"At the present time the beings of this present group (Americans) almost never consume for their first being-food any edible product which still retains all those active elements put into every being by Great Nature Herself as an indispensable requisite for taking in power for normal existence; but they preserve,' 'freeze,' and 'essensify' before hand all those products of theirs and use them only when most of these active elements required for normal existence are already volatilized out of them." ~ George Gurdjieff, Beelzebub's Tales to his Grandson

Gurdjieff's observations were certainly ahead of his time. He wrote the above sometime around 1925. He called Americans 'digestive organs spoiled' and said that the destruction of America will come in part from the stomach (the other part was sex). We can look around today and quite easily verify the truth in this. Although there are a number of factors that are likely lead to fall of this country, the food we eat certainly seems to be playing a part.

The 'quality' of food is practically non-existent. Everything we eat is dead of nutritional value. Our food is dressed up to look pretty while having nothing of real value inside, just like most everything else in America - the media, the monetary system, corporations, entertainment, education, and the creators of all those things in their image - the United States government (although it's hardly even being dressed up anymore - it certainly is having trouble masking its brutality and ugliness) . But all this can serve a purpose, a useful even if difficult and sometimes painful lesson in entropy - by studying this we might learn how we can escape such a strong force - that is if it is in us to do.

But back to food. Our source of nutrition is what maintains and strengthens our health, be it physically, emotionally, or mentally. A blow to our nutrition is clearly a blow to our health. With weakened immune systems we are more likely to fall prey to this seasons flu or the propaganda du jour a la Bush Administration. Critical thinking is not the average American's strong suit.

Just as the impressions we are fed are synthetic so it is the same with our physical foods. Our supermarkets are filled with genetically modified foods. Most everything we eat has some GM food in it. If it has soybean oil or corn syrup it most likely is genetically modified. There is the argument that it is unknown that there is any harm in GM foods. I'd say that argument is as artificial as the gm foods are. Jeffrey Smith authored a book, Seeds of Deception:Exposing Industry And Government Lies About The Safety Of The Genetically Engineered Food You're Eating. From a recent article (also below):

Smith said that the genetically modified maize grown in South Africa is likely to have been inserted with a gene that would make it produce Bt-toxin, which is a pesticide.

"When this pesticide was fed to mice, the mice developed an immune response equal to that of cholera toxin. They developed allergies, abnormal and excessive cell growth in their small intestines, and a greater susceptibility to allergies," he said.

Smith said the GM Bt-toxin in maize was hundreds and even thousands of times more concentrated than the spray form.

"Farm workers exposed to even the low dose Bt spray showed evidence of allergic sensitivity.

"Preliminary evidence found that 39 Filipinos living next to a Bt maize field developed skin, intestinal and respiratory reactions while the maize was pollinating," he said.

Smith said that farmers who fed their cattle 100 percent GM maize had difficulties. "Twelve cows died on a German farm, and about 25 farmers in North America said their pigs became sterile, had false pregnancies or gave birth to bags of water."

How many people do you know are allergic or intolerant to peanuts, dairy, wheat or some other food. How many do you know who are hypersensitive to perfumes, deodorants, or some other chemical we use to mask our stink? If you're in the US the number is likely high unless your head is in the sand. Might the reason so many people are sensitive to these things because our body's defense system has been broken down by these obviously harmful chemicals through repetitive ingestion, absorption, etc.? The current situation is clearly not from GM foods, but likely from all the insecticides, pesticides, preservatives, and all the like. GM foods are for the new generations. I have full faith in its ability to destroy as good as, likely better than, its predecessors.

All who not fans of factory farms might enjoy the Meatrix flash.

SA food is not safe, anti-GM expert warns

September 30 2005 at 11:24AM
By Irene Kuppan

The majority of South Africans are unaware that 30 percent of the country's yellow maize and soy bean crops are genetically modified.

This is just one of the concerns raised by international author Jeffrey Smith, who is in the country to deliver a series of talks on genetically modified food.

Smith was addressing a group of people on the topic at the Diakonia Centre in Durban on Thursday.

He has been researching the issue of genetic engineering for the past 10 years and has travelled to more than 20 countries speaking on the subject.

He is also author of the book, Seeds Of Deception: Exposing Industry And Government Lies About The Safety Of The Genetically Engineered Food You're Eating.

Smith said that genetic engineering involved taking a gene from one species and inserting it into another.

Smith said that most South Africans had no idea that the food they were eating had been genetically modified.

"South Africa is the only country in the world allowing its staple food to be genetically modified and as a result, is putting a large portion of the population at risk," said Smith.

He said that 30 percent of the country's yellow maize and soy bean crops were genetically modified, along with 10 percent of white maize crops.

Smith said that the genetically modified maize grown in South Africa is likely to have been inserted with a gene that would make it produce Bt-toxin, which is a pesticide.

"When this pesticide was fed to mice, the mice developed an immune response equal to that of cholera toxin.

They developed allergies, abnormal and excessive cell growth in their small intestines, and a greater susceptibility to allergies," he said.

Smith said the GM Bt-toxin in maize was hundreds and even thousands of times more concentrated than the spray form.

"Farm workers exposed to even the low dose Bt spray showed evidence of allergic sensitivity.

"Preliminary evidence found that 39 Filipinos living next to a Bt maize field developed skin, intestinal and respiratory reactions while the maize was pollinating," he said.

Smith said that farmers who fed their cattle 100 percent GM maize had difficulties.

"Twelve cows died on a German farm, and about 25 farmers in North America said their pigs became sterile, had false pregnancies or gave birth to bags of water."

Smith said that South Africans needed to take a stand and demand to know what goes into the food they are eating.

"We need the leadership of this country, the faith-based leadership, the labour leaders and those who protect the lives of those with HIV/Aids to put a stop to these genetically modified foods.

"Leaders have to go to the government and manufacturers, and tell them that we (the public) are going to get our congregations and organizations to stop eating GM foods, and ask for a list for those which are GM and those which are not," he said.

Smith said that only when the word was out and everyone knew what was genetically modified and what was not, would a revolution begin within the industry.