No Spinach?

“Noooooooooooooo...I love spinach.




OK, we’ve got a problem with E. coli in spinach. This story just drips with irony. Apparently the FDA has traced the outbreak to Earthbound Farm’s, Natural Selection Foods, a large organic foods supplier in California.

Haven’t the leftists been pushing organic produce as a healthier and more socially conscious product?
Oooops!

Haven’t the leftists made government regulation of agricultural products in California more restrictive than almost any other state in order to protect consumers?
Oooops!

Haven’t the leftists always touted the FDA as an effective consumer protection agency?
Oooops!



Despite the ideology that the leftists have pushed, a number of studies report that organic produce is no more healthy than big business agricultural produce. In this case it appears there is a real public safety risk in using organically produced products. Ok, so the leftists were wrong about the health part.

Organic produce is more expensive to buy than big business agricultural produce. This makes it harder for the poor to afford to eat. Ok, so the leftists were wrong about the socially conscious part.

Strict state government regulations haven’t protected the consumer. The FDA has reported 19 outbreaks of E Coli since 1995. So it’s also true that federal government regulations haven’t done a good job of protecting the consumer. But all these government regulations have done a good job of artificially inflating the cost of food making it more difficult for the poor the get proper nutrition.


So, what does the rational and intelligent person conclude? Well, “consumer activist” Barb Kowalcyk (another fruitbat from Ohio don’t you know) said fixing the nation's "fractured network" of food safety agencies could save lives.

Of course it could! Now here’s something I never get tired of hearing the leftists repeat: “Let’s expand the government regulatory agencies.”

How lacking in absurdist humor would the world be without that brilliant leftist refrain: “Government doesn’t regulate the market well, let’s expand government until it does.”


But wait, there’s more. Between the tainted produce pushed by organic leftists, and the leftist government regulatory agencies and their failure to protect public health, there is an increased burden on the healthcare system. And since more consumer dollars are paying for the increased food cost and higher taxes required for these leftist ideas, it is harder for people to pay those healthcare costs.

What will be the inevitable leftist outcry? SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!


I don’t mind that leftists are so stupid that they keep kicking themselves in the butt. That’s their choice. But how do I keep these fools from trying to drag me down with them? These leftist thieves keep trying to steal my freedom as well as my money.”

“socialism sucks

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/42474,5.php”

“another reason not to eat your spinach... just what the kids need!

(just joking)

my kids adore spinach but i pretty much only use frozen veggies. they are nutritious and easy to prepare. the checkout person at the grocery looks at me funny when i ring out a pile of frozen veggies (restocking the freezer when they go on sale). i would prefer fresh but that's a PITA and i see no significant nutritional difference, esp since I think my kids eat a ton more veggies than their friends, like to eat them... i kid you not, they love okra, brussel sprouts, and mustard greens, etc, etc... the freaky stuff... just frozen corn. lima beans especially.

i can't say i care for the frozen zucchini.”

“I grow my own

and find kale much better than spinach with similar nutritional properties, easier to grow also, but still get some spinach is harvested.”

“Sue the farmers! After all, they were warned a year ago:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060918/ap_on_he_me/tainted_spinach_111

Seriously though, why do people die from something that already exists somewhere inside of us anyway, in a perfectly good symbiotic relationship?”

“Forgive for stating such a thing, but likely some immigrant farm worker with an intestinal condition to begin with who had consumed to many cerveza's and jalapeno's that morning just could not control himself out there in the fields where he worked for his meals that day.

Its not a conspiracy, not terrorism, likely only a locally sprayed incident.
last edited: 9/18/06 8:49:02 PM”

“I am sure it is the President's Fault...the Media just hasn't found the reason (LOL)”

“darker veggies have more nutrients which is why they are bitter... my kids eat the kale on plates in resturants but no way could I get them to eat it... the line is there.

swiss chard on the other hand is another story. can't keep it on the table, but that i buy fresh.”

“"Big Business" has pressured the govt into loosening the standards for Organics. One has to research the Company in order to make sure it complies with stringent Organic, sustainable farming.

"Large Organic Farms" are pretty much Factory Farms in disguise. Don't blame the label for what big business has been allowed to do with it.

And since some seem to want to make this Left vs. Right, Clinton had a big hand in loosening restrictions and watering down USDA regulations.

Its all about the dollar.

I get my Spinach from local farmers, fresh. I'll let you know how it works out, K?”

““I am sure it is the President's Fault...the Media just hasn't found the reason (LOL)”
XL400236
8:49:10 PM
9/18/06

Not to worry Capt Dan!!!! Bubba Bear and violin's favorite source for 'facts' is right on this breaking story!!!!
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!

Bush Caused Spinach E. Coli. Expect More of this!!!
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/18/91651/0026”

“so long as farmer john picks spinach with his left hand and wipes with his right you'll be fine...”

“I get my Spinach from local farmers, fresh.

Mmmmmmmmm .... DC grown produce ..... [gargle-gargle]”

“That's too funny, stove.


Good Lord have mercy! It sure didn't take one of the lefties long to blame big business did it? It's like a broken record. Blah, dee-blah, dee-blah... How much denial can you live in without drowning in your own B.S.?

I would love to know who they think caused the "California Energy Crisis" this past summer now that Enron has deservedly died. That ought to be a sweet piece of logical deduction.

You're on to something XL. The media just hasn't told them what to think yet.”

“Talk about a broken record!

Blame the lefties, and on and on........”

“I get the Earthbound Farm’s big 2 pound box of mixed greens, the one with about 5 different kinds of greens in them. I normally eat two big plates of salad a day but now it’s all been pulled. My wife eats that Dole crap in a bag that stinks like preservatives so bad it’s not even edible. I wish we had local farmers markets that sold greens. I miss my salads.

I just hope the company doesn’t start bathing the greens in the same kind of crap Dole does.”

“Probably not, weren't Dole greens pulled as well?”

“Haven’t the leftists been pushing organic produce as a healthier and more socially conscious product?
Oooops!

Oooops! is right. Some of the recalled spinach is organic but the majority is non-organic. Preliminary investigations are pointing to contaminated irrigation water, which has nothing in the least to do with it being organic. And socially conscious? Well, "they're" all homos anyway, so who cares if "they" die?

Haven’t the leftists made government regulation of agricultural products in California more restrictive than almost any other state in order to protect consumers?
Oooops!

Have "they"? I haven't heard this, but maybe you can cite some sources.

Haven’t the leftists always touted the FDA as an effective consumer protection agency?
Oooops!

I don't recall ever hearing a leftist "tout" the FDA at all. I think any kind of government regulation from any agency would piss you off. The fact of the matter is there's only so much they can do:

Just 10 months before fresh spinach started sending people to the hospital, state and federal officials warned Salinas Valley growers and packers to clean up their act after a decade of deadly E. coli bacteria breakouts.

In November 2005, the FDA sent a letter to growers, packers, processors and shippers warning them to improve produce safety.

Oooooh, the power of a letter "warning" them to get their shìt together. You might think something a little more forceful was in order, but then, we don't want the government imposing inefficient and burdensome RULES, or REGULATIONS, or God forbid, impose a FINE on our poor corporate agribusiness farms, now do we?

What's your suggestion? Remove all regulations? Create a libertarian utopia?

Hey, make sure you gimme a call when one of your libertarian buds gets elected to an office higher than dog catcher.
last edited: 9/19/06 9:28:18 AM”

“Bow-bow.....yip-yip!!
Get them doggies!”

“This one gets the "dumbest thread ever" seal of suckiness!”

“You said it, Princess!

No spinach?
Whuddaya gonna smoke now?”

“This whole thing has actually caused my mom (a noted spinach addict) to ask me how to grow spinach, herself, in Florida. Wow, hell froze over. I told her to talk to the professionals at a local nursery, and gave her the number for someone I know in the county extension office.”

“i think the only thing that would make snarklite happier would be if a childrens hospital was bombed. that would serve those liberal do-gooders right”

“All kidding aside arc is correct even though his presentation is a bit trollish. The government can’t even run spinach mush less anything else. You’re a dope if you rely on the feds for the simplest things much less things like our golden years, our health or our homes.

Get the government out of private business. Is this what you’re saying arc?”

“trollish, assholish, e colish”

“speaking facts is not trollish

you people need to take off your panties”

“moonglo wants your panties”

“Good Lord have mercy! It sure didn't take one of the lefties long to blame big business did it? It's like a broken record. Blah, dee-blah, dee-blah... How much denial can you live in without drowning in your own B.S.?


I'm sorry, arclite. I usually respect your posts and thought you were looking for an honest discussion, Not just pushing political bias.

enjoy ranting.”

“hoser!”

“Funny - Arclite starts off pole vaulting to conclusions, and seems to think he is using reason and evidence. When someone comes up with conclusions he doesn't like its denial and BS. Usually Arclite can do better than this.
last edited: 9/19/06 1:08:04 PM”

“Dang! I figured Vile would be pi$$ed I beat him to the KOS link.
;-)”

“Poor arclite is so ignorant of history, he is unaware that many of the food inspection programs we have today came at the urging of businesses who couldn't export food because other countries didn't trust it's purity. You might try reading this.

I think that as a young child he may have gotten into grandma's old remedies that were chock full of opiates and cocaine with no labeling indicating what it contained.”

“Ahhh intellectual discussion. Some of you folks are priceless.



Bearmagnet’s complete lack of economic understanding is typical of lefties.

Big business lobbied government to reduce regulations? How can anyone reach such an absurd conclusion? But the lefties keep reaching absurd conclusions about economics.

“Big agriculture” competes efficiently. They use genetically engineered seed, the latest fertilizers and pesticides, and they maximize the use of their land.

The people who are having trouble competing are the organic farmers. Their product is more expensive, they use inefficient farming methods, and they pollute the environment with phosphates from the manure (hence the E. coli, Duh) they use to fertilize their crops.

It’s the organic farmers who have lobbied government to reduce regulations so they can more effectively compete.

What is it about even the simple concepts of economics that the lefties have such a hard time grasping?
last edited: 9/20/06 6:10:54 AM”

“Nigal, in answer to your question, I not “saying” anything.

The possibilities of discussion from this subject are endless (and some of my recurring themes).


Why do most leftists make no effort to understand economics?

Why do the media not make a big deal about FDA failures to protect consumers?

Why do the media not make a big deal about their sacred cows (such as organic farmers) using government to create unfair competition?

Why most lefties have a complete inability to examine their ideas about "big government", and multiple regulations, as benefitting the consumer?

What is this knee jerk reaction from lefties towards "big business"?



The possibilities for discussion are many and diverse.
last edited: 9/20/06 6:34:27 AM”

“UM not to push the point but we Carnivores just want to say...we warned you.”

“So Arc - can you get your story straight? Are the lefties trying to increase or reduce government regulation?
last edited: 9/20/06 8:14:32 AM”

““UM not to push the point but we Carnivores just want to say...we warned you.”
XL400236
9:09:03 AM
9/20/06

lol

Same with us beer drinkers”

“Well yeah, that goes without saying LZ (lol)

I am guessing even washing and cooking the spinach won't help?”

“The possibilities for discussion are many and diverse.

arclite
4:29:13 AM
9/20/06

Great. Now we have the conservatives pushing diversity.





But I can't wait to hear more about farm life from our new resident expert!”

“XL, officials are reporting that bacteria is actually in the spinach, rather than on it. I got a goos laugh this morning, watching the local news. There's a rush on the nurseries around here, with people buying spinach seed and supplies to try and grow their own.”

“Wait ...if the bacteria is IN the Spinach...that would pretty much rule out the handlers right? Granted I remember very little from botany class but if you are talking INSIDE the plant that means something is happening on the cellular level. LOL Mad Spinach disease?”

“The bacteria are small enough to pass through the pores on the spinach. They still don't know the source.”

“probably Islamic terrorism”

“Terrorism. Bowel movements in the fields. Whatever.”

“I tried to tell my mom that $hit would make a person sick. Did she listen? Noooooooooo!

I tried to tell her that chocolate, ice cream, cookies, and soda were healthier than spinach!

Mom was trying to kill me all along! I knew it!”

“but will we ever get to the BOTTOM of the problem?”

“You volunteering to get samples?”

“Weapons of ass destruction?
last edited: 9/20/06 9:47:14 AM”

“I heard a news story that said it was tainted water. You’d think if some field worker washed their taint in water they wouldn’t use it for anything else after that.”

“Tainted water!? Was Pennsy in CA?”