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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Week in Pics: The News In Review New York Fashion Week The Week: In Animal Photos th top picks Senior Network Engineer – CISCO SME Washington, DC Energy Enterprise Solutions, LLC Sustainable Sierra Communities... South Lake Tahoe, CA Sierra Nevada Alliance Social Media Intern Ventura, CA (Nationwide) iMatter March Executive Director Berkeley, CA International Rivers Green Community Organizer Bronx, NY Sustainable South Bronx Research Intern New York, NY (Chelsea, Manhattan) Terrapin Bright Green See more jobsPost your job here Powered by JobThreadGet your own job board Monsanto Continues to Block Independent Analysis of GM Crop Safety

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/02/monsanto-continues-block-independent-analysis-gm-crops.php
Two important pieces you should read if you're interested in GM crops, health, sustainable agriculture, and corporate control of agriculture (or any single one of those): First is Union of Concerned Scientists' Doug Gurian-Sherman's op-ed in the LA Times on how Monsanto, Syngenta and other big GM ag players continue to restrict independent analysis of the safety of their creations. And amazingly how this is perfectly legal in the US.
An excerpt:

Public sector research has been blocked. In 2009, 26 university entomologists -- bug scientists -- wrote a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency protesting restricted access to seeds. The letter went public, but not most of the writers' identities. They were afraid of retaliation from the companies that might further hamper their research. "No truly independent research can be legally conducted on many critical questions involving these crops," they wrote. Christian Krupke, a Purdue University entomologist who signed the letter, put it more succinctly to a reporter for a scientific journal. "Industry is completely driving the bus," he said.

Food Activists Capture And Execute Ronald McDonald StatueFood Activists Capture And Execute Ronald McDonald Statue

http://consumerist.com/2011/02/food-activists-capture-and-execute-ronald-mcdonald-statue-al-qaeda-style.html

A bunch of food activists and artists in Finland kidnapped a Ronald McDonald statute from McDonald's and held it hostage in a series of Al-Qaeda style ransom videos. They demanded answers to questions about how McDonald's produces it food or they would guillotine the statue. Two members of the group were arrested by police and the statue was recovered, but the group went ahead and guillotined a replica anyway.
In the YouTube videos, the members appeared dressed in black and black hoodies. Ronald was also hooded. Captions below asked questions like "Why are you not open about the manufacturing process, raw materials and additives used in your products? What are you afraid of?" and "How many tons of un-recycled waste you produce per year? Why do you not publish that figure?"
"We are a Food Liberation Army, and we hope that this extreme action will take us towards a better and safer food future."
"Two days ago we kidnapped Ronald McDonald from a McDonald's restaurant."
"If you do not answer all of our questions, we will execute Ronald on Friday 11/02/2011 at 6.30pm."
McDonald's did not respond directly to the group's questions but released a statement saying , "McDonald's is always available to engage in constructive conversations with our customers, stakeholders and the media. This stunt is in very poor taste and not a responsible approach to meaningful dialog."
"Meanwhile, we are focused on our customers and are fully transparent about our high quality food and industry-leading standards and practices."