11 AM | 03 Jul

“Monsanto Buys Up Heirloom Seed Suppliers…” [#geekgirl]

[Image Credit: permaculture.co.uk]

[Image Credit: permaculture.co.uk]

[From an article at permaculture.co.uk] “The NM Tree and Garden Center located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico has discovered that Monsanto is buying heirloom seed companies. They are also buying the trademarks to a number of heirloom seeds. This means that you may think you are supporting an heirloom seed company but in reality the company is owned by Monsanto. The seeds themselves are still non-GMO and heirloom and they can be saved at the end of the harvest and resown next season, but you are still giving money to Monsanto.”

02 PM | 21 May

“Tony Abbott’s daughter did not have to pay for $60,000 design degree…” [#geekgirl]

[Source: Caroline McCredie/Getty Images AsiaPac Via Zimbio]

[As reported by The Guardian] “Tony Abbott’s daughter Frances received a “chairman’s scholarship” for a degree costing more than $60,000 from the Whitehouse Institute of Design where an Abbott donor sits as chairman on the board of governors, Guardian Australia can reveal.

The revelation raises questions for the prime minister over whether the scholarship should have been declared on his interests register.

The Coalition government is also under pressure over changes to higher education funding announced in the budget.

Frances Abbott undertook a bachelor of design at the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Sydney from 2011 to 2013. Guardian Australia has confirmed that she received a scholarship during her time at the institute.

“Frances definitely was a student with us and received a chairman’s scholarship,” Leanne Whitehouse, director of the Institute told Guardian Australia. She declined to detail how many times the “chairman’s scholarship” has been awarded previously, but the institute’s website makes no references to the scholarship and states the institute “does not currently offer scholarships to gain a place into the Bachelor of Design”.”