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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">This Friday at 6:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall the Green
Sanctuary committee will be having our quarterly “Just Dinner”. We bring dishes
composed of vegetarian, organic, locally grown, home grown, fair trade, humanely
raised or otherwise environmentally conscientious edible. We eat them and we
talk about them. </FONT></SPAN></P>
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style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">This week we will be talking specifically about
genetically modified or engineered organisms. I lifted the paragraphs below from
a fact sheet published within the last week. The litany is virtually unchanged
since the early days of GMO science but the controversy has not gone
away.</FONT></SPAN></P>
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style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><EM>A proposed benefit of GM foods is that they can
potentially produce higher crop yields, which could help by feeding more people
in developing countries. They are also cited as more economical, despite the
initial higher cost of the seeds. The rationale is that they reduce the need for
pesticides and herbicides as well as reducing the manpower needed to
successfully grow the crops, which should translate into improved financial
gains.</EM></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 8pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><EM><BR>Improved food quality is another benefit
associated with GM foods. A tomato, for instance, can be engineered to stay
fresher for longer, thereby extending its shelf life in the
supermarket.</EM></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 8pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><EM>Yet another benefit that is believed to occur from GM
technology is that crops can be engineered to withstand weather fluctuations and
extremes. This means that they can provide sufficient yields and quality despite
a severe, poor weather season.</EM></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 8pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><EM>Another benefit is that GM foods can be engineered to
have a high content of a specific nutrient that is lacking in the diet of a
local population group. The vitamin A rich 'golden rice' is one example of a GM
food that has been engineered to have high levels of a
nutrient.</EM></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 8pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Please come and share your opinion. Coincidentally, we
are serving the first meal of the weekend for the National Universalist
Convocation. Perhaps we can make it interesting for them.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 8pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Mike</FONT></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>