Thursday, October 6, 2016

Musing: Babes in Lala Land

Oh, the poor little “Food Babe.” Though she was decked with lei — despite being visibly pregnant — she just didn't feel the aloha when she came to Hawaii recently to preach her psuedo-scientific jibberish.

Instead, she believes she was the victim — why are these people always playing the victim, when they are serial victimizers? — of a massive “chemical industry conspiracy" to shut her down and deprive Islanders of her version of the non-truth.
Ashley and Vani: two genetically engineered (and they don't even know it!) peas in a pod.
Poor, poor little Vani. It never occurred to her that the opposition came not from the “chemical industry,” but regular old critical-thinking intelligent folks who are tired of her misinformed bullshit.

Worse, she dished it out at the University of Hawaii, giving it the veneer of “education.” And sponsor Ashley Lukens, director of the Hawaii Center for Food Safety, flat-out lied and claimed the event was endorsed by the chancellor's office, even though it was not.

In a lengthy whine-fest, the Babe — not to be confused with the equally confused Babes Against Biotech — took to her blog to cry a few tears about how people actually tried to, sniff, disrupt her presentation.

Because the antis, they never disrupt nothin', right?

Vani launches right in to her fictional account, portraying CFS as a champion of the people, instead of a lying, scheming, fear-mongering group desperately trying to keep the conflict alive in order to feed its own coffers, and claiming Hawaii is a “testing ground for many experimental chemicals and crops” with companies suing “to keep their testing secret.” And to "prove" it, she links to an article by Paul Koberstein — the guy I've repeatedly outed as being paid by the antis to write shit that ain't true.

Then she gets into how “over 100 Monsanto employees crashed a CFS presentation in Hawaii in an attempt to intimidate the presenters.” Uh, that was actually a presentation for the Molokai workers, and the "intimidation" — gasp — was them asking questions that Ashley couldn't answer. Because she doesn't actually know anything about the work these guys do. So she quickly ended the meeting and ran.

Then Vani whimpers about how as soon as her speaking engagement was annonced, CFS's Facebook page “began receiving hundreds of insulting and inflammatory comments – mainly criticizing me personally, characterizing me as “hilariously uninformed,” “a crazy food blogger.”

Imagine. Correctly identifying the Babe for what she is. Which leads to the real problem here: CFS, the Food Babe, Gary Hooser, the Babes, Hawaii SEED, etc., can dish it out, make any kine. But as soon as you dare to speak up or question, they draw the "you're so mean" and/or "victim of corporate shills" card.

Vani plays this up by featuring a quote from Ashley: 

“Vani’s visit to Hawai‘i would unleash the most powerful display of the pro-GMO public relations machine that I have witnessed since taking my position with CFS.”

Hey, I'm glad she noticed that there are a helluva lot of us who have no intention of letting Ashley and Vani dictate the future of biotech. 

But what Ashley doesn't get — perhaps because she is so handsomely paid — is that the response to Vani was organic, unpaid, truly grassroots. It was a bunch of people who are tired of hearing Vani try to pass off her snake oil sales pitch as “truth.” 

It can be her truth if she wants, but the rest of us aren't buying it.

Still, I understand why Ashley, accustomed to getting away with whatevahs, totally freaked out when she realized she might have to deal with more than her usual true believers packed into an echo chamber. She even hired a special security detail when she heard the oh-so-scary — NOT! — Bronson Kaahui and Jaysen Silverstein were planning to attend. 

Paranoid? Of course, the pro-GMO folks have never actually disrupted an anti-GMO event. That's the playbook of the antis. But paranoia runs deep when you believe in conspiracy theories — and are plotting all sorts of ugliness against your foes:
Guy Hanohano Naehu I'll be there and maybe something like this would work? It's a JEDI ear pulling tactic I learned while I was in Rapa Nui!
And what was the horrible disruption that was planned? Turns out March Against Myths About Modification (MAMyths) had reserved a bunch of tickets using such obviously fake names as “Fraud Babe,” “Organic is Dumb,” “Susi Creamcheese,” and “Harriett Tubman.” 

But those clever antis caught on and foiled the devious plot. Glad Ashley's PhD has proven useful for something.

Vani sniffs:

MAMyths describes themselves as “Radicals for science utilizing grassroots organization and direct action for social change” and are basically satirizing the March Against Monsanto movement. They attend Marches in their “I Love GMOs” t-shirts and protest talks given by anti-GMO food activists such as Vandana Shiva.

Imagine. The nerve.

Vani goes on to drag Biology Fortified, the American Society of Plant Biologists, Kevin Folta and the Cornell Alliance for Science into her little rant. But she makes a special point of denouncing someone I've never heard of, Kavin Senapathy:

She spends a very significant amount of time criticizing me and the work of the Food Babe Army. She acts as the spokesperson for a Facebook page that was created solely to criticize and parody me all day long, every day, sometimes being severely offensive.

Awww. Poor ting you. Though come on. "Food Babe Army?" Gag.

Kavin is a busy girl! Spending so much of her time trying to discredit me and our movement. You’ve got to ask yourself, what motivates her to do this?

Uh, maybe the same thing that motivates the rest of us, and it ain't money. It's pure and utter disgust at the ignorance of the major players on the anti team, as well as their descipable, deceitful fear-mongering game plan.

Vani whimpers: "They want to gag activists into silence."

Oh, if only we could.

I know Vani loves to think she is so important that every chem company on earth has rallied against her, but in fact, anyone with a brain is laughing at her, because she's a bad joke.

The hypocrisy is staggering, though — basically she’s selling stuff, quackery by and large. And yet those who support biotech are a corporate front group! 

And truly, why shouldn't those of us who believe in biotechnology conduct media training and public outreach? Does the Food Babe really think only she and the rest of the antis are entitled to engage, and that anyone who questions them is an industry stooge?

I know the “victim of a massive conspiracy” narrative is wonderfully satisfying to the narcissists who dominate the “food army.” But it's just not anything close to real. Like the rest of the crap that the antis spout.

Vani ends her piece with an xo, and then a P.S., gushing about how “amazing” her Hawaii talk was, with “a packed house, and standing room only! It was a huge success.”

Uh, so then what's she bitching about? Especially since Ashley was going all groupie:

So much inspiration and grounding from this mana wahine. Haters are gonna hate. take it from me, this woman is a bad ass B. Total #musestatus

Mmm, Vani doesn't sound too bad ass to me. But the "B," yeah, I'll give her that.

Of course, the few pro-GMO people who did attend the Food Babe's talk later complained that they lost a few brain cells listening to her drivel.

But Vani obviously doesn't give a rat's ass about them.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Joan. Did you read what you wrote here? Please take a long vacation in the mountains perhaps. You need to get away and enjoy nature and the beauty of the world. You have devolved over these past few years into a mean spirited and dark gossip monger. So sad. Take a break from writing Joan. It is so obvious your anger and angst is literally consuming the good person you are.

Joan Conrow said...

Actually, I was laughing the whole time. And I'd just gotten back from a three-hour hike in the mountains, which is why I posted late. So much for your theories.... lol!!! But you are right about the good person I am! ;)

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed it!

Anonymous said...

Banned By Food Babe is one of my favorite Facebook groups. I found it when the babe was freaking out about airlines "diluting" the air with nitrogen and banned anyone who responded with science. 50% nitrogen OMG!!! Airline shills are attacking me!

For babe believers, please note that the air we breathe is about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and a mixture of trace gases including carbon dioxide.

After being soundly ridiculed - yet again - she removed the post without a single "oops, sorry, I don't know what I'm talking about".

Anonymous said...

Hey 10:56 AM:

You shouldn't be surprised by Joan's response to the Faux-Knows. Those of us who bother to do our homework before weighing in on a subject are sick and tired of these quacks who are making a fortune selling their agenda or the products they hawk, to the detriment of a healthy, peaceful, and informed public. They foster misinformation, outrage, anger, fear, and anxiety about non-issues.

It's such a pathetic waste when there are real issues to be addressed.

And Joan is not only a good person, but a great person, as many of us have discovered through her writing.

Anonymous said...

Hey 10:56
Did you read what you just wrote? You pretended to really care about Joan and feigned dismay by setting a false premise and using insulting jibes like: mean spirited,dark, gossip monger, anger, angst...and it was belittling and pretty obvious. It's pleasing to know that you and others with differing opinions do read KE because you will slowly be educated into being wiser people who think critically at all sides to an issue.

Anonymous said...

Gene Roddenberry made a good living writing science fiction. Maybe the Babes should drop the food act and start writing something a little more entertaining. This food science fiction crap is really getting old.

Manuahi said...

10:56 is a member of the passive aggressive school of bullshit. A Phd I believe. Better than Ashely's Phd. in Chemistry (??) No...wait. What was it now? Oh ya, Political Science! Perfect for what she's doing.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the dirty vice pigs can put Vani on the track instead of using grade school girls to do their dirty work.

Anonymous said...

10:56. You are a whiny, quibbling pissmire and need to find a more congenial blog for your ridiculous lamentations. Your constant "Joan.....quibble, quibble, whine, whine, good old days, dark blah, blah is really tiresome. Take a hike in the mountains and stay there or find a new theme. Joan is an illumination monger; if you can't take the light, don't hang out at Kauai Eclectic. Be a good cockroach and be gone.

Anonymous said...


What I love about 10:56 AM is the shear desperation of being called out big time.

And the pathetic last ditch effort to to say mean things about Joan who has , along with others verbaly crunched them and exposed these folks for what they are!

What they are is EXACTLY what they accuse others of being. And that would be padding bank accounts over fear mongering!

Let the world starve, this is about them and narcissism that has not been seen for seventy years! Yep 10:56, we will call you out and crush your pathetic grandstanding. As far as I am concerned , Hooser should be facing charges for using his political position for his personal agendas!

Dear Joan, you make me feel better everyday with the Pen/sword you use so brilliantly. You are an inspiration. And I just generally like your writing style.

I am not joking, this is exactly why we demand that our politicians be held to what the rest of us would. Be dragged through a court system for! I'm a forgiving sort of fellow, but Gary yelled fire in a movie theater,,,, and that is unforgivable and should never be tolerated.

It's like the commenter on TGI (DevelopmentisDigression) real name Makoto Lane, that repeats the same lie nomater the issue!

Guys like Pete A. And many others have called the truth on him so many times , and this buddy of Hoosers son could care less,, they will repeat low IQ crap forever. That bugs me that no accountability is required and TGI seems a willing stooge.

Oh, I wonder what happened to their crime and courts reporter Michelle Iracheta? I hope she is just on a well deserved vacation..... But I dought we will hear from her again!after reveling her personal thoughts about what happens to what she writes and what gets published . hope I'm wrong. But listen Irachetta, you are exactly what the journalism world desperately needs, you will go far dear brave one.

Anonymous said...


I never got the impression that Joan was angry. I get the impression that she is very patient and thoughtfully funny if nessesary.

And that is why you antis fear her so much! This had to be called out and Joan( confident and buetifull woman that she is)is calling y'all wannabe Babes out big time!

And the gig is up , time to get a respectable job like the rest of us! Or you can always go farm the land the old fashion way? Hahaha oh shit I would like to see that!

Anonymous said...

"Mama Wahine"?!!

Get a fucking clue Ashley and stop prostituting Hawaiian language for street cred.

Anonymous said...

busted a gut @the guy I've repeatedly outed as being paid by the antis to write shit that ain't true & Glad Ashley's PhD has proven useful for something. I'm glad to know I'm not the only person that feels this way. Ignore 10:56, the antis frustrations are growing (just ask Dustin). In many ways, Vani's post is going to backfire on her and this blog clearly outlines why. Kavin went into a little detail about this on her FB page too.

Unknown said...

10:56 just doesn't get it.

The best food babe story I've read in a while. Hilarious and true with some serious edge. These out of touch charlatans need to be put in their place and exposed as the scientifically illiterate frauds that they are. I loved it.

dean said...

Good job, Joan!

Keep shining the light on what's real.

Anonymous said...

@5:46
"go farm the old fashioned way"
Exactly!!! Like Olympians competing without steroids

Unknown said...

Never heard of Kavin? Joan... I'm ... I'm... shocked. For that truly dreadful slight you must be informed at once. Drop me an email and I'll get you a digital copy of the Fear Babe post haste. :)

I'm sure it will provide you with some hours of amusement and some extra firepower should you need it. :)

Marc Draco

Anonymous said...

Cockroaches like 10:56 hate it when you shine the light on them...

Anonymous said...

Who here thinks 10:56 is Food Boob. Come to whine some more.

Anonymous said...

Fellow BBFB member and friend of Marc D's here.

A fully re-written version of The Music Man has been done to poke fun at Vani and her ilk.
(Marc can confirm the entertainment value of it)

Enjoy and share!

"The Diet Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FaMDuOFRcA&list=PLt28O-D4E5P92zEI5M1GNhhsXe4b7ARQN

Anonymous said...

"Vani launches right in to her fictional account...."

Speaking of fictional accounts, were you there? What's your source?

The difference between her blog and yours is that she was actually there.

Anonymous said...

I would love to see Vani & Ashley actually farm the way they want everyone else to farm. They couldn't handle it. That's why they talk so much. It's far easier to talk than it is to actually do something. Especially if you can wink and smile and get idiots to give you money to do it. Kinda like the Clintons. Saving the world? What a joke! Get a job and get some respect.

Anonymous said...

Ashley and Vani - Better rake in the money fast 'cause before long you'll look like Linda Bothe and then what will you do to ear money?

Anonymous said...

Hooser and Bynum should both be facing charges for deliberately ignoring the county attorney opinion on 2491 when it was drafted. They continued to pursue it even though the opinion said it was flawed and illegally infringed on the state's authority regarding restricted use pesticides. These two councilmembers pushed their personal agendas knowing it was not legally sound and ultimately cost the taxpayers huge money in legal fees. Should county employees, elected officials, and appointed personnel be protected when they take actions that are contrary to the county attorney's legal counsel? As a taxpayer, I think they should be held personally liable for the costs incurred for taking actions that were in direct conflict with the legal advice rendered. The mayor released the county attorney opinion with his veto, so I really don't think the council was given a different opinion when it came to the legality of 2491. Make them pay.

Joan Conrow said...

@8:23. The fictional account referenced her version of the biotech situation in Hawaii, which she most decidedly has not experienced and I have.

Anonymous said...

@ 9:24 AM - I hear ya. But what the two bozo's tried to get away with in court was under the a State provision granting Counties the general right to protect its citizens. But the State said "BS" as it was an area of monitoring and administration that the State reserves to implement itself.

If our elected officials were personally responsible for things like this, then no one would run for office as they'd be constantly sued and totally broke just defending themselves. Our protection is to not elect these people to begin with...or once discovered to not re-elect them. Either that or the County Attorney would only give whimpy answers to avoid litigation. "You could do this, but you could also do that." It would have saved us all a lot of money if these fanatics had simply put their anti-money towards extensive testing to prove their points. But I think they chose not to do that since even they knew they'd find nothing material. And that might end their cash flows.

Unknown said...

@8:23 you can watch Vani's whole presentation on her FB page. Her allegations against the Pro-GMO forces that attended are unfounded.

Anonymous said...

12:41 I get that elected officials are covered from being personally sued when acting in good faith for the county; but isn't that only when acting in concert with their legal guidance as opposed to directly defying the county attorney? If a county employee was explicitly told not to do something because it was against the law and they did it anyway, why would legal counsel extend to them if they acted recklessly?

Anonymous said...

Joan "Oh, the poor little “Food Babe.” Though she was decked with lei — despite being visibly pregnant"

Does being pregnant prohibit wearing a lei?

Unknown said...

@ 3:12 Yes, a pregnant woman can wear an open lei. However, Ashley gave her a close one. Kinda shows how much she knows about Hawaiian culture.

Anonymous said...

Never heard of Vani until now. But I found her blog to be interesting and informative overall, outside of the Hawaii experience.

Anonymous said...


@6:14PM-

Look at the bright side,,,It took only one person until 3:12 to step on that well placed snare! I was thinking it would only take a few minutes but 10:56 stumbled into the razor wire and got heavily spotlighted! And then she turned into 3:12 and ,,,,, well Bradley,,, you pretty much closed the evening down with a nice historical lesson about Joan's well placed Babes in Booby traps moment.

Classic Pens and swords! Right on Joan !!

Anonymous said...

People just don't understand the land of the free.
The seed companies are free to profit from Kauai's perfect climate...yes there may be some poisons and chemicals involved but if you don't like it-
You're free to move

Anonymous said...

9:24 AM
Tweren't only Bynum and Hooser......Jay Furfaro, JoAnn, Mason also pushed this thru.
The three Mason, JoAnn and Hooser are still in office,
Time to exit these three.
Not only are Joan, Gary and Mason anti Ag, they are also for higher taxes and no local housing.
Buses, tiny apartments and cute little coffee shops are their vision for this island.
JoAnn has been in office longer than most voters have been alive. Don nothing, but stop housing and an expensive bus and lots of un-used bike lanes. For higher taxes.
Mason has done noting but spout long winded nothings on togetherness and cooperation.....but he don't cooperate with nobody. Short on brains, big on BS. For higher taxes.
Hooser....well, he don't think the locals can think for themselves, wants no housing, wants no Ag, wants rich newcomers to run everything....for higher taxes, except at election time.
Tax and lie and spend.
And then there is Arthur Brun, take a minute and speak with this man. He is a big sensitive guy, with Kauai at his heart. Kids, Housing, Kapuna and the land. Brun is great. He is the only one of the candidates that actually will speak clearly about the mistakes of his past and the steps he has taken to atone and more,
All of the others bury their sins and pretend that nothing happened.
I don't know Brun, but in the conversations i have had...he is sincere and direct. Not a mealy-mouth bag of questionable ethics.
Get rid of Mason (who sued the County and got rich). JoAnn (who has done little), Gary (well, oh the damage done)
Where is Jeremy Harris when we need him?

Anonymous said...

Luke Evslin has been (as has Joan) eloquent and courageous in calling out the negative consequences of unlimited tourism. Carrying capacity is not forgiving, and the "tipping-point" point, as pointed out, has been exceeded. Yet, tourism is the heart of Hooser's and Mason's economic plan? And mind you that real estate and accompanying landscape account for more pesticide useage than all of agriculture. Add on carbon footprint and pollution from tourism, air travel, cars, and the hell-bent obsession fear-mongering on pesticides in ag is myoptic and misplaced.

As Trump has clearly demonstrated, real estate development has the most egregiously tax laws that favor the rich. It certainly doesn't help when our County Planning Deparrment cannot even enforce or work to put in place laws to curtail what has resulted in the cancerous spread of otherwise prohibited VDAs on KAUAI. Thank you to a large part to Yukimura, Hooser and their protege Mason for this.

Anonymous said...

State Integrity 2015
Hawaii gets D+ grade in 2015 State Integrity Investigation
Lobbyists thrive in land of sunshine
By Nancy Cook Lauer 12:01 am, November 9, 2015 Updated: 6:39 pm, December 1, 2015