But if they're really smarter and morally superior, they'll be happy to pay to 'uplift' everyone else too. No really, humor me for a moment...

It's difficult to imagine the true implications of genetic engineering, but I think it goes far beyond making yourself taller or smarter. We're talking about throwing vertical evolution out the window in favor of horizontal evolution. Want someone's genes? Previously, the only way you could get them (and only for your descendants, not yourself) was to mate with that person. But suddenly you can get them for yourself and your descendants, just by making a copy.

And that changes everything.

Because the only reason people compete along class lines and try to keep wealth "in the family" in the first place is that we're genetically programmed to do so. Why? Because people who invested in their families were more successful at passing on their genes.

But wait, with genetic engineering, suddenly the best way to pass on your genes is simply to have good genes that people want to copy.

In other words, once genes are just data, like ideas or, to borrow a Dawkins phrase, "memes", the Darwinian War of The Genes is over. Which means the only important game left in town is the War of Ideas.

And the already weakened ideas of racism and classicism, having no basis outside the War of The Genes - will be among the first casualties in the new War of Ideas.

Yeah, but this wasn't a medical test, it was a scientific test. The goal was not to diagnose but to further basic research.

Wasn't there a movie about that?

FTFY. Some people like talking about the issues but keeping it funky; some people are having a hard time understanding this but can relate to it more easily by way of humor. You may not like it, the mods may not like it and I will be modded down, but that's just how I and my friend Anonymous Coward feels.

Being disabled, I find the caps-lock key very handy. My right hand does not work properly, and typing things like "B.M. Forester" is much easier than holding down the shift key. I have never used AOL.

I just wrote that to a random contact on my Gmail Chat list. I'm sure they'll get it.

Another site I read mentioned that it's blocked in the AdBlock Plus EasyPrivacy subscription. https://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions

I added that subscription and it worked like a charm

I haven't seen Avatar yet, but battle for Terra was really good in a way that I doubt Avatar was:

***** SPOILER ALERT for Battle of Terra and Saving Private Ryan (??)*****

The Terrans (aliens) actually have advanced technology, but the Humans still wipe the floor with them after an initial hard fought battle. The swinging trees don't beat the storm troopers on Terra.

The stakes are extinction for both sides, so when characters you've grown to like have to kill each other, you believe their motives. Lots of movies have made me sense the evils of war by showing me its affects on those who fought and those just caught up in it. Battle for Terra is the first I've seen where the evilness hits home during the thrill ride that is on screen sci-fi combat.

There's a scene in "Saving Private Ryan" where a wall collapses. An American squad and a German squad find themselves suddenly face to face with each other. As an action scene, it's as tense as anything on film. But imagine the emotional impact if Spielberg had spent the previous hour getting you to know and like both squads. This is what Battle for Terra achieves and then some.

For what seemed like a kids movie at first, Battle for Terra didn't pull many punches.

*********** end spoiler *************