3 ms·

"America's War on Science" - Do you have a license for that beaker?

28 points by asciilifeform 17y ago

russell 17y ago
The article is from 2006, but is still valid. The Consumer Products Safety Commission in its crusade to make everything idiot proof has neutered the once ubiquitous chemistry set. (Lawsuit happiness probably contributed.) The war on drugs has made it illegal to purchase common laboratory glassware without a background check. Last week my SO had to repack her cosmetics case into checked luggage because she had more tha 3 oz. of lotions and such. To top it off some TSA idiot spilled perfume into her suitcase. She is now sick because she has multiple chemical sensitivity and her clothes are probably unusable.
- asciilifeform 17y ago
  > The war on drugs has made it illegal to purchase common laboratory glassware without a background check If only that were all. Try getting Aldrich Inc. (or any other chemical vendor) to ship anything at all to a non-corporate address. And may the gods help you if your neighbors catch a glimpse of glassware through your basement window or smell a solvent: be prepared to stare down a SWAT team's rifle barrel at 3 in the morning.
  - CalmQuiet 17y ago
    A. In the future, everyone (in U.S.) will be provided at birth: 1) Social Security Number (though Social Secutity be bankrupt) 2) Corporate identity and EIN (knowing parents will insist on it for their little future entrepreneurs, anyway). B. Then Aldrich, et al. will provide other restrictions on shipping. C. Knowing parents/criminals/etc. will start the next workaround. [ Go to B. ] :: Dictionary entry for "insanity" finally changed to "continuing to do the same thing while expecting different results." ::
jnovek 17y ago
I am an amateur photographer who enjoys spending a lot of time in the darkroom. As the rise of digital cameras has caused "darkroom technician" to turn from a profession to a hobby, some materials that once had pre-made formulations from Kodak or Ilford now have to be cooked up at home. It has been increasingly difficult to get Sodium Hydroxide (lye), Potassium Permanganate and Potassium Dichromate. I actually had to register with the DEA to get Potassium Dichromate, even though I can't figure out what it's used for in the drug trade. Although I'm usually a more or less rational person, part of me really is worried that some day I'm going to buy sodium hydroxide and a pack of pseudoephedrine on the same day and get raided at 3 AM.
- smhinsey 17y ago
  > Although I'm usually a more or less rational person For what it's worth, we are nowhere near that sort of real-time reporting for things like pseudoephedrine. At the pharmacy near me they are still having you sign a giant 3 ring binder when you buy pseudoephedrine.
  - asciilifeform 17y ago
    Just wait for the next "Meth Prevention Act." Seriously. Do you really think that real-time reporting won't be imposed eventually? The powers-that-be already require prepaid debit cards (so you cannot make anonymous purchases on-line) and cell phones (no more anonymous calling) to be registered in this way.
    - JabavuAdams 17y ago
      Sounds like a business opportunity, if you don't mind being a Global-War-On-Everything-Industrial-Complex douche.
    - smhinsey 17y ago
      i think if someone decided to lobby the issue such legislation would have a decent chance of making it into law, but you can't legislate engineering. real-time monitoring of all retail sales in the united states is quite an undertaking. and as smart as it may be to be concerned about government intervention into our lives, i think there are better outlets for that energy. [edit, thought better about some "no need to put words into my mouth" type stuff]

28 points by asciilifeform 17y ago

The article is from 2006, but is still valid. The Consumer Products Safety Commission in its crusade to make everything idiot proof has neutered the once ubiquitous chemistry set. (Lawsuit happiness probably contributed.) The war on drugs has made it illegal to purchase common laboratory glassware without a background check. Last week my SO had to repack her cosmetics case into checked luggage because she had more tha 3 oz. of lotions and such. To top it off some TSA idiot spilled perfume into her suitcase. She is now sick because she has multiple chemical sensitivity and her clothes are probably unusable.

asciilifeform 17y ago
> The war on drugs has made it illegal to purchase common laboratory glassware without a background check If only that were all. Try getting Aldrich Inc. (or any other chemical vendor) to ship anything at all to a non-corporate address. And may the gods help you if your neighbors catch a glimpse of glassware through your basement window or smell a solvent: be prepared to stare down a SWAT team's rifle barrel at 3 in the morning.
- CalmQuiet 17y ago
  A. In the future, everyone (in U.S.) will be provided at birth: 1) Social Security Number (though Social Secutity be bankrupt) 2) Corporate identity and EIN (knowing parents will insist on it for their little future entrepreneurs, anyway). B. Then Aldrich, et al. will provide other restrictions on shipping. C. Knowing parents/criminals/etc. will start the next workaround. [ Go to B. ] :: Dictionary entry for "insanity" finally changed to "continuing to do the same thing while expecting different results." ::

jnovek 17y ago

I am an amateur photographer who enjoys spending a lot of time in the darkroom. As the rise of digital cameras has caused "darkroom technician" to turn from a profession to a hobby, some materials that once had pre-made formulations from Kodak or Ilford now have to be cooked up at home. It has been increasingly difficult to get Sodium Hydroxide (lye), Potassium Permanganate and Potassium Dichromate. I actually had to register with the DEA to get Potassium Dichromate, even though I can't figure out what it's used for in the drug trade. Although I'm usually a more or less rational person, part of me really is worried that some day I'm going to buy sodium hydroxide and a pack of pseudoephedrine on the same day and get raided at 3 AM.

smhinsey 17y ago
> Although I'm usually a more or less rational person For what it's worth, we are nowhere near that sort of real-time reporting for things like pseudoephedrine. At the pharmacy near me they are still having you sign a giant 3 ring binder when you buy pseudoephedrine.
- asciilifeform 17y ago
  Just wait for the next "Meth Prevention Act." Seriously. Do you really think that real-time reporting won't be imposed eventually? The powers-that-be already require prepaid debit cards (so you cannot make anonymous purchases on-line) and cell phones (no more anonymous calling) to be registered in this way.
  - JabavuAdams 17y ago
    Sounds like a business opportunity, if you don't mind being a Global-War-On-Everything-Industrial-Complex douche.
  - smhinsey 17y ago
    i think if someone decided to lobby the issue such legislation would have a decent chance of making it into law, but you can't legislate engineering. real-time monitoring of all retail sales in the united states is quite an undertaking. and as smart as it may be to be concerned about government intervention into our lives, i think there are better outlets for that energy. [edit, thought better about some "no need to put words into my mouth" type stuff]