In case you thought Monsanto only produces genetically modified seed now

That wonderful biotech company Monsanto & Co, which helped bring forth the deadly Agent Orange before it decided to move on and attempt to commercially crowd out natural food crops world-wide, still produces herbicides/pesticides.

Lest you think that this is confined to the well-known Round Up - here is one new product announced in 2010:

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 2, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced it has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the sales of a new formulation of acetochlor for early post-emergence use in cotton and soybeans. The product will be marketed as MON 63410 Herbicide for the 2010 growing season.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this herbicide has been classified as a probable human carcinogen and is considered dangerous in community water supplies at an annual concentration ≥ 2.0 ppb.

Monsanto & Co. has been partly owned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since at least 2008 and if The Guardian newspaper is to be believed the foundation increased its shareholdings in 2010.

* This post is part of North Coast Voices' effort to keep Monsanto's blog monitor (affectionately known as Mr. Monsanto) in long-term employment.

Image from Infowars Ireland

NSW North Coast: more rain in saturated catchments expected today

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for flash flooding in the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands at 4:23 am EDT on Monday 10 January 2011:

A high near New Zealand is maintaining a humid east to northeasterly airstream across New South Wales. A trough off the southern Queensland coast is creating enhanced rainfall, which is forecast to move into northeast New South Wales during Monday.

Rain and thunderstorms, which may lead to flash flooding, are forecast for the Northern Rivers forecast district and northern parts of the Northern Tablelands forecast district during Monday.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:

Don't drive, ride or walk through flood water.
Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.

The next warning will be issued by 11:00 am EDT Monday.

ABC News reminds that:

A flood watch remains in place for the Tweed, Brunswick, Richmond/Wilsons, Clarence and Bellinger River Valleys.

The above catchments are wet from recent rain so there is a higher than 70 per cent chance of local and main river flooding developing.

The SES is preparing for level three flood operations which is a major flood event.

This flood watch means that people living or working along rivers and streams must monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings and be ready to move to higher ground should flooding develop.........

Flood Warnings will be reissued when sufficient rain has fallen to raise river levels above minor flood level at forecast locations.

Remember to never drive, ride or walk through floodwater and keep listening to ABC Local Radio, your emergency services broadcaster.

SES FloodSafe information

Americans more interested in UFOs than in Wikileaks saga?

With official U.S. Government angst on public display over Wikileaks release of Cablegate material, the Dept of Justice out for blood and both American politicians and some news commentators calling for Julian Assange's head, one has to wonder whether the average person in that country is even mildly interested in this ongoing saga.

Here are some Google Trends snapshots covering all of 2010, which indicate that perhaps (in cyberspace at least) Americans have a more sustained interest in alien life forms than in who obtains and publishes copies of U.S. diplomatic cables.

A Tale of Two Images

A paid notice by John X Berlin
The Clarence Valley Review,
4 January 2011 issue, Page 38

Image accompanying The Daily Examiner article
Berlin in court on new charges
8 January 2011 online issue

To Voda, or not to Voda, that is the question

Natalie O'Brien writing in The Age on 9 January 2011 Vodafone mobile records leaked:

THE personal details of millions of Vodafone customers, including names, home addresses, driver's licence numbers and credit card details, have been available on the web in what is described as an ''unbelievable'' lapse in security by the mobile phone giant.

The Sunday Age is aware of criminal groups paying for the private details of some Vodafone customers to blackmail them.

Other people have apparently obtained logins to check their spouse's communications.

The personal details, accessible from any computer because they are kept on an internet site rather than Vodafone's internal system, include numbers dialled or texted, plus the time and location of calls or texts.

The full extent of the privacy breach is unknown, but The Sunday Age has learnt that possibly thousands of people have logins that can be passed around and used to gain access to the accounts of about 4 million Vodafone clients.

Michael Fraser, head of the Australian Communications Law Centre at the University of Technology Sydney, said it seemed to be a major breach of the company's privacy obligations and ''unbelievably slack security''.

Australian Politics: This has to be the worst job of 2011

Senior Adviser - Media

The Hon Tony Abbott MP

Leader of the Opposition

Applications are invited for the position of Senior Adviser - Media to the Leader of the Opposition.

This position would suit a highly motivated person, preferably with several years of experience in journalism or a related communications discipline and experience in the development of and implementation of communication strategies.

Knowledge of government and parliamentary processes would be an advantage.

The position is based in Sydney with regular travel to Canberra and interstate.

The position is offered under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 and conditions are outlined in the Commonwealth Members of Parliament Staff Enterprise Agreement 2010-2012. A salary within the range $111,403 to $146,492 pa will be determined commensurate with relevant skills and experience. In addition, an allowance of $27,500 is payable in recognition of long and irregular hours including weekend work, and a private-plated vehicle or allowance-in-lieu is provided. A probationary period of three months will apply.

Applications setting out details of experience and the names of two referees should be forwarded to:

lynne.barrow@aph.gov.au

Applications close on 21 January 2011. For further information please contact David Wawn on (02) 6277 4022.

7 Jan 2011