scientists and technicians. SynCorn conducted research in
the area of genetic modification of hybrid corn.
SynCorn
had employed the male victim, Dr. Ray Wilson, for two years. He had
moved to Moloka‘i from Stillwater, Oklahoma. According to a
SynCorn spokesperson, Helena Feedum, “Dr. Wilson, Ray, wanted
to test his laboratory findings in the field test plots here on
Moloka‘i. Dr. Wilson’s work involved the modification of
the gene that gives common corn its distinctive yellow color.”
Remembering
that Heinz had introduced green ketchup and then blue ketchup, Gybe
surmised that SynCorn was attempting to do the same with corn. Gybe
looked up at Kara. “Do you think kids would eat more veggies
if they were rainbow colored?”
“ The
kids or the veggies?”
"For
now, let’s assume they are coloring the veggies.”
He
returned to the article but wondered if some other company was
creating a variety of green beans that were purple or pink.
“Remember the artist who created the luminescent rabbit?”
Kara
shuddered. “These guys are fucking nuts! I can’t
believe we are allowing these genetic hackers to experiment with
life. Do they have any idea of the repercussions of their
experiments? Do they KNOW what will happen when a farmer plants
blood-red corn on his Nebraska fields?”
Gybe
ducked back behind the newspaper to avoid the rant.
“ How
do they change the color of corn? Suppose they are taking the color
gene from tropical fish, maybe a clownfish, and splicing it into the
corn genome. What happens when some of that corn washes into the
ocean here on Moloka‘i? What happens when it enters the
pelagic food chain?” Kara ranted on.
“ Why
do we need colored corn?” As Gybe’s mouth started to
move, Kara answered her own question. “Just so some greedy
multinational corporation can make more money. I’m so damned
mad. Let’s go visit SynCorn right now!”
“ Hold
on. I’m hearing a lot more emotion than facts. You may be
right, but we don’t know that Dr. Wilson was mating Nemo with
the Jolly Green Giant. I want to read the rest of this article, OK?”
Gybe
finished the SynCorn story and sailed his eyes over to the GeNesRus
company overview.
In
the GeNesRus sidebar, Gybe read that Dr. Elizabeth Miller had founded
the company two years earlier. The company enjoyed the status of
woman-owned although there was no public record of government
contracting.
The
privately held firm hadn’t released any financial data. A
press release eighteen months ago indicated that a Boston venture
capital firm had invested in GeNesRus.
In a
telephone interview with Dr. Elizabeth Miller, the founder and CEO,
the reporter had learned that nineteen employees worked at the
laboratory on Maunaloa Highway west of Kaunakakai. When asked about
the specific business of GeNesRus, Dr. Miller told the reporter
“GeNesRus is researching the transfer of genetic material from
one plant species to another.” When pressed, the CEO refused
to elaborate.
“ They
sure don’t reveal much about either the victims or their
employers.” Gybe amplified his earlier comment. “I
guess the companies are worried about their trade secrets.”
“ Public
opinion is their real fear.” Kara offered. “Why do you
think they perform their research on Moloka‘i, an island with
little industry and few job opportunities? There is no daily
newspaper and no scheduled airline flights. Because Hawai‘i
has only one mayor per county, the mayor of Moloka‘i sits in
the county seat on Maui. And how much will the state help? The
state capitol is in Honolulu. Frankly, they care more about waders
on Waikiki than mutants on Moloka‘i. The greedy multinational
corporations are taking advantage of these people.”
Wow,
she never stopped to breathe once. Greedy-multinational-corporation
came out as one word. “You seem to know a lot about Hawai‘i
for someone who flew in yesterday?”
“ We
have a network of volunteers within Oceans Now who
the area of genetic modification of hybrid corn.
SynCorn
had employed the male victim, Dr. Ray Wilson, for two years. He had
moved to Moloka‘i from Stillwater, Oklahoma. According to a
SynCorn spokesperson, Helena Feedum, “Dr. Wilson, Ray, wanted
to test his laboratory findings in the field test plots here on
Moloka‘i. Dr. Wilson’s work involved the modification of
the gene that gives common corn its distinctive yellow color.”
Remembering
that Heinz had introduced green ketchup and then blue ketchup, Gybe
surmised that SynCorn was attempting to do the same with corn. Gybe
looked up at Kara. “Do you think kids would eat more veggies
if they were rainbow colored?”
“ The
kids or the veggies?”
"For
now, let’s assume they are coloring the veggies.”
He
returned to the article but wondered if some other company was
creating a variety of green beans that were purple or pink.
“Remember the artist who created the luminescent rabbit?”
Kara
shuddered. “These guys are fucking nuts! I can’t
believe we are allowing these genetic hackers to experiment with
life. Do they have any idea of the repercussions of their
experiments? Do they KNOW what will happen when a farmer plants
blood-red corn on his Nebraska fields?”
Gybe
ducked back behind the newspaper to avoid the rant.
“ How
do they change the color of corn? Suppose they are taking the color
gene from tropical fish, maybe a clownfish, and splicing it into the
corn genome. What happens when some of that corn washes into the
ocean here on Moloka‘i? What happens when it enters the
pelagic food chain?” Kara ranted on.
“ Why
do we need colored corn?” As Gybe’s mouth started to
move, Kara answered her own question. “Just so some greedy
multinational corporation can make more money. I’m so damned
mad. Let’s go visit SynCorn right now!”
“ Hold
on. I’m hearing a lot more emotion than facts. You may be
right, but we don’t know that Dr. Wilson was mating Nemo with
the Jolly Green Giant. I want to read the rest of this article, OK?”
Gybe
finished the SynCorn story and sailed his eyes over to the GeNesRus
company overview.
In
the GeNesRus sidebar, Gybe read that Dr. Elizabeth Miller had founded
the company two years earlier. The company enjoyed the status of
woman-owned although there was no public record of government
contracting.
The
privately held firm hadn’t released any financial data. A
press release eighteen months ago indicated that a Boston venture
capital firm had invested in GeNesRus.
In a
telephone interview with Dr. Elizabeth Miller, the founder and CEO,
the reporter had learned that nineteen employees worked at the
laboratory on Maunaloa Highway west of Kaunakakai. When asked about
the specific business of GeNesRus, Dr. Miller told the reporter
“GeNesRus is researching the transfer of genetic material from
one plant species to another.” When pressed, the CEO refused
to elaborate.
“ They
sure don’t reveal much about either the victims or their
employers.” Gybe amplified his earlier comment. “I
guess the companies are worried about their trade secrets.”
“ Public
opinion is their real fear.” Kara offered. “Why do you
think they perform their research on Moloka‘i, an island with
little industry and few job opportunities? There is no daily
newspaper and no scheduled airline flights. Because Hawai‘i
has only one mayor per county, the mayor of Moloka‘i sits in
the county seat on Maui. And how much will the state help? The
state capitol is in Honolulu. Frankly, they care more about waders
on Waikiki than mutants on Moloka‘i. The greedy multinational
corporations are taking advantage of these people.”
Wow,
she never stopped to breathe once. Greedy-multinational-corporation
came out as one word. “You seem to know a lot about Hawai‘i
for someone who flew in yesterday?”
“ We
have a network of volunteers within Oceans Now who
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