by Staff Writer

Hi folks, I thought of cloning and framing it as a pro/con discussion but for many people including myself its full of moral and ethical quicksand and I wish not to sink in either direction.

The Basics of Cloning: making an exact copy of a living organism.
Twins are split embryo egg cells that gestate and in nine months or less are born together, seconds, or minutes apart. The infant twins are from a females split egg and male sperm naturally born, some people would call these siblings clones. Applied Science is speeding towards the cloning of human’s whether it has been accomplished already or in the process is speculation but knowing our species we will keep trying in secret as private government/public industry projects.

The Bad News:The technology is here, cloning human’s can be banned, slowed, but cannot be stopped. We are economically, scientifically connected globally. Do we really think other countries especially ones with a dictator and a population ready to leave or worse overthrow said dictator(s) will not use this new ‘tech to make ready made “clone soldiers” under a dictators control and what if one their researchers found ways to “serial clone” parts or place the original neural electrochemical imprint [personality] of the dictator into his clone skull overlaid on a new brain and body! You not only have replaceable, non reject internal and external body parts but the potential for a near immortal dictator(s) renewing themselves when possible. And unlike Xerox copies as the technology improves cloning gets cheaper, better, and those cloned bodies last longer.

The Good News: This breakthrough can enable adults, children, the elderly to replace defective organs, blood with healthy ones. See how genes can be improved, make better synthetic genes that are better than our original ones. We’ll be able to control our evolution not for the next generation but in our own. Prevention and cures for many human ills.
We have time to slow the pace, place guidelines, speed is deadly on this and other sciences coming together we must take the time an safeguard our selves.

Here are a few Questions I’ve answered for myself

Are clones human? Though created asexually [without two parents]
if they gestate and grow normally they become normal looking humans, being a copy is the original human’s problem not the clone’s he/she see themselves as normal.

Do they have souls? If a clone is made from skin cells, develops in a female’s womb or artificial one, normally ages the same way most infant do, becomes a toddler, child and hopefully grows up. If they have religious lessons and are taught right from wrong they’ll believe they have souls if not like some normal birthed children they may become psychopathic.

As we all know even the best parents with all the love and protection given their child he or she might end up psychopathic killers... There is no way to know.

My View: If I wants spare parts then my clone should be separate from its brainstem so as not to have a living being suffer. With brainstem, nervous system, and other internal/external organs on-call I’ll have replacement parts ready including replacements for neurons and synapses.

Having a child grow, learn who and what purpose they were created is a cruelty that makes the original human souless not the innocent unknowing clone.

As for “Serial Immortality” [replacing old cloned bodies with new ones].This could be possible for wealthy people or lotto second life winners which can win only once! The problem is everytime this is done it must be perfect each time. I’m thinking A.I. [Artificial Intelligence] medical surgical techniques on the molecular level for gene, cell, and hormone copy and improvements.

I may trust human surgeons but for possible ongoing near immortality by serial cloning give a high tech ‘molecular mechanic to work on me from my first gene sequence to last neuron human hands and brains have to many flaws for me to trust them to. Anyone have positive or negative views on your own personal view on cloning, its challenges and pitfalls just sound off.

by Aaron Selter

Has the San Francisco Chronicle become the National Enquirer? In the
Chronicle's initial report on the truck driver who crashed into the state
capitol, its editors chose to publish unconfirmed reports on the front page
concerning a supposed grudge between the driver and Gov. Gray Davis. These
"unconfirmed reports" turned out to be false, yet the Chronicle waited unitl
page four of the next day's edition to correct its statement.

Michael Bowers, the deceased truck driver, had written the governor a
letter in which CHP Commissioner D.O. "Spike" Helmick characterized as
"non-threatening". The subject of the letter, the unacceptable facilities
and treatment Bowers was receiving as a patient in the Atascadero state
mental health hospital, can now be seen as a threat or challenge to correct
a system which was failing and individual. Though, the governor did not
choose to see the issue in this light when he received the letter.

In 1986 Bowers was incarcerated for the first time. Over the next
several years he was sent back to prison for various parole violations. His
family states that over this time Bowers had spent a total of two years in
solitary confinement. When the state corrections department was asked for a
response they stated that they could not verify the claim. Is this becasue
they do not know what is occurring in their prisons? Or are they afraid
that the truth may be detremential to their status quo?

"He used to like to sing, dance, ski," Robin Bowers, the victims sister
said. "When he came out of prison, he wasn't my brother anymore. He was
different."

Bowers was sentenced to six more years of prison in 1991. The first
three years were spent in prison, then Bowers was transferred to Atascadero
state mental health hospital. One state mental health official said that a
transfer such as this indicates that Bowers, "had a severe mental disorder
that was not in remission and represented a substantial danger or physical
harm to others."

Bowers was eventually shipped to another state mental health facitility
where he stayed until an opportunity for parole came up twice. Both times
Bowers refused to sign the parole papers because they incorrectly stated
that he was a heroin addict and required methadone treatments as a condition
for parole. Did the state think the methadone would have cured Bowers
mental health problems even though he was not an addict? Or is the system in
such disarray that they can not process paperwork correctly?

Despite the urging of the prosecutor and psychologists that Bowers was
a danger to society, a jury decided that he no longer posed a threat and
released him in 1999.

Every governmental agency that Bowers encountered failed him.
Beginning with the solitary confinement in prison, to the substandard
treatment in the state mental health facilities, to the media who falsely
characterized him. The combined collapse of the system resulted in the loss
of a citizen. In order to protect itself and deflect criticism the system,
who should be held accountable, placed the blame on the individual.

The popular solution is to build a wall around the capitol, closing it
off from the people it is supposed to serve. Nobody has suggested breaking
down the walls that prevent change in our correctional and mental health
facilities.

"All the people in the world wouldn't have prevented what happened,"
Helmick said.

I disagree. The system could have prevented this tragedy. Many
people, who make up the system, had a chace to help Michael Bowers but they
failed; and now a life is lost.

by Jewnbug

Poverty bought my lottery, ticket.

writing uplifted hurting, emerging.

searching through books to rescue stories buried deep in shame.

poverty gave social services my name.

Time trys to trap my rhyme, won’t b a mime 4 da 9-5 ride.

Stress needs rest, rethinking how to organize mess of past relations with press, my ex.

moving on to the next , I press.

Incarceration epdemic sickens nations with investations of violations.

Police canceled yo lease, ceased possessions, release demanded from zoo cages.

Words fly with birds not just nerds, unlocking the will to flirt again , again.

Poverty locked me in a cage.

Words fly with birds release my RAGE!

by Joseph Perryman

1/24/2001

THEY SAY THAT I AM FREE

BUT THEY WON’T LET MY HANDS GO

THEY TRY TO KEPT ME WITH AH BLIND FOLD

AND SAY DON’T GO WHERE THEY GO

TRUTH BE HOLD IS THE TRUTH REALLY BEING TOLD

NO MATTER WHAT IT MAY BE

YOU TOOK SOMETHING FROM THE PEOPLE NOW GIVE

IT BACK THREE TIMES FOLD

I’M SO HOT I COULD SCOLD

I’M FEELIN BIG THAN BOLD

YOU SAY WO WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THE FIRST

THE MATTER HAS GOTTEN WORSE

WE NEED TO DO MORE THAN CURSE

WE GOTTA HIT’EM WHERE IT HURTS

WE NOT STEPPIN ASIDE

WE STEPPIN N STRIDE

WE CAN NOT HIDE FROM THE FACT

WE THEY AIN’T TO HAPPY CAUSE WE BLACK

THEY WANNA SEE US ON OUR BACKS

YOU CAN BE STRAPED

BUT IS THAT REALLY THE WAY TO GO ABOUT IT

YOU CAN SCREAM AND SHOUT ABOUT IT

BUT DO THEY HEAR IT

OR FEAR IT IF YOU GET NEAR IT

by Irma Jean Lewis-Epps

Micro- economics. I don't want or need this word to be defined
for me by a dictionary. I live this everyday on the money I recieve
from San Francisco's Dept. of Human, Services (D.H.S.) also known
as WELFARE. I am defined by D.H.S. , along with my daughter, as
a single-parent head of household, plus one. Technically we represent
a unit of two, therefore we are entitled to the micro-economically
deprived sum total of $493.50 per month. We spend every waking hour
(as the parent this is my task) attempting to make this amount last
from momth to month. This can only be done on paper as a matter
of theorectical application. On my block we smilingly refer to it
as a waste of paper.

Tonight my child and I are once again in search of someway to
survive another day. We are part of a fortunate few being given
the opportunity to participate in government subsidized program
that will ,eventually help us transistion off welfare to work. This
particular program is the Bay are IDA collaborative program. The
East Bay Asian Local Develpoment Corporation is comprised of thirteen
different organizations that serve low-income individuals . The
main idea is to help all of us low-income and close to no-income
set up a savings program. The way the system is set up now you can
easily be penalized for having any savings, IDA's are attempting
to change that way of thinking.

George Loew was the E.B.A.L.D.C. representative at the orientation.
Along with the basic information he was dispensing he also intimated
that there may be cause to plant seeds of hope. IDA's can be used
for job training or education, business start-ups, up to $600 and
first-time home ownership (not all participants will qualify), up
to $1,920. At this meeting we get information as well as applications
to be filled out in order to determine eligibility. Now of course
all of us low slash maybe no-incomes know about forms and the absolute
need to first determine eligibility, after which if we meet the
necessary requirements we proceed to the next step which is to make
an appointment. If we make it to the next appointment, we bring
along with us the filled out forms to a one on one meeting with
E.B.A.L.D.C. If accepted into the program you attend five weekly
sessions on money management, attend other training specifically
related to your individual goal. For those of us trying to stretch
our meager monthly income the concept of savings is so strange and
alien that we truly need the assistance of others to familiarize
us with something left over to be "saved". At this point we are
then shown how to open an Individual Development Account at a designated
financial institution ,make monthly deposits and attend monthly
"peer savers" club meetings. This is a good idea.

As we all know by virtue of it's being a good idea, it does not
have a snowballs chance in hell of being actualized. They are presently
compiling the statistical data necessary to present to government
(on the Federal level)the need for this program, a.k.a. enough numbers
to get funded. Now back to reality, word on the street is that knowledge
is power. I say power is an action , Knowledge is only power if
you use it. What happens if not only you don't use it cause you
don't know it, but you are having trouble confirming it cause you
never heard it. In order to have acess to this program you must
be referred through one of the thirteen organizations comprising
E.B.A. L. D. C. As soon as I get a list of them all you will be
the first to know. I am presently a part of Poor magazines WE WILL
BE HEARD NEW MEDIA JOURNALISM STUDIES PROGRAM. If I were not a part
of this program I would not have ever heard of IDA's. In my particular
class there are less than a dozen students , fortunately for us
chosen few Poor Magazine is enpowered to allow us entrance into
the hallowed halls of participation (if we meet the eligibility
requirements) . If you don't have acess to the knowledge, you sure
as heck won't be using it, and you can trust me on this one , you
will lose out on a lot by not knowing. In this program your personal
savings held in an IDA account are matched by the Bay Area IDA Collaborative
Program, two dollars to every one dollar you save. Your matched
savings are kept in a parallel account managed by the IDA Program.
You will recieve monthly statements from your banking institution,showing
your personal savings & fromthe program showing your earned match.
You will also recieve matching funds for savings used towards your
designated savings goal. If you have any questions pertaining to
IDA's contact George Loew at (510)287-5353 ext.436, or e-mail Gloew@ebaldc.com.

As I sat there listening small rays of hope began to tinge the
edges of my reality. Not those big rays you may associate with sunshine,
but tiny tingles along the edges because along with them came the
realization that only a hand full of us will be able to take advantage
of this cause only a few of us know. So my real contribution to
the cause will be to let you know that in order to get info on how
to get a referal , reach out to Poor Magazine attn. Lisa Gray-Garcia.
CAll (415) 863-6306 and ask Lisa about IDA's . It has been my experience
that it costs a lot to be "poor" in San Francisco and now thanks
to Poor Magazine I have taken another step away from low-income.

by Giovonna Willis-Barela staff writer, POOR Magazine

Loaves vs Lofts

by Joe

I’m a little ticked off at these tools I’m learning to use to get my words out to all of you. If you
have read my work, you’ll know its pretty eclectic. It
can range from enjoying a free meal to Hyper Science.

Think of Cloning, Genetic Engineering, Cybernetics, Nano-
molecular electronics-medical technologies, Cryobiology
Life Extension and Artificial Intelligence. Considering each of
these individually, it is already staggering to think of what they can do. Now mesh, combine them: That’s Hyper Tech,or Hypertechnology. The truth is, these and other sciences I dare not mention are rapidly merging.

The frustrating part is getting this on-screen, learning new software only to find glitches in this program that erases or hides
my work. Any other writers having similar problems?

In the old days, literally a hundred or a thousand years ago, we wrote
on paper where mistakes in sentence, words, and grammar errors made us tear up the paper and try again. Most of us learned, got better, made fewer mistakes. With the PC, its so much easier to scribble thoughts, but we can lose everything with an accidental press of the delete key.

Today’s Monday, February 12, 2001. My other work is on ‘Harvesting The Dead,” about a doctor taking already dead childrens' organs without
their parents' permission. I found out about this story through Reuters News Service and reporter Kate Kelland on Tuesday in London Jan. 30, 2001.

I found out that some French researchers really believe America had a clone in 2000. Possible, probable, who knows? Do I think it's possible... Damn Straight! It' also very possible that it's a smoke screen the French may be using to hide their own clone. Just a thought.

This is my “I don’t know what I’m doin' column.” Here we are in future, and the PC chews up all my work, making me do it over and over.
I should’ve stuck with my old Underwood or Royal typewriter. In fact, if
people are throwing them out, I still want one and maybe a long continuous roll of clean meatpacking paper so if a stream of Consciousness moods hits
I’ll be able to do a ‘Jack Kerourac.’ Wait a sec, my PC is the electronic equivalent! But I still would like to switch to the old style when I can.

The Future. Yeah, right. A few flying cars, the only hovercrafts are overgrown tugboats, BART is the closest thing to teleportation and it has trouble every time it rains. No vacations in space yet, and no jetpack.
But we have Craig Computers, the Human Genome is mapped, and life extension to possible immortality is no longer a joke. We have Cloning, Stemcell research and an international Space Station.

“Star Trek Voager” is about to end. “Star Trek
Wanderers" presents Will Wheaten traveling the starlanes without a spaceship. That hybrid Q girl and Q’s son and the evolved Kess, together or separately, are saving the universe, dimensions, timelines and each other at times.
Speaking of timelines, Star Trek’s Ships of the line “Tempest and an advanced “Enterprise,” a new Timeship that has a proud legacy to live.

I know, "He’s gone loopy again!" I say update some old, embrace the old.