Posted on 10/06/2018 2:02:35 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Pentagon research project called "Insect Allies." Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the project involves using gene-editing techniques like CRISPR to infect insects with modified viruses that could help make America's crops more resilient. If a cornfield were hit by an unexpected drought or suddenly exposed to a pathogen, for example, Insect Allies might deploy an army of aphids carrying a genetically modified virus to slow the corn plant's growth rate.
According to the DARPA website, these "targeted therapies" could take effect in a single growing season, potentially protecting the American crop system from food security threats like disease, flooding, frost and even "threats introduced by state or non-state actors.
… Insect Allies, is less concerned. "Anytime you're developing a new and revolutionary technology, there is that potential for [both offensive and defensive] capability," Bextine told The Washington Post. "But that is not what we are doing. We are delivering positive traits to plants… We want to make sure we ensure food security, because food security is national security in our eyes."
Insect Allies is still in the early stages of development, and at least four U.S. colleges (Boyce Thompson Institute, Penn State University, The Ohio State University and the University of Texas at Austin)have received funding to carry out research. Bextine told The Washington Post that the project recently achieved its first milestone — testing whether an aphid could infect a stalk of corn with a designer virus that caused fluorescence. According to the Washington Post, "the corn glowed."
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Well done sir.
Best wishes for the end of the old job and the start of the new one. It will be like a new year!
Thank you. It will certainly be like that. And better.
Oh, thank you!!
I needed those floofs today! For some reason, I’m a little depressed, and those help immensely! (The red heels should be in my closet, though!)
The calicos are way cute! <3
Congratulations on your new job. I think. Is this better? I mean, besides the politics?
For what its worth, I hope your Actual Project Managership allows you to actually manage the projects.
:o]
Therein lies the key. Here at Dept of Ed I'm a consultant in a matrixed world and I'm constantly butting heads with the line managers who are employees. They don't argue, they just restrict my ability to actually get things done.
Sure, they're happy with me, so I don't have to worry about being fired. But I have a reputation in this city and I don't want it to die here.
In this new world, I will have the responsibility and accountability in one package. That's the primary reason I want the change.
Well, due to a goalpost which moved into the way of a football at JUST the right moment, Bears won’t be travelling again until next season.
Yes, the goalpost moved. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. (Although I’m not actually a Bears or an Eagles fan.)
The New Job
The curse of the Peter Principle,
Is that you rise too far,
Your meteoric path just marks,
The scene of a shooting star.
The burnout comes real quickly then,
And suddenly it’s “splat”,
Your hopes and aspirations,
Your dreams have fallen flat.
That’s how it is for most of us,
Whose rise has topped the chart,
But some there are who need not fear,
This fate upon their part.
So modest when you meet them,
So capable and bright,
It’s hard to see how anything,
Could be beyond their might.
With quiet understanding,
Intensity and joy,
When given challenges, they excel,
Each day begins, “Oh boy!”
They just keep moving upward,
With placid, stolid strides,
Excelling, with aplomb, you see,
And something else besides.
Just like a king or emperor,
They often speak of “we”,
In challenges they’ve met alone,
They’ve had some company.
Sometimes they even speak as though,
Someone is at their side,
Someone to look up to,
And to speak at eventide.
“We thank You for the gifts You sent,”
He said, though quite alone.
“And for the talent You have lent,
We struggle to atone.”
NicknamedBob . . . . October 12, 2007
It sounds as if the current batch of co-owrkers don’t like losing their “power” which is why they butt heads with you. They think you’ll steal their thunder. But folks like that ain’t got none.
I wish you all the best of luck.
Thanks, NNB. I’ll try to live up to that one.
Except for the part about the placid, solid strides.
Like the guy said in “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.”
Stand aside! I take large steps.
As was mentioned yesterday, it’s an indication of fear.
It could come from several places. Inability to do the job is certainly one. But there could be others.
Yes, fear does that, and more besides. I can give you first-hand stories of what fear on the job does to co-workers and supervisors. In my case, they weren’t happy until I was forced out. What they did over a five year period was make CFIDS/ME much worse than it should have been, and all the while, they thought I was faking being sick. So they put on more pressure.
Fear of a co-worker is ugly.
As are fear of success and fear of failure.
Truth. And its worse when a strong, confident personality comes to work there. The fear grows exponentially.
Well, it looks like the first place I contacted wants me to use his towing service so he can look at the BB SUV and then he’ll give me an estimate. There is one other place that I’ll check before I decide for sure.
Two different recommendations from two men in the same Ward. *sigh* I was able to contact the first company on FB, but the second I’ll have to call. I think I want to eat before I call this second place as I’m getting sleepy. And bordering on grumpy. Sugar drop.
Good luck! It’s time for me to enforce reading upon Kathleen.
Fog doesn’t play nice when eaten, it tries to eat back.
Wellnow. The second place doesn’t take appointments. That means I would have to sit around all day and wait for them to work their magic. So I just sent a message to the first guy because it seems he’s the lesser of two evils.
In the meantime, the vet’s office called to remind me of Beaker’s appointment tomorrow, but the first opening she had after tomorrow was the 18th at 1100. That’s the time my brain starts to go walkabout, so I had to change it to the 22 at 0800.
Howdy you all. For all the kitty lovers you will luv this. I live in the woods and outdoor cats do not live long up here. In June or so saw a black cat go under my porch.
We have had minus 15 temps up here. I now keep my front blinds open since my hubby died. I put peanut butter out for the mt chickadees on the porch railing. 5 days ago out of the corner of my eye thought I saw a cat eating peanut butter...guess what it is that same cat I saw in June. It is still alive we have 34 inches of snow.
I am now feeding it. It has to be one tough cat to still be alive.
I have noticed for some months my mice pop is nil and the evil pine squirrels are not around either. My next door neighbor said her mice pop is way down too!
Later you all!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.