robot guy

in defense of GM food

A comment on this post jokingly suggested that "genetically modified" is foul language (presumably not to be uttered in polite company). My cousin Carl also sent me an email earlier this year warning about GM food. So, I feel that I must speak up about a concept that has really gotten a bad rap.

If one uses canola oil in their cooking, then they're using genetically modified food. Canola is genetically modified rapeseed, developed in a Canadian lab back in the 1970's.

Such things as animal husbandry are technically a genetic modification, albeit on a timescale longer than a human lifetime. Animals are selected and crossbred to give desired characteristics.

As an example, all of the various breeds of cattle are the same species, but they have been bred so that Holsteins (for instance) give a lot of milk but not the best quality meat, and Herefords (for instance) don't produce much milk but have lots of tender meat. So if animal husbandry is genetic modification, then by drinking milk or eating a hamburger you're eating GM food.

Similary, there are many plants that we eat today that have been selected and cross-bred in a manner similar to animal husbandry. For instance, natural corn produces very few kernels and isn't really palatable, but hundreds of years of human intervention have produced large cobs with lots of succulent kernels. Tomatos, apples, citrus fruits, and many other types of fruits and vegetables have been modified in this manner.

And let's not forget Norman Borlaug, who produced a genetically modified strain of wheat called Dwarf Wheat; the introduction of this plant saved probably a billion people from starvation.

Chances are that for most of any person's life, most of the foods that they eat have been genetically modified in some fashion or another. Let's all take a deep breath and accept the genetic manipulation of food, either the slow process used in the past or the much quicker process today, and give thanks for the geniuses who developed the food we all eat.

Technorati Tags: GM Foods

Actually, it's a feature

Beware the environmental effects of genetically-modified foods:



(via Slashdot)

Technorati Tags: Humor

can anyone translate this into english?

Now, I'm a techno-geek - I can follow conversations with electrical engineers and astrophysicists and computer nerds - but I'll be damned if I can follow a word this guy says:


Technorati Tags: Video, Humor, Technology, Technobabble, Buzzwords

dude, where's my flying car?

Ah, finally I have found it, my own personal flying car: the Gen H-4 one-man ultralight helicopter. This sucker costs about 30 grand and requires 40 to 60 hours to assemble. The kits are available from Ace Craft USA. Two counter-rotating rotors on top mean that there is no need for a tail rotor. It is run by four 10hp (7.46kW) engines, each of which weighs only 6.5 pounds (3kg).The Gen H-4 is able to fly even if you lose one of the four engines, and can safely land even with two engines out of commission. (hat tip to Silver @ Claire Wolfe's blog.)

Now, some people might not like the counter-rotating rotors and would prefer to have the tail rotor on their ultralight helicopter. For those people, there is this beauty:The great thing about these two helicopters is that they are ultralights; that means that their top speed is about 55 mph (89km/h) and that they only hold a maximum 5 US gallons (just under 20 liters) of fuel. What's so great about that? Well, it means that one does not need a pilot's license to fly one of these babies... just get in and go.

Of course, it helps to get a little bit of instruction first, but as there is only one seat, your first flight is also your first solo flight. But man oh man these look like a lot of fun.

Technorati Tags: Ultralight, Helicopter

Astoundingly stupid "experts"

This is just jaw-droppingly absurd:

"The influence of the sun is utterly negligible," said Tom Wigley, a climate expert at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. "Compared with the human influence on climate, it is a very minor effect."

Consider that all of the energy that the earth receives is from the sun. And that the polar icecaps on Mars have been visibly shrinking over the last 40 years. And that there is a new storm on Jupiter the size of the Earth.

Now consider whether these "experts" have any common sense at all.

Technorati Tags: Global Warming, Environmentalism, Moonbats

Blogging from orbit

Anousheh Ansari describes the launch on the Soyuz; I'm not sure, but this may be the first blog post ever done from orbit. It sounds like it was a total blast:

This wonderful feeling of freedom that puts a smile on everyone’s face. I slowly lifted off my seat and continued giggling. I just couldn’t believe it… to be honest with you, the whole thing is still like a dream to me… I was strapped in so tight that I couldn’t look outside. Finally when we were safe in the orbit, we were able to open our visors and to loosen our belts…

L.A. took his glove off and it started floating in the cabin. I could not stop giggling the whole time… I was finally able to take a look outside and saw the Earth for the first time… Tears started rolling down my face. I could not catch my breath… Even thinking about it now still brings tears to my eyes. Here it was this beautiful planet turning graciously about itself, under the warm rays of the Sun… so peaceful…so full of life… no signs of war, no signs of borders, no signs of trouble, just pure beauty…

What I would give to trade places with her...

Technorati Tags: Space, International Space Station, Ansari

I think I've found my new hero

That would be JimK over at Right Thoughts. Inspired by the video blogging of Pamela from Atlas Shrugs, he reasoned that tits = hits, and that if he showed an impressive rack while reading the news, then lots of people would visit his blog. Of course, his man-tits wouldn't do the trick, so somehow he convinced his wife to stand in front of the camera and play with her boobies while he read ... something... I can't quite recall what he was yammering on about now...

Ahem. Anyhow.

Now, I can't do the same thing. That would just be derivative. Plus, I'm a guy, and I would just look silly in a bra. It got me thinking though: "what would be the equivalent on a man that would drive hits from the fairer sex to my blog?"

And then, an epiphany: what is it that women check out on a man? Of course! The Butt. Don't knock the picture quality - do you have any idea how hard it is to take a picture of your own butt? Anyway, consider this my entry in the "best butt in the blogosphere" contest. I know, I know, there is no such contest. But there could be. It just won't be on my blog... maybe one of the female bloggers out there could run such a contest? Maybe Lone Pony? Consider this a challenge to you, Becky. ;)

Technorati Tags: Humor, Blog