Is the organic food movement the most anti-science social movement out there?

[Dinner]

If that really is his thesis then it is especially retarded though. I'll agree rich countries subsidizing their agricultural sectors and using trade barriers is economically harmful to other producers but claiming it is imperialist and neo-colonialist is utterly retarded.

[KrazyHorse]

Good lord. Is this what passes for academic work in your field?

Participatory research with the Maasai included cooking in a traditional kitchen. Despite strong traditions regarding the roles of men and women, I was allowed to cook in a small, unventilated hut generally used by an older girl on the homestead. Although others, including my helper (a boy who seemed unsure if such an activity was proper), may not have seen the gesture (outside of my enjoying cooking) as a gender statement (only women are expected to cook in the Maasai), perhaps respect was gained for the work done by females in the village. Though fanning smoke from the hut was fun, we managed only six meager (undercooked) ears of maize with charcoal the mother could have cooked with for twenty people. I was unaware that the Maasai practice female genital mutilation (FGM) at the time I visited.

Additionally, it is possible to consider organic and conventional agriculture in terms of gender. Organic and small-scale production lies largely in the hands of women. “Conventional agriculture is indeed a system coded as masculine. A more holistic system, one coded as feminine, would place value on cooperation, social relationships and connection, making a difference, future generations, non-human nature, and community” (Wells and Gradwell, 2001:118).

Love the following bald assertion:

Organic techniques produce more nutritional food.

See, real scientists demonstrate stuff like this. With, like, experiments and calculations and stuff.

Globalization has not, however, resulted in an extension of this trend to the developing world. “Globalization has come at the price of undermining some of these characteristics [of sustainable farming] like diversity, adaptability and resilience in exchange for the overreaching goal of efficiency” (O’Hara and Stagl, 2001:539). The large private export farms that result from international pressure for cash income do not result in added community value, aside from the farm’s ability to employ labor under exploitative wages and hazardous conditions, in the name of “creating job opportunities”. In Kenya seven million people are employed by agriculture, representing two thirds of the workforce and producing 23% of the GDP (Todaro and Smith, 2003:135). Further, the lack of a gym, movie theater, gun club, sporting event, television, or other social option may result in increased community interaction through actual involvement with farming development (as exemplified by community farming organizations of Kenya highlighted herein).

High school essay material.

On the first occasion, the subject was sure that GM crops were the answer to Kenya’s agricultural problems (food scarcity in particular). Discussion ensued for a couple of hours about current and possible benefits and risks of GM crops. He was previously unaware of risk considerations, despite having completed a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. Some weeks later the informant expressed concern that such issues had not been raised in formal education. The subject has since investigated the issue and may continue to study GM production formally, so as to pursue both sides of the paradigm in attempt to fully understand the implications. Just as his colleagues (See University Survey) had perceived organic farming as an economic issue (as opposed to a nutrition, social, or ecology issue), he had perceived GM production as a yield increasing, and thus economic recovery, mechanism for conventional ‘economies of scale’ agriculture.

WTF? Is this the pedotard version of push polling?

[Drake Tungsten]

Did Pedotard really try to scare a Kenyan into rejecting modern GM crops? Jesus, that's despicable...

[Zevico]

This thread is a public service.

Edit: Deja vu. I'm sure I already posted this here.

[KrazyHorse]

Honestly, trying to convince rich, stupid hippy Westerners to pay more for equivalent food is one thing. Trying to lock down poor Africans into labour-intensive agricultural production instead of letting them urbanize and develop is just plain repugnant.

Does the state of Florida know that they're subsidizing murder as well as child rape?

[KrazyHorse]

If that really is his thesis then it is especially retarded though. I'll agree rich countries subsidizing their agricultural sectors and using trade barriers is economically harmful to other producers but claiming it is imperialist and neo-colonialist is utterly retarded.

That's not what he's calling imperialist and neocolonialist. He's calling the WHOLE IDEA of industrialized agriculture some sort of Western plot to hurt Africans.

[KrazyHorse]

Good God, he did it again:

I began the lecture with a question as to how many student were familiar with GM crops, few were. After the lecture the students asked questions, allowing a mutual learning process as I ascertained the student’s perspective of GM crops. It would be nice to report that everyone left with a greater appreciation of the issues surrounding genetically modified (GM) crop production, and that enlightenment was experienced by all. However, given the time frame, that was not the case. Instead, the promises of GM production were mentioned prior to a discussion of the risks involved. Most of the students were rather unaware of GM crop production prior to the lecture. Most of them left with a healthy fear of them (though personal risk from consumption was not presented as a legitimate concern). The lecture outline (used in presenting the lecture) is presented in Appendix D.

Have you no ****ing shame?

[Al B. Sure!]

Umm... I thought GM food is exactly the same as regular food? I mean yeah there might be some concern with regards to ecology and humans messing up by introducing the wrong GM crop into an environment (I'm not knowledgeable enough on this to not sound retarded but I think there's some legitimate concern with regards to human **** ups)... but in terms of the food itself and consuming it, it's the same damn thing.

Or is this like a slightly less retarded version of freaking out from meat from cloned animals?

[Drake Tungsten]

What risks? Jesus, what a horrible human being.

[KrazyHorse]

Will somebody not stop this madman before he kills/pedorapes again?

[Al B. Sure!]

And I thought the Maasai are noted for eating primarily meat, milk, and blood. What's all this about Maize and agriculture? They're nomadic cattle herders.

[KrazyHorse]

Kenya is seen as developing because, despite evidence otherwise, conventional and export agriculture are viewed as the future of farming. Markets, however, do not demonstrate this to be the world trend. As agriculture continues a local sustainability trend, focus shifts back to ecologic and social factors that global markets tend to externalize (O’Hara and Stagl, 2001:535). If the goal of sustainable agricultural development is to be supported by local, intensive, organic, small farmers, then Kenya is a developed nation. Much of the developed world has less organic and small held agricultural land (certainly the US). Thus Kenya, agriculturally, might not be seen as the developing nation.

Now he's not content with killing/raping Kenyans. Instead, he wants the rest of us to become Kenyans so he can kill/rape us too.

[Al B. Sure!]

Are those quotes from Ecofarm?

[KrazyHorse]

http://www.lumes.lu.se/database/alumni/02.03/theses/pellish_harry.pdf

[Al B. Sure!]

If the goal of sustainable agricultural development is to be supported by local, intensive, organic, small farmers, then Kenya is a developed nation.

What the ****? How great is Kenyan freaking agriculture? Yeah, because they produce so much food and can feed everyone in the country and keep them so well-nourished to run all those marathons!

It's organic because they're freaking using flails, scythes, and hand-plows! They can't afford or aren't developed enough to intensify their agriculture. We should farm like them! WOW!