Fairly Interesting

#020 - Goodbye Yellowstone: The Rest of The Story

RFK Jr. is driving a fresh national discussion on health through nutrition. While this is a welcome development, unfortunately, he and others like Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson are missing the last part of the story. The unintended consequences of so-called organic farming would be disastrous. We also discuss the disturbing recent paper published by the American Academy of Pediatrics warning about dangerous GMO foods for children. Not only is the paper terribly irresponsible and very flawed, but it also appears to have a dark motivation behind it. Knowledge is power and we hope this helps add to your understanding. Cheers!
References & Relevant Articles:
Use of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)-Containing Food Products in Children | Pediatrics(this is the paper by American Academy of Pediatrics that we discuss in the episode)
A Pediatrician's Letter to the AAP - by Nicole Keller
Ignore Science, Advance an Agenda - THE FIREBREAK
Dragging Trust in Science into the Sewer - by David Zaruk
Posh nosh: With a gaping hole in the public finances, why are British taxpayers subsidising premium-priced organic food?
Industrialisation of organic will seal its downfall

#019 - Even the Cows Won't Eat It!

In this episode we revisit Fake Meat and explore why Beyond Beef stock crashed, why McDonald's discontinued their fake meat burger, and why the hype bubble is bursting. Hint, the cows won't even eat veggie burgers! We hope you enjoy it.
Why Beyond Meat Is Crashing Today | Nasdaq
BANKRUPT: The WEF agenda is FAILING! - by Peter Imanuelsen
Fake Beef Craze Fizzles With Beyond Meat in the Crosshairs - Bloomberg
Savor Successfully Develops Dairy & Plant-Free Butter From CO2 and Hydrogen - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine
Opinion Where's the beef? Here's why the fake meat fad sizzled out.
Fake Meat Was Supposed to Save the World. It Became Just Another Fad

#18 - Cruel to be Kind (Part II)

Tune into our 2nd episode of Cruel To Be Kind, a continuation of our discussion about common farming animal husbandry practices. From Molting chickens, Trimming beaks, Dehorning cattle, and Shearing sheep, we delve into practices that are commonly used by farmers but are easily misunderstood by the public. Enjoy!

#17 - Cruel to be Kind

Farmers around the world utilize common practices which may appear to be cruel, but ultimately are rooted in kindness ultimately produce the best outcomes. Livestock producers implement such practices that may be a short term stressful event for the long term well being and performance of their animals. To an outsider, practices such as castration, tail docking, branding, and snipping eye teeth appear to be cruel, but there is a beneficial effect that most are unaware of. Join us as we explore some of these practices and explain the why and how behind them.

#16 - Greenpeace: Killing Whales and Blind Children

In this episode we revisit the saga of Golden Rice. 140 million poor children suffer from vitamin A deficiency, of which 500,000 go blind and 250,000 die each year. Golden Rice could save them, except Greenpeace continues to sabotage it's use. From "Save The Whales" to "Let The Children go Blind and Die", we review the antihuman trajectory of Greenpeace. How did it stray so far from its original mission and why Golden Rice should be approved immediately.
Resources & references:
PhilRice acknowledges Court of Appeals’ decision granting the Writ of Kalikasan against Golden Rice in the Philippines; takes advice on implications of decision
Children could die because of Greenpeace’s Golden Rice activism | The Spectator
Greenpeace Crusade Against Golden Rice Will Blind and Kill Children
Genetically modified golden rice may yet succeed in the Philippines | New Scientist
The Philippines bans some genetically modified foods
What a Philippine court ruling means for transgenic Golden Rice, once hailed as a dietary breakthrough | Science
How may the Philippines be affected by the Court of Appeals 2024 Writ of Kalikasan? - BusinessWorld Online
 

#15 - Glyphysteria (and, we love corn)

In this podcast we're joined by our agronomist friend, Seth Tuscherer, to bring the boots on the ground perspective as we discuss the demonization of glyphosate, monocrop agriculture and how the precautionary principle has gone haywire. From RFK Jr to Joe Rogan, glyphosate is painted as a deadly carcinogen, poisoning the world. How did such an incredible molecule, responsible for so much good, fall so far, and be so misunderstood? Join us for another (fairly) interesting ride as we take some of the fear out of the air.
Glyphosate ban will have economic impacts on European agriculture but effects are heterogenous and uncertain
A Human Biomonitoring Study Assessing Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA) Exposures among Farm and Non-Farm Families
Glyphosate Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study
Dangerous levels of glyphosate in urine? Junk science paper based upon a large-scale anti-GMO testing campaign - Genetic Literacy Project
Glyphosate | EFSA
Quantifying changes in the environmental impact of in-crop herbicide use in Saskatchewan, Canada | Weed Technology | Cambridge Core
Impact assessment of the loss of glyphosate within the EU: a literature review | Environmental Sciences Europe
Who's Afraid of Roundup?
Glyphosate toxicity and carcinogenicity: a review of the scientific basis of the European Union assessment and its differences with IARC
Meta-Analyses of Glyphosate and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Expert Panel Conclusions and Recommendations
The contribution of glyphosate to agriculture and potential impact of restrictions on use at the global level
Glyphosate Technical Fact Sheet

#14 - Bill Gates Wears a D-Cup

In this chat we digest beef and it's nutritional components, such as protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and fats. Join us on a far ranging discussion, from Ferdinand Magellan’s crew to Custer’s 7th Cavalry; from Gynecomastia (hint, Bill Gates) to Pellagra, it's quite the ride. We hope you'll enjoy.
 
Book References:
Napoleon's Buttons. How 17 Molecules Changed The World
Trans-vaccenic acid reprograms CD8+ T cells and anti-tumour immunity
The whole food beef matrix is more than the sum of its parts
Total Meat Intake is Associated with Life Expectancy: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis of 175 Contemporary Populations
Myoprotective Whole Foods, Muscle Health and Sarcopenia

#013 - Ice Cream and Shark Attacks

In this podcast we discuss the limitations of epidemiology, especially as it relates to nutrition and health studies in human populations. We dig into a recent study (2023) published by a group at Harvard that created sensational headlines about red meat causing Type II Diabetes. We chat about why this study and others like it are deeply flawed.
From Ancel Keys in 1960 to Harvard in 2023, meat and fat has been demonized for 80 years. Americans consume 38% less red meat yet Type II Diabetes (& Obesity) now affects around 90 million Americans. Something doesn't add up. Tune in to learn why.
Harvard Study 2023
Harvard is Anti-Meat. Teicolz Article
Epidemiology Studies. Need to take with a grain of salt

#012 - Boil Your Boots

In this podcast we discuss Thermoregulation. From the USS Jeanette Voyage to the artic to The San endurance hunters of the Kalahari we discuss thermoregulation of our bodies, how to keep our bodies in the Goldilocks zone. We also chat about what heat stress and cold stress means to animal agriculture, why farmers work hard to keep our animals comfortable, why it matters and various strategies employed. We take staying warm for granted, thanks to 3.5 million years of endothermic evolution, but we seldom think about how and why. Join us for this rambling exploration.
Books Referenced
The Island of The Blue Foxes
The Kingdom of Ice
Why We Run
Madhouse At The End of The Earth
Benefits of Mitigating Heat Stress in Dairy Cows

#11 - Long Necks and Big Muscles

In this podcast we chat about the crazy world of epigenetics. From Jean Baptiste Lamark's half-baked theory of evolution, through Darwin and Mendel to today where scientist are confronted with more and more evidence of the environment shaping our genetic code. It seems our genetic potential is not as "fixed at birth" as we once assumed. Epigenetics is a hidden universe of potential. From the Dutch Famine (Hunger Winter) to Trofirm Lysenko and mass starvation in Soviet Russia and Maoist China to chick embryo's and heat stressed cattle, we discuss how epigenetics shapes life.
Epigenetics: How Environment Shapes Our Genes
Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance
Lysenko’s Ghost: Epigenetics and Russia