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The Gene Drive Files

A genetic extinction technology funded by Bill Gates and the US Military? What could POSSIBLY go wrong? Or perhaps the question should be, what could POSSIBLE go right?!

Disclosed emails reveal military as top funder; Gates Foundation paying $1.6 million to influence UN expert process.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Over 1,200 emails released under open records requests reveal that the U.S. military is now the top funder and influencer behind a controversial genetic extinction technology known as “gene drives” – having pumped $100 million into the field. The trove of emails, additionally sheds light on a $1.6 million dollar lobbying operation paid for by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“Emerging Ag,” a private PR firm funded by the Gates Foundation, is working behind the scenes to stack key UN advisory processes with gene drive-friendly scientists, and has recruited ostensibly independent academics and public officials into a private collaboration to counteract possible regulation, including an effort to resist calls for an international moratorium. Some of those recruited entered into the UN discussions without divulging their conflicts of interest or the role that paid political consultants played in shaping their inputs.

The files cast a spotlight on the central role of the shadowy US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as the key funder now accelerating gene drive development. For example, DARPA is now revealed as the major financial backer of efforts to develop gene drive mammals (mice) that are led by a US environmental NGO, although DARPA has no biodiversity conservation mission, raising questions about the defense agency’s intent.
“Gene drives are a powerful and dangerous new technology and potential biological weapons could have disastrous impacts on peace, food security and the environment, especially if misused,” said Jim Thomas of ETC Group. “The fact that gene drive development is now being primarily funded and structured by the US military raises alarming questions about this entire field.”

“There is no transparency about who is influencing decisions about the future of global ecosystems, people’s livelihoods, or our food system,” said Dana Perls of Friends of the Earth, U.S. “Gene drives could have profound ecological, health and socio-economic impacts, and the emails reveal a secretive attempt to game the system by gene drive proponents aiming to minimize regulations and oversight.”

“In response to this news that the integrity of technical processes under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) may have been compromised by Gates-funded political consultants, civil society groups will urgently raise the need for better disclosure of interests within a framework for addressing conflict of interest at the CBD,” said Lim Li Ching of Third World Network.

“Mosquitoes containing gene drives are being proposed for malaria control in Africa. While claiming potential health benefits, any application of such powerful technologies should be subject to the highest standards of transparency and disclosure. Sadly, this doesn’t appear to be the case. Releasing risky GM organisms into the environments of these African countries is outrageous and deeply worrying,” said Mariam Mayet, Executive Director of The African Centre for Biodiversity.

Information revealed in the Gene Drive files includes:
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is reported to have given approximately $100 million for gene drive research, $35 million more than previously reported. If confirmed, DARPA appears to be the largest single funder of gene drive research on the planet.

Emerging Ag, a privately-held public relations firm, received over $1.6 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to work on gene drive topics and to focus on exerting influence on the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the key body for gene drive governance. Following calls in 2016 for a global moratorium on the use of gene drive technology, the CBD sought input from scientists and experts in an online forum. According to the Gene Drive Files, Emerging Ag recruited and coordinated over 65 experts, including a Gates Foundation senior official, a DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) official, and government and university scientists, in an undercover attempt to flood he official UN process with their coordinated inputs.

The attempt to covertly influence the UN process online centrally involved three members of an associated UN expert committee (The Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Synthetic Biology): Dr Robert Friedman of the J Craig Venter Institute, Dr. Todd Kuiken of North Carolina State University and Professor Paul Freemont of Imperial College London. Two of these are from institutions that together received over $100 million in U.S. military and other funds expressly to develop and test gene drive systems. Dr Kuiken served as “stakeholder engagement” lead for a Gene Drive development project. The Expert committee meets this week in Montreal, Canada.

The secretive JASON group of military advisors have undertaken two classified studies on genome editing and gene drives at the request of the U.S. government. The gene drive study, which included input by a Monsanto executive, focuses on hostile use of gene drives and use of gene drives in agriculture.

DARPA is revealed to be funding a high profile UK team of researchers targeting African communities with gene drive mosquitos. This funding was not previously made public.

The files reveal how far along the two leading gene drive teams (Target Malaria for the UK and GBIRD, based in North Carolina) have proceeded towards building gene drive organisms and are preparing for open field trials, including steps to select test sites in Australia, New Zealand, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Mali and Ghana, and to create government and community acceptance of the use of gene drives in key testing sites.

https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/human-rights/the-gene-drive-files/

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Question: Tom, why do you have so many ingredients in your top bars and powders?

Answer: Three reasons. The first is that a doctor told me 25 years ago to get as broad a range of foods into me as I can. He did not say why but I heard an old saying many years ago, “Man who pay for advice and not follow it is a fool!” My subsequent reading has established the following:

The second reason is that each different food has a slightly different beneficial effect on the body. For instance each nut has a different health benefit. Each different dried fruit has a different health benefit. So does each vegetable.

Thirdly, some foods are astronomically more effective when consumed with other foods.

For instance here is an extract from a blurb I received 30th November promoting a turmeric supplement:

“…has developed a curcumin supplement that includes a liposomal delivery system which studies have found increases bioavailability by up to 185x. Their supplement is 100% vegan, organic, and non-GMO. And they’ve found that by combining it with ginger oil and vegan algae-sourced DHA, they create an extraordinarily potent anti-inflammatory compound.”

And another flyer I received at the Mind Body Spirit extols the virtues of a five ingredient mix (Bacopa, Turmeric, Ashwaganda, Green Tea and Milk Thistle) that the vendor claims produces 1 million antioxidants per second per cell in the body and increases Glutathione (the master antioxidant) by 300%!

I think that is pretty damned impressive!

And if you buy a 6 month supply up front of the first supplement it costs US$44 for a 6 week supply.

The second one costs $79 for a 6 week supply.

Since writing the above I received a promotion for this supplement: https://organixx.com/7m-plus/ that contains six different mushrooms. The promotion is a worthy read as it explains some of the data on how to stay healthy found in my book. Significantly, it fails to mention that a key reason for the very low cancer rate in the people from Okinawa is consumption of raw brown seaweed (an extract of which called Modifilan is found in my bars and powders but not in their supplement).

If you have a tub of my NutriBlast Greens + handy, pull it out and check the ingredient list. Or go to http://www.healthelicious.com.au/Nutri-Blast-Greens-Plus.html where the print is larger. 🙂

You will find the above mentioned Bacopa, Turmeric, Ashwaganda, Green Tea and Milk Thistle as well as 6+ different sea vegetables (including Chlorella, Spirulina, Blue Green Klamath, Purple Dulse, Irish Moss and Modifilan), 10 different mushrooms (Agarikon, Blazei, Chaga, Cordyceps, Lions Mane, Mesima, Mitake, Reishi, Shiitake and Turkey Tail) in the ingredient list.

No wonder many people find it clears away the mental fog within minutes of taking it! Let alone what it does long term!

And at AU$65 for a six week supply (if you buy 4 tubs at a time that is the wholesale price) it looks like a steal of a deal.

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A Quote On Parenthood

Saw a joke recently:
A father is a man who has photos in his wallet where his money used to be. – Anon
To which I instantly thought:
While that may be true, he also has love in a compartment in his heart that was formerly empty.