Re: Home science under attack

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Armando Stettner <aps () ieee org>
> Date: August 12, 2008 10:20:18 PM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>, "Tim O'Reilly" <tim () oreilly com>,  
> "Robert Thompson <thompson () ttgnet com> phillip torrone" <pt () oreilly com 
> >
> Subject: Re: [IP] Home science under attack
> Reply-To: Armando Stettner <aps () ieee org>
>
> When I was about 13 or so, I also had a chemistry set in my  
> basement.  I was living on Long Island - Freeport, to be exact.  I  
> also remember the hobby shop with ALL sorts of glassware and little  
> labeled bottles of chemicals.  I had some really neat stuff: all  
> sorts of chemicals - I seem to remember potassium ferrocyanide with  
> which I did some chemoluminescence (I think that's one of the  
> ingredients), sodium in liquid form, various acids, a few rolls of  
> magnesium - not to mention all the paraphernalia: lots of pyrex  
> stuff, triple beam balances, etc.  All the chemicals were neatly  
> arranged in this cabinet.
>
> One day, I had mixed a concoction and was carrying it (premixed!) in  
> a tin coffee can.  Myself and a friend were carrying the stuff to  
> the train tracks to test it out (light it) where it was relatively  
> safe.  The stuff started getting warm but I thought it was the sun  
> heading the can up.  Then it started getting REALLY warm.  As it got  
> hot, I dropped it in the middle of the street.  The stuff flashed  
> over.  It was VERY cool.
>
> But, I decided I didn't want to stay around any more and left.
>
> Unfortunately for me, this all occurred in front of the house of  
> someone who knew me (she was a 'friend' of my parents).  She called  
> the cops.
>
> The Freeport police came to my house questioned me and my parents,  
> joined in a little while by some county detectives.  They were very  
> polite.  We took them down to the basement where I showed them all  
> the stuff.  The uniformed police left and the detectives continued  
> to look at all the stuff and ask questions.  They called somebody to  
> ask some advice.  It turns out they called the county labs.  The guy  
> got off the phone and asked 'you're not making any drugs down here  
> are you?"  I said no!!  He smiled - he winked at my parents.  Then  
> he said the most unexpected thing: he said the gang at the labs  
> offered to give me a tour of the labs anytime I wanted.
>
> Then they left asking me to be careful.  For me, it was actually a  
> positive experience.
>
> Today, I'm sure I'd face a visit from the Hazmat teams and the DHS.   
> And, because of the triple beam balance, my house (or my parents')  
> would be confiscated under the forfeiture rules.
>
> Very sad....
>
>    armando
>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> > From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> > Date: August 12, 2008 7:25:29 PM EDT
> > To: "ip" <ip () v2 listbox com>
> > Subject: [IP] Home science under attack
> > Reply-To: dave () farber net
> >
> >
> >
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > From: "Tim O'Reilly" <tim () oreilly com>
> > Date: August 12, 2008 6:58:29 PM EDT
> > To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
> > Cc: Robert Thompson <thompson () ttgnet com>, phillip torrone <pt () oreilly com 
> > >
> > Subject: Home science under attack
> >
> > I grew up with a chemistry set.  You could get them in every corner  
> > hobby store. But as liability fears grew, the experimental ethic  
> > that built  the US as a science and technology powerhouse faded,  
> > and such "dangerous" toys became much harder to find.
> >
> > So when my Make magazine team decided to publish Robert Bruce  
> > Thompson's <a href=http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596514921/index.html 
> > >Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments</a>, I applauded.   
> > The book has been a great success.
> >
> > But then this news came in from the author of that book:  
> > http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/08/home_science_under_attack.html
> >
> > The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that Victor Deeb, a  
> > retired chemist who lives in Marlboro, has finally been allowed to  
> > return to his Fremont Street home, after Massachusetts authorities  
> > spent three days ransacking his basement lab and making off with  
> > its contents.
> >
> > Deeb is not accused of making methamphetamine or other illegal  
> > drugs. He's not accused of aiding terrorists, synthesizing  
> > explosives, nor even of making illegal fireworks. Deeb fell afoul  
> > of the Massachusetts authorities for ... doing experiments.
> >
> > Authorities concede that the chemicals found in Deeb's basement lab  
> > were no more hazardous than typical household cleaning products.  
> > Despite that, authorities confiscated “all potentially hazardous  
> > chemicals” (which is to say the chemicals in Deeb's lab) from his  
> > home, and called in a hazardous waste cleanup company to test the  
> > chemicals and clean up the lab.
> >
> > Pamela Wilderman, the code enforcement officer for Marlboro,  
> > stated, “I think Mr. Deeb has crossed a line somewhere. This is not  
> > what we would consider to be a customary home occupation.”
> >
> > Allow me to translate Ms. Wilderman's words into plain English:  
> > "Mr. Deeb hasn't actually violated any law or regulation that I can  
> > find, but I don't like what he's doing because I'm ignorant and  
> > irrationally afraid of chemicals, so I'll abuse my power to steal  
> > his property and shut him down."
> >
> > In effect, the Massachusetts authorities have invaded Deeb's lab,  
> > apparently without a warrant, and stolen his property.
> >
> > ____________________________________________
> > Tim O'Reilly, Founder and CEO, O'Reilly Media
> > 1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
> > 707-827-7150   tim () oreilly com
> > http://www.oreilly.com, http://radar.oreilly.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Archives




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