Wal mart cutting back on seeds.

[The Cook]

I seem to have missed the message about Burpee's ownership. Who is it?

[Billy]

W. Atlee Burpee & Company ---> sold to Geo J. Ball Inc. 1989 -->

--> merged with Seminis in October 1995 --> purchased by Mon$anto in January of 2005.

Atlee Burpee & Company was acquired1, for an undisclosed amount in

1991. In 1993, George became the president of the Burpee Holding Company (the parent company of W. Atlee Burpee & Company2). This was spun off of Ball Holding Company, in 2000.

Mr. Ball remained a director of Geo J. Ball, Inc. until its merger with Seminis in October 1995. He also served a two year term as Chairman of the Board of Petoseed (now also part of Seminis).  He has been a director of Seminis, Inc. since October 1995 and was reelected to this position for another term at the annual meeting in 2001.  (Seminis was purchased by Monsanto in January of 2005)

On October 9, 2001, Burpee Holding Company filed for bankruptcy protection.  In the press release, it was assured that this would not affect the operations of the W. Atlee Burpee Company.

------

holding company is a company that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself, rather its only purpose is owning shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow the ownership and control of a number of different companies. In the U.S., 80% or more of voting stock must be owned before tax consolidation benefits such as tax-free dividends can be claimed.

[phorbin]

Billy nailed it.

Monsanto.

I guess my criterion was dragging this morning.

[sherwin dubren]

Opps, I bought 4 packs of Burpee at WalMart today.

Should I go to church and ask forgiveness.

Why don't you boycott something practical like Citgo gas owned by that American hater Chavez?

Sherwin

[Billy]

More doo, Doo?

Even after the U.S. backed an assassination attempt against him, Chavez had the Venezuela oil company provide oil for the American poor.

brings free heating oil to poor in NY Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:54pm EST By Rebekah Kebede NEW YORK, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez may be a pariah in Washington, but on Friday the U.S. arm of the country's state oil company loaded up a truck of heating oil for poor Americans in New York City. The shipment to New York's South Bronx section follows a similar giveaway in Boston earlier this week, in the third year of U.S. heating oil assistance by Venezuela's Citgo Petroleum. The program has grown even as tensions have mounted between Caracas and U.S. oil companies and their allies in Washington.

So far, I have almost the same deep respect for Chavez as I do for Fidel.

[phorbin]

Should you feel the need, of course.

Ah well, I figure boycotting anything Walmart or Monsanto is about as practical as one can get. Getting two at once doubles the good karma.

As for Chavez I dunno about you but we're already boycotting oil and fossil fuels as much as we can. ...no car. ...use bike for everywhere in easy reach. ... use bus, inter-city bus or train for most other travel. ...rent car or pickup occasionally for practical purposes. And we don't have car payments, insurance, maintenance and fuel expenses. ---Just thinking about it gives me a glow of satisfaction.

If you don't want to be held hostage, you have to prove that you don't need what the other guy is selling.

If you can't prove it, he won't believe you and try to sucker you.

So all you have to do is prove you can run your country without oil.

Working it out should take about a week.

[sherwin dubren]

Where did you say you lived, New York City? How does renting a car help the pollution problem?

Sherwin

[Billy]

Could you try to keep things in context, Doo? If you are going to respond, it is only fair to include the post that you are responding to. Not everyone knows what an idiot you are yet, so try to act like you have a clue. To some unsuspecting reader, you will represent our row, until they read a few more subsequent posts.

Tais toi et sois beau.

[phorbin]

I was talking about boycotting oil.

If one chooses to use a car once a year or once every 5 years, as opposed to the more usual 365 days a year, at least twice a day and on vacation, and three hours in a traffic jam, then one's oil consumption is minimal.

In context pollution wasn't an issue even though it's pretty clear that it is one of my considerations and that if everyone followed my lifestyle, cities would be quieter and more livable.

If you don't want to be held hostage to your perceived need for oil, you have to prove, and continue to prove, that you don't need it. -- Otherwise the oil thugs will drain you dry.

Energy security among other things, means you can tell the thugs to gfthemselves because you don't need it.

Oh... and I'm Canadian. ...London ON, a pop. 300,000 mid-Southwestern ON. city ...Zone 5.

[phorbin]

+

These are didactic moment. ...most of the time.

I try to consider the lurking audience.