Genetic Engineering may have Problems (not so long)

[Laurel Godley]

Robert,

Like it or not, you are right about that.  Human activity, especially 
farming is very harmful to the "natural" environment.  Not to say that we 
can't in our innocence create some semblance of beauty and usefulness out of 
the mess.  The mere fact of our individual existence on this plant is that 
we are irreparably harmful.  We passes round a sheet at work yesterday 
regarding how many tons of coal, water, pesticides, coffee, petro, etc that 
it takes to raise a baby now-a-days.  Eck!  And I thought all I was doing 
all these years was making my parents hair grayer.  More ammo for convincing 
my folks they're never going to be grandparents.

On another note, it makes my blood boil that people artificially value some 
habitats more than others.  Everytime I hear someone say, "well why couldn't 
they have built all these companies (silicon valley) in a desert somewhere." 
  Oh eh gads, the uninformed!  Many people have this twisted notion that 
deserts are somehow less beautiful and wasted land.  Uugh.  Now mind you I 
prefer forests and waterfalls myself but I can still admire the role that 
arid habitats play in the world.  I mean just think if California had to 
share all it's water with Arizona.  What a mess that would be :)

Ah well, I just as soon all these computer industry imports move somewhere 
else anyway and leave the valley of hearts delight to me.  Well, I am fifth 
generation bay-arean even if I'm not of native american descent... can't 
blame me for what my ancestors did can you?  It's all my great-grandparents 
fault that I'm here.  Not that I'm minding at all... beautiful sunny day (no 
urgent work).  I think I'll go to Santa Cruz, check out the surfers, look in 
on the Monarchs before they head out for the year, and plant all the 
Dicentra that arrived yesterday.  Anyone out there know for certain if 
Clodius Parnassus Sol will eat Dicentra exima?  I can't find a good source 
for D. formosa, so I caved into planting a non-native in the garden.

Cheers!  Have a balmy day...  Laurel


>From: "Robert L. Chehey" <cheheyr at MICRON.NET>
>Reply-To: cheheyr at MICRON.NET
>To: <rcjohnsen at aol.com>, <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
>Subject: RE: Genetic Engineering may have Problems (not so long)
>Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 23:52:35 -0700
>
>OK, This is a crock that needs answering!  Genetic engineering actally 
>began
>about 14,000 years BP, Give or take a few thousand, when someone decided to
>cross two white dogs, or to inbreed a wheat strain that had larger heads,
>and it has always had problems.  Even if one grows only "heirloom"
>varieties, they are probably 99% as engineered as today's.  The only
>differences now are the tools and the speed, the most probable source of
>problems, with which it can now be done.
>
>As for farmers being close to Nature, that's true, but their motive for
>being there is immensely dark.  If you think about it, most of the
>destruction of habitat mentioned in this group is collateral to some other
>endeavor.  Farmers, including foresters, are the only sane people that
>purposely set out to destroy natural ecosystems, in order to create
>artificial ones.
>
>Expecting many flames,
>
>********************************************
>Robert L. Chehey
>MAILTO:cheheyr at micron.net
>Boise, ID, USA, USDA Zones 6a, 6b.
>Cool, Mediterranean Shrub-steppe
>and frondose riparian forest
>N43º38.67'  W116º13.68' Altitude: 816M
>********************************************
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]On
>Behalf Of Rcjohnsen
>Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 10:01 PM
>To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
>Subject: Genetic Engineering may have Problems(long)
>

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