Body Image- Aaron Petroff

think the reason that the media is pushing the "stick thin" figure, is because we are increasingly becoming fatter. If they advertised being fat as being attractive, the public would not have to try anything new or different because they are already becoming fat. But because we are becoming fat, the media wants to advertise something we are not becoming, so we will buy the products to become that way. Basically, I would bet that as soon as we start slimming down again, the media is likely to advertise being a bit chunky as the new beautiful thing, so we will buy products that will help us look this way. I think it is all a marketing ploy to get us to buy new products, even if the products are not realistic.
The media portrays their idea of “beauty” as a person who is far beyond what is actually possible. What the public does not know about the pictures in the magazine is that most of the models are airbrushed much more than we originally thought. We think maybe they are touched up but in fact they may look completely different in person. When girls see a supermodel, or guys see another guy in a fitness magazine, we naturally desire to look like them. We have been conditioned to think that the people in the magazine are perfection, so we would like to be like them. This thinking tricks consumers into believing that if they buy that Tommy Hilfiger shirt, they may suddenly look like the model, when this is not the case. On a deeper level, this thinking also leads people to extremes when they are trying to achieve a certain look. Both women and men may develop eating disorders, they may drastically change their lifestyle, and may stray from being themselves, all in an effort to look like another. In Canada alone there are over 50,000 women suffering from anorexia or bulimia. While not as many men suffer from the disease, there is a certain portion of men who have this problem.
In “Killing Us Softly,” the speaker explains how some advertisements have created “models” who have eyes from one person, the nose of another, lips of another, etc… This means that our idea of perfection may not even be attainable. I think that the speaker was correct in saying how representing a human as an object, not a human, will soon lead to violence. It is easier to justify violence or mistreatment towards an object than it is to justify it for a human. All of these problems that I have listed are directly related to advertising. It is not to say that the advertisements don’t serve their purpose, they usually help sell the product. But the ads can also have a very negative, destructive effect on those who view them. It is not fair to expose men and women to impossible ideals of “perfection.” It is not fair to make them think that they can achieve these looks if they buy the product, and it is not fair to make them think that if they don’t fit the image, they are less than perfect. The speaker also pointed out how women and men are portrayed differenty in their advertisements. Women are very passive, and not too active. Men are portrayed as very active and in your face. It shows the inequality that the media is creating between men and women.
Overall, the world would probably be a better place if advertising were illegal. There would not be so many insecurities among our people, and we would all be happier for it. But with the dehumanization, misconceptions, and overall unrealistic elements of advertising, this will never be possible. Women will always be made objects, men will always feel bad when comparing themselves to the muscle men of the Calvin Klein ads, and most people will spend a good portion of their young lives trying to become somebody that they will never be able to become.


Grabe, Shelly. "The Role of the Media in Body Image Concerns Among Women: A Meta-Analysis of Experimental and Correlational Studies." Psychological Bulletin 134May 2008 460. 31 May 2008

Chocolat

I rented Chocolat over the Memorial day weekend and ended up really enjoying the movie. I found it interesting how the Chatholic church viewed the chocolate shop and extravagant feasts especially during lent and how serious it was taken around the town. It was funny how threatening the chocolate was to the mayors role in town and how he used the sermons of the young priest to manipulate the people against chocolate. Chocolate really had this supernatural power to it whether it was Juliette Binoche guessing someone favorite treat, or the special cocoa nuts that enhanced one's sexual desires. The spinning Mayan disc was interesting how Binoche assigned a chocolate treat to the image a person saw in the disc, suggesting some tie between the imaginative subconscious and one's taste for food (or at least chocolate). Judi Dench's role I thought was strange how she was a diabetic and her overindulgence eventually did lead to her ultimate death but she went out with a smile on her face. Ultimately the chocolate was so powerful that it brought the whole village together in a new way and even won the heart of the mayor in the end. Food really is a powerful thing and I'd like to experience that power on a level like Chocolat. Here's an interesting source on the subject:

Schwartz, George R. Food Power: How Food Can Change Your Mind, Your Personality, And Your Life. New York : McGraw-Hill, c1979.

Chocolat

Since it is Memorial Day weekend I found myself heading back home for the weekend. Of course the last thing on my mind on the way out of my front door to make the trip was any homework I might have. Because of this I don’t have a copy of the exact assignment and it has not been posted yet on the main class blog site. So bare with me as I tried to get an idea from the couple of other posts that have been made so far.
I was reminded that I needed to do the assignment when I was scanning through the Comcast On-Demand movies. Up popped Chocolat, which couldn’t have made my life any easier. I thought it was very interesting that they chose to place the timing of the movie during lent. In a town that’s activities are directly controlled by the Catholic Church I have a hard time believing that the only person who truly opposes the sins that are being committed by the townspeople is the mayor. Lent is extremely important in the Catholic Church and yet all of these people seem to be easily swayed to give in to worldly pleasures. And just because a woman makes the perfect piece of chocolate for them? Maybe it’s partly that I don’t really enjoy chocolate, but I think even if you are a so called “choco-holic” your religious beliefs would be slightly more important than any type of food. All of this on top of the fact that this was not my type of movie at all, lead to me not enjoying this film at all.
The review I read was titled “Beneath Chocolat Temptation, A Serious Mix of Social Issues.” Bill Muller puts it very succinctly by saying that the movie “simply is a fairy tale.” It is a small story told in grand fashion. He does make a very good point by saying that the story does show the pitfalls of narrow minded thinking and to demonstrate the costs of not conforming. In the end I am the type of person that will watch almost any movie at least once and I feel that this is just another name to put on the list.

Muller, Bill. Beneath Chocolat Temptation, A Serious Mix of Social Issues." Arizona Republic 22 Dec 2000: P3.

Aaron Petroff- Chocolat

I decided to watch the movie Chocolat for this blog assignment. It was a movie I had never seen before, so I rented it and sat down to watch it. I enjoyed it very thouroughly, probably because of Johnny Depp. He is such a strange guy that all his movies are interesting no matter what. The ideas that this movie brought up in me were mostly dealing with “food and morality.” The fact that chocolate is not allowed to be eaten at Lent is one thing, but the fact that Vianne and her daughter opened the shop at the same time Lent was going on was another. I thought that this was a very bold move by them, one that could have killed business. A weird thing I found out was her secret ingredient was chiles. The film showed how if you have a little personality and talk to people, you can make friends. It also showed how easily people are to being swayed from their beliefs. The review I read on Proquest was titled “Chocolat- Rich with Extras” and it was published in the Houston Chronicle. I agreed very much so with the review. The whole reason the movie was as good as it was is because of the magical feeling you get from Vianne’s character. She makes the movie feel like a fanatasy movie more than a drama. Also, they suggested the same ideas as I have about opening the Chocolat shop during Lent. One interesting thing they pointed out that I didn’t notice is Vianne’s belief in change. She believed that everybody could change, even the lady with the abusive husband, and she encouraged change. Her character definitely stirred things up a bit in the village, but it was with good intentions. Overall, I loved the movie and would definitely watch it again.

Chocolat

For this blog assignment, I decided to watch the movie Chocolat because I had heard from so many people that this was a great movie, I just never had the chance to watch it. I thought that the movie was wonderful right from the very beginning because I could easily connect to it. When the mother Vianne and her daughter decide to open up a chocolate shop in a small French town, it just made my think of my mom and I. Though my mom and I have never thought of opening up a chocolate shop, I could picture us doing it. My mom and I are very close, we both love chocolate, and……who wouldn’t want to open up a chocolate shop? I know that I would jump at the opportunity it ever came in front of me. So, my very first reaction the film was positive because it shows that the mother and daughter share a close relationship, just as my mom and I do. It was interesting to find out however, that the problem presented in this movie was the fact that the chocolate shop opened right around lent. Though I do not partake in lent, I know many people that do and it and it becomes fascinating to see how many people give up on lent a few weeks in as well as see the people who are able to last. I instantly thought to myself, “How would I react to this situation? If I had given chocolate up for lent, would I give in and go to the chocolate shop anyways?” This instantly brought the issue into my mind about how much food can influence individuals in our society. Food is so important to us and sometimes we give other important event in our lives just because of food. This issue was not brought up in the movie though because most of the townspeople disliked them in the first place. This was a very tough start for Vianne and her daughter because their chocolate shop was disliked not because of the chocolate, but because of initial reactions to these “new townspeople.” The problem was soon solved however, when a gentleman opened up to her and helped her express the real person in her. Because Vianne and her daughter we disliked from the get go, Vianne was trying to act as somebody she wasn’t in order to fit in; this did not work and she soon found out that acting herself will get her further in life. Instead of acting as someone she is not, she started to make delicious desserts that fascinated the townspeople. They were drawn to the chocolate shop because of these deserts and they were able to learn more about her and the person she really is. The main message I got from this film was the food can really bring people together. I have recognized that in my own life; my family and friends go out to dinner a lot in order to catch up with one another. It is amazing to think about the passion that comes between people and food, in this case chocolate. I fully agree with this message and will always believe that food has a close tie with the bringing together of people. It creates a passion that nothing else can create. I found it interesting when thinking about food and appetite. I know there have been several instances where I have been invited to go to dinner with a bunch of my friends however, I had already eaten. I decided to go with them anyways just to catch up on life. I even ate more when I went to dinner! This is probably not a good thing but hey, it brings people together and allows people to stay close.
I read a review that I completely agree with. It said, “It may be entitled Chocolat, but this movie really reminds me of candy. Eye candy, that is. From its setting of a quaint little French hamlet to the lovely little chocolaterie that is the centre of the action, to the loveliness of the two leads (a very suave Johnny Depp and a truly mouthwatering Juliette Binoche), everything about Chocolat is a pleasure to the eye.” I agree with this because it was definitely a pleasure to the eye. It opened up my eyes to many things and it confirmed some of the things that I thought about food. I absolutely loved the movie and would suggest that everybody watch it!

Lourdes, Marc. “Film feast; [Main/lifestyle edition].” New Straits Times (2007): p. 02. Proquest Research Library. Proquest. Western Library, Bellingham. 1 December 2008. www.proquest.com

Coca-Cola 1950's ad

To be completely honest, my main target for this assignment was to find a magazine that had a Coca-Cola ad in it because Coca-Cola has been around for years and is famous for their adds. I did not have a lot of time to look through the magazines at the library, except for my 20 minute break in between classes one day. Because I went home this weekend, I did not find a Coca-Cola ad; therefore, I decided to search online for one so that I could analyze it closely. I did however get a chance to see a new part of the library that I did not know existed. In Google images I typed, “Coca-Cola ads from the 1950’s.” An image came up that caught my eye immediately. Interestingly enough, a woman was on the ad, sitting in the chair with one hand behind her head as if she is laying on it, sucking back on the Coca-Cola in a glass bottle. The woman is wearing a yellow dress and over that yellow dress is a blue and white checkered apron. Immediately this brought the name “house wife” to mind. It wasn’t until after I had been looking at the image for a while that I noticed a vacuum in the corner of the picture, resting up against the chair that the woman was sitting in. This ad tells me that any woman can relax and get away from her housework just by having a Coke. The slogan said “The pause that refreshes …at home.” I think that this is a very interesting ad because it gives the stereotype that women are “house wives” which was for the most part true in the 1950s. If you compare that ad to today however, it would not make complete sense since it is extremely common for a woman to have a job. It is even more common today, than back in the 1950s, for men to stay home and do things around the house. Maybe there will be an ad in the future for Coca-Cola of a man portrayed as a “stay at home husband.” How would our society react to that?

Brook, Heather. "Feed your face." Journal of Media & Cultural Studies 22(2008): 141- 157.

The New Yorker- Sunkist Oranges

What I most liked about this advertisement was how informative it was. It showed the picture of the orange, and it looked like a very good orange. The orange was peeled and sliced in a way in which I have never seen before and it looked very scrumptious. Also, there were multiple areas on the page where there was writing. And not just a sentence, there were full paragraphs. This is what was most intriguing to me about older food advertisements was the amount of writing they had. Today’s ads have very little writing. The “in” thing to do is to come up with sayings or phrases and have that be all it takes to sell the product, but these ads literally have three or four paragraphs explaining why their product is better. I think the reason for this is that back in the 1950’s and 1960’s, or even before then, people were living life at a slower pace. They probably took the time to sit down and read the ads, where people today are too busy to read full sentences. Or we act like we are too busy, but really we may just be lazy. Also, there is an illustration of a mother who is holding the orange behind her back , and a child who is trying to get the orange from her. It shows that people who use this product may be playful, or youthful. I believe that in this way ads of the past are similar to ads of today, and possibly the future.



Powell, Lisa. ""Nutritional Content of Television Food Advertisements Seen by Children and Adolescents in the United States"." Pediatrics 120Sep 2007 576. 19 May 2008

Times Magazine 1941

So i decided to write this blog on the first gigantic book of times magazine that i could find. I randomly picked out part of the 1941 collection and was surprised to find maybe one food ad per issue. That's not to say that there weren't any food ads, though. One of the first pages I turned to once I opened the magazine collection was an ad for Swift's Premium Branded Lamb. It showed a few hunks of lamb branded with the label Swift's Premium with a woman at the bottom ordering the meat on her telephone, specifically noting that she wanted the branded logo lamb chop. The tag line at the bottom of the article read "the meat makes the meal." I was not surprised at all. American culture throughout the past and present has always had meat as its anchor course meal. It's not a meal if it doesn't have meat in it, definitely still a popular mindset among the people I know. I have no problem with it. In fact I often feel unsatisfied by a meal without meat in it. This ad makes me realize how deeply rooted meat is in our society. Along with this branded lamb was also an ad for Swift's Premium Branded Veal which was printed a few issues later. Likewise I ran across two Jones Little Sausage ads, one depicting a pig with a fork and knife hovering over a picture of the sausage package. That last one I found a little ironic. Aside from all the meat ads were ads for the familiar and still popular Campbell soups. Just like today, the ads offered a variety of vegetable soups, ranging from split pea to cream of mushroom. One of the ads showed a woman with a speech bubble that read "the kind I'd be proud to make myself." I ran across various adds for 5¢ Coca-cola fountain drinks (a real bargain nowadays) and one add for Canada Dry Water, still see that brand around in the stores. One tiny side advertisement for Vitamin D was boasting about how healthy milk was for your body; filled with Vitamin D among a plethora of other nutrients. One of the most striking ads I noticed was not actually a food ad but I feel it had relevance to the class because it was a Monsanto advertisement for rubber showing a gas mask; I also found this one ironic. The last few ads that I came across sparked my interest the most. The were ads sponsored by Portland's own newspaper, The Oregonian. These last ads were aimed specifically at promoting the northwest as a main supplier of delicious and nutritious fruits and nuts (specifically walnuts) as well as turkey. They sparked my interest the most because they were for me, personally, "close to home." That's one of the best methods of advertising if you ask me, but its a difficult aspect to promote. For more information on food and advertising, why not check out this article: Journal of Advertising Research.

Brennan, Ross, Barbara Czarnecka, Stephan Dahl, Lynne Eagle and Olga Mourouti. Regulation of Nutrition and Health Claims in Advertising. Journal of Advertising Research. Mar2008, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p57-70.

Vegetarian Pot Luck

So a few months ago a friend of mine, Matt Meroni, decided that every Monday night he would hold a vegetarian pot-luck at his house. The goal was really not to promote vegetarianism, but it was a way for Matt to eat as much food as possible with a minimal amount of cooking effort. It really did work. I always end up bringing some sort of lentil soup concoction that I throw together without a plan much less a recipe. The idea of making it vegetarian was probably just for health reasons; no one needs to eat 10 dishes of meat haha. It's been going on steadily for about two months now and I think only a handful of people (besides Matt and his house mates) have attended every single one. It's a good vibe though, no one feels the obligation to attend but enough people always show up to make it a party. It's always nice once the food has all been cleared off plates and platers and someone shows up at the door with a bunch of brownies for dessert. The tradition of the potluck, as far as I know, has been around for centuries. It cultural popularity was best known among the Native Americans and it is a tradition that I don't think anyone has a problem with. It's quite prevalent in American society and is practiced by churches, neighborhoods, companies alike. The great thing about potlucks in my personal opinion is that you get such a variety of food with as little effort from everyone involved. They make for a well balanced meal and it's always a party for everyone involved. The only downside is the clean up afterwards. I don't think Matt realizes that it probably takes more of an effort for him to clean up all the dishes than it would for him to cook for himself; nothing beats good company though.

If you want to know more amount potlucks and their cultural significance, check out this article:

Keates, Nancy. "Guess Who's Bringing Dinner?" Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition. August 24, 2001, Vol. 238 Issue 39.

Blog Assignment #6

Looking at this assignment and realizing I can write about anything having to do with food I instantly thought about cooking. More specifically, the ability to cook well. This skill absolutely blows my mind. I consider myself a relatively smart person, I know how to read, and I know the difference between a tsp. and a tbsp. But I have never cooked a single meal that I actually thought tasted good. Don’t get me wrong, I make one hell of a sandwich, but that’s about where it ends. Even basic things like noodles I seem to find some way to screw it up. It seems like every time I attempt to cook, I follow the directions exactly, and somehow it turns out tasting terrible. I watch all these people create these amazing meals and they never even use a measuring cup. This is amazing to me. I’ve tried to have others teach me to make some basic meals, but as soon as I am on my own it always goes downhill. This post may not seem to have a lot of substance to some of you, but if you ever ate a meal that I cooked you may change your tune. For everyone out there that can cook, I congratulate you and I’ll buy the food if you’re willing to do your magic…

Theophano, Janet. "Home Cooking: Boston Baked Beans and Sizzling Rice Soup as Recipes for Pride and Prejudice." Kitchen culture in America : popular representations of food, gender, and race (2001): 139.

Eating food is good

There is rarely ever a time of day where I can honestly say that I am to full to have something to eat. Even if I am not completely hungry I have nothing against making a sandwich, or a bowl of cereal, as long as it is quick and easy. This is exactly what is wrong with most of America. We have become accustomed to eating just for the hell of it. I know I do this only occasionally, but I eat pretty carefully the rest of the time and work out regularly so it is not an issue for me. But, for the majority of Americans, this is the reason we are becoming so fat. I would go as far as saying eating is second only to baseball as America’s favorite past time.
When I started working out a little over a year ago, I started looking at food only as a source of energy and fuel for my body. When I did this, I noticed how much I cut down on what I was eating, and I realized that to keep your body satisfied throughout the day, you really only need five or six very small meals. I looked back on how I used to eat, and wondered why I did what I did. Basically, I think mostly it was out of boredom and I was looking for something to do, something to enjoy, and I really enjoy eating. I still enjoy it today, but I enjoy knowing that I am making and consuming the correct amount, not just huge portions that I don’t need.
As a reality check, I think it is good to examine what you eat, how much of it, and if you were hungry or not when you ate it. I would guess that most people will find that they are eating 25% to 50% more food daily than they actually need. By cutting back on those extra large portions, and instead eating smaller, but more frequent meals, you will save money on the grocery bill and even preserve your health.


"The bigger the portion..." Doug Payne. Medical Post. Toronto: Jan 7, 2003. Vol. 39, Iss. 1; p. 27

A bit of a Breather-Dining Out

Food is something that we need and it is definitely something that I think about a lot. Ever since I can remember, my family has always gone out to eat. It is just something we do because when my brother, sister, and I were younger, we were involved in numerous activities in which we were never home at the same time. Therefore, it was convenient to just grab something on the way home from dance lessons or softball practice. This greatly reflects who I am today because it is something that I enjoy. I love food and I always will but the one thing I hate about it is that everything that tastes so good seems to be so bad for your body. It seems that whenever I want to meet up with one of my friends that I don’t see often because they go to a different school, we always end up going to dinner or going for coffee. Why does it always end up revolving around food? I have always asked myself this question but when I think about meeting with a friend, eating out at a restaurant seems like the best atmosphere to do catch up with a friend. This sounds funny to say but I always joke with family and friends and say, “I wish that carrots and spinach were really bad for you and that pasta, burgers, French fries, and Mexican food were the best thing for your body.” Those are some of my favorite foods and it kills me to have to limit myself to them but I know that it can greatly affect not only the image of my body but the way I feel on a day to day basis. I do notice that when I limit myself to these foods and actually focus on eating what is healthy for my body, I do feel so much better physically. However, that emotional factor is gone because I think food is what comforts me to be honest. When it is breakfast time I often think, “What am I going to have for lunch?” It is sad to think that my life revolves so much around food and eating out. However, I do not feel like I am the odd man out; many people feel the same way I do. I always wonder to what extent eating out will be when I am a mother and have a family of my own. Will it be to the point where the average family eats out all 7 nights of the week? Who knows, if eating out everyday of the week becomes a norm, America will end up with an even higher obesity rate than it already has, causing more health problems for individuals just because of that one simple necessity in life, FOOD.

Bello, Deidre. "Eat Smart: When Eating Out." Family Safety & Health 67(2008): 22-23.

Genetically Modified Foods

Before watching this video, I had a preconceived perception of Genetically Modified foods. I thought that in many ways they were wonderful things because they are one of the many amazing things that have been brought to our attention these past couple of years. Our world offers so many wonderful things and my perception is why not use those wonderful things we have? However, this video has changed my views. Like many others have posted, I never knew that companies were able to patent particular seeds. I was astonished to find out that people were being sued due to the fact that they were not “allowed” to use certain seeds. I did not see all of the politics behind Genetically Modified food but after watching this video, I see it all. Because Genetically Modified foods have been introduced to our society, there is no way to get rid of them; therefore, I don’t feel that there is much to do about them. I do have some fears about Genetically Modified foods but just like many of the other things I eat I don’t have the time to identify labels on foods. Maybe I am lazy, but being a college student and having other things to worry about, I don’t necessarily worry about each and everything I eat. I do feel that it is beneficial to have labels on foods though for people who do need to know about Genetically Modified Foods. I would like to, sometime in my life, take the time to know what I am putting in my body but as of right now, I feel that I do not have the time for it. This video has definitely opened up my eyes to the politics behind Genetically Modified foods and when I do have the time, I would like to reduce the amount of Genetically Modified foods I consume.

"UK Growers Back GM Crops." Farmers Weekly (2008): 56.

End This Madness

For me the biggest problem with genetically modified foods is how threatening it is to the very foundations of life in general. I believe mixing genes together is a natural thing to do. How else do we have offspring? The point where I say "stop" is when we force genes together; a square is not made to fit into a round hole. Going against the fundamental nature of things is... well... simply unnatural. It is no surprise that the people doing this are multi-national corporations whose sole purpose is to reap profit. It's no surprise to me that these chemicals now used to genetically modify foods today were created (and still used) to make bombs and fuel the military industrial complex. It's no surprise to me that the people involved in genetic engineering also help run the military industrial complex; it doesn't surprise me one bit that they don't want us to know about it. What does surprise me is when people face this information and fold their hands, give up, and continue to purchase what their "supposed" to. Genetically modified foods need to be labeled for the rights of the consumers buying it. I'm so thankful for the statistics at the end of the video that show how people are truly concerned and are willing to fight the Goliath by producing and buying locally grown organic food. Yes, Monsanto genetically engineered crops will continue to infringe on the rights of farmers by invading their fields, but we have the power locally to change that. As the video professed, we can change state law. We still have power as long as we have the will. I for one will continue to buy local produce even at the heavy expense on my wallet. Even though I'm a starving college student, at least when I eat it does more good then harm. I CANNOT URGE EVERYONE ENOUGH to buy locally organic food! I say it for your own health and safety. Fred Meyer will not decide one day to sell organic food for the health of it's consumers. Like Monsanto and most other nation and world wide corporations, they are concerned with profit. Genetically modified food is not natural for your body and good luck if you think you can adapt. Bob Marley was once shot a few days before performing at a concert; he still managed to go out and perform his best. Why? He explained it just fine he said the people who are trying to control the world will never rest a day in their attempts so why should I?

Everyday is a struggle to express you basic god-given rights as a human being. Where there is injustice around you, work to make things right according to your own conscience. The end of the video set it straight. Compassion for your fellow man. Genetically modified foods will not solve world hunger. Like all unnatural things, it only makes problems worse.

"Death is a force of nature...the good face it everyday and pass it by. The wicked fear it, that's why there is no need to slay the wicked, just leave them to face death and they will perish."

here's a good article for you to reflect upon:

Al-Hayani, Fatima Agha. BIOMEDICAL ETHICS: MUSLIM PERSPECTIVES ON GENETIC MODIFICATION. Zygon. Chicago: Mar 2007. Vol. 42, Iss. 1; pg. 153.

Genetically Modified Foods

My biggest problem with genetically modified foods is not the health risks that could occur, rather the legal risks. I was surprised to see that a company can actually patent and “own” a plant seed. This scares me because of how the Canadian farmer, Percy, got
screwed by Monsanto seed company. He had been growing his crop for years and years, a crop that was not “Round Up Ready”. Round Up Ready was the seed that Monsanto had created and patented. It was able to withstand Round Up weed killer, so you could spray the whole crop and only kill the weeds, not the plants you wanted to harvest. It turns out that the farmer down the road had been using Round Up Ready seeds, and while transporting a load of some, he accidently lost some Round Up Ready seed in Percy’s field who had been using his own saved seed for years. Monsanto corporation routinely sends samplers out to canola farms across Canada and America, and during one of their samplings, they found their product in Percy’s crop. They noted he did not have permission to use their seed and Monsanto sued him. They said he infringed on their patent and were suing for that reason. It turns out that there was case upon case of other farmers who had always used only their own saved seed to plant crops, who had let samplers come out, and were later sent a letter saying they infringed on Monsanto’s patent. It also turns out that Monsanto is one of the biggest seed companies in the world, so it is in their best interest to take out all the farmers who don’t buy from them. Another example is the company who patented the gene that is linked to breast cancer. This means that nobody can study the gene anymore, nobody other than those affiliated with the company who holds the patent. The patent holding company actually sues universities and hospitals who are studying the gene for the sole purpose of curing breast cancer. It is all rather disturbing.
I have my share of fears about eating GM foods especially when they have been shown to cause problems in lab rats. I can not think of any reason why foods shouldn’t be labeled as GM. Everybody has the full right to know exactly what they are buying, otherwise it is like false advertisement.

Stephen Luntz. Australasian Science. Hawksburn: Sep 2001. Vol. 22, Iss. 8; pg. 34, 1 pgs