and Dupont-funded pesticide-promoting lobbying group, CropLife, is now the Agriculture Negotiator for the US Trade Representative.

 

Rajiv Shah, former agricultural-development director for the pro-biotech Gates Foundation (a frequent Monsanto partner), served as Obama's USDA Under Secretary for Research Education and Economics and Chief Scientist and is now head of USAID.

 

Solicitor General Elena Kagan, who took Monsanto's side against organic farmers in the Roundup Ready alfalfa case, has been nominated to the Supreme Court.

 

Now, Ramona Romero, corporate counsel to DuPont, has been nominated by President Obama to serve as General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

 

Obama and agribusiness

[rob]

is it because you hate math?

 

[tvashtarkatena]

Perhaps j_b might take a moment out of his busy day to include cutting a check to the Land Stewardship Project as part of his fight against Big Agribidness.

[tvashtarkatena]

As for my personal fight - I finally finished weeding raised bed #2. 2 more to go....

 

The little meadow I had going was cool, though.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

j_b = anti-science

 

Ironic, eh? A bot is against science.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

As for my personal fight

 

My personal fight is moving fat uphill, which I'll be doing in 24 hours. J_bot will have free reign to post on spray from his basement all weekend.

[tvashtarkatena]

Objective?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Objective?

 

something w/ little avy risk. i'll post a tr

[rob]

Humans have been genetically modifying food for thousands and thousands of years, and have been consistently improving our technology to do so. Many of the fruits and vegetables you find in stores (even the organic ones), and especially corn and wheat, have been dramatically altered by human hands. In many cases, the native species no longer exists.

 

Now, I'm not a fan of agribusiness, but the notion that GMO strains are automatically some sort of Frankenstein monster is just uninformed. As is the notion that non-GMO foods are somehow unsullied by the hands of men already.

[rob]

Ooooh, maybe they could make a real turducken!

 

YUM!

[tvashtarkatena]

Every one of our farmed animals and plants was a human invention.

 

Except crocodiles, maybe....

[tvashtarkatena]

The GMO thing is a sideshow. A mere sliver of the harm pie - you know, the kind of thing progressives go after.

 

Topsoil loss, aquifer depletion, and GHG emissions are the real heavy hitters regarding American agribidness.

 

But hey, I couldn't care less.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Every one of our farmed animals and plants was a human invention.

 

Not to mention (most) all species of dog.

[j_b]

Humans have been genetically modifying food for thousands and thousands of years, and have been consistently improving our technology to do so. Many of the fruits and vegetables you find in stores (even the organic ones), and especially corn and wheat, have been dramatically altered by human hands. In many cases, the native species no longer exists.

 

how many thousands of years have we been genetically modifying edible plants so they release their own pesticide?

 

Now, I'm not a fan of agribusiness, but the notion that GMO strains are automatically some sort of Frankenstein monster is just uninformed. As is the notion that non-GMO foods are somehow unsullied by the hands of men already.

 

can you cite anyone here saying what you assert above? I didn't think so.

[rob]

how many thousands of years have we been genetically modifying edible plants so they release their own pesticide?

 

Increasing pest and disease resistance is one of the most common reasons behind primitive genetic modification. Wheat, in particular, has gone through significant alteration (mostly through selective breeding) to increase it's resistance to certain diseases and pests, improve hardiness, etc.

 

My point is just that we're not doing anything different than we've ever done. Our technology is just advancing, and theoretically that means we can actually create safer alterations to genetics because we can employ more surgical and thoughtful techniques.

 

And actually, we've caused certain problems with even our primitive tinkering. Again, wheat in particular was recently (mid-20th century) modified significantly to help India solve famine. There have been a lot of unintended consequences as this strain became common place. One research firm is investigating using recombinant DNA technology to "undo" this strain and return wheat back to what it was in the early 20th century.

 

Science is cool, jb. It's what makes humans awesome.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Science is cool, jb. It's what makes humans awesome.

 

 

Why do you hate science, j_bot?

[j_b]

how many thousands of years have we been genetically modifying edible plants so they release their own pesticide?

 

Increasing pest and disease resistance is one of the most common reasons behind primitive genetic modification. Wheat, in particular, has gone through significant alteration (mostly through selective breeding) to increase it's resistance to certain diseases and pests, improve hardiness, etc.

 

why aren't you answering my question?

 

My point is just that we're not doing anything different than we've ever done. Our technology is just advancing, and theoretically that means we can actually create safer alterations to genetics because we can employ more surgical and thoughtful techniques.

 

And actually, we've caused certain problems with even our primitive tinkering. Again, wheat in particular was recently (mid-20th century) modified significantly to help India solve famine. There have been a lot of unintended consequences as this strain became common place. One research firm is investigating using recombinant DNA technology to "undo" this strain and return wheat back to what it was in the early 20th century.

 

so we messed up then, and it is obviously impossible that we are messing up today despite many studies showing adverse effects on the environment?

 

Science is cool, jb. It's what makes humans awesome.

 

You do know I am a scientist. Right?

[rob]

Science is nothing more than a progression of "messing up" on our way to finally getting it right.

 

Do you hate maths, too????

[prole]

Hitler loved science.

[j_b]

Science is nothing more than a progression of "messing up" on our way to finally getting it right.

 

Do you hate maths, too????

 

False generalization. In fact, quite a few of the simple models formulated at the beginning of the industrial revolution have shown to be quite alright.