Terminator Technology

In the high tech industries, it is vey common to use the term “Proprietary rights”.
It basically means the party who made the items (hardware or software) has the right on them and nobody can use, duplicate or distribute them, unless of course YOU PAY.

There is also a clever innovation built into most of the industrial grade equipment. It is called – “software controlled feature”.

Take away all the big words and jargons, it simply means the manufacturer makes uniform lines of equipment and uses software to control the functions or capabilities available to the users.

For example, a power meter can be a basic power measurement device, or it can also be used to measure voltage, link up with computer, stores historical measurement data etc.

Of course every extra feature comes with a price tag, and usually in the form of “annual license fee”. All too familiar?

Take a real life example.
A telecom service provider starts its business. Assuming there is no under table and back door activities, that is. After a lengthy tender and negotiation process, the multinational bidder with the best solution and price gets the supply contract.

All is well. The management is happy for a while until they find out about the software cost.


To have better voice quality on all your calls, pay annual license fee PER EQUIPMENT to switch on this “enhanced speech” feature.

You need to expand the network capacity? Pay for annual license fees PER EVERY 1 THOUSAND new users on your network.

To include the latest standards? All you need is an annual license key PER EQUIPMENT that switches on the feature that is already built in the software.


By now, the management will probably realize the supplier is in fact holding their balls. All equipment has been installed and it will cost more to change to another supplier, who may as well playing the same trick.

But we have already paid for the equipment! You may argue.
You have paid for the equipment, not the right to use the FEATURES.

“We have spent millions of $ to research and develop these software features, so it is fair to charge for them” They would argue.


What about the annual fee? You may still want to ask.

Oh! that one. We have to protect against unauthorized use of our equipment and software. Even they are stolen, the extra features will de-activate after the annual license period expires.


Now, do you get the idea of how MNC can squeeze your balls and have entirely valid justifications for their actions?
“Well, that doesn’t concern me at all. I don’t deal with them.” Did I hear you say that?

With the concept explained and understood, let switch the scene to something which do concern you and me and in fact the other 3 billion people in this world – FOOD.

Say, you are a farmer and you bought this super high yield, disease resistant, fast mature rice seeds from a, again, multinational seed supplier.

After delivery, they gave a courtesy call to check on you and your crop.
In the conversation, the nice gentleman politely informed you that you had to use their proprietary chemical to switch on the advertised super duper characteristics.

A different chemical for each feature, that is.

So to get high yield, you need to purchase and spray product SuperyieldXÔ 3 times a year.
To get disease resistance, use ShieldITÔ, and so on.

By now, you would already be steaming with anger and would like to grab that bustard and shaft the shovel up his ass.

Wait, there is more. Even you use all those chemical and get good results, you can’t save the seeds for next year sowing. They are genetically engineered to be STERILE and won’t germinate.

Now, that’s what I call – being squeezed by the balls and still going back for more banging in the head.

Welcome to a new technological breakthrough in genetic engineering – Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT). Or affectionately nicknamed - TERMINATOR technology.

Surprising (or rather not surprisingly), this technology was jointly developed and patented by U.S. Department of Agriculture and Delta and Pine Land Company in the 1990s.


Terminator technology (GURT) changes the genetics of the seeds so that some desirable features are controlled (to switch on or off) by their proprietary chemicals. Such desirable features are: germination, disease resistance, frost tolerance etc.

In a nutshell, the farmers are screwed and have to buy seeds and chemical from the same Multinational Supplier every year.

Delta and Pine Land has since been acquired by Monsanto, the biggest feed supplier in the 21st century. Yes, Monsanto, the company who supplied Roundup and made billions off that.

The supporters of this great Terminator Technology (no prize for guessing who they are) claimed that:
- Protect intellectual property in countries (i.e. good for nothing 3rd world poor countries) where it is not enforced.
- Protect corporations from unscrupulous farmers. Control of seed germination helps prevent farmers from pirating their technology. (Pay per use, mate)
- Profitable returns to stimulate plant developing activities by biotech firms. (so we can have more $ to make more of these genetic wonders and sell them to you, all for you)
- Prevent escape of transgenes (genetically modified) into wild relatives and prevent any impact on biodiversity. (we care for the environment)
- Prevent volunteer sprouting (natural sprouting) in broad acre agriculture field that will reduce grain quality. (we care for you and the quality of your crop)

Notice all starts with big P, Protect, Profit, Prevent?

Now, do you still think they are evil, ball-less, lower-than-scum and money minded bustards?

I would never equal them with bottom dwelling, shit eating parasites.

No sir. They actually care for the environment and our well being.

Of course, profit is a prominant.

Hey, that’s the man’s job and he has a contractual performance that will dictate his year end bonus. These hard working poor executives have to support their family life styles, pay mortgage of their mansions, gold club memberships.

Some of them may even go to church every Sunday and give donation to help the poor.

Cynical jokes asides.

Terminator technology is an evil in real manifestation.

Firstly, it will create famines in many less rich countries as small farmers don’t have money to purchase seeds every year. No money for seeds, no harvest, no food for people, need import food, increases country’s debts, decreases purchase power, people poorer, more farmer can’t afford seeds and the negative feedback cycle goes on until large scale or nation wide famine breaks out.

Secondly, cross pollination of Terminator crops with their natural (non GM) cousins.

Who knows what disaster that can lead to? Sterile seeds in natural plants are likely results.

The worse if the terminator gene is recessive and only shows up after several generations.

By the time it is discovered in non GM crops, it might be too late for action. We effectively terminate our own food supplies. Human is indeed a funny species.

Thirdly, do you really trust these wonderful MNC that “vigorous tests” had been conducted for safe consumptions by human?

One variant of Terminator tech is called “Verminator” (by Astra Zeneca) because it takes genes from brown rats and uses them in plants. !!??

Do you really believe that the genes can be just switched on or off without complex interactions with other genes? Do we really want more pollutant into our already highly contaminated food chain?

Fourthly, why let them rip us off and we don’t benefit a single bit from it; while children in poor countries are suffering from hunger and serious malnutrition?

If you are still not convinced, let look at another example.

What would you do if you bought a mobile phone with a battery that can’t be re-charged? You have to order new proprietary battery every time the battery is flat.

Further more, you have to download and pay for special software to use SMS, Caller ID, camera, blue tooth etc every time you have new batteries.
I bet you would show them the middle finger and say FUCK OFF.

In summary, the world is really converging. Business concepts used in technology industries are also being applied in food supplies. Or is it just the inter-industrial recycling of scum-bag executives?

Ancient Ritual

This short story is inspired by the religious practice of Ainu tribes living in Hokaido, Japan. Though controversial, it is nevertheless still being practiced today, maybe in more secretive manner.
More information can be found, well, by searching “Ainu tribes” on
Google.

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Kitaro San pulled over his car on the side of the remote road, few meters away from the over-turned car. He ran over to the car and found a man trapped in the driver seat. To his surprise, the man was Fujita san, his new found friend. They met and drank sake together in the small pub in the hotel they stayed in down the hill. Fujita was badly injured but was still conscious.

Kitaro quickly dialed emergency service on his mobile phone and was glad that mobile coverage was good even in this very remote area of Hokaido.
While waiting for the ambulance, he stayed with Fujita and talked to him to keep him conscious. Fujita was drifting in and out and his speech was incoherent. Kitaro sensed that Fujita might not be able to make it.

He gave a relief sigh when he heard the approaching siren of the ambulance. Fujita held his hand and passed him a gold chain with a bear shape pendant.
“Please give this to the head of village Hoki. It is about 50 km from here. Follow the sign board to Shimodo town and turn left after the Yumen temple. The village is 20 km from the junction.”
“Hai. I shall do this for you, Fujita san”
“Give to the head of village. Don’t let anyone else know ….” Fujita voice was too weak to be heard.

Kitaro wore the chain over his neck and help the paramedics to get Fujita out from the car. The paramedics were vey efficient and the ambulance carrying Fujita was racing back down hill in less than 30 minutes.

Kitaro got back to his car and started toward the Hoki village following the instructions given by Fujita. He reached the village after dark after a few wrong turns and misses. The place was obviously not as easy to find as described by Fujita.

“Can’t blame him. The poor man was too weak.”
It was a peaceful and quiet farming village.

He went into a small bistro and had a good dinner. The food was exceptionally good and the service was excellent. He didn’t expect such quality at a remote village.

He was even more surprised when he asked for the bill.
“It’s on the house. Hope you have enjoyed it.” Said the owner.
“No. No. I can’t. Please I have to pay.” Kitaro replied and offered his money.
The owner took a step back, bowed and said, “No. No. Please. It’s our honour to serve you, Gami San.”
“You have made a mistake, I m not Gami San.”
“You are Gami San, the most honoured guest in our village” Said the owner while pointing to the bear shape pendant hanging from Kitaro’s neck.
Feeling tired from the long drive, Kitaro didn’t want to argue.
He asked the owner where he could find the village head, thanked him and walked out from the bistro. The owner and his wife saw him out and bowed again. “Domo Arigato Gozaimasu”

He stopped to ask for direction from a young lady and to his surprise, she bowed with respect and invited him to have tea inside her house. Tea and best sake were offered. Kitaro decided to just accept without any questions this time.

His pretty hostess, Yuko was friendly and accommodating. After a few rounds of sake, all Kitaro wished for was get comfortable and lie down. Yuko prepared hot water for him and even scrubbed his back for him. They went to bed together and Kitaro had some best time in his life.

The next morning, after the effect of sake had worn off; he had worked it all out. The villagers must have mistaken him for someone else, who they respected vey much, and the pendant was the identity.
He decided to give it a test.

He hanged the pendant on his neck and made sure it was visible, then he walked to man and said rudely, “Give me your car, I want to use it.”
The big guy turned around and had an angry look on his face. Being rude in this part of the country was almost like calling someone’s mother a prostitute in a Tokyo pub. Expecting a punch from the big guy, he was surprised again. The man looked at him and quickly made a bow and offered his car key.
“At your service, Gami San.”

Kitaro was delighted. He had landed a jackpot and decided he would keep the pendant for a bit longer to enjoy the benefits.
He drove back to Yuko’s place and asked for a hot bath. Lunch was served after his bath with the finest food and served by Yuko and another young girl. Kitaro was in nine clouds and felt like he came to paradise.

For the next week or so, whenever he went, he was greeted with respect and offered the finest food and service. Sometimes, parents would offer their young daughters to him as if he was the walking god.

“Time passes fast too fast when you are enjoying it” He thought to himself. In fact, it was too good to be truth and he felt that he was in a sweet dream that he would not want to wake up.

“Gami San, tomorrow is full moon night” Yuko said to him in a very polite way. She was still his favorite although he had many other young girls in the village.
He didn’t know what about full moon night but didn’t want to show his ignorance on this matter.
“Hai. I know. Serve me more sake please.”

Everyone in the village said the same thing to him.
“Tomorrow is full moon night. It has been our honour to serve you, Gami San.”
He sensed that there would be something going on tomorrow night.
“I will probably be better off split before tomorrow night. Before they find out I am a fake.” He decided.

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Down hill in a small museum, a teacher was explaining to her group of student about the ancient bear tribe rituals.

“This tribe called themselves the Bear People who used to live up in the mountain region. They believed in a Bear God that protected and blessed them in their hunts.

Every year, they would capture a male bear cub and raised it in the village. Everyone would contribute and they would treat the bear cub with highest respect and provide to it the best food, as if it was the Bear God himself.

After one year, on a full moon night in Nigatsu month of Lunar calendar, they would tie the bear cub on a pole and perform the traditional ceremony of sending it back to heaven. After the ritual, they would slash its throat and collect the blood in a silver bowl, which they would mix it with sake and share among all the villagers. They believed the Bear God would bless them through its sacred blood.”

A young boy raised his hand and asked “That’s very cruel. Do they still practice it now?”

“I m sure nobody does this cruel act anymore. The government has put a ban on this as it’s against our country’s laws to torture and kill animals cruelly. It’s called animals right” The young teacher answered.

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Back in the village, Kitaro opened his eyes slowly and his head was still spinning.
“It must have been the sake. I had one too many”
To his horror, he found himself tied up naked on a pole and surrounded by all the villagers. They were all dressed up in colorful costumes, chanting and bowing to him.

He wanted to yell but found his lips were glued together and he couldn’t make any sound. He looked up and saw the full moon in the clear night sky.

The village head came forward with a short samurai sword. Yuko was behind him, holding a silver bowl in her hands. The villagers stopped their chanting and gave a final bow to Kitaro.

This had always been a peaceful and quiet farming village. Everybody lived happily under the blessing of the Bear God.