The War on (Food) Science is Real

When conservative forces look to reduce funding in university-level education, research and "regulation", the ideology suggests that "the market" will pick up the pieces and escape the inefficient bloated hand of the government. The difference between "the market" and government is that one acts in self-interest, the other in the interest of the people it governs.

If the "market" starts funding education and research, it will not want results that are for the benefit of the people, unless those results align with their own interests.

Corporations have poured money into universities to fund research for decades, but now, the debate over bioengineered foods has escalated into a billion-dollar food industry war. Companies like Monsanto are squaring off against major organic firms like Stonyfield Farm, the yogurt company, and both sides have aggressively recruited academic researchers, emails obtained through open records laws show.

Just as we've seen Coke invest & publicize research that only produces results that align with their bottom line, this aspect of "the market" is just as true for any and all aspects of the industry that delivers our food for profit. While science and research in the public sphere is for the betterment of society, science and research in the private sphere is for the betterment of private interests. The ideology of an unfettered free market is just plain bad for you, our children and the future.

I could go on, but just read the article. Up until this point, I've taken my father's POV on GMOs. He was a chemist, first a research lab rat, then a college professor for most of his career. From what he knew, GMOs were probably just fine, but as with any science, you never know with 100% certainty. However, in his day, most science was produced by public-funded institutions, for the benefit of the public, not corporations. If the science of GMOs is being funded by corporate interests, I'm afraid the conservatives have won -- they have eroded my trust in science.

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WEEKLY AVERAGE: 2661

Thrown a little by the holiday, but despite that, a relatively good eating week. Happy to see my average is in the ball park of my new maximum calorie budget.

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MONDAY COUNT: 2960 cal

SLEPT: 8pm-6am, 10 hrs

AM SNACK: 6:15 am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 9am, kind bar, 210 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10am, homemade blueberry muffin, +/- 150 cal

LUNCH: 1:30pm, good pizza, spinach salad, ice cream, +/- 1000 cal

DINNER: 5:30pm, nuggets, fries, diet coke, ice cream, +- 1000 cal

HUNGER SNACK: 7pm, 4 homemade blueberry muffins, +/- 600 cal, 8/10
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BIKE CREDIT: 270 cal
TUESDAY COUNT: 2410

SLEPT: 8pm-6am, 10hrs

AM SNACK: 6:15 am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 10am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 11am, Steel cut oatmeal, 450 cal

LUNCH: 12:45pm, falafel, chicken soup, poppa salad, pickles, 650 cal

PM SNACK: 4:45pm, cashews, 340 cal

DINNER: 7pm, French Bread Pizzas,  poppa salad with dressing, 1080 cal
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WEDNESDAY COUNT: 2515

SLEPT: 8pm - 4:45am, 8.75 hrs

AM SNACK: 5am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 7:30am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 9am, Fage yogurt with honey, vanilla, almonds, 450 cal

LUNCH: 2pm, mahi mahi, roasted asparagus, poppa salad, pickles, 670 cal

PM SNACK: 4:30pm, momma salad, 100 cal

PM SNACK: 5:30pm, cashews, 210 cal

DINNER: 8pm, burrito, diet coke, +/- 925 cal
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THURSDAY COUNT: 2990

SLEPT: 11:30pm-5:30am, 6 hours

AM SNACK: 5:45am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 10am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 11:30am, fruit smoothie, 450 cal

LUNCH: 2pm, grilled pork loin, poppa salad, pickles, 470 cal

PM SNACK: 3:30pm, momma salad, cheezits, 310 cal

HUNGER SNACK: 4:30pm, kind bar, 200 cal, 9/10

DINNER: 6pm, fresh pasta with mussels in wine & oil, small salad, cheesecake, glass of wine, +/-600 cal

HUNGER SNACK: 9pm, cheesecake, +/-800 cal, 8/10
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BIKE CREDIT: 1740
FRIDAY COUNT: 2430

SLEPT: 11pm-5am, 6 hours

AM SNACK: 5:15am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST 1: 7am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 8:45am, steel cut oatmeal, 150mg caffeine, 450 cal

BIKE SNACK 1: 11:30am, homemade granola bar, 400 cal

BIKE SNACK 2: 12:30pm, homemade granola bar, 400 cal

BIKE SNACK 3: 1:45pm, chips, gatorade, 560 cal

PM SNACK: 4pm, momma salad, 100 cal

DINNER: 5pm, hot dog, fries, ice cream, +/- 1000 cal

DINNER 2: 6:30pm, 2 slices streets, +/- 900 cal

HUNGER SNACK: 7:30pm, watermelon, +/- 200 cal, 8/10