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catgrin's Comments
Re: Abby and Brittany Hensel: Twins Who Share a Body
(Sorry this is so long.) I applaud the people who put this together. It seems the filming was done gracefully and with compassion for their privacy.
I have to make a comment about how much Dr. Nick Fisk creeps me out. At time code 5:05 he discusses Abby and Brittany's body structure with the comment, "each has its own pair of lungs." I believe "it" may have been an appropriate pronoun if he was discussing the general type of twin that they are, but he was speaking about the girls themselves. It's easy to see from that one slip of the tongue why they could never open the door to research scientists. As they are otherwise healthy individuals I feel that their family made an excellent choice in keeping them safe from a life of laboratories.
One thing I noticed about people's general response was that so many people made the comment that they couldn't understand how the girls function so well. If you aren't worried in the fine details (if you're not looking to publish) it's easy to see. Take a look at 39:39 and watch their gait as they walk. It's like watching two people each using a crutch for the other leg. With constant practice (they don't know any other way) it's not surprising at all that they would be skilled at it.
I have to wonder if the people who question the girls' ability to work as one have good sex lives. (Totally serious - no joke being made.) That's got to be the closest the average person will come to being in sync with another person's body as intimately as the girls are. Their lives are built around that cooperation, and they must have learned early on that it was necessary for not just survival, but success. I hope that their transition to adulthood goes smoothly, and wish them and their family the best.
I have to make a comment about how much Dr. Nick Fisk creeps me out. At time code 5:05 he discusses Abby and Brittany's body structure with the comment, "each has its own pair of lungs." I believe "it" may have been an appropriate pronoun if he was discussing the general type of twin that they are, but he was speaking about the girls themselves. It's easy to see from that one slip of the tongue why they could never open the door to research scientists. As they are otherwise healthy individuals I feel that their family made an excellent choice in keeping them safe from a life of laboratories.
One thing I noticed about people's general response was that so many people made the comment that they couldn't understand how the girls function so well. If you aren't worried in the fine details (if you're not looking to publish) it's easy to see. Take a look at 39:39 and watch their gait as they walk. It's like watching two people each using a crutch for the other leg. With constant practice (they don't know any other way) it's not surprising at all that they would be skilled at it.
I have to wonder if the people who question the girls' ability to work as one have good sex lives. (Totally serious - no joke being made.) That's got to be the closest the average person will come to being in sync with another person's body as intimately as the girls are. Their lives are built around that cooperation, and they must have learned early on that it was necessary for not just survival, but success. I hope that their transition to adulthood goes smoothly, and wish them and their family the best.
By: catgrin
Re: Umbilical Brothers - Encore
The Umbilical Brothers are regulars on an ABC Australia TV show called "The Sideshow." I've tried to get a DVD of the series, but it's not available. Pity.
By: catgrin
Re: The Future of Food
I do realize that, but there's a huge difference in the rate of dispersion and level of effect between the two processes (laboratory development for inclusion in end product and lab development of a living organism for use as an end product).
My comment simply applauded the filmmaker's reference to the idea that there are varying processes because different forms of legislation do need to be applied. There's a huge difference between the release of end products like shampoos and seeds. Both effect the ecosystem, but only one of the two can reasonably be predicted to flourish and fully integrate itself into the ecosystem beyond a cleanup point in one generation of use.
I was in no way stating a lack of concern or that there is no danger. I'm simply saying that part of people understanding the ways GM is being used requires that they understand the different applications. As they pointed out in the video many people don't even understand the basic process.
(I'm not an idiot, just a realist. BTW, labs containing human scientists located on the moon with direct airlock connection to spacecraft could, in fact, contaminate Earth.)
My comment simply applauded the filmmaker's reference to the idea that there are varying processes because different forms of legislation do need to be applied. There's a huge difference between the release of end products like shampoos and seeds. Both effect the ecosystem, but only one of the two can reasonably be predicted to flourish and fully integrate itself into the ecosystem beyond a cleanup point in one generation of use.
I was in no way stating a lack of concern or that there is no danger. I'm simply saying that part of people understanding the ways GM is being used requires that they understand the different applications. As they pointed out in the video many people don't even understand the basic process.
(I'm not an idiot, just a realist. BTW, labs containing human scientists located on the moon with direct airlock connection to spacecraft could, in fact, contaminate Earth.)
By: catgrin
Re: The Future of Food
I appreciate the fact that they noted the difference between lab-produced drugs and agriculturally-grown GM products. I'm in favor of the drugs and fully understand why they are patented. The fact is that drugs are an end where seeds are a start.
Even in a controlled environment, the development of GM products is a dangerous process, in part because only time and experience with the technology will allow us to better predict and understand outcomes of the process. Then when you take something out of the lab and introduce it into the ecosystem, it's impossible to control it 100%. That means every plant that cross-pollinates is now a vector for modified genes. Combine that with the fact that most farmers have been using traditional methods to alter their crops, and you've got - in one generation - a whole new selection of modified plants with unknown effects! We simply aren't skilled enough to be doing this yet. We require decades of testing on new drugs, but once you develop it, it's actually easy in America to get a new GM seed out into the crops.
One more thing then I'll stop - I promise. No one mentioned the possibility that farmers being driven out of business could be bought off their land by companies who then would control both the seed AND the land. This isn't paranoia, it's the way business works. Think I'll keep buying organic when possible.
Even in a controlled environment, the development of GM products is a dangerous process, in part because only time and experience with the technology will allow us to better predict and understand outcomes of the process. Then when you take something out of the lab and introduce it into the ecosystem, it's impossible to control it 100%. That means every plant that cross-pollinates is now a vector for modified genes. Combine that with the fact that most farmers have been using traditional methods to alter their crops, and you've got - in one generation - a whole new selection of modified plants with unknown effects! We simply aren't skilled enough to be doing this yet. We require decades of testing on new drugs, but once you develop it, it's actually easy in America to get a new GM seed out into the crops.
One more thing then I'll stop - I promise. No one mentioned the possibility that farmers being driven out of business could be bought off their land by companies who then would control both the seed AND the land. This isn't paranoia, it's the way business works. Think I'll keep buying organic when possible.
By: catgrin
Re: Bill O'Reilly Freaks out!
I pictured you typing one-handed and shaking a fist in the air as you typed that - spicy!
By: catgrin
Re: Bill O'Reilly Freaks out!
Nope - I think you're dead on with that comment. Any member of the military would have a reason and the right to call him out on this one! The most outrageous thing he said was, "You mister macho man, would have never come close to anything I've done down where I've been..." He doesn't even know who he's speaking to - could be a congressional medal of honor winner for all he knows! What a prat!
By: catgrin
Re: Bugs Bunny: Hair-Raising Hare
Thanks so much for posting this!
This is truly one of my favorites! I won't take up space listing the great lines, but I will take a moment to blame Chuck Jones for my lifelong insistence that monsters are cute - it's the people who are scary! (He's right ya know...)
This is truly one of my favorites! I won't take up space listing the great lines, but I will take a moment to blame Chuck Jones for my lifelong insistence that monsters are cute - it's the people who are scary! (He's right ya know...)
By: catgrin
Re: Slow-Motion Dolphin Jump
Wit h2o f them behaving that way we should probably just avoid the net!
By: catgrin
Re: Slow-Motion Dolphin Jump
I'd say it sounds fishy, but that's another animal altogether.
By: catgrin
Since he's getting the dialogue right, just mucking it all about, it's a fair shot that he's just irritated with the whole thing and trying to amuse himself.