GM science, or hubris?

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Good day.

Here we are, halfway through our Ontario tour on GE talk and I end up starting a new blog,  on the issue of science behind GMO. Is it science, or is it

  • voodoo?
  • hubris?
  • snake oil?

There was an attempt to heckle me at the end of my presentation at Trent University yesterday, on 17th of November, by a professor. I am given to understand his name is Dr. Seville. It is is something else, I shall be glad if someone corrects me. I am told he is an associate professor at the university and is engaged in some form of scientific research related to agriculture at the molecular or genetic level, perhaps related to plant pathogens.

Is that Dr. Seville ? I took the picture, but forgot to ask his name

The gentleman came to protest, loudly enough for everyone to hear, something to the effect that what I said in my presentation, that science has lost its objectivity and neutrality due to undue influence from the industry and political interference through funding, is untrue.

He also made a remarkable comment, that I had insulted him through that statement, because, he claims, his own funding does not come from the industry and only comes from my tax dollars.

Perhaps the gentleman considers the entire body of science, compiled by mankind over the past ten thousand years, is his personal property, and therefore anyone saying anything negative about the current state of science is a direct insult on his personal self. I know scientists are humans, and can have egos the size of the milky way, but is ridiculous.

Anyhow, bursting of inflated balloons is a task better suited to citizen activists like myself. I am not obliged to provide him proof that science is under undue influence of industry. If a man has a scientific approach to work and is given to search for evidence, he or she can easily find it. All I need to do is believe it – that science has lost its way through corruption and I have seen enough evidence of it. I consider actions of Dr. Seville (if indeed that is his name) in trying to heckle me, to be a an indication that science is beginning to stink. There was no need for him to take the issue personally, unless I touched a nerve somewhere.

Anyhow, I decided to start a blog. I had been speaking with Dr. Seneff of MIT just this morning. She will be happy to record her voice on how science has been corrupted by the industry. I am free to put that up on this blog. I aim to get a few more scientists also on board.

But, apart from scientists, I aim to drive another point here. Its not just about proof. It is also about respect and belief. People like myself, who are not being paid to speak to the public, and do so out of a sense of social responsibility, have lost respect for the pro-GM and pro-industry scientists.

Respect is not something one can demand. It has to be earned. Most mainstream pro-biotech scientists (with a handful of exceptions) have lost my respect. I do not respect their position, or their science, or their opinion, because they do not deserve my respect any more.

Few scientists are around today that are not yet paid for by the industry and are still able to conduct research work on the possible damages to human health, ecosystem and our very independence, from this avalanche of toxic pesticides and dubious science. Such scientists are facing all kinds of hostile treatment from the industry and the mainstream because of it. They are being discredited, and efforts are on to have their papers retracted. They are still standing up for their conviction, and are willing to face hostility and stick to their conviction. I consider these scientists to be not just more believable, but also to deserve my respect.

Not just that. I consider myself more qualified to speak about neutrality of science than those pro-GM scientists. Why ? Because I am not paid by anybody and I am offering my honest opinion out of my social consciousness. These scientists are working for money, and what they can say or do are restricted by the conditions that come with their salary and research grant.

I did say I was an engineer and not a scientist and thank goodness for that. I do not have to be restricted by the industry on what I can say or cannot say.

This blog will be edited, modified, and my comments shrunk, and other people comment, voice, video, letters, etc included on the general topic – is science still neutral, or has entered the realm of magic, voodoo, hubris and snake oil ?

I have to thank Sally Mason for sending the following comment and link, as to how Trent University is or is not influenced by the biotech industry
Quote
Office of ResearchTrent University, STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN Approved by Senate, May 26, 2000

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH AT TRENT
page 2 of 14
“Trent has cultivated collaborative research partnerships with a range of corporations in the private sector, especially with the chemical and petrochemical industry (e.g., Ciba-Geigy, Dow Chemical, Dupont, Imperial Oil, Lever Brothers, Monsanto, Proctor and Gamble, Union Carbide), the mining industry…power industry…and technical instrumentation industry….Many of these partners have participated in funding three NSERC-Industry research chairs over the past 5 years. Through its support of faculty, research centres, and graduate programs, the University attracts visiting scholars and postdoctoral fellows to campus each year, further enhancing opportunities for research collaboration and inter-institutional partnerships….”
Unquote

And here is the link.

 

 

Email sent today (18th Nov) to Dr. Stephanie Seneff of Artificial Intelligence research lab of MIT :

Dear Stephanie,

Thank you for speaking with me earlier this morning on our talk how neutrality of science is now corrupted through corporate interest and your willingness to speak on record about it to me at a convenient time, and for agreeing to speak separately on the need for Canadians to have a lab to test body fluids and food for presence of Glyphosate.

Meanwhile there is a grassroots movement starting in Canada where young mothers are beginning to ask for their breast milk to be tested for Glyphosate, and for people requesting for their blood or urine to be tested for Glyphosate. The idea bases on the assumption that, if enough people, doctors and hospitals start asking for it, some lab will come up and offer this service.

In that respect, I have received request from some young mothers, to send them a short and clear letter, addressing Canadian nurses and doctors, explaining why it is important to test body fluids and food for Glyphosate, in order to pinpoint potential sources of disease or ill-health. They requested that such a letter would really benefit some of the nurses and doctors in Canada who are sympathetic and know vaguely that Glyphosate might not be a good thing to have in your body or your food, but do not know enough. Such a letter might convince them to start asking for this test and would bolster our chances to get a lab quickly.

Could I request you, Stephanie, to please send me such a letter either from yourself, or from someone you already know, who has such a letter ready ?

I hope to catch up with you shortly about the recording on 1) neutrality of science and 2) need for Canada to have a lab.

Again, I much appreciate what you do, and taking time to help out citizens like me in Canada

With warm regards
Tony Mitra

Here is a response from Dr. Stephanie Seneff about the need for Canadians to have a lab to test Glyphosate, a part of my presentation yesterday, and a topic on which a lot of women are asking for a letter they can pass to their doctors and nurses;

It is absolutely essential that lab facilities become available in Canada on a routine basis to allow people to obtain tests for glyphosate residues in urine and breast milk. A recent study confirmed glyphosate in the tissues of deformed calves in Denmark, suggesting that there may be a link between the glyphosate exposure and the deformities.  Another study on humans showed that those who had serious health problems had higher levels of glyphosate in their urine, and those who ate a mostly organic diet had lower levels. It will also be important for people who switch to an organic diet to be able to confirm that glyphosate levels have fallen following the abandonment of GMO Roundup Ready foods. Significant amounts of money are already being routinely spent on tests for serum levels of LDL, which are likely to be much less important, in terms of health risk, than glyphosate levels in urine.  A nursing mother would be especially motivated to switch to an organic diet if she found that there were significant levels of glyphosate in her breast milk. Glyphosate levels in drinking water should also be measured routinely, so that people can find alternative sources of water if their standard water
supply is contaminated.

It is of paramount importance that medical facilities should be able to offer their clientele a routine test to help them assess the amount of glyphosate burden they are carrying in their bodies, so that they can make immediate corrective measures to try to reduce the levels.

Stephanie

Stephanie Seneff
Senior Research Scientist
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

A copy or letter written to Dr. Seville by Rose Stevens of Manitoba, as she informed me

Your intentions as a scientist might be very noble, but I feel you are very naive to think that science has not been corrupted in Canada. I say get into the 90s sir and don’t heckle people like Tony Mitra who are standing up for the truth. Canadians are not stupid and we have seen through the lies and deceit that our government has tried to feed us via the controlled media. Cancer rates and disease are soaring in Canada and by the year 2025 one out of two children will be autistic at the current rates says Dr Stephanie Seneff from MIT. Take off your ‘rosy colored” glasses sir and help make the changes to bring back real independent science!

Have you ever listened to Dr Shiv Chopra speak or read his book entitled. Corrupt to the Core? http://shivchopra.com/category/corrupt-to-the-core/

Are you not aware that Mr Harper has been muzzling scientists in Canada.?
http://sciencewriters.ca/…/muzzling_canadian_federal…/
http://thetyee.ca/…/12/09/Dismantling-Fishery-Library/

Are you not aware that many pier reviewed studies are bought and paid for by corporations.  http://online.wsj.com/…/hank-campbell-the-corruption-of…

Are you not aware that the Federal of Union scientists acknowledge this and are standing up against this corruption and muzzling?
http://www.ctvnews.ca/…/union-for-federal-scientists… 

We need scientists like yourself to stand up for the truth and for “real science”—not “tobacco science.”

Sincerely,
Rose Stevens

 

One thought on “GM science, or hubris?”

  1. After two decades of biotech bullying and force-feeding unlabeled and hazardous genetically engineered (GE) foods to animals and humans, there can be no such thing as “coexistence” living in the Monsanto world. It is impossible to coexist with a reckless industry that endangers public health, bribes public officials, corrupts scientists, lies to consumers, contaminates organic farmlands, manipulates the media, destroys biodiversity, kills the soil, pollutes the environment, tortures and poisons animals, destabilizes the climate, and economically enslaves the world’s 1.5 billion seed-saving small farmers globally destroying regional agriculture.

    With a history of making such toxic chemicals as PCB’s, Polystyrene, DDT, Dioxin, Agent Orange, Petroleum Based Fertilizers, Glyphosate, Aspartame, Bovine Growth Hormone, etc. it’s time to take down the biotech behemoth and their partners in crime, before the living web of biodiversity is terminated. Why would we trust this company with our food when they excel at making poisons. Monsanto’s claims of feeding the world, greater crop yields and less herbicides and insecticides have all been proven wrong, in fact it’s the opposite. Hunger is caused by poverty. Since the introduction of GMO’s our health as a nation has been in decline. GMO crops have been banned, or at least labeled, in over 64 countries. Gene-altered foods have absolutely no benefits for consumers or the environment, only hazards. Ninety percent of processed foods contain GMOs.

    Given the near-dictatorial control of Monsanto, the Farm Bureau, and the Grocery Manufacturers Association over Congress, the White House, the FDA, USDA, EPA, and state legislators, consumers must demand change and boycott all GMO products. The fundamental weakness of Monsanto, Dow, DuPont, Syngenta, Bayer and the biotech industry is consumers’ right to know. If GE-tainted foods are labeled in supermarkets and natural food stores, a massive rejection of chemical and GMO foods will take place, transforming the marketplace and supercharging the organic and local foods revolution and restore the public trust in our foods. Our government will not protect us so “we the people” have to take action. Be a part of the food revolution, for your health, the health of future generations and the planet. . . .

    On a personal note, “I have been blocked from the so called “Monsanto Conversation” and their FB page for trying to have a conversation with them. Their “paid internet shills” are laughable and cannot be taken seriously. The TV ads they produce are a joke and a white wash designed to lull consumers into believing they are here for the good of the world. Profit is their only motivation at any expense, a truly evil corporation”.
    Written by Duncan Asper

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