Hideous mosquito exhibit from Deyata Kirula exhibition
I have discussed mosquito genocide before, and why I, an avid humanist, support it. Now it appears that we have some progress. Scientists have successfully released genetically engineered mosquitoes into a population and sabotaged it to the point that a lot of them have died (New Scientist). These modified (male) mosquitoes carry genes that kill their offspring before adulthood. These males, however, mate and produce offspring that consume resources until death, resulting in a net decline in the dengue bearing scourge.
The trick with these things is that mosquitoes have a short breeding cycle and adapt rapidly. ie, evolution is already working on a way to get around these Manchurian Mosquitoes to continue the viability of the species. The viability of the human species, however, depends on reducing the amount of mosquitoes, especially around Dehiwala. Turning over coconut shells will only help so much, especially when these periodic floods turn everything into a swamp. At some point, genetically engineered genocide may be in order.
this is similar to how dengue got here.
Hopefully this time around they won’t bring zombie disease
What is similar to how did dengue get here? I thought travellers to and from South India brought it here.
They bought the dengue mosquitoes to kill other mosquitoes. Then the mosquitoes found someone with dengue, the rest is history.
I’m sure this new mosquito will bring about the zombie apocalypse.
That’s news to me. How careless!
I think we Sri Lankans are already part zombie. Most of the time I feel almost anaesthetized, and everyone else appears the same. It must be the war that did it.
I’m very pleased to hear that you’re now an avid humanist, Indi, and have been freed from the shackles of a superstitious belief in a god. We must talk about this some time…
nope, he still believes in magic stuff
What’s wrong with believing in a little majic now and then? It can make life simpler sometimes.
By the way, I can’t see the post on sexist ads, despite cajoling and threatening this confounded contraption. I assume it’s the talking boobs or ogling camera, and that Indi is being proper and correct about them.
What’s wrong in believing that a cosmic Jewish zombie who is his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in all humanity because a rib-woman was convinced to eat from a magical tree by an infinitely sadistic being disguised as a talking snake?
Oh wait…
Oh Ruki, you got something mixed up. Dodo is the confirmed Atheist. I’m the agnostic of sorts holding on to a convenient God (or something) for one sided telepathic communications in emergencies (weak, no?), who also likes a little magic now and then.
I love that little description you plagiarised from someone (I remember seeing it before on this blog). It’s all Catholic dogma that I do not subscribe to. I think those evolved from pagan beliefs and practices which politicians could not completely erase, and had to compromise with . But I do admire Jesus Christ the human being for the true socialist he was, and for the beauty and inspiration in some of his teachings.
Now, I’m mad beacuse I cant view the post on sexist ads., probably need to upgrade this monster of a computer. I can only see part of the comments here. I do wish someone would tell me who you called a man whore and what Dodo thinks a radical feminist group did.
Jesus was kind to ‘sex workers’ and I’m sure he was supportive of feminism too. Maybe you should cut him a little slack.
But don’t ever stop commenting on this blog, it won’t be the same without you. Now I’ve got to run to the kitchen cos men can never do it the way I like (in the kitchen).
TESTING
Ruki, I love that funny little description you plagiarised from elsewhere in this blog. That’s Catholic dogma, not magic, and most of it, I think, are remnants of pagan beliefs which refused to go away. I’m an agnostic of sorts who weakly clings to a God (or whatever) for one sided telepathic conversations in emergencies. I think a little magic is alright as long as it doesn’t bother other people.
It’s so annoying not being able to see that post on sexist ads. I think my computer needs an upgrade or something. : (
Also dying to know who Ruki is calling names, Magerata or Dodo, and why, and also what does Dodo think some feminist group is doing. I can only see part of those comments. Damn!
Shammi, it seems feminist all over the world have started shaving their armpits and legs. The only thing left for them is the brazillian wax
You do deserve to be called rude names, I hope Ruki thinks up some more.
On the subject of feminism, I’ve found, being a closet feminist to be more fruitful and comfortable all round. One can enjoy the best of both worlds that way.
That’s just it: these superstitions not only DO bother people by restricting every aspect of our lives, they have a tendency towards violence to those who refuse to conform. They act as a walking stick: of potential use when the person is lame, but otherwise holding us back if forced to use when the person is well.
All religious people are atheists when it comes to other religions. They should all merely take the next logical step…
Organised religion has probably done more harm than good in later history, though it would have been a tool for survival in the earliest human civilizations . We should do away with them as we become more enlightened, though I reserve the right to have my little private thoughts.
I wonder what alternatives parents would use to teach children morality and good values in the absence of religion, and whether they would spend enough time with them to do so. Their life example will be woefully inadequate, methinks.
Enlightenment allows parents to teach our children right for right’s sake. Religion has little to no place in the arena of morality. For only two examples out of many, how about the way that most mainstream religions treat homosexuals and women?
Any decent person can quite easily offer far more moral teaching than any tomb written hundreds or thousands of years ago. We can draw from them, if we like, but that’s about as far as it should go.
“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.”
Prof. Steven Weinberg (Awarded 1979 Nobel Prize for Physics)
I can accept that we would be better off without religion, but feel that this change would have to be gradual, or it’s sure to leave a gaping void.
Possibly, but on an individual basis it’s really the opposite. Everything makes much more sense now that I don’t worry about a sky fairy ;)