Whole Foods CEO Under Fire for Saying Global Warming Isn’t ‘That Big a Deal’
Whole Foods CEO John Mackey (Photo: The Statesman)
John Mackey, the co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods, has been in some hot water lately for weighing in on current affairs. Not long after comparing ObamaCare to “fascism,” Mackey has enraged environmentalists by arguing that global warming is not “that big a deal” — and that it might actually benefit humans.
(h/t GatewayPundit)
Speaking with CNBC/Yahoo Finance’s “Off the Cuff,” Mackey had just finished saying he has a tendency to put his “foot in [his] mouth” when asked about global warming:
“I haven’t been outspoken about global warming. I’ve been smeared quite a bit in the media about it – all of a sudden, I’m a climate change denier. I mean, climate change is obviously occurring. So — it’s gotten a little bit warmer. I guess my position on it is that I don’t think that’s that big a deal. Actually, humanity’s flourished usually when temperatures gradually warmed. And humans gradually adapt to it.”
Mackey, who is currently promoting his first book, “Concious Capitalism,” continued:
“We can probably eliminate poverty on the planet earth in the next 50 years if we will just continue to follow the tenets of free enterprise capitalism to the greatest extent possible. So I just don’t want to see that change.”
Click here to watch Mackey’s full remarks.
Yahoo has some background on Mackey and his company:
John Mackey, the co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market, seems like a man of contradictions. His company’s motto is “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet” — yet he says there’s an upside to global warming, and he’s reportedly wary of labor unions. He’s a vegan with a self-described Libertarian bent. He’s grown his business to an $11 billion Fortune 300 company, but his salary is $1 per year. To 70,000 team members, he’s the boss…
In 1978, Mackey and his then-girlfriend opened a small natural foods store in Austin, Texas, with a $45,000 loan from friends and family. Whole Foods now has 340 stores worldwide. The company advertises its commitment to organic produce, seafood sustainability and what it describes as its “Green Mission.” But Mackey’s views on climate change may surprise his core customers.
Indeed. One Huffington Post commenter said of Mackey’s remarks: ” This is why we are just another extinct species waiting our turn. Despite all the knowledge we now possess, the majority of people are just imbeciles & cannot or will not be educated.”
(H/T: Breitbart)
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Comments (163)
RaydocX
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:32pmPerfect example of how the ‘scientific community’ and the MSM have been coopted into a parasitic duality…
there IS evidence refuting global warming.
there is scant evidence to offer valic conclusion that if there is global warming it is due to man.
and his assertions are correct… if temperatures drop even a little there is suddenly much less time to cultivate crops and less acreage to grow them in… people starve. to the contrary, if there is warming, seasons are longer, arable land is increased… more crops are grown, and the population can grow. it’s simple math, but even that fact– not refuting global warming at all– is attacked by the media, which has bought into the farce, and now cannot step back to look at it subjectively (any more than the scientists, whose studies now all reflect their preconceived theories… so much for scientific method).
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:47pmIn a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
George Orwell
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Cosmos102
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:24amAmen brothers,
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TH30PH1LUS
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:55amJohn Mackey,
thank you for your plain words, boldness, and sanity regarding the hysteria around “climate change” (the catastrophe formerly known as “global warming”). I’ll be doing some shopping in your stores.
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mercenary4freedom
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 1:10amOnce again, libs hate the truth. It gets in the way of their little $$ making & controlling scheme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWSx0bBiNIs
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jens63
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 6:46amGod Bless John Mackey and any who read and understand history and don’t use it to distort the truth.
Dark ages, cold period, rennaisance, warming period. Vikings, Greenland, they weren’t fools, it was warm enough to have flocks and farm there, it was not always ice covered and it would take a heck of a lot of ice to melt and flood our cities. I would contend that there is more land subsiding then there is water rising in those cases.
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LIBERTARIAN T38
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 9:18amI am so sick of liberals and their facial a holes spewing crap. STFU! You are so. Stupid.
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marybethelizabeth
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 9:37amThe headline is not true. Because a reader posted something mildly derogatory at the end of a The Huffington Post story, the writer says this man is “Under Fire”.
It’s very important for theblaze and Glenn Beck’s Mercury One organization to receive an emotional response from you.
They create a problem, that usually doesn’t really exist, to attain an emotional response that will result in your continued support. Problem – reaction – solution is how they make their living.
Society is not better off by contributing resources to initiatives like the Glenn Beck Enterprises. There is better entertainment available at less cost elsewhere.
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Secret Squirrel
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:01amHe’ll be punished for telling the truth.
But I may have to shop there now.
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:21am@MARYBETHELIZABETH
Yes, you are playing the good Marxis/Progressivet, point out one inconsequential piece of the story, creating a Straw man and elevate it to represent the premise of the entire story then attack it.
Are you proud of what you do? What miserable life do you have that you need to use cheap amateur Marxist tactics to smear others that you disagree with? Are you completely void of any articulate and reasoned argument for your views?
Why do you choose to be a drone… there must be something in it for you…. or are you just so full of hatred and intolerance that you can’t help yourself…
IMO, most people welcome all reasoned thought,,,, Amateur Progressive propaganda , not so much
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:26amMarxist/Progressive..
who moved my t
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Fubared
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:43amBarryMeth
You need to get in line, put the bottle down, and be more vigorous in your talking points. The 0 is not happy with your pedestrian endeavors.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-pledges-continue-crackdown-irresponsible-behavior_697900.html
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mopman64
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:50am@MARYBETHELIZABETH and yet you still post here. Go figure.
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brother_ed
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 11:49am@MARYBETHELIZABETH
As of 10:45am CST, Sunday, January 27, 2013, there were 746 comments on the Huffington Post in response to this article…I didn’t bother to read them all, however the first half dozen were critical of his position.
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Fat Hubie
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:13pm“They” do not want the population to grow. SO: “Gun control” for the sheeple, free speech for liberal elites.
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MCGIRV
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 2:21pmRight on!
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aki009
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 3:58pmAgreed. Some of the most prosperous times for Western Europe were when temperatures were _above_ their current ones. For example, Romans cultivated grapes for making wine in *England*.
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Markael
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 12:44pmHi, not only their preconceived theories, but theories conceived due to who they receive funding from. If proven not to be attributable to man, then the funding stops. Also not very scientific.
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MisterSarcastic
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:31pmIndeed. One Huffington Post commenter said of Mackey’s remarks: ” This is why we are just another extinct species waiting our turn. Despite all the knowledge we now possess, the majority of people are just imbeciles & cannot or will not be educate
This Huffer should go to http://www.oism.org/pproject/ and get educated himself. Seems over 31,000 Scientists agree with Mackey.
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:00amProgressivism is a mental disorder, an ideology subverting the process of reason and logic to maintain that ideological narrative.
For progressives the :ideological conclusion drives the contextually distorted “pseudo-facts” to confirm the externally driven collective ideology.
It is a cult of confirmation bias… they are lost, gone, drones that can never accept logic and reason…
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MisterSarcastic
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 3:24pmI agree UN. I didn’t post my comment for them. Until I read the petition project I was dumber than a rock when it came to global warming. All I could say was, ‘I don’t believe we’re causing it’. Now, with the knowledge I’ve gained from the Petition Project, Climategate, that list of things purportedly caused by global warming and other sources I can now stand my ground. It’s easy to make these progs look as stupid as they are. My argument also informs anyone listening who may not know the truth. These are the folks I’m interested in. Maybe we can catch them before they fall off that Progressive cliff into stupidville.
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13a
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:27pmAfter breaking up with my girlfriend I sent a hurricane to destroy her town, New Orleans. I called it an anger management issue but everyone else called it Katrina.
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infidelsaplenty
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:27pmSo John Mackey is a capitalist and he’s not a climate alarmist. Good for him!
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Advection
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:25pmHe got it when he said “It could be a benefit”!
That is, it could be a benefit, assuming it’s even true. The only thing that I find fault with is the assumption that it’s true. There is not enough data nor enough knowledge of the systems involved to know with any degree of certainty that it’s true.
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TheOldeCrow
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 9:18amWhich is where the phrase “could be” comes into play, and you even use that quote.
So,… make up yur everlovin’ mind. Make a friggen’ decision .
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13a
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:16pmActually the vegan diet harms the environment more than those people that eat meat.
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SUNTZU
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:41pmVegan apokalips .Protein starved Progressives driven to attack
and eat anything that moves.
Stay armed my friends.
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txjb
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:16pmGlobal warming , green etc. is just a tool to make money , change laws , and have power and control over the people .
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stopprintn
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:21pmRe-distribute is plain BS, and no other way to explain it.
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CatB
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:27pmExactly … it is nothing but than a scam .. one of the biggest in history .. right behind the impostor we have running this country. That anyone thinks they can control the climate is a joke .. why then has Mars had “global warming” ???
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:12amProgressivism, socialism, marxism the evil axis of collectivist ideologies seeks to control the minds, the thoughts, the values, the morality of a society, all from a centralized elite authority, a tyranny of thought…
“… (A) society which tries to keep its citizens in ‘perpetual childhood’: it will seek to preserve their happiness, but it chooses to be the sole agent and only arbiter of that happiness. Society will develop a new type of servitude which covers the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate … it does not tyrannise but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to be nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which government is the shepherd.” – de Tocqueville
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stopprintn
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:17amDuh ! My God don’t ya see? the whole dan_gone earth is on fire. Pay yer fair share, you simple little indevidual. Look its real simple! You give to me and I will give to them. See it is quite obvious what I do. So retain it and move along ye’ole brainless tripe!
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TJexcite
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:13pmOver at Watts up with that, there was a study that shows when they poll people about global warming on a hot day outside their house they get a different results if they poll people in a cold day outside. There are no polls that come out when it is 20 the winter only when it is 90 in August.
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TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:09pmOh, those enraged environ’mental’ists. They sure get their ponytails in pinch when even some truth about their garbage is aired publically. Love it!
Report this comment
imsteph
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:08pmah the rule of the mob…
dare to speak contrary to their belief and feel their wrath!
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:21amIf liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.
George Orwell
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toto
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 6:02pmThe liberals/Progressives have taken a page from radical Islam and are doing everything they can to impose and enforce Shariah like control over any opposing opinion on every subject.
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Jake Dog2
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:58pmGreat for him. Only high minded and arrogant people would think that something as insignificant as man could control the word climate. Only people that want to control other people would come up with such an absurd idea.
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stopprintn
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:16pmJust and nobel comment, my friend !
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Verceofreason
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 3:11amYer god can’t save you now as a century of burning fossil fuel destroys the stratosphere.
What silly people you t=religious nuts are.
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 9:47am@VERCEOF TREASON
Clearly an Obama advisor ,,,
NeoMarxist trolls can’t articulate outside of their ideological Potemkinism
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DZ-015
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:50amDevoidofreason: Just because you’re toast doesn’t mean the whole earth is.
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The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 5:26pmName calling? Honestly? You’re out of ideas, Dora Glasberg.
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emh1701
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:55pmI find it ironic that the global warming people are behaving like a religion, and ironically most of them probably do not believe in religion. Global warming is the new religion to these people. Well, that and food puritanism.
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13a
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:30pmSeparation between wheat grass and state!!
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marine249
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:54pmbut global warming is true,,,,,,,,, just look
how warm it is on the east coast ah^&^%#$%&(&^% forget it
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1TrueOne55
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:16pmAnd many thousands of years ago it has been warmer than it was today…Maybe during the dinosaur period. But some scientists have already said that even with the amount of Carbon that man adds to the atmosphere that volume is not enough to heat the planet to the levels the extremists claim. But because this is just a money scam to move money from the US, EU and other developed countries to send to those not yet developed and for the developing countries to pay for all the technology these countries need to get equalized with the richer countries.
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texasoysterman
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 7:04am@ONETRUEONE55
You are correct, it is just a money scam. A UN global tax is imminent. But they don’t want to bring 3rd world countries up to the level of the US and EU.
Their ultimate goal is to bring us DOWN to the level of the 3rd world.
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mtsnj
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:53pmI like this guy already. I’d rather have the heat, aside from downright polluting our waters and being sensible with our environment, Global BS is a big money grab for gubmint and Gore. If you don’t have heat we will be under a mile of ice, Cold is the lack of heat, darkness is the absence of light, It’s kind of like not having faith the devil will be present or is it president.
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crackerone
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:53pmFour years of John why the long face Kerry, and 4 years of Cap and Trade and those dandelions in the front yard will start looking like a food source.
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yiska8
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:51pmYes, human beings adapt. The earth gets hot and cold. The climate changes! It’s called living on EARTH! I hope he doesn’t try and walk this obvious truth back too. And Obama is a fascist of the first order. He’s in soft fascism mode right now. Just wait.
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OUT THE REGRESSIVES
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:50pm“…. Despite all the knowledge we now possess, the majority of people are just imbeciles & cannot or will not be educated.”
Certainly he was talking about Big Socialists and their followers.
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Wisdom7
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:57pmOh look there is that “they are uneducated” line again. These people are so brainwashed it is ridiculous.
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:48pmContinue to tell the truth about the warmer cultists because they’re all insane and pushing an anti-human agenda.They value animals over human life and these nut cases think humans are destroying the planet therefore mankind must be made extinct. Man made global warming was debunked years ago and Gore is a warmer cultist as well,he’s going for the big bucks but he sees his fraud has been exposed and his payday is in jeopardy.
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stopprintn
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:08pmin jepordy and exposed, may I add?
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stopprintn
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:27amLet God be the hand that feeds.
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brother_ed
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:07am@PROGRESSIVESLAYER
I have also observed that most people in the environmental movement believe the Earth would be a better place without humans, or at least modern man.
They idolize the Native American lifestyle – they are the ones with ‘dream catchers hanging from their rear view mirror.
They would love to see us go back to a hunter/gatherer society – emphasis on gatherer.
I have no problem with treating the Earth the best that we can – don’t litter, don’t pollute the water, conserve resources, etc…but when a ‘snail darter’ or an owl are more important than people, we may have gone too far.
Cars have improved sanitary conditions by eliminating the horse as a primary mode of transportation. They seem to forget what the city streets looked and smelled like in the 1800′s.
Cars and planes have increased the speed of transportation, allowing us to eat fresh fruits and veggies from far away places.
I could go on, but I think my point is made.
These people have been convinced that living close to the Earth is desirable – well they better think so; the way the Progressives are running this country, we may be there soon!
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DIR
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 4:39pm@BROTHER_ED
Interesting post.
The ‘envirnmental movement’ is a sham. The hoax of ‘global warming’ is one part of it. Cars make carbon monoxide. Horses make methane and leave their stinky spent fuel all over the ground. The environmental crowd is most comparable to the horse or oxen. Go to a gathering place after the environmental crowd throws a luv fest. Go after liberals have a luv fest. Both are one in the same. Much can be said about their attributes, but here I will only say to save time and money they should be ‘permited’ only to have their sorees at municipal dumps. You don’t have to wonder what it’s like with each one individually. I know a few and what is good for the crowd applies to the individual as well.
I once went on a school field trip with my daughter to a farm. While there, some demwhitted libral mom said: “smell the fresh air.” Just before she said it, I was thinking ‘this place reeks of horse schitt.’ Also at the time I wasn’t quite sure which was worse the liberal presence or the flies. They were both very annoying. AirWick should come out with a fragrance called ‘barnyard essences – fresh air.’ I’m sure it would be a big hit with libs.
In general there are many reasons to explain the motives, inconsistencies and various thinking of those in the enviromental movement. Psychologist have a term that sums it up: ‘Insane!’
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brother_ed
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 9:17pm@DIR
I’m reminded of what my dad would say when we went for Sunday drives in Vermont (where I grew up).
When we passed by a dairy farm he would take a big whiff and say, “Smell that dairy air!”
His pun was not lost on us kids ;)
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NoLongerNonPlussed
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:48pmCommandment One: Mother Earth IS god.
Commandment Two: Human beings shall become devout environmentalists and worship Mother Earth.
Commandment Three: Thou shalt not argue with environmentalists or blaspheme Mother Earth.
Commandment Four: Thou shalt obey commandments One, Two, and Three or Mother Earth shall send Fire, Earthquakes, Floods, Viruses, and all sorts of Natural disasters to punish you.
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stopprintn
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:45pmKnowing the truth is but a task of an average man.
http://www.cornwallalliance.org/
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Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:43pmHow dare he deny the New World Order Religion! All Hail the Angry green god! The sky is falling!!!
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MangoT21
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:41pmLibs are SO ignorant, that they, EVEN STILL, don’t realize that the CEO of their beloved food chain isn’t one of them.
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mrja
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:39pmkudos to whole foods,whole people,whole capitalism
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Verceofreason
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 3:15amWhere YOU can’t afford to shop.
What will you po’ folk feed the kids when all the tuna are gone?
Filet mignon?
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UNALIEN
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:23am@VERCEOF TREASON
Are you hoping for an Obama Soylent Green job…
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The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 5:27pmI fail to see where a giant saltwater fish has to do with this….
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IndyGuy
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:35pmGlobal warming isn’t real…..Remember the hockey stick??? The Climate Change pushers should all be in prison and Al Gore should be in for life for committing the biggest fraud on the world ever…
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Noonien_Soong
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:34pmThe last time I checked, about 20 active volcanoes contribute to the ‘climate change’ we enjoy and it occurs naturally. That being said if it were not for climate change the air we breathe would not get cleansed and renewed for the benefit of all living organisms. That’s how all life is extended and rejuvenated. It is all in the interest of accommodating life on this planet. Though not perfect we as a population in general must adapt to the idiosyncrasies of changing weather.
So all those global warming nuts just sit back and suck on a lollipop and enjoy the ride.
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Tankertony
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:34pmHe speaks the Truth about the greatest hoax ever foisted on mankind.
That his hoax is being perpetrated by the godless left,….who woulda thought?
Spread the word, …..Don’t be a sucker for the global warming hoax.
Just drove by one of these stores and it was packed at 9:00 pm. I’ll definitely start shopping there since its being run by people who stand for Truth…and against the godless left.
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CatB
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 11:31pmI’m with you .. but it may be the second biggest HOAX .. the first is the person pushing everything down our throats .. and occupying the W.H. now trying to bring down the country.
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