Re: Home science under attack

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
> Date: August 12, 2008 9:23:31 PM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>, "Tim O'Reilly" <tim () oreilly com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] Home science under attack
>
> I, too, grew up in a time when a young person was encouraged to  
> carry out home chemistry experiments. My lab, when I was 11 years  
> old, included a very well rounded set of salts, acids, bases,  
> organic reagents, glassware, etc. (my father was an engineer, and  
> was quite excited with my interest.) Fisher Scientific was indeed  
> very helpful - I recall doing some very exciting inorganic and  
> organic chemistry, supported by analytic chemistry textbooks I  
> purchased from academic publishers and also a rather neat book I  
> have lost: "The Boy's Own Book of Chemistry".
>
> The ability to use reagents and solvents such as concentrated  
> sulfuric acid, ether, sodium nitrate, potassium perchorate,  
> trichloroethylene, ... in safe situations with good ventilation (a  
> hood) were major contributors to a perspective on science that was  
> "hands on" rather than memorizing equations in a textbook or  
> simulating in a web browser.
>
> Yes, there were dangers, and of course I knew then and know now how  
> to make exothermic and poisonous results.
>
> This is why such activities are best done with mentors, on display,  
> and celebrated.  Openness, rather than forcing people interested in  
> science to hide away in the darkness, seems far more constructive.   
> Otherwise only the illicit drug makers will have an interest in  
> chemistry.
>
> Outlawing all chemicals in one's own home, however, seems wrong.   
> Far better to provide education, safe disposal sites, etc.
>
> Let's focus on constructive engagement with scientifically minded  
> people.  Fear of chemicals, fear of biological experiments, etc. are  
> not productive for society.
>
> David Farber wrote:
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > *From: *"Tim O'Reilly" <tim () oreilly com <mailto:tim () oreilly com>>
> > *Date: *August 12, 2008 6:58:29 PM EDT
> > *To: *Dave Farber <dave () farber net <mailto:dave () farber net>>
> > *Cc: *Robert Thompson <thompson () ttgnet com <mailto:thompson () ttgnet com 
> > >>, phillip torrone <pt () oreilly com <mailto: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_ <http://www.telegram.com/article/20080809/NEWS/808090323/1008/ 
> > > 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 <mailto:tim () oreilly com>
> > http://www.oreilly.com, http://radar.oreilly.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Archives <https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now> <https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ 
> > > 	[Powered by Listbox] <http://www.listbox.com>




-------------------------------------------
Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now
RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/
Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com