[leps-talk] The Bt debate--take a cautious view

[Michael Gochfeld]

I have other reasons besides Monarchs to be skeptical about the introduction of
Bt into corn.
This might just turn out to be a quick way of developing widespread resistance
to Bt.
Monarchs are probably a side issue.

However,  list members should avoid drawing their opinions on the Bt-Monarch
issue from the media.
A series of papers on this topic was published in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences last year.

There are two drawbacks.  Although the PNAS sounds like a very prestigious
journal, it does not use the same peer review process that most scientific
journals use.   Or at least it used to have that reputation (perhaps among
people who didn't have an NAS member-friend to sponsor their paper).  Papers
are forwarded  by members of the Academy.

Moreover, if you actually read the articles, the PNAS has a disclaimer that
these articles were paid for and should be viewed as paid advertisements.
Frankly I have never seen anything like it in a scientific journal, and I can't
imagine why the researchers chose this route of publication.

Anyway don't take my word for it.  Find the original papers and draw your own
conclusions.   Next time I'm in the library I'll copy down the exact wording.

By the way, just because research is paid for doesn't mean it is wrong, flawed,
or fraudulent.  Research is a job like any other (but more fun than most). But
when publication is paid for, it imparts a curious color to the results, at
least in my mind.

Mike Gochfeld

Ron Gatrelle wrote:

> Paul asked me once over on leps-l how I felt about Bt corn and genetic
> engineered stuff.  I said I didn't like it at all.  I also said that this
> was largely due to my being old school and having an image of the mad
> scientist creating that which will doom humanity.  Hey, that is how I feel
> about it.   Now, my rational mind has some legitimate concerns, but I have
> to be honest with myself and admit that I just don't like the idea of
> people playing God.
>
> Given that perspective or prejudice (which ever it may be) I am none the
> less glad that over the last couple of years various researchers are
> finding the Bt pollen does not harm Monarchs.  I would think we would all
> be wiping the sweat off our paranoid brows and saying -- thank goodness.
> It sure looks better to me than clouds of insecticide floating about our
> fields.  Lesser of two evils?  Perhaps.
>
> Which reminds me.  The other thing I said last year, is that given my
> personal bent to "fear" engineered anything, that I do not at all
> appreciate the fear mongers and doom sayers magnifying this stuff out of
> proportion.  I wonder too much about the food I eat and air I breath as it
> is.  When it is finally revealed that "they" are agenda driven it really
> make me mad - because they upset me when I am already half way over the
> edge in this area.  Yah, I still think fluoride is a communist plot. (oops,
> there is that literary hyperbole.)
>
> Ron Gatrelle
>
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