Fracking and GMO's likely to find a home in a fascist puppet state Ukraine. Meanwhile Russia declares itself a GMO free area. Ad they don't frack either.
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Monsanto in Ukraine: IMF loan for Ukraine may give GMO giant a backdoor into EU
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Published time: August 30, 2014 15:33
Reuters / Bogdan Cristel
Ukraine's bid for closer ties with the west could come at a cost. With the IMF set to loan the country $17 billion, the deal could also see GMO crops grown in some of the most fertile lands on the continent, warns Frederic Mousseau.
Very few, not least the Ukrainian population are aware of these details, but according to Mousseau, who is a Policy Director at The Oakland Institute, in return for the cash, Ukraine could very well become a test ground for GMO crops in Europe, something the rest of the European Union has been looking to prevent. RT caught up with the Frenchman, who voiced his concerns at what may lay ahead. RT: When this $17 billion deal is approved by the IMF and the Ukrainian ban on GM crops is lifted, does that mean it is just a matter of time before Ukrainian farmers grow modified crops? Frederic Mousseau: This is very likely because there is a lot of pressure from the bio-technological industry, such as Monsanto, to have these approved in Ukraine. It is also part of the EU Association Agreement, which has a particular article which calls for the expansion of bio-technology and GMOs in Ukraine. RT: If it was one of the pre-conditions of the multi-billion dollar loan, do you think it is fair to say that Monsanto has considerable influence over the IMF and the World Bank and even dictates terms to them? FM: We saw in 2013 that Monsanto invested $140 million in new seed plans in Ukraine. It is clearly the bread basket of Europe and it is a key target for a company like Monsanto, which sees this huge potential for production and this huge market. Europe has been quite resistant in allowing GMOs, but if they are successful in Ukraine then there might be a domino effect in Europe. RT: Was it a coincidence or a pre-planned action back in December 2013, when the ban on GM goods was lifted in Ukraine, just weeks before the IMF was supposed to give that county a loan? FM: It can't be a coincidence because we have seen a very strong mobilization of the industry and the agro business in lobbying the government and the EU to have these changes in the legislation. Also we have seen this investment coming in prior to any adoption of GMOs. So clearly this pressure was there and to have such a clause in the EU Association Agreement means that the lobbyists in the industry must have been at work for months before that.
AFP Photo / Juliette Michel
RT: The president of the US-Ukraine Business Council has said that it is necessary to get the Ukrainian government out of the agriculture business and transform it into a private sector industry. Can we say that America has set its sights on the vast fields that could be a gold mine for agriculture? FM: There are these seed businesses like Monsanto and pesticide companies, but there is also the land of Ukraine, which has so far been under the control of the Ukrainian government and has not been available for sale. There will be a big push to privatize this land and make it a valuable commodity, which can be acquired by foreign corporations. What we have seen in recent years is that even if the land could not be purchased, it has been leased on a massive scale. Already 1.6 million hectares have been acquired by foreign entities and it is very likely that if the reform programs continue, there will be more companies, more interest and they will be looking to strike deals for Ukrainian land. RT: There is considerable anti-GMO sentiment around the world. If you take this into account, how beneficial would it be for Ukraine to rely on the US-based GMO crops industry? FM: It comes as part of an agreement with the EU and we know that European citizens and farmers are against GMOs, but still we have a deal with the European Union, who have worked out a deal with Ukraine to expand the use of GMOs. It seems like it has been something that has been arranged by the lobbyists of corporations and the civil servants within the European Commission. We have seen all over the world that this is not beneficial for farmers, it is not beneficial to citizens. It is just in the interest of the corporations who are taking over control of seeds used by farmers around the world. The food that is produced does not become better or cheaper. RT: How harmful potentially do you think growing GMO crops could be for those rich fertile Ukrainian soils? FM: We have seen in the US, where GMO crops have been cultivated for a couple of decades now. We have concerns about the quality of soil because the use of GMOs comes with a high level of the use of fertilizers and this destroys a lot of the organic materials in the soils. There is also a very high risk of contamination for those farmers who choose not to use GMOs and we have seen this very clearly in North America where there has been a lot of contamination.
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Russia will not import GMO products - PM Medvedev
Published time: April 06, 2014 00:58
Edited time: April 07, 2014 10:33 Get short URL
Russia will not import GMO products, the country's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said, adding that the nation has enough space and resources to produce organic food.
Moscow has no reason to encourage the production of genetically modified products or import them into the country, Medvedev told a congress of deputies from rural settlements on Saturday.
"If the Americans like to eat GMO products, let them eat it then. We don't need to do that; we have enough space and opportunities to produce organic food," he said.
The prime minister said he ordered widespread monitoring of the agricultural sector. He added that despite rather strict restrictions, a certain amount of GMO products and seeds have made it to the Russian market.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev speaks at a meeting of United Russia deputies from Russian rural villages in Volgograd on April 5, 2014. (RIA Novosti / Ekaterina Shtukina)
Earlier, agriculture minister Nikolay Fyodorov also stated that Russia should remain free of genetically modified products.
At the end of February, the Russian parliament asked the government to impose a temporary ban on all genetically altered products in Russia.
The State Duma's Agriculture Committee supported a ban on the registration and trade of genetically modified organisms. It was suggested that until specialists develop a working system of control over the effects of GMOs on humans and the natural environment, the government should impose a moratorium on the breeding and growth of genetically modified plants, animals, and microorganisms.
Earlier this month, MPs of the parliamentary majority United Russia party, together with the For Sovereignty' parliamentary group, suggested an amendment of the existing law On Safety and Quality of Alimentary Products, with a norm set for the maximum allowed content of transgenic and genetically modified components.
There is currently no limitation on the trade or production of GMO-containing food in Russia. However, when the percentage of GMO exceeds 0.9 percent, the producer must label such goods and warn consumers. Last autumn, the government passed a resolution allowing the listing of genetically modified plants in the Unified State Register. The resolution will come into force in July.
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Stop GMOs': Russian scientists urge 10-year ban on genetically modified products
Published time: December 16, 2013 01:27
Edited time: December 17, 2013 12:03 Get short URL
Russian scientists are calling for a 10-year moratorium on GMOs to thoroughly study their influence on human health, stressing that such examinations are vital.
"It is necessary to ban GMO, to impose moratorium [on it] for 10 years. While GMO will be prohibited, we can plan experiments, tests, or maybe even new methods of research could be developed," vice president of Russia's National Association for Genetic Safety, Irina Ermakova, told Interfax news agency.
According to her, there have not been enough sufficient studies on GMO influence on human health to allow for a wide introduction of genetically modified food on the market.
However, scientists say that most studies prove that such food comes along with dangerous side effects.
"It has been proved that not only in Russia, but also in many other countries in the world, GMO is dangerous. Methods of obtaining the GMO are not perfect, therefore, at this stage, all GMOs are dangerous," Ermakova said.
She went on to explain that one of the techniques uses tumor-causing soil bacteria.
"Consumption and use of GMOs obtained in such way can lead to tumors, cancers and obesity among animals," Ermakova said.
She added that doctors have seen a surge of diabetes and cancer in regions where residents have consumed larger amounts of GMO-containing food.
"Biotechnologies certainly should be developed, but GMO should be stopped. [We] should stop it from spreading," Ermakova added.
In September, Russia endorsed the Rules for the State Registration of GMO and GMO-containing Products. The law enforces compulsory registration of all products containing GM components.
Also in September, Russian authorities temporarily suspended the import and sale of Monsanto's genetically modified corn after a French study suggested it may be linked to cancer. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered regulatory agencies to consider a possible ban on all GMO imports into Russia.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
As the holiday season approaches you might have mistletoe on your mind for cheery, romantic reasons.
What you might not have known however is that the festive flora and its relatives are all actually parasites.
Unable to photosynthesize to feed itself, mistletoe latches on to a host plant and steals away its nutrients and water.
From the mistletoe's point of view this may seem like a great idea… for a while.
Depleted of nutrients, the host's growth is stunted. Branches fall off. And eventually if the mistletoe grows large enough, the entire host plant just dies.
Thus, mistletoe can quite literally eat its own self out of house and home. This isn't exactly a solid long-term strategy.
Given their behavior it seems that most governments belong to the same genus.
The public sector has no ability to support itself. In theory, they're supposed to survive by taking a modest portion of people's earnings through taxation, and then providing valuable services in exchange. Nature calls this symbiosis'. But life rarely follows theory. In reality, bureaucrats and politicians who produce nothing of value parasitically choke off the productive class through onerous taxation and regulation.
This cannot last forever, because at some point they will have no hosts left to feed off of.
Ukraine is the perfect example of this right now. In a leaked version of a new budget proposal (in Ukrainian), we are seeing the drastic extent to which bankrupt governments feed on their hosts.
The proposal includes measures to cut public education in Ukraine from 11 to 9 years. And more importantly, education will no longer be funded by the state.
There will be no more free food for children in school or for patients in hospitals, and healthcare will no longer be completely state-funded.
The government is also proposing to drastically reduce pension benefits.
Women will have to work 10 more years in order to qualify for a pension, and men an additional 5.
They're also proposing to FREEZE pension benefits, i.e. no longer adjusting them to the rampant inflation that's unfolding in Ukraine.
They'd also like to do away with a number of other public services; they've proposed slashing the number of judges, prosecutors, and police.
They've even proposed reducing the number of members of parliament from 450 to 150.
Now, I happen to quite like the idea that a government is pulling itself out of the business of education, healthcare, security, etc. But it begs the questionif the government is no longer going to provide these services… then why the hell should anyone have to pay tax?
Of course, taxes are still obligatory. So on one hand the government is defaulting on all the obligations it has made to its citizens… essentially breaking the social contract. Yet on the other hand they're still going to throw people in jail for not paying taxes.
Just like mistletoe, this is a highly parasitic relationship. And it's precisely what happens when a country goes bankrupt.
Ukraine is in this position for a number of reasons; certainly the war has been very costly and has wrecked havoc on the economy.
But Ukraine's government has had a long history of pitifully bad decisions, corruption, and fiscal mismanagement. [stop me when this sounds familiar]
At this point they've managed to blow the vast majority of their foreign reserves (i.e. the country's US dollar cash savings).
In fact, as of this morning, Ukraine's total foreign reserves amount to just 0.34% of its enormous debt level.
This is barely enough to pay interest on the debt for the next six weeks! Astounding.
Oh… wait a minute. Hang on. I got my data wrong. I'm actually talking about the United States. Fact is, Ukraine has $10 billion in foreign reserves on $70 billion in debt. That's 14.2%. The United States, on the other hand, has $61 billion in cash in its operating account [less than Apple], which equals 0.34% of its $18 TRILLION debt.
Nothing to worry about, though. I'm sure that the rest of the world will continue to give the Land of the Free a pass.
It makes total sense that Ukraine is in the midst of an epic financial crisis, even though the US government is in far worse financial condition. Because there are absolutely zero problems whatsoever with the US government being admittedly insolvent, highly illiquid, warmongering, and deceitful to even its own allies.
This is a consequence-free environment. Nothing to see here, people; you should have zero concerns about having 100% of your savings and assets tied to a bankrupt government that's in worse shape than Ukraine's. What could go wrong? Hey look over there! It's Kim Kardashian's buttocks!
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Why the German finance minister contacted his Russian counterpart?
The economic situation in Ukraine is so serious that the German Minister of Finance Wolfgang Shäuble telephoned Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to ask the Kremlin will defer the payment of 3,000 million dollars paid to Kiev last year. Interestingly, not long ago that Schäuble spoke with great satisfaction the miraculous effect of sanctions: "There is no way to avoid the facts. The ruble lost value, the Russian budget deficit grows and economic development leaves much to be desired ".
It should be difficult for a State under sanctions provide financial assistance to another State: already have enough problems to contend with. Even the British Chancellor George Osborne expressed surprise at the demand, saying, as recorded by The Financial Times, the European Union requested aid to Russia while imposes sanctions for their actions in Ukraine. This is actually the recognition that Europe is unable to resolve on their own, without the participation of Russia, the country's problems. It is no exaggeration to say that Ukraine is bankrupt. Announced the minister of Economic Development and Trade Aivaas Abromavicius. "Essentially, the state is bankrupt, so simply unrealistic to expect can develop any real stimulus program beyond a declaration of intent" he said at the committee meeting economic policy. Since April, Ukraine has received a total of 8,200 million IMF and other international creditors. Where has the money gone?
The war in Donbass can not explain everything: Ukraine spends 1% of its GDP in war. "The Ukrainian Army is relying mainly on civilian efforts, including private citizens who send food to the front and uniforms for the soldiers, and several businessmen who send weapons, including heavy weapons," writes Richard W. Rahn, the Cato Institute and President of the Institute for Global Economic Growth in The Washington Times. He adds that the United States spends 3.5% of GDP in military spending, while Russia spends 4.1%. The expert believes that part of the Ukrainian budget has been lost in vote-rigging and other machinations. That may be why the mission of the International Monetary Fund recently visited Kiev left the city without ensuring the continuity of the bailout. The diagnosis is that Ukraine is on the verge of bankruptcy. IMF experts estimate that Kiev will require, in addition to the credit of 17.000 billion already approved for next year, 15,000 million urgently in the coming months, if not weeks. Dropping the higher than expected GDP and the fall in exports to Russia have revealed the limitations of the program. The latest installment resulted in evasion of capital and the reduction of central bank reserves. The situation is complicated by the fact that IMF rules prohibit the continuation of a bailout if there is no confidence that the State concerned is able to meet its financial obligations. So the next tranche of provisions still put off. On Tuesday, the finance ministers of the EU discussed in Brussels third credit line to Kiev along with a 1,600 million granted earlier. Furthermore, Berlin proposed increasing aid package together with the United States to 4,000 million. "All this may come too late," says Rahn. "Last spring, a large number of international experts and economic advisors, including the late Kakha Bendukidze, chief architect of the economic miracle of Georgia, developed a recovery plan for Ukraine which was almost completely ignored. In Ukraine no shortage of good economists who know what to do, but different make politicians do what is necessary, especially when economic reforms perceived as contrary to their interests in the short term. " This expert does not give the Ukrainian economy hopes for recovery, which means that any financial assistance or loan may end plundered by those now in power. The collapse is inevitable. If the situation is allowed to take its course and flexible shell that Putin take control in Ukraine, this will incite further aggression in neighboring countries, "insists Rahn. As is customary, other Western expert reaches the wrong conclusion from the correct data. Putin's aggression expressed today in a fabulous credit: 33.000 million just last year. Both Ukraine and the West believe it is the duty of Russia attend the Ukrainian state and no word of thanks for this money. Schäuble can phone with ease to Ulykayev to demand that Russia Ukraine keep afloat. That request would not be surprising. It is the peculiar logic of our Western partners.
Neither reports what the Russian finance minister said in reply. "&%£$ @%*", was the likely response, I suppose.
But I find this a really interesting development as it suggests to me that the US coalition of the willing over Ukraine is silently fragmenting. Were I Putin I would've agreed but asked Germany to be the guarantor of the loan.
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The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
We will know more in a few days but this is 'interesting'. Googlish translation from Ukrainian.
Quote:For the post of head of the NBU considered 5 candidates, such as billionaire George Soros. This was reported by a number of sources 112.ua in Parliament and close to the President Peter Poroshenko. According to the source except Soros head of the NBU may also be ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Also among the contenders there are "representative of the Federal Reserve System." Expected sources, the head of the National Bank of candidacy, which the president will submit for approval by Parliament, will be named shortly. Recall, the current head of the NBU Valery Gontareva appointed to this position in June 2014. According to media reports, it repeatedly wrote a letter of resignation. Also yesterday, the parliamentary committee on financial policy and banking unanimously decided to submit to the parliament resolution on urgent report National Bank chairman Gontareva on the state of the monetary system. As the chairman of the committee Sergey Fishing, according to the results of the report will be an appeal to the president to dismiss Gontareva from office. Demanded the resignation of Gontareva and participants' Credit Maidan. "
Больше читайте здеÑÑŒ: http://112.ua/ekonomika/na-dolzhnost-gla...62522.html
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Magda Hassan Wrote:We will know more in a few days but this is 'interesting'. Googlish translation from Ukrainian.
Quote:For the post of head of the NBU considered 5 candidates, such as billionaire George Soros. This was reported by a number of sources 112.ua in Parliament and close to the President Peter Poroshenko. According to the source except Soros head of the NBU may also be ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Also among the contenders there are "representative of the Federal Reserve System." Expected sources, the head of the National Bank of candidacy, which the president will submit for approval by Parliament, will be named shortly. Recall, the current head of the NBU Valery Gontareva appointed to this position in June 2014. According to media reports, it repeatedly wrote a letter of resignation. Also yesterday, the parliamentary committee on financial policy and banking unanimously decided to submit to the parliament resolution on urgent report National Bank chairman Gontareva on the state of the monetary system. As the chairman of the committee Sergey Fishing, according to the results of the report will be an appeal to the president to dismiss Gontareva from office. Demanded the resignation of Gontareva and participants' Credit Maidan. "
Больше читайте здеÑÑŒ: http://112.ua/ekonomika/na-dolzhnost-gla...62522.html
This is just weird. Weird! Imagine, Ukraine has completely helpless, and has turned all its sovereignty over to Anglo-American Empire to do with as is willed. A forward operating base. Extraction of natural gas. It will be a lawless place where anything goes. And, just think, bordering with the Evil Empire. The mind boggles.
"We'll know our disinformation campaign is complete when everything the American public believes is false." --William J. Casey, D.C.I
"We will lead every revolution against us." --Theodore Herzl
Ungrateful swine. Don't they understand that freedom and democracy if the traditional gift we in the west bestow upon lesser others? Where's their gratitude, especially at this time of the year.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
: ::face.palm:: ::rofl::
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