Jane Sherry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >If you can't trust your heath food store, who can you trust?
Good question. Fraud is endemic - Arthur Andersen is just the poster boy for an entire fraud-based economic system. I bought some "organic" oranges last year, put them in the cold cellar - one fell out of the bag and got lost in a corner, I found it in great condition about 6 weeks later. Even regular oranges don't last that long, so I was somewhat alarmed.... would irradiation do this? There was a Freedom to Farm meeting here a few years ago, in response to government's crackdown on small/independent butcher operations. The farmers there made the point that they have to sell good meat and run a clean shop because they sell to their neighbours, people wouldn't buy and would certainly let them know if the meat wasn't okay. So you have local control over quality - and honesty - in a small system where people know one another. Your can't burn your community and get away with it. The same principle applies in politics around here, as another example. As governing units get bigger through amalgamation, we are less likely to personally know our representatives, this seems to remove them from scrutiny and a sense of responsiblity. Because there are fewer of them representing larger areas, it's easier for PR guys fronting for sellers of water treatment plants, tele-centres (and other taxpayer rip-offs) to court them. Well, it's a vote for the small,local farmer with whom you deal personally. That's a no brainer for this group, but I don't know if we're moving that way as a larger society. __________________________________________________________________ The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/
