Re: [CH] Monsanto
Dave Drum (xrated@cityscape.net)
Sun, 20 Feb 2000 07:40:10 -0600
peter gaffney wrote:
> **<<<Maybe you guys arent giving genetic manipulation a fair chance. A
> chilihead would be trying to over express the Capsaicin gene to make his
> peppers even hotter. >>>**
>
> i'm having difficulty deciding just *how* to address this reply.
> nonetheless, trust me .....
> REAL chile heads believe in lotsa stuff ....
> like deep slow kisses that last .......... ( sorry, wrong list )
> but REAL CH's certainly don't believe that "Genetically Modified
> Organisms" will truly improve the quality of chiles, sauces, life,
> hot/cold/notsocool etc. etc.
> GM will certainly try to make advances into "El Grande's" genome .
> REAL CH's know how to "flick-a-bic".
> hot enuf-for-ya?
I dunno.... Burbank, Mendel and Carver all used genetic manipulation.
And they are heroes of science and revered in schools around the world.
But, not having the modern tools, they used the tools at hand -
chemicals and observation and selective breeding.
Heck - the real devil weed varieties of cannibis are "genetically
modified" by (originally) dipping the leaves of "ditch weed" in
cochineal, which poisons the plant and forces the normally haploid
chromosomes to be diploid or triploid - thus raising the THC production
dramatically.
Cattle bred for meat repoduction and cattle bred for milk production are
different from cattle bred for rodeo stock. All are products of genetic
modification. Domestic turkeys are certainly much tastier than the wild
variety - genetic modification. Red savina peppers - genetic
modification.
So, let's not make a universal "boogey man" of genetic modification. It
is not necessarily a good OR bad thing. It should be taken on a case by
case basis (I originally wrote "must be taken" which is the problem here
- imposition of one's prejudices on others).
Because, even though most don't like them, heatless jalapenos and
Venezuelan Sweet Gustosos (mild habaneros) have their place in the
scheme of things. All we need to do is vote in the way that counts -
with our wallets. If people don't make a huge return on their investment
they will abandon further investment in that direction.
Which makes me wonder what politicians expect to get for the inordinate
amounts of dosh they spend to get elected.
Can you tell that I am heartily sick (already) of Campaign 2000 for the
American Presidency??? Let's just see who can raise the most money,
annoint that person president, and glom the money for the treasury to
use for the tax reductions that they all promise but never deliver.
ooooopps..... Soapbox mode off.
ENJOY!!!
--------
UNCLE DIRTY DAVE'S KITCHEN --
Home of Yaaaaa Hooooo Aaahhh!!! HOT SAUCE and Hardin Cider