In the first half, leading spokesperson on the health dangers of genetically modified foods, Jeffrey Smith updated his work on the battlefronts of the war over GMOs, including developments in gene editing and synthetic biology. In recent talks at different conferences, when the audiences learned the truth about the new GMOs (genetically modified organisms) that are coming, they all rated them as a greater existential threat to the planet's survival than climate change, he revealed. These new GMOs include insects that can produce viruses in crops, sprays able to alter genetic expression, and new forms of gene editing, like CRISPR. Gene editing has become so cheap and easy that people can buy inexpensive kits on Amazon, he reported. And if some of these variations get out into the environment, they could irreversibly corrupt the gene pool, he warned, or lead to surprise side effects.
The secret release of one GMO bacteria ended up spreading everywhere on the planet, and "it had the capacity to theoretically eliminate terrestrial plant life-- all the food crops...everything," one scientist told Smith. Here in the US, a genetically engineered plant manufactured to resist a herbicide has caused 4% of the soybean crop to become damaged, he noted. To avoid GMO foods (which he contends are the culprit behind many physical and digestive problems), he recommends seeking out organic products. For more information and tips on healthy alternatives, visit his site Live Healthy, Be Well.
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The living embodiment of the classic rags to riches story, James Purpura went from jail to building a successful tech company. In the latter half, he discussed his passion for educating people on the power of perception-- how our past has the power to dictate our perceptions of reality in the present, removing our ability to exercise free will. Our visual perception is based on our assumption about what we think reality is, he said. But, "you can only see what you believe to be possible." He outlined his "emotional integration technique," which tracks emotions trapped in the body, such as from trauma.
Purpura cited a case where a man with low self-esteem was unable to recognize a woman's interest in him, demonstrating that his inner beliefs had impacted what he was able to see in the physical world. We're not taught how to deal with negative or upsetting emotions, he continued. Their function, he explained, is to let us know there's something amiss internally, but instead, people often react as though others are causing them. "We have to stop blaming our emotions on other people, by making their emotions about us," he advised. Regarding the concept of forgiveness, "it's not about letting the other person off the hook," he added, "it's about letting myself off the hook."
News segment guests: John M. Curtis, Dr. Peter Breggin