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BromicAcid
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By chance is anyone here already a member of the ACS? My degree is ACS accredited but when I went to sign up it asked for my sponsor. I can sign up
without a sponsor however my sponsor would get a blanket with the periodic table on it and since I didn't want to give up that opportunity I have been
waiting to meet someone who has an active ACS membership.
As for chemists rights, I wrote a paper in college titled "Stop Picking on the Chemists!" that managed to get some circulation among the students.
However looking back on it, it isn't the most masterfully written piece of work, I could post it though.
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Waffles
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Basically, it seems that the people who are against cloning research think that the process works just like in the movies- you pop someone in a
chamber, and then a couple weeks later you have an exact replica of that person, memories and personality included. Or they don't care in the
slightest how it actually works, but they feel that no matter how its done it should somehow be blasphemous and evil.
The people who are in support of cloning research seem to view it NOT as some sort of miracle or panacea, but as a valuable tool for the general
advancement of science, more possible ways to fix previously uncurable conditions, and tool to learn about the manipulation of genes.
\"…\'tis man\'s perdition to be safe, when for the truth he ought to die.\"
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Sergei_Eisenstein
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| Quote: | Originally posted by iamthewaffler
Basically, it seems that the people who are against cloning research think that the process works just like in the movies- you pop someone in a
chamber, and then a couple weeks later you have an exact replica of that person, memories and personality included. |
That's not just the problem for human cloning, but for the whole of science in general. Commons only know scientists from TV and consider the image
that is projected (read: poured) into their poisoned mind as true.
[Edited on 21-7-2007 by Sergei_Eisenstein]
damnant quod non intelligunt
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vulture
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Ever watched CSI Miami?
- Dissolve beach sand in acetone and run it through a HPLC apparatus
- Derive the structural formula for an unknown compound from the mass spectrum only
- Consider 100ppm HNO3 atmosphere as extremely toxic and explosive
One shouldn't accept or resort to the mutilation of science to appease the mentally impaired.
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chemkid
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We should create an amature chemist's society
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Sauron
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CSI = Complete Simpletons and Imbeciles
But consider it has to keep up with intellectual giants like ALIAS and 24
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franklyn
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Sauron
CSI = Complete Simpletons and Imbeciles
But consider it has to keep up with intellectual giants like ALIAS and 24 |
Oh so you got cable over there, Thai gameshows too dull huh. 
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quicksilver
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vulture
Ever watched CSI Miami?
- Dissolve beach sand in acetone and run it through a HPLC apparatus
- Derive the structural formula for an unknown compound from the mass spectrum only
- Consider 100ppm HNO3 atmosphere as extremely toxic and explosive |
Much too painful......I really can't sit through most of them. But the Miami version is agony....
The whiny, screechy voice of the blond is like nails on a chalk-board. - There is an undercurrent in the show that displays knowledge as an element of
the smug elitist "science-geek" and while general bullshit; portrays anyone who is so imbued as beautiful / handsome, etc.
It's actually pathetic. If the show is broken down to it's raw elements; it's one lie after another.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on everyday tragedies.....give me a break!
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chemrox
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I'm afraid gun rights activists have tried this and ended up looking like nuts. As has been pointed out, a sympathetic media spin is key to success.
I'm too concerned a spinoff to drug labs would always be included and thus by counter-productive. Maybe this is pessimistic. I want it to work!
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Ozone
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Another very real problem with CSI is that people now have unrealistic expectations of what we can do. This is a nightmare with bosses, clients, and
general public. It's almost as obnoxious as the inevitable "dude, can you make (insert drug of choice)"-type questions at parties.
An Agilent 6890 that can, from a hair in a vial, produce a comprehensive list of drugs, toxins, etc. related to the deceased---A Bargain at any price.
@BromicAcid; I might be able to help you out with the ACS membership .
Cheers,
O3
-Anyone who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
--Albert Einstein
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BromicAcid
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This site idea might already exist, but how about a site that takes the popular fear mongering stories from the current media (regarding chemistry)
and debunks them on a regular basis? I have seen similar sites debunking pseudoscience in general but it would be nice to see a site that would look
at the popular stories on Yahoo news, world news, etc. and found flaws in their chemistry or logic regarding chemistry and pointed them out so that
people looking for more information on said story could find a more logical viewpoint of it. Probably already been done but still good PR.
Maybe just make a site to educate the ignorant masses, chemistry for beginning beginners to abate their fears and make the field seem less like magic
by saying "This is a chemical bond... there is nothing magic here..." Let's all donate money to sciencemadness for the fight for chemists rights!
Maybe Polverone could get another domain name and make an add on domain for his space at sciencemadness for it. Gah, I'm dreaming. For some reason I
think we should be doing more.
[Edited on 8/6/2007 by BromicAcid]
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quicksilver
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BromicAcid
This site idea might already exist, but how about a site that takes the popular fear mongering stories from the current media (regarding chemistry)
and debunks them on a regular basis? |
This could work. Piggy-backing off the marketing of an established "big name" DOES get hits on web-sites. "CSI-LIES" could be a real hit, especially
if the public has a small input to ask questions...not too much mind you - as there are more morons out there than one would believe in a nightmare.
I deeply believe that it would accomplish two aims; 1. it could promote more accurate portrait of science in the popular media. 2. it could get those
folks who run the site connected to consultancy venues in the entertainment media ($$$$).
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chemkid
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I already have a website and if anyone would like articles etc. they have written to be posted and added to the site I would be willing.
Chemkid
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BromicAcid
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Well, not just things like CSI and such although those could certainly be a part of it and attract traffic, but also things in the news, lots of the
chemophobic fear mongering that goes on.
Nothing against you chemkid but this would likely have to be a focused effort, with several people devoting many man hours each to get things up and
running then a staff of knowledgeable volunteers thereafter to keep the articles being churned out, not simply hosting articles. Plus the layout
would have to look cool.
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Nerro
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We could make something with joomla, that usually looks good.
#261501 +(11351)- [X]
the \"bishop\" came to our church today
he was a fucken impostor
never once moved diagonally
courtesy of bash
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quicksilver
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Realistically, stuff that makes real money starts out just like this....couple of guys just talking about it working out the odds and ends. (1) what
would the goals and objectives be from a big picture perspective? 2. who really has time to keep things going? (that person does NOT need to be a
graduate student. They wouldn't have the time anyway - they are already being exploited to the bone!) 3. articles need peer review foundation or some
professional substantiation 4. would there be a marketing effort involved and how far to take it (?) 5. keeping cost and time to a bear minimum and
how to do so while keeping the site on a professional level.....Hell, there are a few more I'm sure you guys could think of.
Bromic's site could come close with some clean up (got to be pretty and professional; tough to do as the prettier you make it the slower it loads from
dial-up) and some "money" targets, etc. The whole thing is a fun idea game.
[Edited on 8-8-2007 by quicksilver]
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gregxy
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CSI....
No the science is not always correct, but I think that this show has done the scientific community a great service by
portraying scientists as "cool" as opposed to "geeks
that could not get a date if their life depnded on it".
Many schools now have introductory science classes based
on "forensic investigation" that did not exist before CSI.
Maybe a few of the kids that take these classes will end up
working in a lab instead of the local McDonalds.
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quicksilver
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I agree that "any publicity is good publicity" and the general point about science made to be "cool".... but when a new concept is introduced, it
often gets picked apart. The most vicious critics are those closest to it! ..... But there is also the concept of:
"you can't be disillusioned unless you have illusions in the first place" - when CSI depicts things which don't exist or work the same way as in the
show, folks get disillusioned - perhaps not with science per se' but with investigative elements of law enforcement. Most criminalists are not POST
certified (carry a weapon, make arrests) nor do they call any shots with POST personnel "Officer, hook this guy up and get him out of here". What's
more, in the show(s) they have an unlimited budget....it seems they have a new machine, etc....every time.
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Sergei_Eisenstein
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| Quote: | | Maybe a few of the kids that take these classes will end up working in a lab instead of the local McDonalds. |
One of the problems of today's Civilized West, is that people who should work in the local McDonalds are working in labs.
damnant quod non intelligunt
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Ozone
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| Quote: | | people who should work in the local McDonalds are working in labs. |
How True!
This is how we end up with flour adultered with melamine:cyanuric acid being mistaken for enriched gluten...
The modern QA/QC, cGMP, etc. protocols are making this worse. Most of these labs do not want to pay for skilled Chemists and, at (absolute) best, will
hire Chemistry students and very recent graduates. These personnel train up and move out (to jobs that will pay them what they are worth). This
results in a revolving door and a minimal on-going base of know-how.
Want a modern "tech"? Take Joe Anybody off of the street and give them an SOP, voila, someone who can perform the test and get the QC to pass--BUT--is
unable to ascertain that the material does not look, smell, dissolve, etc. correctly. If the test passes, the material passes.
Nowadays, dogshit will pass a donut assay if the QC looks good.
Just add some sprinkles and they'll eat it up,
O3
-Anyone who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
--Albert Einstein
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donlaszlow
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Great idea, but the average Jane and Joe fear everything they don't know
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