Thursday, May 21, 2009

Geostrategy Nerd: Biohackers--Where's Government Oversight When We Need It?

From the Department of This Is Extremely Disturbing:

http://www.d-n-i.net/dni/2009/05/19/on-war-305-the-future-is-now/

Here's the link to the Wall Street Journal article that is mentioned in the post. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124207326903607931.html The article's headline asks, "Is it risky?"

Need they ask?!! We see the mischief that computer hackers are engaged in. Do they really think that everybody who's playing with these organisms is looking for a cure for cancer? Are they really that naive, or just pretending?

The version of the rhyme that I learned as a small child was:

"Ring around the rosy
Pocket full of posies
Ah-choo, ah-choo
We all fall down . . . "

I didn't understand what the rhyme was about until I got a little older and asked my parents.

5 comments:

Gennifer said...

The article said "Other biohackers argue that Mother Nature is more likely than any home hobbyist to create dangerous new pathogens. They cite the current A/H1N1 "swine flu" virus, which is a made-in-the-wild brew of human, bird and pig influenzas...".


Are they serious? I refuse to believe that swine flu is a random virus that developed on it's own. Many scientists have already stepped up to tell us swine flu more than likely originated from a lab. There is nothing natural about that disease.

Biohackers are indeed risky. Who would trust a self-described "part-time DJ" to come up with a cure for cancer? The government needs to shut this mess down.

Khadija said...

Gennifer,

I realize that I should know better. But sometimes there are cracks in my cynicism. This is one such time. I'm amazed that the federal government hasn't clamped down on this. Especially in a time of fears about terrorism.

Also, stupidity and negligence kill more people each year than deliberate actions. I'm more concerned about accidents than deliberate mischief/terrorism with these sorts of materials. I see it as a numbers game. There are many more fools than there are terrorists.

It's just a matter of time until one of these self-proclaimed "biohackers" makes a HUGE mistake that costs countless lives. I hope and pray that the government shuts this madness down before that happens.

Peace, blessings, and solidarity.

Anonymous said...

Lord why?

Do they really think ...

Ok why? Just why?

I am just amazed. I don't understand.

Khadija said...

Aphrodite,

I'm totally flabbergasted by this.

Peace, blessings and solidarity.

Anonymous said...

Hello Khadija,


I am too. Why would someone think that this is ok? It is so unsafe and negligent. It is almost evil.

There is a reason why companies have sterile laboratories with protocols and precautions.

Thinking about the DJ playing in sewage...he cause cause an outbreak just from that alone. If I were his roommate he would be homeless.

I mean Typhoid Mary was only one woman.