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Bio-Engineered Rice Uses Human Genes

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the tuning-i/o-performance dept.

gliph writes "Yahoo news has a piece about a small biogenetics firm that is using genetically engineered rice containing human genes to help fight diarrhea. From the article: 'Ventria's rice produces two human proteins found in mother's milk, saliva and tears, which help people hydrate and lessen the severity and duration of diarrhea attacks, a top killer of children in developing countries.'"

23 of 417 comments (clear)

  1. Condoleeza? by mbaudis · · Score: 5, Funny

    Reading the headline, I was sure this is fake news. Come on, Condoleeza and human?

    1. Re:Condoleeza? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Come on, Condoleeza and human?

      That's Racist!

    2. Re:Condoleeza? by Greyfox · · Score: 2, Funny
      Well would be if Condi were actually human. Turns out she's an android. Like that robot they demod in Japan a while back. Ever seen Condi move her lower half? I haven't. She's got a less convincing AI though, so she must be an earlier model. Whenever disaster hits, they just pull her out of the charging closet, load her up with the current talking points and send her out.

      Really, this shouldn't be too surprising. Many people in the inner sanctum are androids. Cheney's not though. He's a cyborg. Like Robocop. Makes sense if you think about it. At one point in the past, bad guys must have shot him up. Maybe in nam... oh... wait... Well anyway bad guys shot him up, but he didn't have someone to help him adjust his aim using bottles of baby food. Cyborg with out-of-whack targetting system. Yup.

      Likewise, many in the Fox news team are actually Disney anaimatronics. They barely even give a convincing performance of being human. You think Murdoch would pay actual humans? He probably has a sweatshop in Singapore coding up the scripts for each day's broadcast. If you go around behind the news desk, you'll see that each of them has a metal pole up their ass. The fact that they're all sanctimonious pricks is some singapore child's way of getting revenge for the long hours and low wages. It explains everything!

      --

      I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  2. Horray! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now I don't need to worry about dirrhea when I eat rice!

  3. Madness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Scientists need to learn that just because you can do something doesn't mean that you SHOULD do it. However much it might help the PR of the administration, reengineering Condoleeza Rice to give her human genes is going way too far. This madness has to stop.

    1. Re:Madness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Scientists need to learn that just because you can do something doesn't mean that you SHOULD do it.
       
      ...which contradicts the Republican rules:

      1) plunder all that Nature has to offer
      2) it's not illegal until there is a law against it
      3) Amendment to Item 2: it's not illegal if you don't get caught

  4. Product's name: by gardyloo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Soylent Green.

    1. Re:Product's name: by mgabrys_sf · · Score: 4, Funny

      Damn - was scrolling and thought I could make this bad joke first...

      Well, how about the manditory Futurama gag:

      Fry: My god! What if the secret ingredient is... people?!!

      Leela: No, there's already food like that -- Soylent Rice.

      Fry: "How does it taste?"

      Leela: "...It varies from person to person."

    2. Re:Product's name: by ioErr · · Score: 3, Funny
      What food does Apple not allow you to eat?
      Do not eat iPod shuffle.
  5. Soylent Green by ciroknight · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..IS PEOPLE!!!

    --
    "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
  6. GM Rice Bubbles: Snap, Crackle and Mom! by ian_mackereth · · Score: 4, Funny
    But you have to admire a breakfast cereal that comes complete with its own milk.

    And if you repeatedly harvest grains with human genes in them, does that make you a cereal killer?

  7. Re:Ethics? by barefootgenius · · Score: 2, Funny

    "What about the ethical aspect of putting human genes in rice? Wouldn't people who eat that rice be eating a part of a human? That's kind of freaky to think about."


    I dunno, ask Paris. Opps, sorry, she doesn't swallow.


    --
    /. bug #926803 - Why I can post.
  8. Re:Ethics? by slashmojo · · Score: 2, Funny
    As long as they don't do it with mice!

    Oh damn..

  9. The Silence of Rice by lobotomir · · Score: 2, Funny

    "genetically engineered rice containing human genes"
    So, it tastes like chicken?

  10. Re:Old recipe for stopping diarrhea by yobjob · · Score: 3, Funny

    Eating cooked rice also helps stopping diarrhea.

    Not if you put curry on it...

    --
    Czech language for absolute beginners
  11. Are you shittin' me? by sl4shd0rk · · Score: 2, Funny

    With human genes in your rice, it's very possible.

    --
    Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!
  12. Truth in advertising! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Soon, it really is going to be Uncle Ben's rice!!!

  13. Re:Old recipe for stopping diarrhea by rbochan · · Score: 2, Funny

    The article mentions specifically it is being developed for developing nations...

    Until some bio-tech/big-pharma corp patents it. Then it won't be available without some bigg-ass subsidy from the developing coutries non-existent taxbase. Then some lowly rescue/aid type person in some 3rd world country will smuggle some seeds in and plant a field of it, where it will grow and help the local people survive.
    The next season, due to wind patterns, a neighboring farm will have had it cross-pollenated with his previous crop and Monsanto-like-corp will swoop down with a huge lawsuit, but realizing this poor farmer has no $$, they will simply burn his crops, thus saving their intellectual/corporate property.
    Unfortunately, they'd be too late, because as his crop had grown, it cross-pollenated neighboring crops, leading EvilCorp(TM) to start more lawsuits/crop burnings, leading to the near-complete annihilation of the local populace due to massive starvation from the fact that the crops have been burned and the soil is now worthless via the damage from the fires. The survivors of this devestation will be much needed fodder for Al-Queda and they will feed these people normal rice and teach them the evil that is the corporate world that wants to destoy them in their never ending quest for profit.
    The moral?
    Bio-engineered rice helps the terrorists!

    Either that or I need to switch to decaf.

    --
    ...Rob
    The American Dream isn't an SUV and a house in the suburbs; it's Don't Tread On Me.
  14. a plea for help by mapmaker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can we get these genes into beer? It would make my Sunday mornings so much more pleasant.

  15. Re:Old recipe for stopping diarrhea by Arcanis+the+Rogue · · Score: 3, Funny

    The number one cause, of course, is bears.

  16. Re:Old recipe for stopping diarrhea by TastyCakes · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, I think you are, but don't worry, this new rice should clear that right up.

  17. Re:Old recipe for stopping diarrhea by juan2074 · · Score: 2, Funny

    You mean 'soul-less killing machines'?

  18. Re:Old recipe for stopping diarrhea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Typing some WORDS in all CAPS really does make your point MORE BELIVABLE. Your stunning use of EMPHASIS through CAPITALIZATION, has convinced me to TAKE your SIDE.