. . . send in the Clones?

I'm sure you are all aware by now of the most famous sheep in the world. Dolly is the name given to this, the world first cloned sheep.

Well, from Dolly has been cloned another sheep, this one has been named Colly - interesting choice of name. As I understand it each succesive generation of clone is genetically less perfect than the master generation. So whilst 1,000 of the Dolly generation would be identical, a generation made from Dolly would be 'imperfect'.

So why do the boffins bother, why not call them all 'Folly' and be done with it?

But it won't go away, will it? - even though I can't find a single person who thinks it's a good idea. Even though Goverments are 'shocked' at the moral and ethical dilema they are now forced to face . . . shocked? Who pays their research grants anyway? Out pops another one.

If it's not goverments then it must be companies in the private sector, and ones large enough to withstand a lengthy period of no return, so very large companies at that. Now presumably these large companies have some idea of what they are working towards and this involves messing about with genetics, with the very building blocks of life. This is sounding ominous is it not?

Apparently 85% of Europeans are against genetically altered foodstuffs, and yet these are being developed at an alarming rate.

A carrot is a carrot but if you alter it's genetic make-up you've just re-invented the carrot and as such can patent it worldwide. There already is a tomato on our shelves which contains the genes of arctic fish to prevent it from going mushy if it is kept at too cold a temperature (to extend it's viable 'life' from the moment it is picked).

There are absolutely no requirements in law that require such foodstuffs to be labelled and so the consumer is unaware of these genetically modified foods at a purchase level.

85% of people are against it . . . think about that for a second - has there ever been a more overwhelming responce from the public. It's such a big issue it cuts across political barriers, religion, nationality, profession. and yet it's still happening.

So what's the objective of all this genetic manipulation? Is it to feed the worlds starving people - or is it to achieve a monopoly on food?

Getting back to the sheep ... with the genetic line of Dolly, there can never be "a black sheep of the family", so, sadly, there can never be a 'Golly' - do you hear what I'm saying?

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