food politics

teacher: "now, class, which foods are most essential for a healthy, balanced diet?"

student: "OOO - I know... meat and dairy!"

Teacher: "very good Billy... and what is it about those foods that makes them so essential?"

student: "Their Washington lobbyists... who are so influential they can convince the department of agriculture to ignore the advice of nutritionists when presenting itself as an authority on nutrition!"

Teacher: "Very Good! ... because who knows more about nutrition than nutriitonists?"

Student: "anyone with the authority to publish a governmental document?"

Teacher: "yes... exactly! ... and who knows more about which technologies are safe to export and which are dangerous because of their potential "dual-use" in high-tech weaponry,.... weapons experts or the commerce department?"

Student: "The commerce department?"

Teacher: "Excellent! Excellent! Class dismissed!"


a couple of books from the library yesterday...
Food Politics: how the food industry influences nutrition and health by Marion Nestle
Selling Sickness: How the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies are turning us all into patients by Ray Moynihan and Alan Cassels