> > I always felt that the GM food "safety" cannot be proved without several
> > generations of people having partaken of it. And if there are these
> > advantages in the change of genes in the plants, why have they not been
> > "selected" during "evolution"?

>         I feel exactly the same "safety" concern about cellular phones.
But
> now they are everywhere and nobody is complaining as much as regarding GM
> foods.
>
>         Well, as said in that song, "Only time will tell..."

Fortunately for all mobile phone users, there is absolutely no comparison
between the hazards posed by the two technologies. While I am inclined to
suspect that there are health effects caused by electric fields (e-static,
e-magnetic) it is certain that if these exist they are down around the noise
level in most cases. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't exercise prudent
avoidance - but rather - that if you DO exercise prudent avoidance then you
are liable to avoid most or all ill effects, if they happen to exist. With
fields falling with the square of the distance (except in the near field)
you don't have to be very far from somebody else's cellphone before you can
be almost sure of it not affecting you regardless of the danger that may or
may not exist. Even cell phone towers are certain to be 'safe" at typical
distances.

I would not live in a house under a major power line, but would happily
visit one or stay overnight. I live a few houses away from an EHT line - but
I have walked the area with a field meter to get an idea of whether its
presence is detectable n my home. It's not.

_______________________________

BUT Genetic Engineering is quite another matter.
With GE "it's life, Jim".
Self reprogramming self organising, programmed, self replicating and so
complex that we have no idea what we night do on any given occasion when we
play with the works. Sure, we have the road map (aka genome mapped) but that
is the very very very beginning. Anyone who doubts that we know only a small
amount may wish to read.

Eminent US professor. Pro GE.
Interesting paper.
Tells us what we don't know as he seeks to build vast computer systems to
find out more
     "The Physiome Project: The Macroethics of Engineering toward Health."
 http://www.nae.edu/NAE/naehome.nsf/weblinks/MKEZ-5F8RKD?OpenDocument
 http://tinyurl.com/pzyy

and

Nature 413, 869 - 875 (2001); doi:10.1038/35101696
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v413/n6858/full/413869a0_fs.html
Proteomics technology: Character references
POTTER WICKWARE1 AND PAUL SMAGLIK2
Interesting

And then the people who don't know that they don't know enough ...
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v425/n6954/full/425209a_fs.html&content_filetype=pdf

______________

Re dangers - here's an extreme one

8 Cow Pox

http://www.newscientist.com/news/search/dosearch.jsp?advsearch=cowpox&searchtype=all
 http://tinyurl.com/t8tp

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994318
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/146482_mousepox01.html

______________

Enough for now

I'll go with the cellphone thanks :-)


        Russell McMahon

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