I really don't like their cookbook metaphor. It does nothing to really illuminate the crux of what this allows the creatures to accomplish. As a lay person with a strong interest in such things, I very much wish this article were written with more of an eye towards "Because they can edit their own RNA, they can do thus and such in real terms." instead of hand-wavy metaphors that "it is like the scribe was changed to a master chef and now he can alter recipes."