SASQUNT

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Sat, 18 May 2013 20:00:38 -0400

topless-wizards: I just can’t Aaron is so amazing, he wrote me a poem: “Enchantress, draped in...

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:05:00 -0400

I just can’t

Aaron is so amazing, he wrote me a poem:

“Enchantress, draped in earthy rites, sweet singer of decadence and magic

To you I offer what few Saving qualities rest in my tired bones, that they may sustain you

My life and my love”

waaah i found this again

i love him what

thepeoplesrecord: Dr. Vandana Shiva: the “GOLDEN RICE” hoax -...

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:00:37 -0400

thepeoplesrecord:

Dr. Vandana Shiva: the “GOLDEN RICE” hoax - when public relations replaces science to promote a technology for creating Vitamin A deficiency
May 15, 2013

Golden rice has been heralded as the miracle cure for malnutrition and hunger of which 800m members of the human community suffer. Herbicide resistant and toxin producing genetically engineered plants can be objectionable because of their ecological and social costs. But who could possibly object to rice engineered to produce vitamin A, a deficiency found in nearly 3 million children, largely in the Third World?

As remarked by Mary Lou Guerinot, the author of the Commentary on Vitamin A rice in Science, one can only hope that this application of plant genetic engineering to ameliorate human misery without regard to short term profit will restore this technology to political acceptability. Unfortunately, Vitamin A rice is a hoax, and will bring further dispute to plant genetic engineering where public relations exercises seem to have replaced science in promotion of untested, unproven and unnecessary technology.

The problem is that vitamin A rice will not remove vitamin A deficiency (VAD). It will seriously aggravate it. It is a technology that fails in its promise. Currently, it is not even known how much vitamin JA the genetically engineered rice will produce. The goal is 33.3% micrograms/100g of rice. Even if this goal is reached after a few years, it will be totally ineffective in removing VAD.

Since the daily average requirement of vitamin A is 750 micrograms of vitamin A and 1 serving contains 30g of rice according to dry weight basis, vitamin A rice would only provide 9.9 micrograms which is 1.32% of the required allowance. Even taking the 100g figure of daily consumption of rice used in the technology transfer paper would only provide 4.4% of the RDA.

In order to meet the full needs of 750 micrograms of vitamin A from rice, an adult would have to consume 2 kg 272g of rice per day. This implies that one family member would consume the entire family ration of 10 kg. from the PDS in 4 days to meet vitaminA needs through “Golden rice”.

This is a recipe for creating hunger and malnutrition, not solving it.

Besides creating vitamin A deficiency, vitamin A rice will also create deficiency in other micronutrients and nutrients. Raw milled rice has a low content of Fat (0.5g/100g). Since fat is necessary for vitamin A uptake, this will aggravate vitamin A deficiency. It also has only 6.8g/100g of protein, which means less carrier molecules. It has only 0.7g/100g of iron, which plays a vital role in the conversion of beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A found in plant sources) to vitamin A. Superior Alternatives exist and are effective.

A far more efficient route to removing vitamin A deficiency is biodiversity conservation and propagation of naturally vitamin A rich plants in agriculture and diets.

The following is a list of sources rich in vitamin A which are used commonly in Indian foods. (microgram/100g)

(Amaranth leaves) Chauli saag= 266-1,166 -

(Coriander leaves) – Dhania = 1,166-1,333

(Cabbage) Bandh gobi = 217

(Curry leaves)-Curry patta = 1,333

(Drumstick leaves)-Saijan patta1 = 283

(Fenugreek leaves)-Methi-ka-saag = 450

(Radish leaves)-Mooli-ka-saag = 750

(Mint)-Pudhina = 300

(Spinach)-Palak saag = 600

(Carrot)-Gajar=217-434

(Pumpkin (yellow))-Kaddu = 100-120

(Mango (ripe))-Aam = 500

(Jackfruit)-Kathal = 54

(Orange)-Santra = 35

(Tomato (ripe))-Tamatar = 32

(Milk (cow, buffalo))-Doodh = 50-60

(Butter)-Makkhan = 720-1,200

(Egg (hen))-Anda = 300-400

(Liver (Goat, sheep))-Kalegi = 6,600 - 10,000

Cod liver oil = 10,000 - 100,000

In spite of the diversity of plants evolved and bred for their rich vitamin A content, a report of the Major Science Academies of the World - Royal Society, U.K., National Academy of Sciences of the USA, The Third World Academy of Science, Indian National Science Academy, Mexican Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Brazilian Academy of Sciences - on Transgenic Plants and World Agriculture has stated, Vitamin A deficiency causes half a million children to become partially or totally blind each year.

Traditional breeding methods have been unsuccessful in producing crops containing a high vitamin A concentration and most national authorities rely on expensive and complicated supplementation programs to address the problem. Researchers have introduced three new genes into rice, two from daffodils and one from a microorganism. The transgenic rice exhibits an increased production of beta-carotene as a precursor to vitamin A and the seed in yellow in colour. Such yellow, or golden rice, may be a useful tool to help treat the problem of vitamin A deficiency in young children living in the tropics.

It appears as if the world’s top scientists suffer a more severe form of blindness than children in poor countries. The statement that “traditional breeding has been unsuccessful in producing crops high in vitamin A” is not true given the diversity of plants and crops that Third World farmers, especially women have bred and used which are rich sources of vitamin A such as coriander, amaranth, carrot, pumpkin, mango, jackfruit.

It is also untrue that vitamin A rice will lead to increased production of beta-carotene. Even if the target of 33.3 microgram of vitamin A in 100g of rice is achieved, it will be only 2.8% of beta-carotene we can obtain from amaranth leaves 2.4% of beta-carotene obtained from coriander leaves, curry leaves and drumstick leaves. Even the World Bank has admitted that rediscovering and use of local plants and conservation of vitamin A rich green leafy vegetables and fruits have dramatically reduced VAD threatened children over the past 20 years in very cheap and efficient ways. Women in Bengal use more than 200 varieties of field greens. Over a 3 million people have benefited greatly from a food based project for removing VAD by increasing vitamin A availability through home gardens. The higher the diversity crops the better the uptake of pro-vitamin A.

The reason there is vitamin A deficiency in India in spite of the rich biodiversity a base and indigenous knowledge base in India is because the Green Revolution technologies wiped out biodiversity by converting mixed cropping systems to monocultures of wheat and rice and by spreading the use of herbicides which destroy field greens.

In spite of effective and proven alternatives, a technology transfer agreement has been signed between the Swiss Government and the Government of India for the transfer of genetically engineered vitamin A rice to India.

The ICAR, ICMR, ICDS, USAIUD, UNICEF, WHO have been identified as potential partners. The breeding and transformation is to be carried out at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and University of Delhi, South Campus. The Indian varieties in which the vitamin A traits are expected to be engineered have been identified as IR 64, Pusa Basmati, PR 114 and ASD 16.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan has been identified as “God father” to ensuring public acceptance of genetically engineered rice. DBT & ICAR are also potential partners for guaranteeing public acceptance and steady progress of the project.

Genetically engineered vitamin A rice will aggravate this destruction since it is part of an industrial agriculture, intensive input package. It will also lead to major water scarcity since it is a water intensive crop and displaces water prudent sources of vitamin A.

The first step in the technology transfer of vitamin A rice requires a need assessment and an assessment of technology availability. One assessment shows that vitamin A rice fails to pass the need test. The technology availability issue is related to whether the various elements and methods used for the construction of transgenic crop plants are covered by intellectual property rights. Licenses for these rights need to be obtained before a product can be commercialized. The Cornell based ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application) has been identified as the partner for ensuring technology availability by ensuring technology availability by having material transfer agreements signed between the representative authority of the ICAR and the “owners” of the technology, Prof. I. Potrykus and Prof. P. Beyer.

In addition, Novartis and Kerin Breweries have patents on the genes used as constructs for the vitamin A rice. At a public hearing on Biotechnology at U.S. Congress on 29th June 2000, Astra-Zeneca stated they would be giving away royalty free licenses for the development of “Golden rice”.

At a workshop organized by the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Dr. Barry of Monsanto’s Rice Genome initiative announced that it will provide royalty-free licenses for all its technologies that can help the further development of “golden rice”.

Hence these gene giants Novartis, Astra-Zeneca and Monsanto are claiming exclusive ownership to the basic patents related to rice research. Further, neither Monsanto nor Astra - Zeneca said they will give up their patents on rice - they are merely giving royalty free licenses to public sector scientists for development of “golden rice”. This is an arrangement for a public subsidy to corporate giants for R&D since they do not have the expertise or experience with rice breeding which public institutions have.

Not giving up the patents, but merely giving royalty free licenses implies that the corporations like Monsanto would ultimately like to collect royalties from farmers for rice varieties developed by public sector research systems. Monsanto has stated that it expects long term gains from these IPR arrangements, which implies markets in rice as “intellectual property” which cannot be saved or exchanged for seed. The real test for Monsanto would be its declaration of giving up any patent claims to rice now and in the future and joining the call to remove plants and biodiversity out of TRIPS. Failing such an undertaking by Monsanto the announcement that Monsanto giving royalty free licenses for development of vitamin A rice like the rice itself can only be taken as a hoax to establish monopoly over rice production, and reduce rice farmers of India into bio-serfs.

While the complicated technology transfer package of “Golden Rice” will not solve vitamin A problems in India, it is a very effective strategy for corporate take over of rice production, using the public sector as a Trojan horse.

Source

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okcgoldmine: via eroticbleeding. woah i didnt know those...

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:02:46 -0400

okcgoldmine:

via eroticbleeding. woah i didnt know those detached from the head

someone was clearly high when they made this…

meme4u: 98 year old dobri dobrev, a man who lost his hearing in...

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:56:01 -0400

meme4u:

98 year old dobri dobrev, a man who lost his hearing in the second world war, walks 10 kilometers from his village in his homemade clothes and leather shoes to the city of sofia, where he spends the day begging for money.

though a well recognized fixture around several of the city’s chruches, known for his prostrations of thanks to all donors, it was only recently discovered that he has donated every penny he has collected — over 40,000 euros — towards the restoration of decaying bulgarian monasteries and churches and the utility bills of orphanages, living entirely off his monthly state pension of 80 euros and the kindness of others.

mattbelly: the creepiest cats of ok cupid

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:52:52 -0400

mattbelly:

the creepiest cats of ok cupid

joala: IM CRYING

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:26:25 -0400

joala:

IM CRYING

my cat is okay!!!!!! she was gone all morning and i thought she was dead, but i came home and she...

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:07:15 -0400

my cat is okay!!!!!! she was gone all morning and i thought she was dead, but i came home and she was at the door and much less sick than yesterday. it feels like a mircale. thank you everybody <3

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Fri, 17 May 2013 20:00:28 -0400

awakeandempty: Strawberry- Paul Baribeau

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:00:41 -0400

awakeandempty:

Strawberry- Paul Baribeau

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Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:33 -0400

hehe, i love a good design project

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:18 -0400

hehe, i love a good design project

opinionatedcheese: youngblackandvegan: newwavefeminism: honeye...

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:54:17 -0400

opinionatedcheese:

youngblackandvegan:

newwavefeminism:

honeyedfire:

melanated-queen:

ainhd:

My darling clean-eaters, vegans and vegetarians, please add this piece to your collection. Not only because one of the essays was penned by yours truly, but because it’s the only piece of literature that discussed veganism from the perspective of the black woman - addressing critical issues of ethics, animal rights, health and food justice. Support the movement. Paz.

This is super interesting. Not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination, but after going to college I’ve developed a lot of feelings about food, race, class & social mobility

This is the book that cemented my position on veganism. It let me know that despite the pervasive image of veganism as a homogenous white movement, I have a place and a voice as a black vegan woman . This book is a collection of essays that represent the rich tapestry of black female vegans. All unique and all valid and important, this book helped to let me know that I and people that look like me don’t need to be invited into the vegan community, because we have been creating our own spaces for years.

I need to get a hold of this book.

literally me

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:28:30 -0400

literally me

in fact, those are the only monsters…

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:43:48 -0400

in fact, those are the only monsters…

please please please pray or hold space for my cat, I think she is really sick. I hope she is better...

Thu, 16 May 2013 22:49:11 -0400

please please please

pray or hold space for my cat, I think she is really sick. I hope she is better by the morning but I am worried about her! lucky that cats don’t get worried. I’m prepared for anything but i pray to god if she goes, she goes peacefully <3

colleenclarkart: This is a drawing I did of my very best...

Thu, 16 May 2013 22:41:41 -0400

colleenclarkart:

This is a drawing I did of my very best friend, Pooja. Pooja just spent four months in Gambia as a closeted lesbian because homosexuality is punishable by DEATH there. She officially came out to everyone her first day back in the states. I am so freaking proud of her and so lucky to know her. Read her coming out story (and the rest of her Gambian adventures!) on her blog, The Pooja Project!

Other than Pooja coming home, it has been so busy for me! I just wrapped up my junior year of school at CCAD, and now I’m taking a little break before going to back to work at my school’s Admissions office. I wanted to say - I have gotten so many wonderful sweet messages about my comic and I just want to say thank you SO MUCH! I haven’t gotten to all of them yet because I feel a little conceited publishing all the anon asks, but really you guys have no idea how much it means to me to hear your kind words. THANK YOU! XOXO

catcupid: . * . * . * . * . * . * .

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:36 -0400

catcupid:

. * . * . * . * . * . * .

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Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:26 -0400

thugzmansion: my intro to queerness: francine frensky

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:00:48 -0400

thugzmansion:

my intro to queerness: francine frensky