From: Randy Smith (randysmith101@hotmail.com)
Date: Sat Jun 23 2001 - 07:10:03 MDT
>From: "Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" <sentience@pobox.com>
>Reply-To: extropians@extropy.org
>To: extropians@extropy.org
>Subject: Re: LATimes piece on "the precautionary principle"
>Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 22:52:00 -0400
>
>http://www.latimes.com/news/comment/20010621/t000051557.html
>
An interesting piece! Looks like business/science might finally be gearing
up for the genetic engineering battle: Last night I was watching some of
that TV news magazine that has Barbara Walters as the host (20-20?).
One of their most interesting reporters is John Stossel. I am sure some of
you here are familiar with him, as he is the only "openly" libertarian
reporter in the major TV news media (besides Krulwich?).
SInce I have largely abandoned libertarianism en toto as a valid political
philosophy, I don't agree with all of his ideas, but last night he and
Walters were promoting his upcoming hour long special and I from what I
heard of it, it sounds like I need to set my VCR.
This hourlong special next Friday at 9 pm CST seems to be an outright
attack on anti-genetic engineering luddites and also an advertisement
for/explication of the benefits of genetic engineering.
I'll paraphrase the on-air promo "conversation" between Stossel and Walters:
Stossel: "Are you tired of all this fear-mongering about the dangers of
genetic engineering? Yes, genetic engineering is really going to change the
world as we know. But don't be scared--it's going to be a great future!
Babies will be bigger, stronger and healthier [insert shots of healthy
looking toddlers toddling about a room], and we are all going to be living
longer healthier lives [insert shots of old people swimming in cold waters]
thanks to Genetic Engineering.....so don't listen to all those fearmongers
who want to stop cloning and GE research, ....etc etc..
Cut back to Stossel and Walters at the desk:
Walters sighs and says in her mild, grandmotherly way, " Well, John, I think
I have to tell you that I am one of those people who are scared to death of
cloning and all that other stuff."
Stossel rolls his eyes, "Just watch my special next Friday at 9 pm CST,
Barbara, and you'll see why you're wrong."
Looks like this pro-G.E. putsch is to timed to counter the recent political
rumblings here and in Europe re the cloning bans. This is our time, people.
We need to write letters and send email now. Let's take advantage of these
pro-GE media features now ....
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