A collection by Neal McKenna
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A collection by Neal McKenna
Beware 'Planet of the Apes'
experiments could create
sci-fi nightmare
Last updated at 3:39 PM on 22nd July 2011
It sounds like something from a Hollywood science
fiction film: a race that is half human, half ape.
fiction film: a race that is half human, half ape.
But leading scientists are today demanding tough
new rules to prevent the nightmare scenario becoming
a reality.
new rules to prevent the nightmare scenario becoming
a reality.
In a hard-hitting report, they warn that research is
close to pushing ‘ethical boundaries’ and that
extreme attempts to give laboratory animals
human attributes must be banned.
close to pushing ‘ethical boundaries’ and that
extreme attempts to give laboratory animals
human attributes must be banned.
Summer blockbuster: A scene from the latest Planet of the Apes film Rise of the Planet of the Apes
In the film scientists search for an Alzheimer's cure create a new breed of ape with human-like intelligence
Another scene from the film out in August.
Last year, more than one million experiments were carried out on genetically modified animals
While talking chimpanzees and gun-toting gorillas are currently confined to movies, the academics say the dangers of disturbing animal-human experiments are real.
Professor Martin Bobrow, a medical geneticist at Cambridge University and co-author of the report, said society needed to set rules before scientists began experiments that the public would find unacceptable.
He added: ‘We are trying to get this out in the open before anything has happened.’
Out for justice: Scientists claim chimps can be trained to wield weapons like this animal in a viral ad for new prequel Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
Could it happen? The clips, shot to look like fly-on-the-wall documentary footage from Africa, appear scarily real
After taking the AK47 the chimpanzee fires it towards onlookers who goaded it into pulling the trigger
BEHIND THE LAB DOORS
- Mice modified to carry human genes are widely used to study diseases including cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and anxiety.
- Goats created with a human gene are used to produce a human protein that treats blood clotting disorders.
- Mice implanted with pieces of human tumours are used to test cancer drugs.
- Rat brains are injected with human stem cells to study how the brain deals with stroke damage.
- Researchers add human cells to mice immune systems or livers to study hepatitis.
The Academy of Medical Scientists review was set up to look at the growing number of experiments in which scientists add human genes or tissue to animals.
Last year, more than one million experiments were carried out on genetically modified animals – mostly mice and fish carrying human DNA.
These ‘transgenetic’ laboratory animals are used to develop new drugs for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, or to investigate the role of individual genes.
Researchers also create humanised animals by inserting human stem cells into animal embryos. These ‘chimeras’ are used to shed light on conditions such as stroke, hepatitis and cancer.
Today’s report (July 22, 2011) says most of these experiments raise no ethical or legal concerns. But it argues that the fast pace of science means researchers could create ‘animals containing human material that approach ethical or regulatory boundaries’, and calls for a new body of experts within the Home Office to monitor the experiments.
It also demands some research is banned outright, including injecting human stem cells into the brains of primates if it ‘engenders human-like behaviour.’
That would prevent scientists creating apes with human-like memories or the ability to speak.
The warnings have echoes of the new movie Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, in which scientists searching for an Alzheimer’s cure create a new breed of ape with human-like intelligence.
Report co-author Professor Thomas Baldwin said: ‘The fear is that if you start putting very large numbers of human brain cells into the brains of primates suddenly you might transform the primate into something that has some of the capacities that we regard as distinctively human – speech, or other ways of being able to manipulate or relate to us.
‘These possibilities that are at the moment largely explored in fiction, we need to start thinking about now.’
Via The Daily Mail UK
150 human animal hybrids grown in UK labs: Embryos have been produced secretively for the past three years
By DANIEL MARTIN and SIMON CALDWELL
Last updated at 12:42 AM on 23rd July 2011
Scientists have created more than 150 human-animal hybrid embryos in British laboratories.The hybrids have been produced secretively over the past three years by researchers looking into possible cures for a wide range of diseases.
The revelation comes just a day after a committee of scientists warned of a nightmare ‘Planet of the Apes’ scenario in which work on human-animal creations goes too far.
Undercover: Scientists have been growing human animal hybrids in secret for the last three years (Posed by models)
Last night (July 21, 2011) a campaigner against the excesses of medical research said he was disgusted that scientists were ‘dabbling into the grotesque.’
Figures seen by the Daily Mail show that 155 ‘admixed’ embryos, containing both human and animal genetic material, have been created since the introduction of the 2008 Human Fertilisation Embryology Act.
This legalised the creation of a variety of hybrids, including an animal egg fertilised by a human sperm; ‘cybrids’, in which a human nucleus is implanted into an animal cell; and ‘chimeras’, in which human cells are mixed with animal embryos.
Scientists say the techniques can be used to develop embryonic stem cells which can be used to treat a range of incurable illnesses.
Three labs in the UK – at King’s College London, Newcastle University and Warwick University – were granted licences to carry out the research after the Act came into force.
All have now stopped creating hybrid embryos due to a lack of funding, but scientists believe that there will be more such work in the future.
The figure was revealed to crossbench peer Lord Alton following a Parliamentary question.
Research centre: Warwick University has been growing animal human hybrids over the last three years
Last night (July 21, 2011) he said: ‘I argued in Parliament against the creation of human- animal hybrids as a matter of principle. None of the scientists who appeared before us could give us any justification in terms of treatment.
‘Ethically it can never be justifiable – it discredits us as a country. It is dabbling into the grotesque.
‘At every stage the justification from scientists has been: if only you allow us to do this, we will find cures for every illness known to mankind. This is emotional blackmail.
‘Of the 80 treatments and cures which have come about from stem cells, all have come from adult stem cells – not embryonic ones.
‘On moral and ethical grounds this fails; and on scientific and medical ones too.’
‘On moral and ethical grounds this fails; and on scientific and medical ones too.’
Josephine Quintavalle, of pro-life group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: ‘I am aghast that this is going on and we didn’t know anything about it.
‘Why have they kept this a secret? If they are proud of what they are doing, why do we need to ask Parliamentary questions for this to come to light?
‘The problem with many scientists is that they want to do things because they want to experiment. That is not a good enough rationale.’
Test centre: Newcastle University was another site where human animal hybrid testing was being undertaken
Earlier this week, a group of leading scientists warned about ‘Planet of the Apes’ experiments. They called for new rules to prevent lab animals being given human attributes, for example by injecting human stem cells into the brains of primates.
But the lead author of their report, Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, from the Medical Research Council’ s National Institute for Medical Research, said the scientists were not concerned about human-animal hybrid embryos because by law these have to be destroyed within 14 days.
He said: ‘The reason for doing these experiments is to understand more about early human development and come up with ways of curing serious diseases, and as a scientist I feel there is a moral imperative to pursue this research.
‘As long as we have sufficient controls – as we do in this country – we should be proud of the research.’
However, he called for stricter controls on another type of embryo research, in which animal embryos are implanted with a small amount of human genetic material.
Human-animal hybrids are also created in other countries, many of which have little or no regulation.
Via The Daily Mail UK *
* Just keep in mind the UK's Daily Mail is hardly a definitive source of accurate news reporting!
This comes from the
'Why am I Not Surprised?' file!.
Most wanted suspect escapes
SUPPLIED
Wanted poster of 4 top criminals. Ogies, Sibanda, Baloyi and Mojo Picture: Handout/Supplied
Bongani Moyo, 29, one of the four “most wanted” criminals whose pictures were released to the media by police in May in an attempt to have them arrested, is believed to have bowed to the magistrate as he walked out of court with a pile of papers under his arm. Correctional Services has blamed the police for Moyo’s escape.
“He was picked up by the police so he could go to court, and escaped under the nose of the police.”
“We warned the police that this person had escaped before and therefore they should tighten their security,” Correctional Services spokesman Phumlani Ximiya told Reuters.
Moyo’s escape happened while the SAPS top brass in Gauteng was in a meeting at the Pretoria Central police station on Wednesday morning.
General Shadrack Sibiya, head of the Hawks in Gauteng, was at the scene of the escape moments after it was noticed, and closed off the court from which Moyo is believed to have fled.
Several Hawks officers also arrived on the scene and were seen having a lengthy meeting with Sibiya while questioning court staff, prisoners in the waiting cell and inspecting the area where Moyo was kept before escaping.
Police have confirmed Moyo was apparently not locked up in the waiting cells like other prisoners, and was not in shackles as “most wanted” criminals usually are.
He did not have any extra police officers or prison warders guarding him, despite police saying he has been linked to 34 bank robberies since 2006 and escaped from Boksburg prison in March.
It is believed Moyo had pretended to be injured and unable to walk properly and was on crutches when he appeared in court on Wednesday.
Prisoners who are disabled or walking on crutches are usually not locked inside the cell and are allowed to sit on the bench near the holding cell, which is also used by lawyers to consult with the prisoners at court.
The crutches with which he was walking were found in the possession of one of his co-accused and police said they were ”baffled” about how he simply walked out of court.
Police sources close to the investigation claimed on Wednesday that one of the witnesses who was questioned claimed Moyo had bowed to the magistrate before walking out, with papers clutched under his arm.
“He was sitting between court 16 and 17 and escaped through court 16. At this stage, police are investigating how this could have happened and if there was any negligence.
“We are again appealing to the community to assist in putting him behind bars. Police are investigating a case of escape from lawful custody,” said spokeswoman Captain Katlego Mogale.
She said it was the responsibility of the SAPS and Correctional Service officials to ensure that dangerous criminals could not escape from custody when attending court cases.
Mogale said she could not answer some of the questions asked by the Pretoria News as police were still investigating how Moyo escaped.
The questions included why Moyo was not inside the holding cell as he is considered by the SAPS as a “most wanted criminal”; why he was not shackled like dangerous criminals are; and, why there were not enough police or Correctional Service guards with him if he was as dangerous as the public had been informed?
“We are still investigating and all those questions will be answered once we have investigated how all this happened. We are also baffled by how he managed to escape from custody like that,” said Mogale.
Moyo’s escape happened shortly after he had appeared with co-accused Leon Ncube, 27, Thabani Sibanda, 27, and Khubulani Sibanda, 30, on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and possession of unlicensed firearms.
The four allegedly robbed a Standard Bank in Hatfield and made off with about R38 000 in cash.Ncube was also appearing on a charge of attempted murder and malicious damage to property after he allegedly tried to run over a police officer with a car and crashed into a police vehicle at the Safari Hotel in Hillbrow, Joburg. The case will resume on August 22.
General Shadrack Sibiya, head of the Hawks in Gauteng, was at the scene of the escape moments after it was noticed, and closed off the court from which Moyo is believed to have fled.
Several Hawks officers also arrived on the scene and were seen having a lengthy meeting with Sibiya while questioning court staff, prisoners in the waiting cell and inspecting the area where Moyo was kept before escaping.
Police have confirmed Moyo was apparently not locked up in the waiting cells like other prisoners, and was not in shackles as “most wanted” criminals usually are.
He did not have any extra police officers or prison warders guarding him, despite police saying he has been linked to 34 bank robberies since 2006 and escaped from Boksburg prison in March.
It is believed Moyo had pretended to be injured and unable to walk properly and was on crutches when he appeared in court on Wednesday.
Prisoners who are disabled or walking on crutches are usually not locked inside the cell and are allowed to sit on the bench near the holding cell, which is also used by lawyers to consult with the prisoners at court.
The crutches with which he was walking were found in the possession of one of his co-accused and police said they were ”baffled” about how he simply walked out of court.
Police sources close to the investigation claimed on Wednesday that one of the witnesses who was questioned claimed Moyo had bowed to the magistrate before walking out, with papers clutched under his arm.
“He was sitting between court 16 and 17 and escaped through court 16. At this stage, police are investigating how this could have happened and if there was any negligence.
“We are again appealing to the community to assist in putting him behind bars. Police are investigating a case of escape from lawful custody,” said spokeswoman Captain Katlego Mogale.
She said it was the responsibility of the SAPS and Correctional Service officials to ensure that dangerous criminals could not escape from custody when attending court cases.
Mogale said she could not answer some of the questions asked by the Pretoria News as police were still investigating how Moyo escaped.
The questions included why Moyo was not inside the holding cell as he is considered by the SAPS as a “most wanted criminal”; why he was not shackled like dangerous criminals are; and, why there were not enough police or Correctional Service guards with him if he was as dangerous as the public had been informed?
“We are still investigating and all those questions will be answered once we have investigated how all this happened. We are also baffled by how he managed to escape from custody like that,” said Mogale.
Moyo’s escape happened shortly after he had appeared with co-accused Leon Ncube, 27, Thabani Sibanda, 27, and Khubulani Sibanda, 30, on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and possession of unlicensed firearms.
The four allegedly robbed a Standard Bank in Hatfield and made off with about R38 000 in cash.Ncube was also appearing on a charge of attempted murder and malicious damage to property after he allegedly tried to run over a police officer with a car and crashed into a police vehicle at the Safari Hotel in Hillbrow, Joburg. The case will resume on August 22.
Pretoria News IOL News
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What lies beneath...
Breathless Anticipation
With breathless anticipation, the crowd awaits the unveiling of the Julius Malema Statue...
OUT TO LUNCHJulius Malema's Erectile Dysfunction |
Photo via What is happening in South Africa
Malema's combination of stupidity, greed and arrogance make him a man
to be feared.
JOHANNESBURG - The Out to Lunch column this week celebrates its first birthday hosted by Moneyweb. So I am cracking open the pink Moët, shaking the bottle up a bit and splashing it over the grateful poor. Let them not eat cake. Rather let them feel the froth of a good French bubbly on their proletarian skins.
Like Julius, I come from a struggle background and will never forget my cheroots. I once struggled to get upgraded on a flight to Zurich (from Business up to First obviously) and I also struggled to get a table at The Ivy in London. Someone called AA Gill was sitting at the table I wanted. I even struggled to work out why the Paper for the Poephol led with such a non story last Sunday when so much had been happening during the week.
The middle class have been facing a cash crunch ever since the global financial markets went into a tail spin well over a year ago. Fortunately the editor and staff of the City Press spend less time propping up the bar at Katzy's and managed another fine front page lead on JuJu and his allegedly ill gotten gains.
Predictably Julius came back fighting although he hasn't given any convincing answers as to where he gets all that money (and R54m is quite a decent current account balance) or apologised for his collapsed bridges; now fondly known as his "erectile dysfunctions."
This week he labelled Helen Zille a "satanist" and cast aspersions on Patricia de Lille's pulling power with the opposite sex. Not that any particular lady has been linked with JuJu. One would have thought that JuJu's popularity with the media would have lead to all sorts of revelations about his love life, or lack of.
Maybe this is what City Press are planning to serve up this Sunday while the Paper for the Poephol astounds us with the shock front page revelation "Poor people have less money than rich people."
OK....no more ST bashing this week but the aptly descriptive variation on the ST slogan "the paper for the people" came up at a gathering of like minded ex-ST readers the other day at lunch and it was too good not to share. We may even print some T-shirts.
The antics of Julius Malema may be good for a laugh now but they remind me of the early days of Idi Amin. Young JuJu is already allowed to travel in a car with no number plates with no fear of prosecution. He refuses to give answers to the media as to how he acquired such wealth in such a short time and he may even enjoy special status with the Receiver of Revenue.
In the face of overwhelming evidence that he's a sleazebag the ruling party remain silent. Perhaps they have their own plans for JuJu but maybe they are quietly chuckling to themselves and saying "that's my boy."
If it's the latter then we really are up shit creek without a paddle. We will look back on 2010 not as the year we hosted the FIFA World Cup but as the year the cancer that destroyed the country was first detected and identified.
We've had some low lifes before, and many of them from the ANCYL, but Malema's combination of stupidity, greed and arrogance plus his willingness and ability to lie with a straight face make him a man to be feared. We may be chortling at his antics now but we won't be laughing when his goons start kicking in the heads of his political enemies.
If JuJu wants something JuJu gets it so there'll be no argument about the nationalisation of the mines whatever JZ may have said to Gordon Brown. It won't be JZ's government anymore so it will have been no lie for him to say that "my government have no plans to nationalise the mines." Things change quickly in Africa and a verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on as Sam Goldwyn once said.
And the media won't fare too well either. JuJu will by that time have declared himself emperor for life and will be throwing huge parties and feeding the likes of Stephen Grootes and Justice Malala to his pet lions and videoing it for YouTube.
If you think Malema is a joke look at his supporters. Are they livid that he has bilked the poor and lives a life of luxury? Of course not. To them he is the man who, along with people like Jimmy Manyi, is finally going to put the whites in their place. These are the chaps whose destiny it is to foment racial hatred.
It's only a matter of time before white bank accounts will be frozen and redistributed to the needy. The argument will be typical Malema logic... you can't need the money if you leave it in the bank earning interest.
Whites will not be allowed to leave anything to their descendants and white businesses will need to be black owned. No sorry... my mistake... we already have that one don't we?
Rather like the Jews before World War 2, whites will look back and wonder why they never saw it coming. Well they probably did but they were too timid to speak out for fear of being labelled racists.
Via Moneyweb
More ANCYL officials charged
REUTERS
ANC Youth League President Julius Malema.
Four more ANC Youth League officials have been charged with bringing the ruling party into disrepute, it was reported on Wednesday.
The Mail & Guardian Online and SABC radio reported that the ANCYL's deputy president Ronald Lamola, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, his deputy, Kenetswe Mosenogi and treasurer general Pule Mabe would face charges alongside its president Julius Malema and spokesman Floyd Shivambu. The reports quoted four “highly placed sources” within the African National Congress Youth League.
ANCYL spokeswoman Magdalene Moonsamy said she was not in a position to comment on the reports.“I think this is a process that belongs to the ANC. Let's wait for some communication from the ANC's side,” she said. ANC spokesman Keith Khoza said he was trying to confirm the reports.
Derek Hanekom, the chairman of the ANC's national disciplinary committee in the case against Malema and Shivambu, was not immediately reachable on Wednesday morning.The Mail and Guardian Online reported that the four ANCYL officials were charged shortly after an ANC media briefing on Tuesday.
Last week, the ANC announced action against Malema and Shivambu.“Comrade Julius Malema has been charged with various violations of the ANC constitution, including bringing the ANC into disrepute through his utterances and statements on Botswana and sowing divisions in the ranks of the African National Congress,” said Hanekom said at the time.
Malema recently said the ANCYL would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and help bring about regime change, as it believed the government there was “in full co-operation with imperialists” and was undermining the “African agenda.” Last year, Malema pleaded guilty in an ANC disciplinary hearing after he publicly criticised President Jacob Zuma.
The national disciplinary committee at the time said that should Malema be found guilty of provoking serious divisions or a break-down of unity in the organisation within the next two years, his membership of the ANC would be suspended. - Sapa
Via IOL News
Famous Malema Quotes
Image Via Salsafrica
Deborah Patta from 3rd degree asked Julius Malema: "If you fail matric, would you kill yourself?"
His reply: "Me kill myself? I would rather commit suicide!”
On the Nandos “More change” TV ad: “I don’t know what’s happening with Nando’s. We are running this country and we cannot be concerned about chickens.”
On a two-thirds majority: “We are tired of a two-thirds majority. Our aim is a ‘three-thirds’ majority.”
On the Jacob Zuma sex trial: "In the morning, that lady requested breakfast and taxi money. You can't ask for money from somebody who raped you."
On the DA Youth league: "I only debate with serious political youth formations, not a group of the racist Helen Zille's garden boys."
On being a decoy: “I was the decoy. While Helen Zille was calling me names, Jacob Zuma was sprinting to the Union Buildings.”
On Zuma's education: “Zuma was taught by people on the ground. He is the most educated president. Economics is simple – put bread on the table.”
Malema told protesting Tshwane University of Technology students: "We’ve got a minister who’s spending too much time using an American accent without assisting our people.
On politicians who can be replaced: “Politicians are the easiest to replace... We will move forward and they will carry on with the programmes which are there.”
Opinion on DA leader Helen Zille: "Helen Zille is a political toddler."
On Julius Malema: “I’m an ordinary young person who’s grown up here in South Africa, from a township, who has no intention – none whatsoever – to scare people.”
On the ANCYL: “We are in a political laboratory; never blame us if we make mistakes, we are [just] learning.”
On Naledi Pandor: "Let the minister use that fake accent to address our problems and behave like a spoilt minister."
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