My intention was originally to entitle this blog as, “Best Worst Gloves” but the software used to construct these blogs would not allow me to use the strikethrough in the title caption.  This posting concerns nitrile gloves manufactured with the following identifiers (Best^® brand, 15 in 22M SZ 9, REF # 737-09).  THESE GLOVES ARE FAULTY AND SHOULD NOT BE USED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WITHOUT THE USER DONING A SECOND PAIR OF GLOVES UNDERNEATH THEM!!!  I am not exactly certain what the cause of the defect is (I believe it is improper cure) but these gloves cannot handle caustics despite having a high rating of 6.  Below I include photographs of a defective glove that show numerous cracks that have formed in it after being subjected to use in a standard glass base bath.  I estimate that this glove saw a total of about 20-40 minutes of service before failure occurred.  Due to the faulty nature of these gloves I have now suffered two burns in part due to the fact that previous experiences with this same sort of glove (different lot) have never resulted in failure after many hours (ca. 100) of use under identical circumstances and thus I was not in the habit of wearing secondary gloves underneath. 

Several months ago I spoke with a Mr. Brown from Cadence Scientific in context to problems I was experiencing with needles produced by this company.  The basic symptom was leakage at the junction where the needle stem connects with its hub and this seemed to be exacerbated depending on the method used to bend the needle.  This leakage did not occur in older lots of needles which had the Popper and Sons label on the box that they come in.  Mr. Brown told me that these needles are formed by a press on manufacturing process and the only way to have a completely leak free needle was to use needles that had their stems welded to the hub.  As for the leak free performance of older lots of needles I was told that possibly machinery had worn to the point that construction of newer lots were not of the same quality as those made some years back.  Below I include two photographs of a catastrophic failure that occurred on a lot purchased from Cadence Scientific this year by a friend of mine.  In this instance the needle was never bent; however, the stem of the needle actually pulled free from its hub once withdrawn from a GC septum.  The needle had only seen very light use prior to its failure.  The bottom line to the reader is to proceed with extreme caution when using needles from this company.

For some time I have been meaning to write about this as few seem to know the facts behind the use of tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron (aka barf) as an activator for metallocenes.  As I’ve mentioned earlier, 2013 is going to be monumentous year, but it will only be the beginning of a boulder rolling down the mountain.  So here it is, the inventor of alkide abstraction from metallocenes using barf is no other than (trumpet sound) Xinmin Yang.  That is right, a Chinese graduate student was the actual inventor; however, my source says Dr. Ewen claims to have invented this independently at about the same time (but the claim was highly questionable).  We should not be too overly surprised by this as many great inventions are made by the students of the professors whom dispense crappy laser pointers and profess the benefits of slave labor.

As part of an ongoing investigation of mine I am offering up to a $1,000 reward for information on an individual who has gone under the assumed name of Joseph P. Kennedy.  Below I include two biographical sketches that have appeared in documents for a seminar that was given honoring Dr. Thomas and Dr. Sparks and a flier that appeared celebrating this man’s 75th birthday, respectively.  Free use of these materials is claimed since neither document carries copyright protection and because both documents are related to an ongoing study that has academic implications in addition to others.

Information that can be submitted for cash rewards (adding up to $1,000) includes the following:
1.    The original name of this individual.
2.    Birthdate and place.
3.    Names of parents including mother’s maiden name.
4.    List of schools attended prior to college.
5.    Date and place during which this individual changed his name.
All submitted information must be verifiable in order to qualify for a cash reward.  Submissions will be treated in a confidential manner.  Further documents relating to this individual (previously disclosed in the public domain) will be released in the future and the reader can come to his/her own conclusions concerning the information contained within them.

As I stated before in my story on the Goat Man more information is to be released as time permits.  All of the information that will be released is factual and the bulk majority of it is contained in the scientific literature.  During this period I will not make reference to the false name that this individual has operated under for the past 50+ years while residing in the US.  Should any reader know of this man’s true name and origin I am offering a cash reward for this information.  Operating under an assumed name is the hallmark of someone who has something to hide and it should raise a red flag when it comes to an individual’s integrity in addition to what else he/she might be hiding or possibly lying about.  It is laughable that so many so-called institutions of science have not had the cojones to query the Goat Man as to what his true name is let alone under what circumstances was he able to immigrate to the US.  My focus in future postings will not be on these questions; however, I will be exposing a number of shocking findings that are present in the chemical literature and allow the reader to cast their judgment concerning this reptile.

For those conducting air-sensitive chemistry gas-tight syringes are a necessary item in your chemist’s tool kit.  The following blog post is based on personal experience of the author after having used syringes of varying styles from different manufacturers.  This review will be followed by subsequent postings upon completion of additional testing.

Syringe design:  For people conducting serious chemistry I suggest using only syringes that have the Luer-lok fitting where the inner cone is constructed of PTFE or a similar inert thermoplastic.  This allows for secure attachment of needles, reducing the likelihood of a needle coming free of the syringe during critical manipulations and yet needles are easily removed for cleaning as they do not bind to the cone material.  I do not suggest syringes fitted with ground glass male, slip-on type fittings that fit inside of the needle hub for several reasons.  First, they have the tendency to snap off the end of the syringe with minor disturbance from the chemist (e.g. minute bumps).  Secondly, for the many air-sensitive reagents that like to form metal and nonmetal oxides when exposed to atmospheric moisture (e.g. Al₂O₃) this type of fitting easily becomes glued to the needle hub as minor amounts reagent trapped between the needle hub and glass stem become hydrolyzed.  One solution would be to coat the ground glass stem with a chemically inert lubricant (e.g. Krytox^®); however, doing so would potentially sacrifice the security of the needle. When possible, use of syringes fitted with removable Luer-lok fittings are highly recommended (first picture below).  First, their removable nature allows ease of cleaning.  Secondly, if the cone material becomes worn from repeated use it is easy and very cheap to replace whereas if the cone of a fixed Luer-lok fails the entire syringe barrel assembly must be replaced and this is costly.  One other comment is that I do not suggest purchasing syringes that possess a glass face to which a Luer-lok fitting is connected (second picture below).  This design is prone to stress fracturing if you have a heavy hand like me and attempt to force contents under gorilla pressure.  A much better alternative is to use syringes that have composite metal/PTFE faces (first picture below).

Syringe brand:  The following is my ranking of syringes based on manufacturer (for small volume gas-tight syringes ≤ 1 mL) in terms of decreasing quality.  Hamilton > Kloehn > Target.  Concerning the last of these brands I have found that at times the Luer-lok itself didn’t seem to be properly cast/machined and at times obtaining a perfect mating of the needle hub to the Luer-lok cone material could prove difficult.  I cannot comment on small volume gas tights made by SGE (as I have never owned one); however, since their large volume gas tight syringes are in my opinion the absolute best, my guess is that their smaller counterparts rival those made by Hamilton.  As for large volume gas tights (≥ 10 mL) my experience is limited to those produced by Hamilton and SGE.  I highly prefer the latter brand as in my opinion they are of higher quality overall and are available in removable Luer-lok configurations.

Gas-tight valves:  I wanted to mention that of the gas-tight syringe valves that I’ve used (which fit between the Luer-lok and the needle hub {last picture below}) of all the types that I have tested the push button variety manufactured by SGE functioned the longest without failure.  I do have to note that the plastic knob on the push-rod did eventually fracture even though the valve remained leak free.  I have used countless other varieties (most sourced from Aldrich) and do not suggest them for demanding reagents (e.g. BBr₃).

A colleague of mine recently said something to me that made me reflect on some of the positive interactions I have had with people who work at large companies.  Immediately two people (Drs. T.D. Shaffer and L.S. Baugh) came to mind as they had taken time to talk with me and provide advice regarding literature resources for publications that I was working on.  Over the years I have had the fortunate opportunity to converse with other great scientists such as Professors Richard Jordan and Jun Okuda.  I then thought to myself about the dislike that most of the general populous has for companies such as Exxon Mobil, Dow Chemical, and the like not to mention chemists in general.  This document outlines common-sense steps that such large companies can take to gain the trust and respect of the common person and as a result an appreciation for chemistry and chemists.  Since the ultimate success or failure of a company rests on its relationship with the consumer it is my belief that this document will be of value to those in managerial and decision making positions.

1)      Public Educational Outreach:  The company in question (within the country they were started in) will dedicate a significant portion (ca. 10 + %) of its resources (financial, informational, and instructional) to the advancement of sciences among students ranging from grade school through graduate school.

1. Financial Outreach:  This program is one that treats all individual applicants equally and makes no distinction based on race, gender, financial/class status etc. but instead is ultimately concerned with providing resources for those that show special aptitude in the sciences to further their knowledge through scholarship funds.  Such funding will be strictly reserved for educational related expenses only; however, it will retain enough flexibility so that the student may fully benefit from such funding.  For example, school supplies, books, tuition, room and board would all be acceptable expenses to which such funds could be applied to.  All such scholarships will be offered on a regional basis and be awarded on a composite average of scholarship test scores, school grades and in certain instances recommendations from science teachers within a given school.  It will be openly acknowledged that these scholarships are provided by the company in question as a means of improving society in general and this will in turn bolster the public’s perception of the provider.
2. Informational Outreach:  This program is one that promotes the company by discussing (in a manner that does not compromise intellectual property) some of the advances and processes that the company in question has developed for the production of materials it produces.  Much of this information will be provided to scientific writers ranging from authors of general textbooks to those who focus on advanced topics.  The remainder will be provided through publications issued by and conferences hosted by the company.
3. Instructional:  The company in question will provide short courses, conferences, and other general instructional outreach programs to students within the sciences.  This will be the smallest segment of the public educational outreach; however, it may in many instances have the greatest impact.  During such events people will associate the company with science and recognize it as a leader in the field.  Moreover, such events may have an additional benefit in that talented students may desire to ultimately work for the company after attending such an event.

2)      Job Generation Outreach:

1. Partnerships:  The company in question will seek out smaller cutting edge companies that offer fresh approaches to problems facing the chemical industry.  Working relationships will be structured such that the smaller partner prospers by such interactions not only through direct funding to support R&D activities but also by granting the innovator with a small but significant stake in technologies that they have had a part in devising.  This performance reward system will help further stimulate new advances in the area of chemistry that have true value in terms of real world application and not just be of academic interest only.  This will in turn help stimulate the economy and grow the workforce since small businesses still employ the bulk of laborers in the US.  The funding company can then further showcase such partnerships within the local region of the smaller partner as well as globally.
2. Internships/scholarships:  The company in question will offer college students (both undergraduate and graduate) the opportunity to apply for apprenticeship positions where the student can learn science hands on.  The student will be provided with a stipend sufficient enough to cover expenses such as travel, room and board and also basic health care coverage.  Likewise, the company in question will offer these students with scholarships that will be awarded in a manner similar to those described in 1.1.  The purpose of these scholarships will be to reduce the financial burden of the student and can even be applied to paying down student loans.
3. Academic Funding:  The company will continue to assist professors financially in terms of R&D expenditures.  The bulk of such funding will be used to pay graduate student stipends.  Such students may in turn decide they wish to work for the funding company once they graduate as a means to display their appreciation.

3)      Environmental Outreach:  The company in question will provide informational/instructional resources in the form of literature, short courses, and conferences covering topics related to the environment.  Emphasis will be on topics such as recycling, alternative energy and material resources, prevention of pollution, etc.   The company will discuss the steps that the company has implemented to reduce their impact on the environment as well as steps that individuals can take to help protect the environment.  These programs will produce a positive impression

The following blog is a response to an article written by Charles Murray in The WSJ (Sat./Sun., July 28-29, 2012 edition).  I don’t want to spend a lot of time picking Mr. Murray’s article apart as it contains many poignant reasons as to why capitalism has gained so much disdain in the U.S. these days; however, Mr. Murray seems to not truly identify nor hammer away at the real reasons why capitalism is such a dirty word these days.  One needs only to look at one of the photographs of a person whom Murray holds up as a poster boy of true capitalism, Mark Suckerberg (the same guy who called users of stupidbook dumb f’ers for trusting their personal information with him), to understand why common Americans think the system in the U.S. needs fixing.  There are a number of reasons (which are intertwined) as to why capitalism has received such a bad rap and this blog attempts to outline them in a concise manner.

First we need to recognize that for the most part, pure capitalism has been dead in the U.S. for many years now.  Sure, there are isolated instances (primarily in the services field {I can’t call it an industry because it isn’t one.}) where some unconnected person actually makes a successful go of things.  Unfortunately, America has continuously transitioned into a fascist form of capitalism that is sometimes referred to as “chrony capitalism.”  What is this and why did it rise to become the predominant form of capitalism for America?  History is replete of examples where prosperous nations slowly become strangled with orders issued by a political elite (which is an oxymoron itself as they are neither elite nor truly political).  As this process develops, in turn the economic, industrial, scientific, and artistic output of these nations dwindles steadily until they fall into a state of disarray and chaos as they spiral downward and finally cease to exist.  These so called representatives of the people are in fact prostitutes; however, unlike those that provide adult services that have actual value to the general public this form of whore only services bankers and global companies, neither of which hold allegiance to any country.  Moreover, there is no difference in the customers they service regardless of party affiliation and very little separates them when it comes to policy.  The laws issued by this pseudo-ruling class are in fact the doctrine of their clientele and specifically penned by them in a way to promote the bottom line by eliminating what J.D. Rockefeller referred to as a sin (i.e. competition).  In such an environment it becomes impossible for true capitalism to flourish.

In the U.S. there are many obvious examples of companies that have benefited from this bastardized form of capitalism.  We only have to look at how companies such as GM, AIG, and others with connections inside the whore house were bailed out.  Other prime examples are Google and Facebook, two of the biggest internet firms who were purportedly started using government monies and technologies obtained through some of our spy agencies in a large part to conduct surveillance on the American public.  I seriously doubt Mr. Suckerburg invented much of anything by himself; he is just a guy with connections.  Likewise, if we look at another photo that Mr. Murray elevates as a great example of capitalism (i.e. the stockbroker) anyone who has a grip on reality realizes that these people today are nothing more than gamblers who suffer no recourse when they make bad bets or break the rules by which the 99% of schmucks are supposed to follow.  Is it little doubt that people despise the twisted version of capitalism that not only allows criminals guilty of crimes on the order of hundreds of millions to billions of dollars to never see a single day in jail but also requires the tax payer to bail them out?

What in turn happens is the general public is faced with global corporations that are immune to the rules and regulations that 99 % of the peons are supposed to adhere to.  Moreover, these same pigs enjoy unparalleled wealth as they are the only game in town when it comes to goods and services.  When such a situation endures these entities become arrogant to the point that they openly treat the customer with contempt and suffer no ill-consequence.  The result of this arrogance combined with the wealth disparity and exemption from the status-quo only further fuels the general public’s hatred of the system that appeared to the create the mess in the first place (i.e. capitalism).  Unfortunately, the common masses fail to see through the smoke and mirrors and recognize that the true beast is not pure capitalism, but instead a bastardized form of it.

This process has further been enhanced by the infiltration of America by communists and other subversive groups hell-bent on the destruction of the U.S.  Let us not forget that in all of recorded history (as we know it) on a per capita basis no country has ever out produced the U.S. in terms of inventions, art, scientific advancement, individual wealth and most importantly individual liberties and freedoms.  Is it little doubt that many on the outside are so jealous that from their very beginnings they wanted to collapse this system?  One way of doing so is to take control of the mind set of people at a young age and turn them against the system which made America great in the first place (i.e. true capitalism).  Such an agenda has been in the works at least since the early 1900s in which those attending public schools are taught early on that this system only aids the wealthy at the expense of the poor.  Thus, they quickly become disillusioned and distrustful of the system that actually made their country prosper in the first place.

Mr. Murray goes on at great length discussing that many of his liberal friends who are ashamed of the U.S. and what it truly stands for are also embarrassed by the fact that they have made money in a capitalist setting.  Instead, they look down upon capitalism and don’t want any association to it despite the fact that some form of this system made them wealthy (no doubt a twisted one at that).  Well Mr. Murray, possibly you need to end your association with such clowns.  As the Bible advises (a book which you probably don’t read often) you should only associate with those that share beliefs similar to yours otherwise you will become tainted and corrupted.  Mr. Murray, the fact is these clown friends of yours are what we call hypocrites and who wants to hang around a bunch of soulless individuals of that sort of ilk?  My guess is that when all is said and done if these very same people where asked to simply donate all of their earnings to the state so that it could be a truly socialist system that they would find some sort of convenient excuse to not do so while still professing to hate the system that made them wealthy in the first place.  I don’t have to go into great length about the ultimate fate of these individuals but that too can be found in a number of religious documents.

How is it that all of these puzzle pieces fit together?  Quite simply, this subject has been one intensely studied for many hundreds of years (so I’ll let the reader do some research here).  Those who have an insatiable thirst for wealth and control realized long ago that in order to obtain their ultimate goals of global control that no one nation could truly stand out from another.  Various tools have been implemented towards this goal (e.g. NAFTA, taxation, regulations, and treaties to limit sovereignty) in order to lower the living standard of those in the U.S. to mirror that of third world countries.  Likewise, similar tools have been used through the guise of standardized education as well as the so called entertainment industry to instill their doctrine in those who should have inherited a system that not only provided them with an economic edge but one of freedoms and liberties that set them apart from all others across the globe.  The main goal of this is elimination of the ultimate sin, “competition.”  That is the bottom line Mr. Murray…

This blog is a response to an article entitled “A Chinese Mogul Conjures Up The Cultural Revolution,” which appeared in The Wall Street Journal {WSJ, (Sat./Sun., July 28-29, 2012 edition)” authored by a Mina Choi.  There are a number of reasons why I have decided to write about this article:

1. It points out four of the main problems facing China:
   1. Class disparity.
   2. Ignorance of history.
   3. Lack of a unique culture.
   4. Lack of free will and independence from authoritarian politicians.
2. Although I don’t go into great depth in this blog posting, discussing these four main points (in a cursory manner) allows me to point out why China will never even closely approach the greatness the U.S. had unless major changes are made there.  I’ll go into detail concerning this in another blog posting.
3. It provides a transition into another WSJ article that appears in the same edition.

First I want to say something about The WSJ.  My take on this publication is that despite the fact that it contains on average much more useful information than oh about 99% of the other garbage out there referred to as newspapers my belief is it is primarily a disinformation tool.  Routinely, this rag espouses all sorts of misinformation (primarily on foreign affairs) and if you rely on it to give you the real deal about the on-goings say in the Middle East (or elsewhere for the matter) then you are a ra-tard.  For those people still in the dark I suggest you look at alternative news sources such as Russia Today for example or any other number of news sources that are European on just plain non-mainstream (e.g. The Drudge Report).  This is by the way, why I cancelled my subscription to this publication long ago.

In the article Mr. Fan is quoted as stating “I want to build a museum of farmers and workers, a museum of private enterprises and a museum of capitalism.”  Sorry to break the news to you Mr. Fan but to my knowledge the latter two have never existed in your country (at least in recordable history {to my knowledge}).  In China (at best) the only form of capitalism and private enterprise is what might be termed “chrony capitalism.”  My belief is the 99.9 % of Chinese today (such as yourself) who are well off have made their fortunes in accordance to what Mr. Obama said {i.e. they didn’t do it themselves but had help (from well-connected communist politicians)}.  I challenge you or anyone else who is wealthy in China to prove otherwise and it is the main reason why the class disparity is so high in China and why the common people despise individuals such as yourself.  The sad fact is that the true greatness of the U.S. was built upon the principals of pure capitalism where even the least connected individual with no resources could through the sweat of his/her brow build a business and make something of themselves.  As time has progressed the economy in the U.S. has become decidedly fascist capitalistic in nature and as a result we have seen our labor force and factories outsourced to third world slave pits such as your country.  Again, I intend on writing in depth about this point in another blog posting.

Likewise Mr. Fan, when was the last time a farmer in China actually owned their own property?  During my travels in China I have noticed that regardless of where I go your country is a polluted mess.  Filthy does not provide an adequate description.  One of the main reasons for this is that people lack a direct (long-lasting) relationship with the property they lease from your government.  Although, I’ll have a lot more to say about this the fact is that if your country was to grant true private ownership of land I can almost guarantee this situation would change overnight.

Ms. Choi points out that Mr. Fan’s complex opened up initially with museums about the Second Sino-Japanese War and then the final years of WWII.  I’d be curious as to whether any of Mr. Fan’s museums pays homage to the many American GI’s who fought and bled fighting against the Japanese in Burma, China, and other parts of Asia?  What truly disturbs me is the hypocrisy displayed by many Chinese.  On the one hand they would have you believe they harbor no racism towards anyone; however, their hatred towards other Asians (especially the Japanese not to mention Taiwanese) alone is quite apparent should you spend any time with these people.  Is it unfounded?  Well, not necessarily given the atrocities the Japanese committed but for their relatives who escaped the commies most assuredly it is.  Still, I find it interesting that the Chinese use so many Japanese products and their men in many instances prefer Japanese women.  One common saying in China once was “American house, German car, and Japanese wife.”

Possibly one of the most disturbing trends I see in China is the open promotion of Mao.  Even the most casual student of history knows that this man alone is ultimately responsible for the murder of as many as 80 million Chinese.  He is also responsible for the destruction of true Chinese culture.  Yet, the bulk majority of young Chinese today have no idea of the atrocities committed by Mao and how he played a major role in impeding China from becoming a great nation.  Even those who have benefited from the evil this man did are in fact losers and they have no true allegiance to China.  My guess is Mr. Fan’s Mao museums don’t mention any of these facts and again I’ll have more to say on the subject at a later date.  Maybe the most sickening thing is Ms. Bok-Choi doesn’t even mention a single one of these facts.  My guess is her name is a misspelling (or parody) of the word Mynah as she possibly enjoys parroting the greatness of the Cultural Revolution.  Or maybe more appropriately her last name should be La-Choi after the American abomination of Chinese food which is distinctly non-Chinese (i.e. a Cultural Revolution for Chinese food).  The sad fact is these lies prevent China from moving forward and they rob Chinese youth of the true riches that their real culture (buried by the communists) has to offer.  One unfortunate finding I keep running across in Chinese history is that it is a country that has never known true freedom.  Such a concept is completely alien to these people and is in fact the biggest obstacle to China achieving true splendor.  As a result, until this hurdle is removed China will never become a great country (like the U.S. once was) regardless of how much wealth, jobs, and factories are transferred to it.  Again, I’ll have much more to say about this in another blog posting.

According to Ms. Choi’s article Mr. Fan has stated “I want to build a museum of Uncorrupt and Honest Officials.”  Well Mr. Fan, I will point out that although “a fish rots from the head down” that just the same “a plant grows from the roots up” (yes I came up with this one).  If you truly have interest in the future of China (one that bears actual fruit worthy of eating) here are some suggestions, all of which pertain to what is called “leading by example.”

1. For the remainder of your life, donate no less than 80% of all of your net income to causes that directly benefit the lowest tier classes of Chinese society.  Other than donating capital for the majority of these causes you will have no direct ties to them (i.e. you won’t run or own them) and generate no income from them.
2. Be directly involved in the selection of beneficiaries to your wealth and if possible participate in some events as well (i.e. donate your time as well).  Should you do so you will become a folk hero to the Chinese people.
3. During your daily routine as well as in your business dealings engage in no corruption yourself, regardless of how small it may be.  If you do so your example will shine and propagate among your people and they will no longer be known for their treachery and corruption.
4. Do not tolerate employees who engage in corruption.
5. Promote a “true Chinese identity” and by all means do not be afraid to resurrect aspects from true (i.e. old, pre-cultural revolution) traditional Chinese culture.
6. Dare to speak out on the atrocities committed by those honored in your museum as no culture can advance when they live lives based on lies.
7. Push for true reform in your government (I’ll post another blog on that later) as this is one of the main reasons why China is a stagnant country.  When they (such politicians) realize how they will benefit from such changes as well I’m certain a major transformation will occur.

Several years ago I came into the possession of a Tobinstock laser pointer (see below).  I won’t divulge how I came to own this; however, I will say that I’m finally glad to pitch it into the waste bin.  I used this laser pointer in a number of general chemistry classes that I taught.  Although it was free in cost (hee, hee {yes, this is sarcasm}) the main problem I experienced was its unreliable performance.  The most frequent issue that I encountered was that the button used to activate the laser did not work about 40 % of the time and the failure rate only increased with usage.  Thus, once I finished my most recent class I pitched it.  This brings up several interesting digressions (which are repetitive themes in academics).

One is the god embossed on the defective pointer is actually from the great white north and not a true American, a common occurrence in our so-called great academicians.  That is, we have a number of people on the dole at our major universities who hold no true allegiance to the country.  Moreover, their prestige is questionably derived from their student’s inventions and not their own.  Why do I say such things?  Well as for the latter, all I can say here is I’ve been told that one of the great findings in the coordination polymerization field was in fact discovered by a Chinese student and was not an invention of a so called great professor.  When time permits I’m going to attempt to find out the name of this person (the supposed inventor) so at the moment I cannot divulge specific information until I verify it is factual.  Likewise, as for the controlled radical polymerization field again my intelligence sources within another great professor’s research groups stated that a student was actually to blame for that invention :).  Again, should you be reading this blog and know specific details of what I am discussing or other instances of where a professor takes credit for a student’s invention feel free to disclose that information to me.  One other thing that I should mention (which is another recurrent theme) is that nobody likes these people at all.  I don’t know, maybe you could find an Asian student who does but my guess is they are the same sort that would be weeping at Kim Jong-il’s funeral.  I can only imagine the sort of negative karma these people are accumulating.

As for the former point above (i.e. lack of allegiance to the U.S.) I recount the following story as it ties into the crappy laser pointer that was handed out at a lame parody of Woodstock (nerd fest would be more appropriate).  While the god from the great white north began exuding his evil dark radiation during a meeting with students (of which I was an attendee) he recounted a recent trip to the vassal slave state (i.e. China).  According to this individual he toured a plant that made acetaminophen and said it was wonderful that they could crank it out so much cheaper than we could here in the U.S. and that was of course why it was no longer made in America (the latter factoid I’m not sure is true, but it wouldn’t surprise me).  In any event, according to him there was only one problem (a minor impurity that caused the product to be pink) and that was why this drug was solid in a solid tablet form with a coating over it (i.e. so the consumer wouldn’t ask questions).  I’m guessing he stuffed these laser pointers in his suitcase on his return back to the states…