How about some Cloned Meat!

[rizzix]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4435159.stm

[jamonathin]

I don't care, as long as my cheeseburger tastes like "cheese" and "beef", and I'm not going to die from it, bring it on!

[Tony]

jamonathin: not like you know what goes into your McDonald's lunch

Anyways -- cloning food is borderline genetic engineering. It's just that instead of taking an animal and making it better, scientists find that better animal and artificially multiplying it like rabbits would.

Now here's the problem - the article suggests that those highly productive clones will be shipped out to areas such as China and India to boost their food production. Those areas cannot afford controller environments (that's why they need those clones in the first place). The lack of such controlled environments means that those cows will be stumbling around the farm, mating just the same as they would otherwise. Although the gene pool on average will be considerably better, it will be limited to these one or two cloned versions. And we all know what happens when we have a large population with virtually no gene variations. We'd be lucky if the disease will be exclusive to the super intelligent cows of the eastern world. Then again, 1/2 of the world's population that resides in those areas will begin to starve within a week.

Might as well engineer the food. As long as the staff is honest, has proper education and is not corrupt -- genetically engineered food will be better and safer than the above mentioned mass sacrifice to the gods of natural selection.

[Martin]

Next step'll be just growing the meat, and not needing the animal to grow it on. Mmm, beef...too bad today is McChicken day

[Dan]

The only real problem i could see if that if they over do cloning a spifike aniaml they could acuatly weaken the geen poll over time by not alowing for any new combiations of DNA. It could eventaly lead to the destruction of the speases if it is over done. The main thing whould be to alow for some verrecne in the DNA poll or to come up with better cloning techlonglys.

[rizzix]

hey that reminds me of StarGate SG-1 ... in that series.. the high teck azguard race.. basically were human-like once upon a time.. but look how weak they are now.. the result of generations of cloning... actually they are a dying race.

which brings us to the question.. will we eventually clone ourselfs as a means of reproduction? (now consider that most so called developed countries have very few babies being born. the population is on a decline.. the birth dearth.. population implosion) so if this were the case then we definitely will weaken our self.. and possible turn into a dying race.

now that we have started this on animals.. man.. we better stop before we extinct them. (assuming the above hypothesis is true)

[Dan]

rizzix wrote:

hey that reminds me of StarGate SG-1 ... in that series.. the high teck azguard race.. basically were human-like once upon a time.. but look how weak they are now.. the result of generations of cloning... actually they are a dying race.

ROFL, that is excalty what i was thinking of when i posted that =p

[brenn]

martin wrote:

Next step'll be just growing the meat, and not needing the animal to grow it on. Mmm, beef...too bad today is McChicken day

I had that for lunch today.

[Martin]

Me too

Except on Wednesdays, the bitchy manager is there, and she won't let them switch the fries with a coleslaw. Bastards.

[brenn]

martin wrote:

Me too

Except on Wednesdays, the *****y manager is there, and she won't let them switch the fries with a coleslaw. *******s.

Ohh, does that come in a little transparent plastic container? I saw someone eating that and I didn't know what it was but I didn't want to randomly walk up to him and ask..... I never knew McDonald's had coleslaw ;o

Y'know, I never thought you'd be someone who would be willing to eat at McDonalds

[Tony]

brenn wrote:

I didn't know what it was but I didn't want to randomly walk up to him and ask....

I would (as long as the guy doesn't look like he would kill me), but I have this thing against going to McD's

[rizzix]

i dislike McD;s too

[Martin]

brenn wrote:

martin wrote:

Me too

Except on Wednesdays, the *****y manager is there, and she won't let them switch the fries with a coleslaw. *******s.

Ohh, does that come in a little transparent plastic container? I saw someone eating that and I didn't know what it was but I didn't want to randomly walk up to him and ask..... I never knew McDonald's had coleslaw ;o

Y'know, I never thought you'd be someone who would be willing to eat at McDonalds

I eat so much junk food it's not even funny. Come to think of it, I eat a lot period....hmm...

[brenn]

martin wrote:

I eat so much junk food it's not even funny. Come to think of it, I eat a lot period....hmm...

;o You didn't last term

[md]

Yeah he did, you just didn't notice... BTW Martin the C&G is now called "The Grill", same good food though.