You are what you eat

I've been arguing for years about the dangers of genetically modified foods and now the American Academy of Environmental Medicine released a position paper stating they "pose a serious health risk."

“Multiple animal studies have shown that GM foods cause damage to various organ systems in the body. With this mounting evidence, it is imperative to have a moratorium on GM foods for the safety of our patients’ and the public’s health,” said Dr. Amy Dean, PR chair and Board Member of AAEM.

Full position paper available at the link. And as far as I'm concerned GM seeds pose every bit as much risk to the environment. Proponents claim the world can't produce enough food to feed a growing population but I doubt that's true. GM technology has always been about control of the supply and fatter profits for the corporations.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Bread, not bombs

Diane catches an op-ed by George McGovern that speaks to my life long belief.

So let me suggest a truly audacious hope for your administration: How about a five-year time-out on war -- unless, of course, there is a genuine threat to the nation?

McGovern suggests we use the war funds for a food program that would deliver the equivalent of free school lunches to every child in Afghanistan and other poverty stricken countries where hunger is as big, or bigger, a threat than terrorism. Maybe extend it to a food program for mothers along the lines of the WIC program here. He uses as an example his own agency that is currently doing such work and co-ordinating under the UN umbrella.

With the mere mention of the UN sending Republicans into apoplexy, I'm not sure Obama could sell the idea in that form, but the basic plan is sound. You can win a lot more hearts and minds with a belly full of food than you can with a bevy of bombs and bullets. And as a added bonus, we might be able to at least partly solve the long neglected problem of world hunger.

I'm going to contact President Obama and tell him I think it's a great idea. I'd urge you to do the same. [hat tip Avedon]

[More posts daily at The Detroit News.]

Hungry for the good times

By Libby

Food banks are facing shortages so severe that some are shutting down even as the demand is growing, not just among the homeless but also among the working poor.

“It’s the price of oil, gas, rents and foreclosures,” said Melanie Gosselin, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank.

Thanks to the Bushenomic 'boom' donations are down, grocery stores are keeping tighter inventory control and selling off their can goods in bulk to odd lot stores. But I thought this reason for the shortage was the most interesting.

In part, food banks are suffering because farmers are doing well. The food banks rely on supplies from the federal Agriculture Department’s Bonus Commodity Program, which buys surplus crops like apples and potatoes from farmers.

“Right now, the agricultural economy is very strong and the surpluses aren’t available for us to purchase,” said Jean Daniel, a department spokeswoman. “Certainly we’re empathetic, but unfortunately we cannot count on those bonus commodities every year.”

Which leads me to ask why exactly, our Congresslizards are passing billions of tax dollars worth of farm subsidies that go mainly to corporate mega-monolith operations?

Who is Norman Borlaug?

By Libby

Oh just a guy "widely credited with saving the lives of 1 billion human beings worldwide, more than one in seven people on the planet." As Eric puts it, "An elderly agronomist doesn't make news," ... but his "success in feeding the world testifies to the difference a single person can make."

Norman is a hot ticket but nobody is going to his show. More the pity since he has some wise thoughts on the mono-ag corporate welfare bill currently before Congress. I'm all for farming but $95 billion a year in subsidies has been going to a handful of corporate execs who have never even seen the farm.

Norman thinks it's silly to be subsidizing them. I think he's right.

Orlando's charity free zone

Libby Spencer

Via Avedon, here's a charming story to brighten up a Christian holiday. Eric Montanez, was arrested in Orlando, FL for assault and battery on hunger in homeless people, by use of a deadly weapon - a ladle. Montanez, a member of that dangerously subversive group, Food not Bombs, was caught as result of undercover surveillance and arrested after officers filmed him doling out food to hungry people.

Police reportedly "collected a vial of the stew Montanez was serving as evidence."

The Orlando law, which is supported by local business owners who say the homeless drive away customers but has been challenged in court by civil rights groups, allows charities to feed more than 25 people at a time within two miles of Orlando city hall only if they have a special permit. They can get two permits a year.

Well isn't that great. Feeding the hungry once every six months ought to hold them.

Leaving aside the discriminatory and inhumane aspects of the law, it's only a misdemeanor charge. It raises the question, why the hell are police officers conducting undercover sting operations over this in the first place? The case isn't worth the cost of the vial in which they stored the evidence. Shouldn't they be spending their time looking for thieves and terrorists or something?