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Date: 13 Jun 2007 10:26:50
From:
Subject: brave new world...
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from the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/12/science/12dog.html
[...]
A mutation similar to the one that makes some whippets faster also
exists in humans: a sliver of genetic code that regulates muscle
development, is missing.
"It would be extremely interesting to do tests on the track finalists
at the Olympics," said Elaine Ostrander, the scientist at the National
Institutes of Health who discovered that the fastest whippets had a
single defective copy of the myostatin gene, while "bullies" had two.
"But we wouldn't know what to do with the information," Ms. Ostrander
said. "Are we going to segregate the athletes who have the mutation to
run separately?" For the moment, it is whippet owners who find
themselves on the edge of that particular bioethical frontier.
It was not exactly news to breeders that speed is an inherited trait:
whippets were developed in the late 1800s specifically for racing. But
knowing that one of her dogs was sired by a carrier of the gene, said
Jen Jensen, a whippet owner in Fair Oaks, Calif., makes its
championships seem "less earned." Ms. Jensen's suggestion that a DNA
test be required for all dogs and that the fastest ones without the
mutation be judged and raced separately, however, has not gone over
well.
At a recent race here in southern New Jersey, some whippet owners
wanted the mutation eliminated altogether, even if that meant fewer
fast dogs. But as the dogs pounded after a lure at 35 miles per hour,
several owners allowed that they would prefer a whippet with the gene
for speed.
"It's more fun having fast dogs than slow dogs," said Libby Kirchner,
of Glassboro, N.J.
[...]
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Date: 13 Jun 2007 13:07:59
From: SLAVE of THE STATE
Subject: Re: brave new world...
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On Jun 13, 11:58 am, benn.trov...@hotmail.com wrote:
> On Jun 13, 11:28 am, wsc...@udel.edu wrote:
>
> > So if they identify a gene that contributes to being tall are they going to start
> > banning basketball players who have it?
>
> Not "banning", "breeding"... some countries think longer term than
> others...
Most countries think in terms bleeding, not breeding. THat's short
and long term.
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Date: 13 Jun 2007 11:58:00
From:
Subject: Re: brave new world...
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On Jun 13, 11:28 am, wsc...@udel.edu wrote:
> So if they identify a gene that contributes to being tall are they going to start
> banning basketball players who have it?
>
Not "banning", "breeding"... some countries think longer term than
others...
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Date: 13 Jun 2007 16:40:10
From: Jack Hollis
Subject: Re: brave new world...
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On Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:58:00 -0700, benn.trovato@hotmail.com wrote:
>On Jun 13, 11:28 am, wsc...@udel.edu wrote:
>> So if they identify a gene that contributes to being tall are they going to start
>> banning basketball players who have it?
>>
>
>Not "banning", "breeding"... some countries think longer term than
>others...
There have been dozens of genes that have been identified as related
to athletic performance. One has to assume that successful athletes
in all sports have been so because of genetic advantages. Of course,
the possibility of gene doping has taken this to a new level. And the
possibility of breeding humans to do well in a specific sport will
eventually become a reality.
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Date: 13 Jun 2007 11:28:59
From:
Subject: Re: brave new world...
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How silly, we all know that genetics matter but I guess if we know
exactly what gene matters well then it's objectionable? So if they
identify a gene that contributes to being tall are they going to start
banning basketball players who have it?
I'm surprised the author didn't bring up the known human case of the
defective myostatin gene. IIRC, it was identified in a German boy
because he was abnormally heavily muscled and strong as a small
child. I believe the mother was a former very good sprinter, although
I don't know if she was Olympic calibre or not.
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Date: 14 Jun 2007 03:56:05
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: brave new world...
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In article <1181759339.446197.6410@q19g2000prn.googlegroups.com >,
wscott@udel.edu wrote:
> How silly, we all know that genetics matter but I guess if we know
> exactly what gene matters well then it's objectionable? So if they
> identify a gene that contributes to being tall are they going to start
> banning basketball players who have it?
Dumbass: yes, they are:
http://www.slate.com/id/2165330/
Philippines Basketball Association. Import players are limited to 6'6".
Astoundingly, despite a required official measurement before getting to
play in the league, cheating was rife: they'd just hunch a bit.
In 2005, they started measuring the athletes while lying down, and with
officials pinning their knees, shoulders, and head so they didn't slouch.
> I'm surprised the author didn't bring up the known human case of the
> defective myostatin gene. IIRC, it was identified in a German boy
> because he was abnormally heavily muscled and strong as a small
> child. I believe the mother was a former very good sprinter, although
> I don't know if she was Olympic calibre or not.
Soon, not having gene therapy will be like not getting your eyes lasered
or your face botoxed: bad grooming.
--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
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Date: 13 Jun 2007 11:18:17
From: SLAVE of THE STATE
Subject: Re: brave new world...
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On Jun 13, 11:15 am, SLAVE of THE STATE <gwh...@ti.com > wrote:
> On Jun 13, 10:26 am, benn.trov...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > "But we wouldn't know what to do with the information," Ms. Ostrander
> > said.
>
> Sure we do.
>
> 1. Raise taxes.
> 2. Form a new guvmint agency.
> 3. Regulate industry.
> 4. Stop global warming, since it is making Joe fat.
5. Pass a shit load of new laws. (Actually this is 1, 2, 3, and 4
together.)
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Date: 13 Jun 2007 11:15:28
From: SLAVE of THE STATE
Subject: Re: brave new world...
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On Jun 13, 10:26 am, benn.trov...@hotmail.com wrote:
> "But we wouldn't know what to do with the information," Ms. Ostrander
> said.
Sure we do.
1. Raise taxes.
2. Form a new guvmint agency.
3. Regulate industry.
4. Stop global warming, since it is making Joe fat.
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