Topic: ROFLOLMAO@Greenpeace

[WindAndConfusion]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/280807_News/28Aug2007_news02.php

Greenpeace's protest against the lifting of a ban on open-field trials of genetically-modified (GM) papaya yesterday was met with an unexpected reaction from a crowd of onlookers.

Passers-by took matters, and tonnes of papayas dumped by Greenpeace, into their own hands, and ran off.

The environmental group dumped the papayas in front of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry yesterday to make its objection to the lifting of the ban loud and clear to the government.

It was the second protest about the controversial issue in five days after reports the ministry will today seek cabinet approval for the lifting of the ban on open-field trials of transgenic crops.

But this time, after the dumping, people flocked to load up on the free papayas, ignoring the environmental organisation's campaign against the dangers of GM fruit _ a message Greenpeace has been trying to get through to the government and the public for years.

Many passers-by, who mostly knew nothing about transgenic fruit, said they did not care about any health risks.

They were just thinking about how hungry they were.

''I don't care if they're dangerous,'' said papaya salad seller Gig Krueyat, 70. ''I don't know what the threat is ... nothing serious, I think ...''

Mrs Gig helped herself to three sacks of the fruit in minutes. Others, including some ministry officials and Rasi Salai dam protesters from Sri Sa Ket province who were camped near the ministry, also did not let the opportunity slip by.

A man waiting in traffic for the lights to go green near the ministry, leapt out of his car and joined the feast.

''I'm not scared of GM papayas. Rather, I'm scared I won't have any to eat,'' said Ubon Ratchathani villager Ampon Tantima, 31, before rushing back to his car with the free fruit.

Only some people at yesterday's protest said they would not eat GM papayas in case there were health risks.

Greenpeace, a staunch protester against GM foods, did not say that all its three truckloads of papayas dumped at the ministry were genetically modified.

But GM papaya seeds, experimented on by the Khon Kaen Agricultural Research Station, were found by the group to have slipped through to 2,669 farmers in 37 provinces three years ago.

The group, blocking three entrance gates to the ministry with mountains of papayas, demanded the government not repeal the April 13 cabinet resolution, which bans GM open-field trials.

The group fears that if the field trials are allowed, pollen from GM papayas or other crops will be carried by insects or the wind to contaminate non-GM farms.

They also warned that open-field GM trials, if they go ahead, will hit Thailand's exports of agricultural produce as other countries would order a halt to crop imports from Thailand.

Natwipha Ewasakul, a genetic engineering campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said the crowd scrambling for the dumped papayas yesterday reflected a lack of knowledge about GMO issues among Thai consumers.

''This shows the failure of government agencies to educate people about the possible health risks of genetically-engineered crops,'' she said.

The incident was also clear evidence that once crops were contaminated with GMOs, people would not be able to avoid eating them because it was impossible to identify GM from non-GM food, said Ms Natwipha. ''This is the true danger of GM food,'' she said.

[beo]

i know it's a new science, but being scared of the unknown is one of the purest examples of ignorance. i have seen so many groups protest GM crops in print and on tv and i just don't get it. it's controlled evolution for our direct benefit, a modern miracle - what's not to like?

[Quemaqua]

Do your research.  There's potential for lots of scary stuff.  I recommend watching The Future of Food, which is pretty darn good.  This issue has nothing to do with ignorance.

[Ghandi]

There are lots of benefits to GM foods. Crops which resist pests without the aid of fertilizers, crops that are engineered to grow in harsher environments, etc. There are dangers, but only insofar as a lack of technological advancement--GM foods are still in their infancy. Give it time.

Also, Greenpeace are fucking idiots. They would be able to achieve so much more if they didn't shove their agenda down everyone's throats.

[beo]

i understand that there are potential environmental concerns, but haven't we been affecting the natural balance for millennia with the selective breeding of livestock and crops? you have to consider that there are also potential environmental gains. i'll give an example - you have a field of crops that is doused in pesticides, which not only effects the crop you are trying to produce, but all the surrounding vegetation and wildlife. in a field of crops that doesn't require pesticide, the surrounding wildlife is unaffected. the crop would not be a viable source of food for it's natural pests, but wouldn't that be the case with pesticides anyway? at least this way other food sources for the natural wildlife would remain. this is a very slanted example, but i just wanted to show that it can go both ways - gm does not mean that it has to have a negative impact on ecosystems, and could actually be engineered for environmental benefit.

as for health issues, i don't buy that at all. i have yet to see anything based on fact that suggests that gm crops are any more harmful to us than non-gm crops. i understand the science behind why it *could* happen, but i have yet to see any evidence that proves, or even suggests why this would really be the case. as i stated above, we've been selectively breeding for centuries and  there are exactly the same set of pitfalls with this. you breed the two most pest resistant crops together over generations and you may see an increase of naturally occurring chemicals that are harmful to both insects and humans. we've been doing this for millennia and we're still here, so i don't see the problem.

i find it far more likely that health benefits such as increased levels of vitamins will make their way into genetically modified foods. the long term potential for what could be done with GM foods is pretty amazing, i'm not saying there won't be the occasional hiccup, but i genuinely don't believe there will be anything that we can't deal with, or anything that is widely above what we've seen with selective breeding. it's my personal opinion that it is little more than short sightedness that fuels this disdain for gm foods.

[WindAndConfusion]

Mayhaps I should have posted this in Serious Discussion? Ah, but then I wouldn't bother reading it.

Do your research.  There's potential for lots of scary stuff. 

Be specific. I've only ever heard of one "scary thing" that GM food can cause: the potential for much of our food supply to become the intellectual property of some corporation like Monsanto. (Related to this are the so-called "terminator" and "traitor" genes.)

Mind you that "scary thing" is purely economic, correctable by a change in the current legal situation, and has nothing to do with genetic modification itself.

I recommend watching The Future of Food, which is pretty darn good. 

I'm unlikely to watch it unless you can give me a compelling reason to.

A "compelling reason" would be something like one, specific, credible health risk associated with and unique to GMOs.

This issue has nothing to do with ignorance.

To the contrary. This issue has fucktons to do with ignorance.

[Cobra951]

Whether there's dangers or not, I can't see outright bans on research in this or any other science.  I also can't stand the idiots at Greenpeace, and I hope they suffocate in a pile of their own papayas.

The stifling IP laws in this country are in grave need of an overhaul.  Even the part of the world which recognizes the concept of IP has serious problems with the USA about this.

[Quemaqua]

I don't like Greenpeace, I'm not talking about health risks, nor do I think anything has to be banned either.  Look, call it laziness if you like, but I really don't feel like sitting here and typing a fucking thesis.  This is primarily why I don't go on and on in most topics of relatively serious discussion.  I just got off work, I'm tired, I have other crap I have to do.  I'm just saying I saw the video a while ago and I thought it had some interesting points about potential negatives relating to GM food.  That is my contribution, take it or leave it as you see fit.

[WindAndConfusion]

In that case, don't accuse me of not doing research. 99 times out of 100, I'll take it as a challenge.

[Quemaqua]

I was merely referencing the last post in the thread - "what's not to like?"  It was just a quick comment, and I should have quoted.  If I had, I realize now it would have just sounded like I was calling beo stupid, which wasn't the intention either.  I should really just stop posting.

[Ghandi]

Hey now, let's be realistic. You were posting an argument against the fact, but with such a comprehensive topic, there is bound to be comprehensive discussion to boot. I think it's great that there is disagreement with the norm. It furthers conversation, and enhances reasoning behind it. Stop being such a son of a bitch.

Also, don't worry about calling Beo stupid. He's a Brit.

[WindAndConfusion]

Future of Food on YouTube

I've seen about the first fifteen minutes of it. There's a lot of scare-mongering and they've already damaged their credibility with several weak or misleading claims, although to their credit so far they're mostly focusing on the legal issues, which they're only fucking up moderately. Also, the scary music is just retarded.

Speaking of retardedness, I just saw this article.

[beo]

Also, don't worry about calling Beo stupid. He's a Brit.

yeah, it's cool man, being called stupid by an american is akin to being called retarded by a kid with downs syndrome.

[angrykeebler]

yeah, it's cool man, being called stupid by an american is akin to being called retarded by a kid with downs syndrome.

YOU SHOW GHANDI SOME GODDAMN RESPECT. WE"RE GOING TO WIPE OUT ALL THE ASIANS.

Unless, you LIKE having all those slant-eyed mother fuckers in your country. CUNT.

[Ghandi]

Slanty-eyed supporters will be shown no mercy.

[WindAndConfusion]

Ghandi, Keeb, quit derailing my threads. This is a discussion of retarded people other than the two of you.

[Ghandi]

Grilled cheese sandwiches are great. Every now and then I throw a little ham on for good measure. I've also experimented with avocado, which is quite delicious, if done right.

Wait, was someone saying something?

[beo]

Unless, you LIKE having all those slant-eyed mother fuckers in your country. CUNT.

fuck yeah. their pussies are tighter and when you cum in their face, they don't charge extra, they're just glad of the hot drink.

[Cobra951]

Well, maybe we do need Scott's sticky after all . . .   

[gpw11]

I watched The Future of Food, and it didn't present anything to really make me change my stance. In fact, it's not even making a good point against the creation and cultivation of GM foods, but rather making a point about the legal issues and the lack of regulations.  I don't know if that was the intention, but that's the only aspect of GM foods I've ever had a problem with.  Little problem with the science itself, but rather think the way we deal with it might be off.  There could be many future benefits of GM foods, we just have to be careful with how we handle them at this point.  There should most likely be more government regulation, but most people you'll find against GM foods seem to want them straight up banned without really understanding the issue.  ALL of the problems raised so far are the kinds of things that can be fixed with legislation and regulation of the industry.