Europe's top food safety agency said on Friday that France's ban on a genetically modified maize [corn] developed by U.S. biotech giant Monsanto was unjustified.
Monsanto's MON 810 is the only GM crop grown in the European Union, unlike in the United States and Latin America, where they are more common. Many European countries doubt the safety of using the genetic technology in agriculture.
"No specific scientific evidence, in terms of risk to human and animal health and the environment, was provided that would justify the invocation of a safeguard clause," the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said in an opinion released on its website. The EFSA is based in Parma, Italy.
France suspended the use of MON 810 earlier this year, invoking a so- called safeguard clause against the European Commission's decision to authorize the GM maize.
The French government said it had serious doubts about whether Mon 810 maize was safe for the environment.
However, the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMO) has remained legal. The European Commission, which monitors food safety and implementation of EU food standards across the bloc's 27 member countries, had requested the opinion from the EFSA.
~ more... ~
Thursday, November 13, 2008
EU agency says French GMO maize ban unjustified
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Turkey -- Georgia -- Azerbaijan Confederation or Caucasus Contained
In a separate article, entitled ´Biased US-UE Games in Georgia and the Caucasus Expected to Trigger a Russian Climax´, I republished the Press Briefing given by Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, at U.S. Mission Geneva a few days ago. The EU/UN/OSCE-sponsored talks on Georgia is a diplomatic game serving for coverage; it does cover the Western inertia vis-à-vis Georgia, and even worse Russia.
It is part of common sense that the West abandoned Georgia to an unnecessary defeat which was the result of an attempt to defend what cannot be defended, namely the denial of the right of the Abkhazian and South Ossetian peoples to freedom and national independence.
The Americans had long heard from various Turkish diplomats, statesmen and academia that the Georgian insistence on ruling Abkhazia was historically nonsensical; the problem is that the Americans did not understand that the attempt was also politically counterfeit.
Like Kosova, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia, Abkhazia has had full right to secede from an administrative authority to which it was attached by biased, Communist authorities of bygone eras.
The reason of the American misperception of Caucasus and failure in Georgia are all due to the indexation of the US foreign policy to European interests; what the present pathetic US administration failed to understand is that the European interests are detrimental not only to the US but also to Europe itself. In brief, one should not take them into consideration under any circumstances whatsoever.
The problems of the Caucasus geopolitics and geostrategics have been aggravated by Europe´s erratic approach to Europe itself first, and then to Russia and the possible Russian – European relationship.
West´s Problem in Caucasus: the Euro-fallacy
The main problem of the European political decision-making is its greatly anti-democratic character; the main reason for which French politicians and statesmen want Turkey and Ukraine outside EU is precisely this, namely the continuation of the present character of the EU.
The fragile situation, in which the prevalence of the partial and colonial interests of the axis Paris – London has been possible, will be irreparably disturbed and counterbalanced due to the great weight that the two countries (Turkey 75 million people and Ukraine 46 million people) will de facto have within the EU Commission and the European Parliament.
The filthy colonial game of the evil and secretive Paris – London axis evolves around several basic tools:
1. the imposition on Germany of a totally un-German political establishment that perceives the political reality through an Anglo-French viewpoint. In fact, Germany does not exist politically as an autonomous entity in the same way Berlusconi´s Italy does; it has never existed since the WW II defeat. By this, I don´t imply that Nazism was an authentic German political ideology; it was not, and it was rejected by both, the German noblesse and the German Left. Authentic German political ideology can be found in the Weimar Republic, in the Imperial Germany (1870 – 1918), and the Prussian and Bavarian kingdoms. Nothing of all this has been left in today´s Germany.
2. the constant isolation and even under-estimation of Italy,
3. the formation of ideological alliances (socialist, conservative, liberal, etc.) with politicians and statesmen among the smaller states (this is a way of guidance and manipulation), and
4. the circumstantial satisfaction of various demands introduced by smaller states´ governments, according to an immoral and ruinous barter agreement of the style "you vote for this, and I will support you on that".
The game reached its limits with the entrance of Poland. Turkey and Ukraine will totally counterbalance the Paris – London axis, canceling the advantage of the politically inexistent Germany.
Even more inconsistent is the European position on Russia; in fact, the immoral, pseudo-democratic and utterly criminal European elites deliberately pushed Russia to oligarchy and totalitarianism, through a multifaceted method involving harassment, humiliation, derision, alienation, and animosity. The Anglo-French elites did their ingenious best to reintroduce terms existing before more than 100 years that described the tsarist monarchy and its backward character. However, post-communist 1990 Russia was definitely not what was portrayed by the Europeans and their fallacious mass media. The Yeltsin years condemned EU and Russia to rivalry, and it will be very difficult to prevent this development.
Quite pathetically, the European leaders pulled America and exported their unreal vision of Russia – a vision that damages the West before all the rest; if you are unable to face-off a resourceful rogue state – nuclear power, it´s better that you don´t push its leadership to reactionary and rogue behaviour. This basic wisdom was not well comprehended by today´s mean, sectarian and myopic elite of Europe that excels in Russo-phobia, Turco-phobia, and Islamo-phobia.
Caucasus
All this does not bode well with the needs of Caucasus geopolitics and geo-strategics. Caucasus has long been an area that belonged to the Islamic Caliphate. Long before the Islamic armies reached Gibraltar, Iran, Azerbaijan, Eastern Turkey (the easternmost confines of the Eastern Roman Empire), Armenia and Georgia had been invaded and annexed to Medina and then Damascus.
The Russian expansion in the Caucasus is a far later phenomenon which is largely due to the disastrous Ottoman – Safevid rivalry that replaced the old Roman – Persian confrontation on a Sunni – Shia theoretical canvas.
Caucasus would be a matter of further decomposition of Russia, if ethno-religious considerations were the only to be implicated; as it happens, Caucasus is a mixture of geopolitical interests hinging on energy exploitation and transportation and geostrategic agendas that involve Russia´s containment from the South (traditional colonial Anglo-French scheme) or Russia´s expansion to the Southern Seas (traditional Russian expansionism).
The outcome of the confrontation will be of colossal dimensions; the Russian push to the South can lead to the elimination of the pro-American puppets of the Middle East and to the destruction of Israel.
Similarly, the Energy Drang nach Osten will have even more cataclysmic effects:
1. the decrease of the European dependence on Russian Energy
2. the rise of a great, Muslim, preponderantly Turco-phone, secular state
3. the shrinking of Russia into its 17th century dimensions, and
4. the subsequent rise of the Turkish – Central Asiatic state, which bodes well with the geopolitical interests of China, India, America, and Europe.
A Great State of the South as Counterbalance to Russia
For the West to contain Russia, there is a basic problem: the effort will be successful only through the rise of a big state at the southern confines of Russia from Abkhazia to China.
This state has to be:
1. Muslim (in its majority)
2. Secular
3. Democratic
4. Liberal
5. Multi-cultural and
6. (principally) Turko-phone
For this to be done, the underway Anglo-Saxon plan of division of Turkey into two states, Turkey (60 million people) and Kurdistan (15 million people), with the parallel adhesion of the former in the EU and merge of the latter with territories sliced from Iraq, Iran and Syria, has to be canceled.
On the contrary, Turkey must be left to normally become the spinal cord of a vast state that will incorporate Iraq, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and progressively Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The project may span over more than 10 years to be materialized, but it consists in the only way to
1. contain Russian expansionism
2. diminish European dependence on Russian energy
3. shrink Russia
4. cancel the pending threat of a nuclear Iran
5. eliminate the expansion of Islamic conservatism and backward theology
6. pacify Israel and Palestine, and
7. modernize a vast part of Asia by fully integrating it into the global system - to the benefit of the inhabitants, and to the detrimental loss of Russia.
Myopia and Panic in the Caucasus August 2008 Crisis
The way to set up the geopolitical project of Turkey – Central Asia is to start by offering to Georgia the only defense that can truly function efficiently.
It was utterly ludicrous for the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a comical puppet of the Anglo-French axis, to suddenly support Georgia´s adhesion to the NATO - just a few months after the chance for this development was denied to Georgia, Ukraine and (for other reasons) Macedonia.
Turkish extremist Islamist premier Erdogan´s suggestion for an international body including Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia would be as ineffective as theatrical.
If this happened, it would be inconsequential, and would even drive NATO to an impossible position; given the rogue behaviour of the Russian oligarchy, one should rather expect a further advance of the Russian army for another let´s say 4 km within Georgian territory, a development to which the entire NATO would prove unable to respond. The credibility of NATO would thus fall to its lowest possible.
Furthermore, viewing the case ´Georgia´ independently is a geopolitical error of colossal dimensions. Georgia is interlinked with Azerbaijan at all levels. With Georgia disconnected from Azerbaijan, the West offers Russia, its supposedly merciless rival, a bonus of trillions of dollars in energy.
In fact, Russian pressure over Azerbaijan has been ceaselessly exercised in order to minimize Azerbaijan´s colossal geopolitical value, and reduce it to a mere annex of Russia (Soviet comeback).
Turkey – Georgia – Azerbaijan Confederation
The only way to effectively defend Georgia, and preserve its interconnection with Azerbaijan is an immediate merge of the three states, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, into a Confederation under one Constitution providing for
three official languages, Turkish, Azeri and Georgian,
common defense and foreign policy,
three different legislations,
three federal and one con-federal parliaments, and
economic convergence.
The immediate proclamation of the confederate state would automatically expand NATO to the Caspian shore; with the South Ossetian and Abkhazian territories left to their indigenous populations, Georgia – and Azerbaijan – would be automatically protected by Turkish army and NATO nuclear arms.
This would trigger the fast exploitation of the vast Oil reserves of Azerbaijan, and the subsequent erection of at least two more pipelines through the Georgian - Turkish territory to Europe.
With the decrease of the Russian threat, which is still looming over Georgia, the Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan Confederation would be engaged in two projects, the first in Dagestan (to free the tyrannized Muslims from Russia) and the second in Iran (to liberate the oppressed Azeris, Turks and Turkmens).
With the liberation of the Iranian provinces of East and West Azerbaijan, most of the Caucasus region would be placed under the NATO control, and the Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan Confederation would be very close to a further merge with Turkmenistan.
Orientalist, Historian, Political Scientist, Dr. Megalommatis, 51, is the author of 12 books, dozens of scholarly articles, hundreds of encyclopedia entries, and thousands of articles. He speaks, reads and writes more than 15, modern and ancient, languages. He refuted Greek nationalism, supported Martin Bernal´s Black Athena, and rejected the Greco-Romano-centric version of History. He pleaded for the European History by J. B. Duroselle, and defended the rights of the Turkish, Pomak, Macedonian, Vlachian, Arvanitic, Latin Catholic, and Jewish minorities of Greece. Born Christian Orthodox, he adhered to Islam when 36, devoted to ideas of Muhyieldin Ibn al Arabi.
Greek citizen of Turkish origin, Prof. Megalommatis studied and/or worked in Turkey, Greece, France, England, Belgium, Germany, Syria, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Egypt and Russia, and carried out research trips throughout the Middle East, Northeastern Africa and Central Asia. His career extended from Research & Education, Journalism, Publications, Photography, and Translation to Website Development, Human Rights Advocacy, Marketing, Sales & Brokerage. He traveled in more than 80 countries in 5 continents. He defends the Right of Aramaeans, Oromos, Ogadenis, Sidamas, Berbers, Afars, Anuak, Darfuris, Bejas, Balochs and Tibetans to National Independence, demands international recognition for Kosovo, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Transnistria, calls for National Unity in Somalia, and denounces Islamic Terrorism.
~ American Chronicle ~
Beyond the Fat Cats
The most important thing the Democrats and President-elect Obama can do with regard to the economy is bring back a sense of fairness and equity.
The fat cats who placed the entire economy at risk with their greed and manic irresponsibility are trying to lay claim to every last dime in the national Treasury. Meanwhile, we're nowhere close to an economic recovery program that will help the people who are hurting most.
Back in September, with the credit markets frozen and the stock markets panicking, the treasury secretary, Henry Paulson, was telling anyone who would listen that his $700 billion bailout package had to be passed with lightning speed — no time to look at it too closely, no time for dissent.
The package was modified, but hurriedly. Now we learn that while all eyes were focused on this enormous new burden for American taxpayers, Mr. Paulson's department was also engineering — separate and apart from the bailout — what The Washington Post described as “a quiet windfall for U.S. banks. ”
With virtually no public attention, and without the input of Congress, Treasury made a change in an obscure tax provision that benefited banks to the tune of well over $100 billion. Was this good policy? In the absence of proper scrutiny, how is it possible to know?
We've also learned that the government bailout of the giant insurer, the American International Group — already more than $100 billion — is apparently insufficient. Tens of billions more are needed.
When the Champagne and caviar crowd is in trouble, there is no conceivable limit to the amount of taxpayer money that can be found, and found quickly.
But when it comes to ordinary citizens in dire situations — those being thrown out of work or forced from their homes by foreclosure or driven into bankruptcy because of illness and a lack of adequate health insurance — well, then we have to start pinching pennies. That's when it's time to become fiscally conservative. President Bush even vetoed a bill that would have expanded health insurance coverage for children.
We can find trillions for a foolish war and for pompous, self-righteous high-rollers who wrecked their companies and the economy. But what about the working poor and the young people who are being clobbered in this downturn, battered so badly that they're all but destitute? Can we find any way to help them?~ more... ~
"It's a chemical sledgehammer" - Children in foster care
The chemical abuse of U.S. children in foster care represent the collapse of civilized medicine.
The Associated Press report (below) provides but a glimpse into a world of wontonly prescribed psychotropic drugs for children.
Children are being chemically assaulted under the guise of "treatment." Psychiatrists under the influence of drug manufacturers are misusing their prescribing license all across the U.S when they prescribe toxic combinations of psychotropic drugs for helpless children.
''The picture is bleak, and rooted in profound human suffering.''
That was the stinging verdict of a report on psychiatric treatment of foster children, including the misuse of medication issued by outgoing Texas state comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn in December. The report recommended hiring a full-time medical director for foster children and requiring prior approval for certain prescriptions. http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/hccfoster06
In New York--''Children who are having normal reactions to the trauma of being separated from their families are often misdiagnosed or overdiagnosed as suffering from psychiatric problems, and the system is too quick to medicate,'' said Mike Arsham of the Child Welfare Organizing Project. '
'It's a chemical sledgehammer that makes children easier to manage.''
~ more... ~
Foster children routinely drugged in Florida
APATHY, DRUGS A POTENT MIX FOR FOSTER KIDS
Fred Grimm, Miami Herald, September 18, 2003
Substitute the word ''my'' for ''foster.'' Then consider that
psychotropic drugs are being popped into these children like aspirin.
Some without ever seeing a psychiatric pediatrician. Some of them
infants and toddlers. Most of them unmonitored for side effects.
Would you acquiesce? Would you shrug it off, if they were your kids,
rather than some troublesome horde downgraded to the caste of foster
children?
Would you say, ''Yeah, OK, what the hell?,'' if the state of Florida
decided to medicate your toddler with buspirone or pentobarbital or
bupropion or amphetamines or lithium or sertraline?
Suppose the Florida Statewide Advocacy Council -- after learning
psychotropic drugs were being fed to your preschooler -- called this
a "disturbing discovery since most of these drugs have not been
approved for use in young children by the federal Food and Drug
Administration.''
SCARY SIDE EFFECTS
Imagine if the state were drugging your young child despite possible
side effects that included "decreased blood flow to the brain,
cardiac arrhythmias, disruption of growth hormone leading to
suppression of growth in the body and brain of a child, weight loss,
permanent neurological tics, dystonia, addiction and abuse, including
withdrawal reactions, psychosis, depression, insomnia, agitation and
social withdrawal, suicidal tendencies, possible atrophy in the
brain, worsening of the very symptom the drugs are suppose to
improve, and decreased ability to learn.''
Not to mention the risk of tardive dyskinesia, which, according to
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is
another potential effect of anti-psychotic drugs characterized by
"repetitive, involuntary, purposeless movements. Features of the
disorder may include grimacing, tongue protrusion, lip smacking,
puckering and pursing, and rapid eye blinking. Rapid movements of the
arms, legs, and trunk may also occur. Impaired movements of the
fingers may appear as though the patient is playing an invisible
guitar or piano.''
'INTERESTING' FINDINGS
I don't know you. Maybe the potential of a sleepless, depressed,
withdrawn, suicidal, undersized, addicted, lip-smacking child playing
perpetual air guitar doesn't trouble you. But if it does, if you
would find this an unacceptable risk for your own children, then why
do you assent, in your mute apathy, to the treatments described by
the advocacy council, which pulled the files of 1,180 foster kids
(out of some 15,000) and found that 652 were being medicated on
psychotropic drugs?
The Department of Children & Families complained that the sample was
too small and yielded misleading results. Florida Medicaid, which
funds this mass child drugging, called the report's finding
"interesting and of concern.''
Interesting? If the recipient of these drugs had been the child of
someone in the Florida Medicaid hierarchy, reaction would have a bit
stronger than ''interesting and of concern.'' It was as these foster
kids were no more than lab monkeys....
Google uses web searches to track flu's spread
There is a new common symptom of the flu, in addition to the usual aches, coughs, fevers and sore throats. Turns out a lot of ailing Americans enter phrases like “flu symptoms” into Google and other search engines before they call their doctors.
That simple act, multiplied across millions of keyboards in homes around the country, has given rise to a new early warning system for fast-spreading flu outbreaks, called Google Flu Trends.
Tests of the new Web tool from Google.org, the company's philanthropic unit, suggest that it may be able to detect regional outbreaks of the flu a week to 10 days before they are reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In early February, for example, the C.D.C. reported that the flu cases had recently spiked in the mid-Atlantic states. But Google says its search data show a spike in queries about flu symptoms two weeks before that report was released. Its new service at google.org/flutrends analyzes those searches as they come in, creating graphs and maps of the country that, ideally, will show where the flu is spreading.
The C.D.C. reports are slower because they rely on data collected and compiled from thousands of health care providers, labs and other sources. Some public health experts say the Google data could help accelerate the response of doctors, hospitals and public health officials to a nasty flu season, reducing the spread of the disease and, potentially, saving lives.
“The earlier the warning, the earlier prevention and control measures can be put in place, and this could prevent cases of influenza,” said Dr. Lyn Finelli, lead for surveillance at the influenza division of the C.D.C. From 5 to 20 percent of the nation's population contracts the flu each year, she said, leading to roughly 36,000 deaths on average.
The service covers only the United States, but Google is hoping to eventually use the same technique to help track influenza and other diseases worldwide.~ more... ~
image from http://www.spitting-image.net
