Comments for TechNyou

Comment on Would you like gene tech with that? The Tweet Twopics by Jason TechNyou

Jason TechNyou — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:04:31 +0000

Hi Nicholas
First – can you post your comments to the online forum as well – http://www.genetechmenu.com

I like your suggestion about seeking comments table-by-table

As for your first point, though, what, according to yourself are the real dangers of GM? In general, I have found what one person considers a danger (real or perceived) isn’t even on the radar for someone else. And a risk analysis would have to be on a crop-by-crop basis. You could not really have a risk analysis for GM in general as each GM crop is created differently with a different trait and is used in different environments. Thus each will have a different risk profile.

Jason
TechNyou

Comment on Would you like gene tech with that? The Tweet Twopics by Nicholas Newland

Nicholas Newland — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:50:31 +0000

Two points to make from an audience participant perspective:
1 there was little/no discussion about the real dangers of GM. What is really at stake here? A risk analysis would have been good to guide audience thinking.

2 lack of audience involvement was a problem. Seeking a table by table comment in differing order may work. If there is no comment to make, that should be noted as that table’s comment, ie that table has nothing to question.

Comment on Conflicting results in ag-biotech survey for women farmers by M. Davis

M. Davis — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:27:17 +0000

This is (or maybe is not ?) the kind of study that one can just draw conclusions out of the air.

I don’t see “less passion” for GMOs. Someone is farming them since they are in about 70% of all our processed food. However, I don’t believe every farmer even realizes they are growing GMOs! ie don’t understand the process. Whereas more organic farmers would be aware of what they are doing because they understand – having millennium of experience behind them. So, no need to put suspected “passion” into the mix.

Simply, people who (said) they knew a lot about about Biotech did not show up – they had nothing to learn.
People who know little showed up to learn more, and, of course, were more easily confused and, at first encounter, were swayed by the words of the ‘leader’. Face to face equals more intimidation factor than online. Peer pressure, leading to words not really meant or not thought out. Also, easy to twist scientific facts to fit the platform – people (some farmers) don’t know what questions to ask!

Thanks for your replies.

Comment on Conflicting results in ag-biotech survey for women farmers by Jason TechNyou

Jason TechNyou — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:42:13 +0000

To M. Davis. OK, what conclusions do you draw from my initial question: why are there differences between the two groups? And that is a serious question as my conlusions are just that, mine and I am the first to admit that my analysis may be flawed. If my conclusion that the online results came about becasue some organic/biological farmers informed like-minded colleagues about the survey then that is an assumption and by no means am I suggesting that it is fact. I make the assumption becasue I have seen it happen in surveys before (online polls mainly) where we are reasonably sure this has occurred, and that I am pretty sure the percentage of biological farmers in Australia is as high as suggested in the online respondents.

Also, not sure how you can conclude that I was calling anyone a luddite. If it was the biological farming community you think I was referring to, I happen to think they have a perfectly legitimate place in agriculture and that one needs an immense understanding of modern biological knowledge to operate such an enterprise. That is, they are far being luddites. In the farming community the luddites are those that insist on running the farm like their grandfathers – lots of tilling, clearing, chemical applications, burning…etc. But they seem to be a rare breed these days.

Jason
TechNyou

Comment on Conflicting results in ag-biotech survey for women farmers by M. Davis

M. Davis — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:03:45 +0000

Jasonmajor,
But your whole Conclusions section is biased, without actually calling people Luddites.

Comment on Conflicting results in ag-biotech survey for women farmers by jasonmajor

jasonmajor — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 06:01:00 +0000

M. Davis: You are right, people who consider themselves knowledgeable on the topic, regardless of whether they are organic, biological or conventional farmers, will be less likely to attend such a workshop, but then I wasn’t trying to find out why people did or did not attend the workshop. The point of the post was to highlight that first there was a significant difference in attitudes between the workshop attendants and those that did the survey online, and second to investigate why the difference existed. You can call it spin if you like.
Jason
TechNyou

Comment on Conflicting results in ag-biotech survey for women farmers by M. Davis

M. Davis — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:34:59 +0000

Dumb spin!
Why would someone who know a lot about organic and GMO farming go to a workshop? Workshops are for people who don’t know the topic well or at all. they told you that!

Comment on Road movie about cloning by Jason TechNyou

Jason TechNyou — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:55:12 +0000

For those curious, John Morely has kindly dug out a full review of the film “Lost in New Mexico”. See review at:
http://themovingarts.com/lost-in-new-mexico-the-strange-tale-of-susan-hero-review/

Jason
TechNyou

Comment on Big news about teaching the small stuff by David Jensen

David Jensen — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:11:44 +0000

This is a fantastic initiative and one we will encourage education authorities around the world to follow. As the world’s only hub for ‘all things related to naotechnology’ we passionately believe educating the future geenrations about the potential of nanotechnology to do so much good in the world is vital. Right now we see an insufficient number of experts in the field to meet future demand, so anything that engages and educates pupils is laudable. In fact pupils and teachers are welcome to register on our site – its free – to keep up to date with news from all corners of the earth.

Comment on Road movie about cloning by Ed Stonely

Ed Stonely — Thu, 27 May 2010 17:02:27 +0000

I did get to see this movie on a bit torrent that my son made (sorry to the producers), and while I would agree with Jason regarding the level of production, the script is actually fairly well conceived.

I did actually pick up on a reference to the philospher/literary critic Walter Benjamin (in later part of the movie when geneticist is planning to head to China) whose work ‘Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’ bears strong resonances towards concepts [and ramifications of] mass replication which can easily be extended towards ethical cloning issues.

So, if this is the case – that this particular linkage is intended, and it appears to be the case – I would applaud the script writer(s?) at least even if the production itself is lacking, due to the obviously low budget of the film.

(My son is in film school in Minneapolis, and he’s th eone who found it – search for Minneapolis video stores?)