Re: The Athena Factor by W. Michael Gear

On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:54:59 -0700 (PDT), Robert Carnegie
<rja.carnegie@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Jul 10, 1:59 pm, Jack Tingle <wjtin...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 7/10/2010 12:37 AM, David Johnston wrote:





This book is a perfect example of how perhaps it isn't so much that
science fiction is dying, as escaping the ghetto.  You won't find it
under SF in the book stores and libraries.  I found it in "mystery".
And yet, the premise is that an extralegal biotech company has
perfected cloning and is now stealing celebrity DNA to sell baby Julia
Roberts and Mel Gibsons to obsessed fans looking for the ultimate
collectible.  Which..doesn't entirely make sense.  After all, while
there may be a market of loonies who would shell out big bucks for a
celebrity clone, the profits involved are still nothing compared to
what the medical technologies that they've been developing are worth,
and launching.

That's science fiction all right, but it isn't very good science
fiction.  It's not just that scheme is a bit nutty.  There's even a
certain logic to the bad guys making a big production out of stealing
the DNA so they'll be given publicity, so their customers will believe
them about what they have to sell.   But the ending just sort of
arbitrarily...happens.

Oh noes! We iz all gonna be clonze!

Why wouldn't you just contract with Mel and Julia to sell "certified"
clones? Those would be more valuable still. A few bribes to the
government of Absurdistan would make cloning legal, surrogate motherhood
well regulated, and adoption of foreign clones easy. Cash cow! "Now sir,
the clone tax, motherhood fees (may I see the lab, surrogate and midwife
quitclaims, thank you), adoption fees, exit visa fee, administration and
lost future revenue tax and... that comes to $A 2,743,824.96, or $US
3900, even."

You're right, though, the medical technology is far more valuable than
the celebrity clones.

If the book's from 2006, cloning is illegal in the target market,

<shrug> The cloning is all done in international waters or Yemen and
there's no law against importing clones.


and
probably selling your DNA or reproductive material is also illegal.
And icky.

There is no actual law against selling DNA or reproductive material.
In fact don't sperm banks pay?


I assume this is realistic cloning that produces "a foetus or baby"

It does produce a baby.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: The Athena Factor by W. Michael Gear
    ... Jack Tingle wrote: ... That's science fiction all right, but it isn't very good science ... and adoption of foreign clones easy. ... the clone tax, motherhood fees (may I see the lab, surrogate and midwife ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: The Athena Factor by W. Michael Gear
    ... perfected cloning and is now stealing celebrity DNA to sell baby Julia ... That's science fiction all right, but it isn't very good science ... A few bribes to the government of Absurdistan would make cloning legal, surrogate motherhood well regulated, and adoption of foreign clones easy. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Early stories/novels about cloning
    ... >Hi - I'm wondering when the idea of cloning first started becoming a ... >theme in science fiction. ... >involving clones? ... week or so (ref the cloning storyline in Popeye, ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: "Why Microsoft Should Fear Intel Macs"
    ... You missed the part about how PC cloning was done "without IBM's blessing." ... IBM had no control over IBM clones. ... Apple had full control over its clones. ... They could have spelled out what type of machines the cloners were allowed to build, in the licensing terms. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)
  • Re: The Athena Factor by W. Michael Gear
    ... under SF in the book stores and libraries. ... perfected cloning and is now stealing celebrity DNA to sell baby Julia ... and adoption of foreign clones easy. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)