It is thought that George's porphyria (thought to be the inherited disease responsible) was only brought on by excessive use of arsenic in his "medicines". Porphyria can be masked by use of Beta-carotene and fish oil supplements, but set off by changes in the formulation and large doses of other vitamins.
I wonder if Charles has changed the large doses in his rigorous vitamin supplement regimen recently? Somebody should alert him to the fact that such a change can set off symptoms of porphyria (including "madness") - as can gall stones or excess alcohol consumption.
Today's Daily Telegraph carries an interview in which Prince Charles shows exactly how clinically insane he has become in his old age.
Talking of genetically improved crops:
He accused firms of conducting a "gigantic experiment I think with nature and the whole of humanity which has gone seriously wrong".
"Why else are we facing all these challenges, climate change and everything?"
Where does he get his information? From the Fairyland Green Pixies website?
Apart from the obvious fact that GM crops were first planted only in 1996 and climate change has been going on for 100 years, if he read any research whatever, he would know that:
GM crops are being grown by more poor farmers than western farmers
GM crops provide higher yields
GM crops are being grown on more land in the developing world than the west
GM crops are improving incomes of poor farmers
GM crops have reduced pesticide use by 286,000,000 kg
GM crops have reduced environmental impacts by 15.4%
GM crops have provided an additional $33.8 billion in economic benefits
GM crops have reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 6,650,000 cars off the road
A report just a few weeks ago reviewed the progress of GM crops throughout the world and discredits every one of the green fundamentalist lies about the technology:
Global Impact of Biotech Crops: Socio-Economic and Environmental
Effects, 1996-2006
Find it at: http://www.agbioforum.org/v11n1/v11n1a03-brookes.htm
As I have pointed out before, it is organic farming that threatens the planet by producing more greenhouse gases, more acid rain and more nitrogen pollution than conventional agriculture - while providing less nutrition.
I suspect Charles' real concern is that with food prices rising, people are deserting overpriced organic food in droves.
He goes on to say:
"Look at western Australia. Huge salinisation problems. I have been there. Seen it. Some of the excessive approaches to modern forms of agriculture."
Hey Charlie – GM crops are banned in Western Australia, always have been! It’s irrigation that causes salination problems – they discovered that in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago. Where have you been? Do you want to ban irrigation? In fact GM crops are one of the solutions to the agriculture problems in Western Australia which is why the farmers are so desperate to get the ban lifted by their idiot state government.
Salt-resistant GM crops are already in trials, GM rice has already proved better at coping with inundation and salt than conventional varieties.
His next statement of ignorance was:
The Prince of Wales cited the widespread environmental damage in India caused by the rush to mass produce GM food. "Look at India's Green Revolution. It worked for a short time but now the price is being paid.
"I have been to the Punjab where you have seen the disasters that have taken place as result of the over demand on irrigation because of the hybrid seeds and grains that have been produced which demand huge amounts of water.
"[The] water table has disappeared. They have huge problems with water level, with pesticide problems, and complications which are now coming home to roost.
The claim that “India’s Green revolution … worked for a short time” will be news to the 600 million people who are alive today as a result of the Green Revolution. Before improved dwarf hybrid crops were introduced 40 years ago it was India – not Africa – which suffered from yearly famines and the deaths of millions from starvation.
The real problems in India come from opponents of GM who have persuaded a few state governments not to allow GM crops. When farmers see the enormous benefits GM seeds bring to their neighbours they want the same seeds. Because the GM seeds cannot be legally sold in those few states, farmers buy “GM seeds” on the black market that turn out not to be GM seeds at all; so farmers have to buy all the old pesticides they thought they could now do without. They get into debt and many end up committing suicide. Suicide has always been a serious problem among small farmers in India, but GM crops are actually reducing suicide among farmers who grow genuine GM seeds.
Farmers who plant genuine GM seeds get larger yields, use fewer chemicals and make far more money than before. All over the cotton-growing regions of India farmers are able to send their children to school for the first time because they can afford the fees and the kids are no longer needed to work on the farm all day.
See: '28% of Gujerat under illegal seeds' at Hindu Business Line
http://greenbio.checkbiotech.org/news/2008-04-30/28_of_area_under_cotton_in_Gujarat_using_illegal_seeds/
Highlights from the report:
Genetically modified (GM) crops have been grown commercially
on a substantial scale for eleven years. This paper updates the
assessment of the impact this technology is having on global
agriculture from both economic and environmental perspectives.
It examines specific global economic impacts on farm income
and environmental impacts associated with pesticide usage and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for each of the countries
where GM crops have been grown since 1996. The analysis
shows that there have been substantial net economic benefits at
the farm level amounting to $6.94 billion in 2006 and $33.8 billion
for the eleven-year period (in nominal terms). The technology
has reduced pesticide spraying by 286 million kg and, as a
result, decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide
and insecticide use on these crops by 15.4%. GM technology
has also significantly reduced the release of GHG
emissions from this cropping area, which, in 2006, was equivalent
to removing 6.56 million cars from the roads
GM technology has had a very positive impact on farm
income derived from a combination of enhanced productivity
and efficiency gains. In 2006, the
direct global farm income benefit from GM crops was
$6.94 billion. This is equivalent to having added 3.8% to
the value of global production of the four main crops of
soybeans, maize, canola, and cotton. Since 1996, farm
incomes have increased by $33.8 billion.
Substantial gains have also arisen in the cotton sector
through a combination of higher yields and lower
costs. In 2006, cotton farm income levels in the GM adopting
countries increased by $2.15 billion and since
1996, the sector has benefited from an additional $9.6
billion. The 2006 income gains are equivalent to adding
13.1% to the value of the cotton crop in these countries,
or 7.8% to the $27.3 billion value of total global cotton
production. This is a substantial increase in value-added
terms for two new cotton seed technologies.
In terms of the division of the economic benefits
obtained by farmers in developing countries relative to
farmers in developed countries, in
2006, just over half of the farm income benefits (53%)
have been earned by developing-country farmers. The
vast majority of these income gains for developing country
farmers have been from GM IR cotton and GM
HT soybeans. Over the eleven years, 1996-2006, the
cumulative farm income gain derived by developing
country farmers was $16.4 billion (48.5% of the total).
GM crops have contributed to a significant reduction in
the environmental impact of production agriculture on
the areas devoted to GM crops. Since 1996,
the use of pesticides on the GM crop area was reduced
by 286 million kg of active ingredient, a 7.9% reduction,
and the overall environmental impact associated with
herbicide and insecticide use on these crops was
reduced by 15.4%.
In terms of the division of the environmental benefits
associated with less insecticide and herbicide use for
farmers in developing countries relative to farmers in
developed countries, just over half of
the environmental benefits (1996-2006) associated with
lower insecticide and herbicide use have been in developing
countries (52%).
In 2006, the permanent carbon dioxide savings
from reduced fuel use associated with GM crops was 1.2
billion kg. This is equivalent to removing 540,000 cars
from the road for a year.
The additional soil carbon sequestration gains resulting
from reduced tillage with GM crops accounted for a
reduction in 13.5 billion kg of carbon dioxide emissions
in 2006. This is equivalent to removing 6 million cars
from the roads for a year. In total, the carbon savings
from reduced fuel use and soil carbon sequestration in
2006 were equal to removing 6.56 million cars from the
road (equal to 25% of all registered private cars in the
United Kingdom).
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