Category Archives: Corporate Greed

Most Offspring Died When Mother Rats Ate GM Soy Diet

Posted on January 27, 2006 by bfialindathieman

Most Offspring Died When Mother Rats Ate GM Soy Diet

By Jeffrey M. Smith, author of Seeds of Deception

The Russian scientist planned a simple experiment to see if eating genetically modified (GM) soy might influence offspring. What she got, however, was an astounding result that may threaten a multi-billion dollar industry.

Irina Ermakova, a leading scientist at the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), added GM soy flour (5-7 grams) to the diet of female rats. Other females were fed non-GM soy or no soy at all. The experimental diet began two weeks before the rats conceived and continued through pregnancy and nursing.

Ermakova's first surprise came when her pregnant rats started giving birth. Some pups from GM-fed mothers were quite a bit smaller. After 2 weeks, 36% of them weighed less than 20 grams compared to about 6% from the other groups.

But the real shock came when the rats started dying. Within three weeks, 25 of the 45 (55.6%) rats from the GM soy group died compared to only 3 of 33 (9%) from the non-GM soy group and 3 of 44 (6.8%) from the non-soy controls.

Ermakova preserved several major organs from the mother rats and offspring, drew up designs for a detailed organ analysis, created plans to repeat and expand the feeding trial, and promptly ran out of research money. The $70,000 needed was not expected to arrive for a year. Therefore, when she was invited to present her research at a symposium organized by the National Association for Genetic Security, Ermakova wrote 'PRELIMINARY STUDIES' on the top of her paper. She presented it on October 10, 2005 at a session devoted to the risks of GM food.

Her findings are hardly welcome by an industry already steeped in controversy.

GM Soy's Divisive Past

The soy she was testing was Monsanto's Roundup Ready variety. Its DNA has bacterial genes added that allow the soy plant to survive applications of Monsanto's 'Roundup' brand herbicide. About 85% of the soy grown in the US is Roundup Ready. Since soy derivatives, including oil, flour and lecithin, are found in the majority of processed foods sold in the US, many Americans eat ingredients derived from Roundup Ready soy everyday.

The FDA does not require any safety tests on genetically modified foods. If Monsanto or other biotech companies declare their foods safe, the agency has no further questions. The rationale for this hands-off position is a sentence in the FDA's 1992 policy that states, “The agency is not aware of any information showing that foods derived by these new methods differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way.”[1] The statement, it turns out, was deceptive. Documents made public from a lawsuit years later revealed that the FDA's own experts agreed that GM foods are different and might lead to hard-to-detect allergens, toxins, new diseases or nutritional problems. They had urged their superiors to require long-term safety studies, but were ignored. The person in charge of FDA policy was, conveniently, Monsanto's former attorney (and later their vice president). One FDA microbiologist described the GM food policy as “just a political document” without scientific basis, and warned that industry would “not do the tests that they would normally do” since the FDA didn't require any.[2] He was correct.

There have been less than 20 published, peer-reviewed animal feeding safety studies and no human clinical trials' in spite of the fact that millions of people eat GM soy, corn, cotton, or canola daily. There are no adequate tests on “biochemistry, immunology, tissue pathology, gut function, liver function and kidney function,”[3] and animal feeding studies are too short to adequately test for cancer, reproductive problems, or effects in the next generation. This makes Ermakova's research particularly significant. It's the first of its kind.

Past Studies Show Significant Effects

Other studies on Roundup Ready soy also raise serious questions. Research on the liver, the body's major de-toxifier, showed that rats fed GM soy developed misshapen nuclei and other cellular anomalies.[4] This indicates increased metabolic activity, probably resulting from a major insult to that organ. Rats also showed changes in the pancreas, including a huge drop in the production of a major enzyme (alpha-amylase),[5] which could inhibit digestion. Cooked GM soy contains about twice the amount of soy lectin, which can also block nutrient assimilation.[6] And one study showed that GM soy has 12-14% less isoflavones, which are touted as cancer fighting.[7]
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Posted in Corporate Greed, Environment, Farming, Health Care & Medicare, Main Page | Comments Off on Most Offspring Died When Mother Rats Ate GM Soy Diet

The Congressman and Abramoff (as told by Dr Seuss)

Posted on January 25, 2006 by bfiacarolinevernon

  The Congressman and Abramoff (As Told by Dr. Seuss) Thanks to Jim Nickel for sharing this. That Abramoff!That Abramoff!I do not like that Abramoff!“Would you like to play some golf?”I do not want to play some golf.I do not want … Continue reading →

Posted in Corporate Greed, GOP, Humor, Main Page, National News | 3 Comments

Legislation to Deregulate Cable TV, Reduce Consumer Rights, and Eliminate Free Access

Posted on January 25, 2006 by Trish Nelson

Action Alert:  Stop Legislation to Deregulate Cable TV, Reduce Consumer Rights, and Eliminate Free Access Contributed by Drew Shaffer, Cable TV Administrator There are lobbying efforts in many state legislatures and in Congress right now that intend to completely deregulate … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, Corporate Greed, Iowa in the News, Main Page, Media Bias, Progressive Community | Comments Off on Legislation to Deregulate Cable TV, Reduce Consumer Rights, and Eliminate Free Access

A ‘True Revolution of Values’

Posted on January 19, 2006 by bfiacarolinevernon

A 'True Revolution of Values' By Michael Eric Dyson http://www.beliefnet.com  Martin Luther King, Jr., warned America about the danger of unquestioning national pride. How far have we come?  Michael Eric Dyson, best-selling author, ordained Baptist minister, and professor of religion … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, Civil Liberties, Corporate Greed, DFQC, Main Page, National News, Progressive Community | Comments Off on A ‘True Revolution of Values’

This Week in Media

Posted on January 9, 2006 by bfiaarronwings

 The Iowa Caucuses Are Here Caucuses of the Democratic and Republican Parties will be held Monday January 16th.  This is a great opportunity to raise awareness of media issues that affect all of us.  The National Black Caucus of State … Continue reading →

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IN IOWA, LIGHTENING IN THE SKY, CONFUSION ON THE GROUND

Posted on January 3, 2006 by bfiamollyreagan

  IN IOWA, LIGHTENING IN THE SKY, CONFUSION ON THE GROUND Yes, folks, it’s that time of year again; the beginning of a new January with unusual phenomena happening.  On Monday morning, January 2nd at 6AM in Scott County, there … Continue reading →

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SLAUGHTERHOUSE BLUES

Posted on December 15, 2005 by bfiamollyreagan

SLAUGHTERHOUSE BLUES   ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 5TH, I READ THE FOLLOWING TO THE EAST MOLINE, IL, CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR AND NEARLY 400 OTHERS IN A CROWDED HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.  WE HAD GATHERED TO VOICE OUR OPINIONS ON A PROPOSED HOG … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Government, Calls to Action, Corporate Greed, Environment, Farming, How You Can Help, Jobs, Local Events, Main Page | 2 Comments

The Nuclear Truth and the Party of Arrogance

Posted on December 14, 2005 by bfiacarolinevernon

The Nuclear Truth and The Party of Arrogance by Anthony Wade http://www.opednews.com In these most precarious times, it seems to me that it's about time that our leadership rises to the challenges that are before us all, and FIGHT for … Continue reading →

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Growing Opposition Frowns on Wal-Mart

Posted on December 6, 2005 by bfiacarolinevernon

  Growing Opposition Frowns on Wal-Mart

by Stephanie Armour, USA Today

The following article is in yesterday's issue of USA Today and includes a couple comments from yours truly, Caroline Vernon.

When you finish reading this article, “Guess Who's Not Shopping at Wal-Mart This Christmas?”… Guess right and qualify to win! Get clues and details at: wakeupwalmart.com.


WASHINGTON – In a nondescript office blocks from the White House, Paul Blank chats with staffers near the start of another 12-hour workday. The beige walls are plastered with hand-lettered, cardboard signs bearing slogans “Always High Costs. Always” and “Buffy the Wal-Mart Slayer.”

The Ragin' Grannies sing their protests against Wal-Mart at a Tucson store on Nov. 13.
By Wal-Mart Watch

Despite his 80-hour workweeks, Blank settles into a chair looking energized.

This is more than a job to him, he explains. It's a crusade.

Blank is the campaign manager for the labor-union-backed
WakeUpWalMart.com. Behind the scenes at the headquarters office, staffers work at a dizzying pace. Their goal: to reform Wal-Mart, the biggest retailer in the world.

“There is a drumbeat every day that's building,” says Blank, who previously worked as political director for Howard Dean's presidential campaign. “The question of whether Wal-Mart is good for America is being pushed to the forefront of a national debate.”

As the holiday shopping season goes into full swing, Wal-Mart is facing the most formidable opposition to a retailer since the 1930s, when a campaign was waged against Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea (better known as A&P), which subsequently lost its domination of the retail market.


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Posted in Calls to Action, Corporate Greed, Main Page | 3 Comments

Commericalization of our National Parks

Posted on December 1, 2005 by bfiacarolinevernon

  Commercialization of our National Parks From Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The National Park Service is getting ready to adopt new policies that would dramatically increase the commercialization of our National Parks. Under the new plan, the Park … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Government, Calls to Action, Corporate Greed, Environment, How You Can Help, Main Page, National News | Comments Off on Commericalization of our National Parks