Illumination 2.0

Last week a video circulated that my family, friends, students and colleagues found deeply disturbing.  The Moms Across America shared a weekly recorded meeting with Stacy Malkan from US-Right to Know, the organization demanding my email records because I volunteered time to answer questions on the GMOAnswers.com website. From the beginning, the women were ecstatic about voyeuristically probing into my private correspondences, one stating, “I’m just crazy you are going after him.” They also make many claims about me that are simply not true, even showing a picture of me with “Monsanto Owned” written across it in “Welcome Back Kotter” font.  The joy in their voices of defaming a public scientist is just a rallying cry for science and reason. While those that know me are angry, maybe disturbed, I feel sad for Zen, Kathleen and the other one I can't remember.  It must be difficult to live with such baseless rage. I also have deep empathy for their situati

I've heard a lot about how public records requests can be used to intimidate and harass scientists.  I know that the documents requested from me will likely be used to harm my reputation, as I see things that will be taken from context and used to attack my credibility. It is not a question of if, it is a question of when.  A twitter post circulated yesterday where scientists are living in fear of a few that are agents of the "biotech/chemical industry" that successfully intimidate others, forcing them to shun their morals, ethics and responsibility and "look the other way".  This is how you are being painted by a registered dietitian, a person most likely dispensing food and health advice to paying customers.   Hey you, flimsy university scientist... You're either a bully or a spineless twit, either way playing perfectly into the hands of the chemical industry. I present this because this is the perception.  This is what people in heal

Here you can get the seeds that represent the future of fruits and vegetables-- New Heirlooms.   These are Garden Gem and Garden Treasure tomatoes, new varieties produced by Dr. Harry Klee's lab at the University of Florida.  You can get seeds as a "thank you gift" in exchange for a small donation to his research program.   Garden Gem and Garden Treasure are two "new heirloom" varieties that were bred starting with consumer evaluation of huge numbers of heirloom varieties.  The best tasting were combined with a line that provides strong production traits. The result- A great-flavored tomato that performs well! CLICK HERE , and  donate $10 or more to tomato improvement at the University of Florida.  As a thank you gift you'll  receive 20 Garden Gem and 20 Garden Treasure seeds.  Put your shipping info in the space on the bottom. (Don't fill out "appeal code") Here's the Story: When you order a sandwich at Sub

This Facebook post frames the problem we face as educators. So much of the public is clueless, paranoid, and knows nothing about basic biology. This is why folks like US-RTK must silence and intimidate scientists.  If anyone learns, they lose their power to influence them. 

When US-RTK filed the public records request on the #science14, they didn't realize they were creating a turning point in public perception. The public is sick and tired of those that waste limited public funds to abuse important transparency mechanisms, or even hacking, to silence or harass scientists.  The public sentiment sees this as slimy, expensive, and an undue attack on their public scientists, just like ClimateGate.  For instance, two days ago there was a post on GMOInside.com's facebook page that claimed that I was "afraid" of the public records request and gave the impression that I was somehow refusing to cooperate.   I posted that I have always been 100% in compliance, and to their credit, they let my post stand.  Within a day, that post had 1000 "likes" and over 1000 supportive comments.  I have obtained screen caps of all of it from Philip Crews and others, and will immortalize that thread on this blog in the coming days.