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 ...
I’m sorry for your boss.
I hope that doesn’t mean anything bad for you.
As long as Microsquish can’t buy it (and I think the Linux kernel is public domain) it won’t be worse than MacOS being based on Linux.
It will probably make it easier to move from WinDoze to the real thing, though.
Good morning. It’s Rise of the Monday, or Tuesday, depending on your point of view.
IMHO: That movie was worth the price of the NYC tickets.
Bad. Invoices have been on hold for weeks. I have a vendor who isn't getting paid on a $150 invoice. and has been told we're waiting for funding. I was inadvertently sent a copy of the email telling them that, in so many words.
Come to think of it, my last two invoices haven't been paid...
Not much good can come from microsquish involvement.
Will do.
I hope that doesn’t mean anything bad for you.
Me too.
They can’t buy it, but they can bog it down with so many “improvements” that it no longer works.
I have to leave in a bit to take Beaker in, but I managed to get most of the filing done. There is the usual After-File clutter that is the result of waiting too long to file.
I “found” the hardware that goes with the monstrosity that used to be the TV stand, so when I donate it, the parts will be there if the new owner wants to elevate the TV.
But! The place looks better, and perhaps tomorrow, I can get all the clutter out of the way and get the floors cleaned. Maybe.
In odder news, Snarly Harley’s mom came over yesterday with a ceramic frog in her hand. Perhaps she felt guilty over last month’s parking vendetta. At any rate I thanked her, said I would name it “Rocky” (short for Rochelle, but don’t ask me how I got to that conclusion) and it’s currently on my crowded desk, holding the pens and a pencil that I use quite frequently on a daily basis.
Apparently, my old boss also got axed.
Nope. He gave notice 2 weeks ago.
That’s a good review. $5 Tuesdays here in suburban Boring.
Hopefully you’ll be able to rub along uncontentiously with Snarly Harley’s owner from now on. And best wishes to Beaker.
My Weight Watchers group walked a 5K after our meeting. I was behind at the start, because I was walking with a 75-year-old lady, but she had to leave after the first 3/4 mile to get to an art class Uptown. Eventually, I caught up to the front-runners, the two men, and we had a nice chat.
One of the guys is a chemical engineer who specializes in water quality, and he might be able to put Tom the Son in the way of some work that would have something to do with his college education.
If I understand correctly, Linux uses a Git flow that requires the project ownership to accept any changes. People who have been demonstrating how to create quality software to Microsoft for a couple of decades now control this in the public domain version of Linux. They won’t accept anything from Microsquish that will mess with their OS.
Now, that doesn’t mean that Microsquish can’t clone the repository and start making their own flavor. Then it will be an option like Debian or Ubuntu. You would only have to buy it if it came with a PC. And you could blow away the PC and install Debian or Ubuntu or some other flavor.
Is it a good luck froggie?
We didn’t pay for 3-D this time around. It was still worth watching early rather than waiting to pay $1.50 at Redbox.
Thank you!
I didn’t pay for 3D, either.
You’re welcome. The kitten looks as if he’s going smack his mom in the nose, which is not a smart choice.
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