I like to read in the bathtub.  This morning I was happily persusing the August issue of Scientific American when I read an op-ed piece about producers of genetically modified seeds.  Monsanto and other producers will not release seeds to researchers unless they sign a release form agreeing to let the company decide whether or not the research gets published.

Check it out: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=do-seed-companies-control-gm-crop-research

I try to be rational about this stuff.  I really do.  But puleeease....lets assume for a minute that GM foods are perfectly fine, have no unintended health consequences, and taste yummy to boot.  But what about environmental effects?  Farmers have already been successfully sued because their non-gm crops have been contaminated with pollen from nearby gm fields...resulting in a huge penalty for the non-gm farmer, since Monsanto (and friends) can claim patent infringement.

Git out the squirrel gun, Pa, here comes Monsanto.