permaculture

[jedd <jedd@progsoc.org>]

On Sat, 12 May 2007, Tommy Tolson wrote:
> jedd wrote:
> >  As I understand it, the problem (theoretical or otherwise) with this
> >  approach to generating energy is not the gas exchange (it's in our
> >  favour), or the water usage (it's a fairly closed system as far as
> >  water goes), but that they haven't engineered an optimal variety
> >  of algae for the purpose yet.
>
> GM algae solely for biodiesel production?  Is this a good idea?  When
> Horizontal Gene Transfer gets detectable,
> I suspect the future is going to be murder, as Leonard Cohen suggested.

 It's possible to be hypersensitive to common misuses of various
 words in the language.  Or perhaps I mean inappropriate adoptions
 of wrong meanings to otherwise very useful and previously well-
 understood words.

 Engineer doesn't imply GM.  I've done lots of engineering (earthworks,
 design of layout) that isn't sinister, all under the auspices of Pc.

 I don't know if they're talking about GM'ing or just doing selections
 (something we don't frown upon, as it got us things like 7,000
 types of apples to choose from).  I'd have assumed selections as they
 are far easier and cheaper to assess - particularly on things with
 conveniently short life cycles.

 Jedd.