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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2008)
letters TO THE EDITOR advertisement in the EW a few weeks back for TOBACCO? Did the EW advertising staff know that tobacco is a product which, when used as intended, kills the user and those in close proximity? Is EW that hard up for advertising dollars? It seemed so … I don’t know, un-EW-like to see a full page color ad for something that kills. Was the “natural” label on the tobacco supposed to make it more acceptable? Come on, folks. Get it together. Christy Sherman Eugene GM DANGERS In response to Camilla Mortensen’s Feb. 21 article “Ready for Roundup Ready Sugar?,” please watch Debora Koons Garcia’s excellent documentary The Future of Food as soon as you can. The fi lm provides stunning information about unlabeled, genetically modifi ed crops making their way into our bodies and our environment with little or no testing. Even more, after farmers’ fi elds in Canada were allegedly accidentally cross- pollinated with Monsanto’s Roundup Ready varieties, Monsanto demanded patent usage fees from the farmers because the patent follows the GM gene. That’s right. If the gene is in the plant, the company who owns the gene can demand payment for its usage. It doesn’t matter how it got there. Since most of the farmers did not have the fi nancial means to fi ght, they settled out of court and are forbidden to discuss their settlements. One farmer fought — and lost. Canadian judges supported Monsanto’s patent usage claims, and the farmer was forced to pay up. What a precedent! The implications for Oregon’s sugar beet farmers? If cross-pollination occurs, they not only can lose their naturally developed seeds, but they can also be asked to pay patent usage fees on the GM variety that invaded their fi elds. Shouldn’t the farmers be suing the GM crop-producing companies for the destruction of their naturally developed seed? Labeling of GM foods is law in European Union (EU) member countries. Why is the U.S. dragging its feet on this issue? Without proper labeling of GM foods, health effects cannot be monitored and health effect databases cannot be compiled. Without this basic information, it’s much more diffi cult for people to avoid GM foods on physical, mental, spiritual or moral grounds. And there is no accountability for companies if adverse health effects are linked to their GM products. According to the fi lm, Monsanto has patented over 11,000 seeds, many of them not even genetically modifi ed. Visit thefutureoffood.com for more information. And thank you, Camilla, for your informative article. David Moody Eugene SEE MORE LETTERS THIS WEEK AT WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM WHO ARE YOU ’GONNA BLAME! EDITORIAL Editor Ted Taylor News Editor Alan Pittman Reporter Camilla Mortensen Arts & Music Editor Molly Templeton Performing & Visual Arts/Copy Editor Suzi Steffen Calendar Editor Chuck Adams Contributing Editor Anita Johnson Contributing Writers Sara Brickner, Jason Blair, Joshua Blanchard, Amanda Burhop, Jes Burns, Brett Campbell, Rachael Carnes, Michael Cockram, Rachel Foster, Phillip Getty, Anna Grace, James Johnston, Zach Klassen, Sarah Mazze, Sharleen Nelson, Mary O’Brien, Jeremy Ohmes, Aaron Ragan-Fore, Vanessa Salvia, Steven Sawada, Sally Sheklow, Lance Sparks, Eva Sylwester, Deanna Uutela, Adrienne van der Valk Interns Mark Arellano, Katie Cornell, Anne Pick, Victoria Stephens ART DEPARTMENT Art Director/Production Manager Kevin Dougherty Technology/Webmaster James Bateman Graphic Artists Shannon Browning,Barbara Cooper, Todd Cooper Contributing Photographers Kurt Jensen, Paul Neevel ADVERTISING National Sales Manager Mark Frisbee Display Marketing Consultant John Allen, Jennifer Donohue, Mary Hendricks, Rob Weiss Classifi ed Manager Geneva Miller Classifi ed Mktg Consultant/Reception Jayme Fuller BUSINESS Herbs Etc. Allergy ReLeaf System Kit $24.95 Eases Environmental, Dietary and Seasonal Challenges* Includes 1 bottle Allertonic 60 count softgels, and 1 bottle Quercetin AllerReLeaf tablets and a brochure. AVAILABLE AT: Director of Sales and Marketing Bill Shreve Circulation Manager Jen-Lin Hodgden Controller Paula Hoemann Distributors Bob Becker, Kolia Guinsbourg, Ben Kraker, Susan and David Lawson, Robin Miller, Pedalers Express, Quickdraw Tim Risch, Jacob Zapata Printing Signature Graphics HOW TO REACH US BY E-MAIL: (letters): editor@eugeneweekly.com (advertising): ads@eugeneweekly.com (classifi eds): classy@eugeneweekly.com (personals): personals@eugeneweekly.com (calendar): cal@eugeneweekly.com (music/clubs/special shows): music@eugeneweekly.com (art/openings/galleries): visualarts@eugeneweekly.com (performance/theater): performance@eugeneweekly.com (literary arts/readings): books@eugeneweekly.com (movies/fi lm screenings): movies@eugeneweekly.com (circulation): distribution@eugeneweekly.com WHILE SUPPLIES LAST *This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Your opportunity to show us how SELCO Break into the world of commercial production, win cash and maybe even see your work on local television! Just create a 23 second TV spot telling the world how... ... SELCO Sizzles! Please check out: 0 0 0 , 5 e: $ riz P t s 500 Fir , 3 $ ize: r P nd o c e S 500 , 1 $ : rize P d r i Th selco.org/yourbigbreak for contest rules and pre-registration.* Entry Deadline: April 25 th Sizzles *Entrants must be 18 years or older. WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENE WEEKLY MARCH 13, 2008 9
