A Wrinkle in Time

How RFK Jr. could do a bit of good.

Largely overlooked and ignored during the frenetic run-up to the election was an expose' in the Guardian titled Revealed: the US government-funded ‘private social network’ attacking pesticide critics.

I bookmarked this piece when it appeared in late September because I knew it might well prove relevant later on, and sure enough that time has arrived. Allow me to explain.

Donald Trump’s decision to nominate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as his health czar is justifiably controversial for many reasons, principally because RFK Jr. has espoused numerous crackpot conspiracy theories and may prove particularly dangerous if he imposes his anti-vaccination views on the agencies trying to protect the pubic health.

But RFK Jr. is on much more solid ground when it comes to his concerns about pesticide residues in the food supply. Ironically, if his nomination is rejected by the Senate, it will most likely be due not to his nutcase conspiracy theories but to the well-financed agrochemical lobby, which brings us right back to that piece in the Guardian.

The article reveals the existence of a private portal used by the industry and its allies in government to maintain detailed profiles of anyone they deem anti-pesticide, including:

• “(A) wide range of personal information about hundreds of individuals from around the world deemed a threat to industry interests, including the US food writers Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman, the Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva and the Nigerian activist Nnimmo Bassey. Many profiles include personal details such as the names of family members, phone numbers, home addresses and even house values.”

• “The profiling is part of an effort – that was financed, in part, by US taxpayer dollars – to downplay pesticide dangers, discredit opponents and undermine international policymaking, according to court records, emails and other documents obtained by the non-profit newsroom Lighthouse Reports.”

• “More than 30 current government officials are on the membership list, most of whom are from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).”

• “Mounting scientific evidence has linked some pesticides to a host of health risks, including leukemia, Parkinson’s, and cancers of the bladder, colon, bone marrow, lung, blood cells and pancreas, as well as reproductive problems, learning disorders and problems of the immune system. The concerns about various documented health impacts have led multiple countries to ban or otherwise restrict several types of pesticides.”

If he is confirmed over industry objections by the Senate, Kennedy could potentially do some good in the area of regulating pesticides. At this point, that would represent a small glimmer of light in the very dark scenario of what’s to come during Trump’s time in power.

And don’t get me wrong. I think Kennedy’s nomination is a disaster, one of many in Trump’s incoming cabinet. But there could be some silver linings, and I’m looking for them.

There is much, much more in the excellent Guardian article for anyone who wishes to become better informed on the issue of pesticide regulation. Also, long leading the field in honest, accurate information about agrochemicals is the non-profit Pesticide Action Network.

(Note: My apologies to novelist Madeleine L'Engle for appropriating the title, A Wrinkle in Time, from her excellent young adult science fantasy novel. Imitation is, after all, a sincere form of flattery.)

HEADLINES:

• South Korea president declares emergency martial law (CNN)

• White House defends pardon of Hunter Biden amid backlash (BBC)

• Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Further Undermines His Legacy (New Yorker)

• Pursuing justice or getting even? (Politico)

• Tensions Rise Among Russia’s Elite as Economic Growth Slows (NYT)

• 40 Years Later: Demand Justice for Bhopal (PAN)

• Pete Hegseth’s Secret History (New Yorker)

• Amid worry about Trump, calls for career Justice Department staff to stay (WP)

• Long a ‘Crown Jewel’ of Government, N.I.H. Is Now a Target (NYT)

• H5N1 Bird Flu Concerns Grow. Are COVID-19 Mistakes Being Repeated? (Forbes)

• Trump said he intends to nominate Charles Kushner, his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s billionaire father, to be the next U.S. ambassador to France. [HuffPost]

• Lake-effect snows continue to bury Northeast after Thanksgiving weekend (WP)

• Israel Builds Bases in Central Gaza, a Sign It May Be There to Stay (NYT)

• Elton John says he has lost his eyesight (CNN)

• Space traffic is crowding Earth's orbit. (Reuters)

• World Labs’ AI can generate interactive 3D scenes from a single photo (TechCrunch)

• AI Reveals Stunning Secrets Hidden in the Sun’s Atmosphere (SciTechDaily)

• This manga publisher is using Anthropic’s AI to translate Japanese comics into English (Technology Review)

• Ads might be coming to ChatGPT — despite Sam Altman not being a fan (TechCrunch)

• Study: Overuse Of Hair Detangler Giving Rise To Product-Resistant Supertangles (The Onion)

LYRICS (Excerpt)

“Love’s the Only House” by Martina McBride

'Cause the pain's gotta go somewhere
Yeah, the pain's gotta go some place
So come on down to my house
Don't you know that

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

(Songwriters: Buzz Cason / Thomas Stevenson Douglas)