UK GM and Fingers (Not Chicken Fingers)

Our friends in Great Britain have okayed some genetically modified corn destined for a bright future as cattle feed. Big news, actually.

Britain's first genetically modified commercial crop will be Chardon LL maize, a type of corn crop used for cattle feed that is manufactured by Cropscience, a unit of Germany's Bayer. The crop will not be planted until spring 2005 at the earliest, Beckett told the House of Commons.

Chardon LL is not grown in any European Union (news - web sites) countries, but similar varieties have been grown in the United States for several years.

Spain is the only European Union country to plant significant amounts of biotech crops, with 79,000 acres of genetically modified corn in 2003, up a third from 2002.

This particular "flavor" of corn is genetically modified to be resistant to herbicides. British experts of their own flavors, of course, are quoted complete with dissenting opinion. I mean, isn't it obvious, it's the gentically modified crops that have made America so obese. GM food is the cause of all ills that plague this country.

While reading a sister article, I learned that Greenpeace is furious. Greenpeace - whales. Concentrate on the whales. Welcome to rational thought, UK government. May your people and "experts" soon follow suit in learning the process.

"The government has given the thumbs up to GM maize and shown two fingers to the British public," said Friends of the Earth (news - web sites) director Tony Juniper. "Tony Blair must not ignore the threat GM poses to our food, farming and the environment."

Yeah, two fingers. Like, as in lovely British obscene gesture. As demonstrated here. (Click that - it's a "can't miss.")

In a complete unrelated story that now must emerge, a British online friend explained the two-finger thing to me once. I'll see if I can find that for you. Ah, yes, here we are.

The original tale said that after Agincourt (or maybe Crecy - it depends on which version you find) the English cut off the first two fingers from the hands of captured French bowmen, to prevent them from drawing a bow again. The English subsequently used the "two finger salute" as a jeering gesture at French soldiers.

But, wait, wasn't I using all ten of my fingers to tell you about Greenpeace? Aye, I was. Naaa - nevermind. Unimportant.

hln

Posted by hln at March 9, 2004 05:17 PM | Nutrition | TrackBack