The roller coaster ride that is my job has been on some hair-raising turns of late and the rails are running so hot that I’m keeping an eye out for meltage.

Which is why it is so welcome when a belly laugh like this comes along.

So our German office uncovers, yet again, the presence of a genetically modified organism in bread and cereals that has never been certified for human consumption and is illegal in the EU. It’s a flax (also known as linseed) which was grown in Canada in a field trial, and because it’s been let out into the wild its done what wild things do: spread itself hither and yon, and so ended up in fields of non-modified linseed, and so ended up in our food. Well, dear governments and genetic engineering interests, please accept this gift of a We-Told-You-So
T-shirt, slightly worn.

OK, that’s not the funny bit.

The funny bit is that when I’m doing fact check on this story, I come across the name of this particular strain:

FP967/CDC Triffid

Wait. They named a genetically modified strain “Triffid”? TRIFFID???? As in the carnivorous plants that uncontrollably spread across the planet, devouring pipe-smoking dads and bee-hive-hairdo-ed moms in the utterly fantastic flick that is a close contender with “The Blob” for best-ever 50’s-era horror flick?

Guys, guys, guys. You’re supposed to be GOOD at Public Relations.

OH, and that little plan you have to get all the rice in China? We’re on to you…