Now if this don't freak you out...nothing will

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Well Holiday, we can have different viewpoints here, and that is "OK".>Don

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I have a couple of comments:"Spider/goat DNA does not occur naturally."But what we have here is goat DNA with the gene codes to produce silk. And such a mutation is on a scale that could be produced by random mutation, although it most likely wouldn't be selected for unless it offered some advantage. I think you are committing the naturalistic fallacy here; not everything natural is "good", and not everything unnatural (what the hell is unnatural anyway) is "bad"."It cannot"Well your right in the sense of spider/goat DNA but it is plausible for a goat to evolve with silkmilk, Arachnids are not the only group with silk in the DNA."(for good reason, or we would all live in a fiery atomic furnace)"Instead we all live by a "fiery atomic furnace" called the Sun."it releases forces completely beyond our control."Except when they are in our control like say a Nuclear PowerStation or perhaps a Nuclear Submarine."Think I'm nuts?"Yup! :-) Seriously though; of course there are genuine concerns about genetic manipulation, and there will undoubtly be mistakes involving the application of this new technology. However appealing to logical fallacies is not helpful or convincing.Where should the line be drawn? Not such an easy question to answer when you think about it.Simon.

[Guest]

And as a side note: I immensely enjoyed my seedless watermelon last night. Thank heaven Man stepped in there because Nature had failed on that point throughout the millennia.:-) http://members.rogers.com/eelvish/elrondlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/eelvish/flyurl.gif

[Guest]

Interesting that this whole discussion is taking place today in the light of last night's 60 Minutes... Did you happen to catch it?I wonder how many "child bondage" atrocities will be cured by a goat that can produce silk in mass quantities compared to existing silkworms. (And how did a worm get to producing silk anyway? Thats scary! Oh yes, thats right. Nature saw a need for it. :-))I disagree that nature has clear boundaries that it does not cross. Now the argument can be (and is) made that if it isn't a strong enough trait it will indeed loose out and die away. However, the most bizarre mutations are cause by nature all the time - all it takes is a study of prenatal disease and birth defects to see more than enough examples of that.This "mutation" as you put it doesn't cross near as many boundaries as you think. We're not talking about an eight legged goat here thats half spider and half goat DNA. We're talking about one silk gene being introduced into a wholly goat DNA sequence. This isn't a SpiderGoat as you are portraying it: its a specialized Goat that produces milk of a sort than can be used to create silk through outside processing. It doesn't spin webs and trap those poor scientists in its sticky lair for lunch while evilly staring them down with its eight arachnid eyes! :-)In the end, I do understand your apprehension Braun. Indeed the technology should be closely monitored and controlled - and this is something we as a society have to deal with pretty soon what with human cloning hot on the headlines lately. But again to call it "End Times" type stuff only imbues the whole issue with a fantasy paranoia that is wholly inappropriate... And worse, makes people not take a serious issue seriously.As for Edgar Casey: I've read much of his works and was surprised you brought him up (his name doesn't pop up often). I've done quite a bit of occult and religious research throughout my life as its an area I've always been highly fascinated with. Casey was a truly brilliant madman of the utmost talent - a full member of the Golden Dawn (and possibly the AA). While I can (and do to a point) admire his works and his writing for the strangeness within, I surely don't base any of my beliefs on his psychic ramblings.Take care,http://members.rogers.com/eelvish/elrondlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/eelvish/flyurl.gif

[Guest]

I HATE watermellon...seedless grapes do it for me! :)bt

[Guest]

>Where should the line be drawn? Not such an easy question to answer when you think about it.Well in the end, that is indeed "the rub", isn't it?Great discussion.bt

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>But again to call it "End Times" type stuff only imbues the whole issue with a fantasy paranoia that is wholly inappropriate... And worse, makes people not take a serious issue seriously.Well...one "spidergoat" does not end times make, I'll agree with you there. OTOH, I will not give you the point of "fantasy paranoia"...the minute this aberration was created, all pretext of fantasy went out the window. This is not an issue about "spidergoat". The goat seems normal; it does not walk "sideways". No, in my mind it is a "slippery slope" issue, and one we should have hours, days, YEARS of discussions about as a community before we glibly marvel at the benefits of this little goat.Best to you always,bt

[Guest Holliday]

I want the technological advances this goat can provide. I am a nurse and I have a BA in psychology with a focus on health psych (including anatomy and physiology on a pre-med level) so I know the topic of DNA on a molecular level. I also understand the psychological basis of your personal viewpoint. I want gloves that needles can

[Guest]

>It

[Guest B1900 Mech]

Charlton Heston say's it's made from people!!!

[Guest]

Charlton Heston say's it's made from people!!!Bwaaahahaha! :-lolJak Fearonhow in the world?http://www.howintheworld.comhttp://www.howintheworld.com/hitw-images-misc/banner.jpg