Friday, July 8, 2011

Codex Commission – Voluntary GMO Labeling Okay with WTO?

Some reasonably good news, for a change, on the GMO labeling front. The US dropped its 20-year opposition to a World Trade Organization Codex Alimentarius agreement stating that countries who decide to label GMOs in food will not be subject to WTO unfair trade litigation. However, the proof will be in the pudding and the biotechs and their allies will likely try to influence the language of the agreement to make implementation of labeling difficult so as to protect their GMO-based profits.
http://farmwars.info/?p=6408&utm

GOP Lawmaker Refuses To Believe The Fact That Rep. Eric Cantor Is Shorting U.S. Treasury Bonds

I previously posted the story from Salon about Eric Cantor's short position on US debt. I haven't seen much other coverage on this issue but believe it should be a big national story about the ethical issues of lawmakers and that Cantor should divest himself of this investment. Cantor, it turns out, is also a big defender of banks and has fought against regulating mortgage related issues including opposition to preventing banks from robo-signing in foreclosure activities. Meanwhile, this ThinkProgress report details a GOP lawmaker's response of disbelief when confronted with Cantor's investment. Why isn't the national media on this story that is so pertinent to the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations?
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/07/08/263264/olson-cantor-shorting-treasury/

Scary maps of the new climate normal

More evidence of a warming planet and some information related to these patterns in the US and their effects on plant and pest life.
http://www.grist.org/climate-change/2011-07-08-scary-maps-of-the-new-climate-normal

Chinese oil spill half the size of London went unreported for a month

This outrageous story demonstrates once again that industry (whether Capitalist or Communist) will keep the public in the dark about environmental and health catastrophes without vigilant oversight from the media and regulators. The unmitigated gall of the Chinese in this case is a fresh example of industrial priorities; maintain profits over public health concerns whenever possible. It's only the scale of this spill and the resulting oil slick that brought this event out in the open.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/jul/07/china-oil-spill-cover-up-bohai-sea?CMP=twt_fd

Don’t Gimme That Filet-O-Fish!

This Food & Water Watch piece questions the integrity of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) labels on fish products that are supposed to indicate sustainable fishery practices. They point out that the organization profits from the products that receive its labels and in the case of McDonald's Filet O' Fish, recently blessed with the sustainable label, fails to adhere to rigorous definitions of sustainable seafood.
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/don’t-gimme-that-filet-o-fish/