- I didn't know that a case involving Monsanto's Roundup Ready seeds made it all the way to the Supreme Court. (article by Glenn Hess)
- By Lisa Jarvis, an interview with Lilly's John Lechleiter, CEO and former process chemist. He's says that they're expanding R&D; I hope that's true.
- A small roundup of new trifluoromethylation methods by Stephen Ritter.
- This story about a fertilizer plant in Indiana and IEDs in Afghanistan is fascinating, including a short article where they explain how calcium ammonium nitrate is weaponized for use as explosives. (both by Glenn Hess.)
- From Carmen Drahl, a writeup on #RealTimeChem and a great video on BlogSyn.
- A really nice article on photo conservation science by Sarah Everts.
25 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi
This week's C&EN
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From this week's C&EN, lots of interesting articles:
I want proof of this claim by AMRI
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Also in this week's C&EN, an interesting writeup of Informex (the fine chemicals trade show) by Rick Mullin:
The fine and custom chemical executives gathered in Anaheim, Calif., last week for the annual Informex exhibition reported that business continues to be strong in pharmaceuticals. A shift in contract manufacturing from China and India back to the West has provided a steady boost to the sector, they said.
Susan B. Billings, business development manager for Albany Molecular Research Inc., said drug and biotech companies are increasingly interested in working with contract research and manufacturing firms with integrated drug discovery capabilities, “and they are willing to pay for it.”
At the end of collaboration, Billings said, they want to have meaningful outcomes such as a clinical candidate that they can advance. AMRI has increased its medicinal chemistry resources in the U.S. by 50% since 2011, she said.I would really be interested to know what this means. Have they expanded their medicinal chemists by 50% in the US? I doubt it. How did they measure to get this number? Does this include the Lilly contractor folks? Also in the same article:
Meanwhile, Asymchem, a U.S.-based firm that does all its manufacturing in China, has been investing in specialized flow chemistry and enzymatic manufacturing, according to Matt Johnson, director of chemical development. “We don’t want to be continually perceived as the cheap alternative to Western supply,” Johnson said.Good luck there.
Translating ACS President Marinda Wu into Up-Goer Five
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In the beginning of January, ACS President Marinda Wu talked about her plans for ACS in the pages of C&EN. Here's a key portion on #chemjobs (it is not the whole section):
We must learn to view globalization—the movement of research, manufacturing, and consumption around the world—more as an opportunity than a threat. Globalization is here to stay and, indeed, it is accelerating.
The task force recommendations were presented to the ACS Board of Directors in December to show how ACS can help connect members with more employment opportunities and thrive in an increasingly global environment. After incorporating the board’s feedback, action steps will be finalized and shared broadly with ACS leaders and members to facilitate implementation during the course of this year and beyond.
For example, we are launching a new International Employment Initiative (IEI) at the April 2013 ACS national meeting in New Orleans at Sci-Mix. Employers with overseas job opportunities will be able to connect with job seekers. IEI will be part of the ACS Career Fair and also the virtual career fair. In addition, a Presidential Career Advancement Symposium highlighting numerous successful career paths including entrepreneurship will be featured at the September 2013 ACS national meeting in Indianapolis.I found this sadly full of buzzwords, so I decided to do my own version in Up Goer Five language (i.e. the 1000 most common words in the English language) -- let's see if it makes more sense:
The study of stuff, how to make new stuff and the spending of money on stuff will change from how it is now (where we have lots of money, and people in other parts of the world have less money) to a world where many people in other parts of the world have about as much money as us. That is a good thing that might help us make more money and it might not be a bad thing. This will not go away, and it is probably happening faster.
The people that I asked to help me with this told me and the people who work with me to show how our group can help people find more jobs and do well in this world where people living around our world, but not near us have almost as much money as we do. Once we agree, we will tell you about how to make this happen this year and later.
Very soon, we are going to help people find jobs not here in the States, but other places in the world. In the fall, we will be talking about how you can make your own job, or ask people to give you money to help make your own job.Sounds about right.
Quick Weeknight Dinner for 2 with Campbell's Skillet Sauces
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Back in November, I changed jobs and transitioned from working about 30-35 hours a week from my home to working 40+ hours a week at an office about 1 hour away from my home. That meant that between the added commute and extra work hours, I suddenly had about 20 less hours a week for household chores, cooking and (as you've probably noticed) blogging.
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.
There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
Things to Do in San Diego's Balboa Park
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There are many well-known San Diego attractions that you will want to consider when you are planning a visit to this popular Southern California city. Whether you are in the city for business or pleasure, or even if you're a local that needs to entertain out-of-town visitors, you definitely won't run out of things to see. One of the best places you could go -- especially if you like the outdoors -- is Balboa Park.
Although there are plenty of attractions to see, Balboa Park is unique in that it offers a lot of diversions to keep you and your guests busy. Among the various attractions you can see on the park, there are some must-see locations which you should visit to make your sightseeing excursion complete.
One of these "must-see" attractions is the Star Trek exhibition. It contains all the original costumes and props as well as the sets that were used in all series and films of Star Trek. If you are going to get an admission ticket, you would also be granted access to other exhibits on the Air and Space Museum.
If flowers are more to your taste, then the poinsettia display will rank as your number one among the San Diego attractions. The display can be found on the Botanical Building and features more than five hundred poinsettias that were arranged in harmony with the rest of the botanical wonders around which came from all over the world. You do not have to spend anything to see the display because it is for free.
If you are searching for IMAX film among the San Diego attractions, then you can have a single ticket so that you can be admitted to one of the new films on IMAX that are shown on a seamless dome screen which is very modern. If you know of the zoo in San Diego, you would probably visit it too; but if you are going to go there, it is advisable that you go early so that you can avoid the business of the day. One of the unique things to see in the zoo is the Panda Research Station and perhaps you could go there directly.
You may have a long list of other San Diego attractions that are worth seeing, just be sure to save at least a few days of your vacation for exploring Balboa Park and all the sites it has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
Romel have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for short sales in San Diego and great passion and knowledge for San Diego Coastal and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here sandiegorealestatecafe.com
There are many well-known San Diego attractions that you will want to consider when you are planning a visit to this popular Southern California city. Whether you are in the city for business or pleasure, or even if you're a local that needs to entertain out-of-town visitors, you definitely won't run out of things to see. One of the best places you could go -- especially if you like the outdoors -- is Balboa Park.
Although there are plenty of attractions to see, Balboa Park is unique in that it offers a lot of diversions to keep you and your guests busy. Among the various attractions you can see on the park, there are some must-see locations which you should visit to make your sightseeing excursion complete.
One of these "must-see" attractions is the Star Trek exhibition. It contains all the original costumes and props as well as the sets that were used in all series and films of Star Trek. If you are going to get an admission ticket, you would also be granted access to other exhibits on the Air and Space Museum.
If flowers are more to your taste, then the poinsettia display will rank as your number one among the San Diego attractions. The display can be found on the Botanical Building and features more than five hundred poinsettias that were arranged in harmony with the rest of the botanical wonders around which came from all over the world. You do not have to spend anything to see the display because it is for free.
If you are searching for IMAX film among the San Diego attractions, then you can have a single ticket so that you can be admitted to one of the new films on IMAX that are shown on a seamless dome screen which is very modern. If you know of the zoo in San Diego, you would probably visit it too; but if you are going to go there, it is advisable that you go early so that you can avoid the business of the day. One of the unique things to see in the zoo is the Panda Research Station and perhaps you could go there directly.
You may have a long list of other San Diego attractions that are worth seeing, just be sure to save at least a few days of your vacation for exploring Balboa Park and all the sites it has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
Romel have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for short sales in San Diego and great passion and knowledge for San Diego Coastal and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here sandiegorealestatecafe.com
24 Şubat 2013 Pazar
Podcast: Dr. Rubidium on #AnnieDookhan
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In the third part of our epic podcast with Dr. Rubidium, See Arr Oh and I interview her on the Annie Dookhan case. Dr. Rubidium worked as a forensic chemist, so this is a nice explanation of the case and its odd aspects:
Thanks to See Arr Oh for the timepoints:
0:04 - Introduction
0:46 - A Hot Mess
1:25 - Too Productive = A Problem
2:19 - CJ as drug dealer
2:45-9:00 - Dr. Rubidium explains it all: How do analytical chemists test illegal drugs?
9:04 - Dookhan: Tip O' The Iceberg?
11:55 - Analytical Standards - 'Keys to the Castle'
13:35 - Chemists in Court
15:04 - Part-time Harvard Doctorate
16:12 - "This wasn't a surprise to anyone she worked with"
17:36 - Selling paper in Scranton, PA
19:10 - "And that's the other title for the podcast!"
19:21 - Bonus track
And yes, podcast listeners, I am working towards a RSS feed for the podcasts. I think I'll be setting up a separate blog for it, since I can't seem to figure out other ways of doing so. Hopefully by the next one.
Thanks to See Arr Oh for the timepoints:
0:04 - Introduction
0:46 - A Hot Mess
1:25 - Too Productive = A Problem
2:19 - CJ as drug dealer
2:45-9:00 - Dr. Rubidium explains it all: How do analytical chemists test illegal drugs?
9:04 - Dookhan: Tip O' The Iceberg?
11:55 - Analytical Standards - 'Keys to the Castle'
13:35 - Chemists in Court
15:04 - Part-time Harvard Doctorate
16:12 - "This wasn't a surprise to anyone she worked with"
17:36 - Selling paper in Scranton, PA
19:10 - "And that's the other title for the podcast!"
19:21 - Bonus track
And yes, podcast listeners, I am working towards a RSS feed for the podcasts. I think I'll be setting up a separate blog for it, since I can't seem to figure out other ways of doing so. Hopefully by the next one.
Ivory Filter Flask: 2/19/13 edition
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Good morning! Between February 12 and February 18, 11 new academic positions were posted on the C&EN Jobs website. The numbers:
Total number of ads: 11
- Postdocs: 1
- Tenure-track faculty: 8
- Temporary faculty: 1
- Lecturer positions: 1
- Staff positions: 0
- US/non-US: 8/3
Akron, OH: The University of Akron is looking for an assistant professor of analytical or bioanalytical chemistry.
Farmville, VA: Longwood University desires a M.S./Ph.D. chemist to be an assistant professor of organic or organometallic chemistry.
Alliance, OH: University of Mount Union desires an assistant professor of biochemistry. I hear they have a decent football team.
Pittsburgh, PA: The University of Pittsburgh desires a lecturer for general chemistry; it is a one-year renewable position.
Sanford, FL: Seminole State College of Florida desires a M.S. chemist for a tenure-track teaching position.
Total number of ads: 11
- Postdocs: 1
- Tenure-track faculty: 8
- Temporary faculty: 1
- Lecturer positions: 1
- Staff positions: 0
- US/non-US: 8/3
Akron, OH: The University of Akron is looking for an assistant professor of analytical or bioanalytical chemistry.
Farmville, VA: Longwood University desires a M.S./Ph.D. chemist to be an assistant professor of organic or organometallic chemistry.
Alliance, OH: University of Mount Union desires an assistant professor of biochemistry. I hear they have a decent football team.
Pittsburgh, PA: The University of Pittsburgh desires a lecturer for general chemistry; it is a one-year renewable position.
Sanford, FL: Seminole State College of Florida desires a M.S. chemist for a tenure-track teaching position.
Against "networking" for networking's sake
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From Willliam Carroll, Jr., the former chair of the board of director of ACS, a very interesting comment on the power of networking in this week's C&EN. It riffs off a recent New York Times article where they reveal that some companies (Ernst and Young, Deloitte) rely on internal referrals for (respectively) 45% and 49% of their non-entry-level placements. This is where Dr. Carroll loses me:
In one sense, I think that Dr. Carroll is right. Networking is more important than ever, and it is very important that your network knows when you are looking for a new position and how best to help move you forward in your career goals. It is important to get to know influential people, work for them and to make a good impression on them.
That said, shouldn't someone push back against all of this networking mumbo-jumbo? Aren't there legitimate questions of merit to be discussed about These Modern Times and our approach to hiring at all levels? I confess that I really dislike the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know", especially as applied to success in the job market. Does any of Dr. Carroll's comment go against that terrible phrase?
Instead of another paean to "networking", I would like to see people of Dr. Carroll's stature indicate what technical skills and character traits that employers most like to see. We all know that some people have "it" -- what exactly are those traits, and how can we grow them in ourselves? Wouldn't that be a better thing to spend column inches talking about, rather than another suggestion that you "get to know people"?
*Isn't it time that we declare the ACS Network a failed experiment? How many active users are there on the ACS Network? Does it even reach 1% of membership? In 2008, it was cool to establish new online social networks. It's not 2008 anymore.
In some ways, this process is disturbing. You may wonder, “Do I really need to know somebody to get a job? What happened to merit?” Although disturbing, it’s also understandable. Deloitte receives 400,000 résumés per year. If a résumé gets just seven seconds of attention, human prescreening of that many résumés would take more than 100 person-days per year. It’s simpler, cheaper, and more reliable to sort by keyword and get referrals.
Diversity is an issue, however. Companies recognize that people tend to recommend people like themselves. That’s one reason why many limit the percentage of people hired via referrals and recruit entry-level personnel differently...
So why am I telling you another disturbing story about jobs? Because there’s a take-home lesson: A network is even more important than we thought it was.
I preach the network to groups of grad students and postdocs. I say to them, “Do you know everyone here? Turns out, most of you will have successful careers—some of you will be in C&EN. Here’s a chance to meet stars early, become colleagues, and later brag that you knew them when. Imagine how far you’ll go with each other’s network.”Dr. Carroll then points out that networking is something he believes is a core function of the American Chemical Society, there are 163,000 members on the ACS Network*, that ACS local sections are a great place to get to know people and get involved and fdafguyfdsfereruirere -- sorry, I fell asleep.
In one sense, I think that Dr. Carroll is right. Networking is more important than ever, and it is very important that your network knows when you are looking for a new position and how best to help move you forward in your career goals. It is important to get to know influential people, work for them and to make a good impression on them.
That said, shouldn't someone push back against all of this networking mumbo-jumbo? Aren't there legitimate questions of merit to be discussed about These Modern Times and our approach to hiring at all levels? I confess that I really dislike the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know", especially as applied to success in the job market. Does any of Dr. Carroll's comment go against that terrible phrase?
Instead of another paean to "networking", I would like to see people of Dr. Carroll's stature indicate what technical skills and character traits that employers most like to see. We all know that some people have "it" -- what exactly are those traits, and how can we grow them in ourselves? Wouldn't that be a better thing to spend column inches talking about, rather than another suggestion that you "get to know people"?
*Isn't it time that we declare the ACS Network a failed experiment? How many active users are there on the ACS Network? Does it even reach 1% of membership? In 2008, it was cool to establish new online social networks. It's not 2008 anymore.
It's See Arr Oh week in the chemblogosphere!
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See Arr Oh and I did a fun podcast over the Pierre-Yan debacle; go over to Just Like Cooking to hear it. SAO did the editing this time, so you won't get any of my pauses.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
As a process chemist, I'm amazed that this is controversial in the slightest. Our deliverable is the knowledge used to execute the chemistry, which could then be carried out by an operator anywhere in the world.If I were the skin art sort (I am not), I might think about having this tattooed on me. Well said.
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
Quick Weeknight Dinner for 2 with Campbell's Skillet Sauces
To contact us Click HERE
Back in November, I changed jobs and transitioned from working about 30-35 hours a week from my home to working 40+ hours a week at an office about 1 hour away from my home. That meant that between the added commute and extra work hours, I suddenly had about 20 less hours a week for household chores, cooking and (as you've probably noticed) blogging.
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.
There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
23 Şubat 2013 Cumartesi
Daily Pump Trap: 2/19/13 edition
To contact us Click HERE
Good morning! Between February 14 and February 18, there were 23 new positions posted on the C&EN Jobs. Of these, 6 (26%) are academically connected and 1 (4%) is from a staffing agency.
Arden Hills, MN: Land O' Lakes desires a B.S. chemist (3+ years in food testing) to be an analytical laboratory testing supervisor.
Hoffman Estates, IL: Tate and Lyle (the makers of Splenda) are looking for a Ph.D. research scientist. Here's their description of the desired qualifications:
Westbrook, ME: Sappi Fine Paper wishes to hire a carbohydrate chemist for a postdoctoral fellowship: "will involve technology development as it relates to polysaccharides (e.g. starch, cellulose) and proteins. The project work will include the modification of these polysaccharide- based polymers for use in a range of potential product applications."
Byron, IL: Exelon desires chemical technicians for nuclear-related water testing. They wish to hire someone with the following preferred qualifications:
East Bay Area, CA: An unknown company wishes to hire a B.S. chemist with 5-7 years experience in product development for a position researching water filtration technology. Why they didn't spend their money to leaflet Nalco's sites in Chicago and Houston is beyond me.
Arden Hills, MN: Land O' Lakes desires a B.S. chemist (3+ years in food testing) to be an analytical laboratory testing supervisor.
Hoffman Estates, IL: Tate and Lyle (the makers of Splenda) are looking for a Ph.D. research scientist. Here's their description of the desired qualifications:
The successful candidate will have a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, a strong desire to apply their expertise toward developing food ingredients that deliver health benefits and 3-5 years of industrial experience.
A background in ingredient design for foods is desirable. Deep experience in biochemistry and medicinal chemistry is required. Experience in any of the areas of ingredient design from the following list is desirable: enzyme modification of ingredients, physical processing of ingredients (spray drying, drum drying agglomeration, blending etc), natural products extraction, separations technology as applied to product design, fermentation to produce ingredients, or formulation of complex ingredient systems.Does this person exist outside of Tate and Lyle and Cargill? I am curious.
Westbrook, ME: Sappi Fine Paper wishes to hire a carbohydrate chemist for a postdoctoral fellowship: "will involve technology development as it relates to polysaccharides (e.g. starch, cellulose) and proteins. The project work will include the modification of these polysaccharide- based polymers for use in a range of potential product applications."
Byron, IL: Exelon desires chemical technicians for nuclear-related water testing. They wish to hire someone with the following preferred qualifications:
Preferred:Their offered pay? $30-35/hour, no relocation. 5 openings. I feel like this is a low ball offer, but I dunno.
- Bachelor's Or Master's Degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, or equivalent degree
- Two years professional work experience in chemistry
- Navy Nuclear experience as an Engineering Lab Technician (ELT)
- Demonstrates leadership capabilities by motivating and inspiring others to accept challenges and meet or exceed expectations, and consistently achieves results, while acting as a role model for exhibiting appropriate behaviors.
East Bay Area, CA: An unknown company wishes to hire a B.S. chemist with 5-7 years experience in product development for a position researching water filtration technology. Why they didn't spend their money to leaflet Nalco's sites in Chicago and Houston is beyond me.
Process Wednesday: reglassing
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When you have glass-lined steel reactors, one of the things that the chemical engineers seem to worry a lot about is damage to the glass itself. One of the things that can put pinholes into the glass, for example, is static electricity discharge from non-polar solvents like hexanes. Corrosion with certain reagents (which they try desperately to prevent by barring them, wisely) is another source of damage. My favorite (because it's so simple, yet so costly) is dropped tools -- you drop a hammer or a wrench into a glass-lined reactor, you're gonna leave a dent.
As a relatively novice process chemist, I was unaware that glass-lined steel reactors (like old cars) can be sent for refurbishing. De Dietrich Process Systems' sales brochure about it is happy to tell me about the process:
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| Credit: De Dietrich Process Systems |
As a relatively novice process chemist, I was unaware that glass-lined steel reactors (like old cars) can be sent for refurbishing. De Dietrich Process Systems' sales brochure about it is happy to tell me about the process:
Reglassing is the process by which older or damaged glasslined steel equipment is refurbished to like-new condition. All glass-lined reactors, tanks, columns, and accessories such as covers, agitators and baffles, can be reglassed if the steel substrate is in good or repairable condition.
The process starts once a vessel has been inspected and approved as a candidate for reglass. Next, the old glass lining is removed by grit blasting. After any steel repairs and modifications are complete, DDPS proceeds with the glassing process. Here we fuse corrosion resistant 3009 glass onto the prepared steel in our computer controlled electric furnaces. Finally external protective coatings are applied via DDPS’ epoxy system. The end product is a high quality, glass-lined steel vessel or accessory.
Reglassing is ideal for situations when time and cost are a primary issue. The turnaround time is within weeks versus months to fabricate a new vessel and there is nearly a 50% cost savings compared to buying a new vessel. ...All vessels reglassed by DDPS come with the same standard warranty as new vessels, ensuring you are receiving a vessel “as good as new.”Now that we're going to get that reactor back, when I can start my boiling caustic soda process? (Kidding.)
Bonus Process Wednesday: small-scale agitation parameters
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If you're following Blog Syn #002 (Selective C-H Olefination of Pyridines, by J.Q. Yu et al.), it seems that that agitation is the key to the reaction. From Professor Yu's e-mail:
It'd probably save some people a little bit of grief.
Put the reaction tube in the middle of hot plate to obtain a stable stirring (500 rpm is enough). Don't let the solid adhere to the tube wall.I wonder if, for heterogeneous reactions, there should be a standardization of the parameters for agitation, i.e. size/weight of stir bar, inner/outer diameter of reaction flask, type/size of stirplate, etc.
It'd probably save some people a little bit of grief.
Against "networking" for networking's sake
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From Willliam Carroll, Jr., the former chair of the board of director of ACS, a very interesting comment on the power of networking in this week's C&EN. It riffs off a recent New York Times article where they reveal that some companies (Ernst and Young, Deloitte) rely on internal referrals for (respectively) 45% and 49% of their non-entry-level placements. This is where Dr. Carroll loses me:
In one sense, I think that Dr. Carroll is right. Networking is more important than ever, and it is very important that your network knows when you are looking for a new position and how best to help move you forward in your career goals. It is important to get to know influential people, work for them and to make a good impression on them.
That said, shouldn't someone push back against all of this networking mumbo-jumbo? Aren't there legitimate questions of merit to be discussed about These Modern Times and our approach to hiring at all levels? I confess that I really dislike the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know", especially as applied to success in the job market. Does any of Dr. Carroll's comment go against that terrible phrase?
Instead of another paean to "networking", I would like to see people of Dr. Carroll's stature indicate what technical skills and character traits that employers most like to see. We all know that some people have "it" -- what exactly are those traits, and how can we grow them in ourselves? Wouldn't that be a better thing to spend column inches talking about, rather than another suggestion that you "get to know people"?
*Isn't it time that we declare the ACS Network a failed experiment? How many active users are there on the ACS Network? Does it even reach 1% of membership? In 2008, it was cool to establish new online social networks. It's not 2008 anymore.
In some ways, this process is disturbing. You may wonder, “Do I really need to know somebody to get a job? What happened to merit?” Although disturbing, it’s also understandable. Deloitte receives 400,000 résumés per year. If a résumé gets just seven seconds of attention, human prescreening of that many résumés would take more than 100 person-days per year. It’s simpler, cheaper, and more reliable to sort by keyword and get referrals.
Diversity is an issue, however. Companies recognize that people tend to recommend people like themselves. That’s one reason why many limit the percentage of people hired via referrals and recruit entry-level personnel differently...
So why am I telling you another disturbing story about jobs? Because there’s a take-home lesson: A network is even more important than we thought it was.
I preach the network to groups of grad students and postdocs. I say to them, “Do you know everyone here? Turns out, most of you will have successful careers—some of you will be in C&EN. Here’s a chance to meet stars early, become colleagues, and later brag that you knew them when. Imagine how far you’ll go with each other’s network.”Dr. Carroll then points out that networking is something he believes is a core function of the American Chemical Society, there are 163,000 members on the ACS Network*, that ACS local sections are a great place to get to know people and get involved and fdafguyfdsfereruirere -- sorry, I fell asleep.
In one sense, I think that Dr. Carroll is right. Networking is more important than ever, and it is very important that your network knows when you are looking for a new position and how best to help move you forward in your career goals. It is important to get to know influential people, work for them and to make a good impression on them.
That said, shouldn't someone push back against all of this networking mumbo-jumbo? Aren't there legitimate questions of merit to be discussed about These Modern Times and our approach to hiring at all levels? I confess that I really dislike the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know", especially as applied to success in the job market. Does any of Dr. Carroll's comment go against that terrible phrase?
Instead of another paean to "networking", I would like to see people of Dr. Carroll's stature indicate what technical skills and character traits that employers most like to see. We all know that some people have "it" -- what exactly are those traits, and how can we grow them in ourselves? Wouldn't that be a better thing to spend column inches talking about, rather than another suggestion that you "get to know people"?
*Isn't it time that we declare the ACS Network a failed experiment? How many active users are there on the ACS Network? Does it even reach 1% of membership? In 2008, it was cool to establish new online social networks. It's not 2008 anymore.
It's See Arr Oh week in the chemblogosphere!
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See Arr Oh and I did a fun podcast over the Pierre-Yan debacle; go over to Just Like Cooking to hear it. SAO did the editing this time, so you won't get any of my pauses.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
As a process chemist, I'm amazed that this is controversial in the slightest. Our deliverable is the knowledge used to execute the chemistry, which could then be carried out by an operator anywhere in the world.If I were the skin art sort (I am not), I might think about having this tattooed on me. Well said.
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
22 Şubat 2013 Cuma
Daily Pump Trap: 2/21/13 edition
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Good morning! Between February 19 and February 20, there were 5 new positions posted on the C&EN Jobs website. Of these, 4 (80%) are academically connected.
Hmmm: Of course, the one industrial position posted in the last two days is for a civil engineer. Of course.
Who are they looking for at 3M and Cambrex?: One in my continuing, irregular series of looks at companies on the Chemical Week 75 list, 3M seems to have 72 positions related to being a chemist; most of them, I suspect, are not really aimed at chemists per se. Cambrex seems to have 4 positions related to being a chemist.
A broader look: Monster, Careerbuilder, Indeed and USAjobs.gov show 201, 733, 2421 and 12 positions for the search term "chemist." LinkedIn shows 95 positions for the job title "chemist", with 7 for "research chemist", 22 for "analytical chemist" and 4 for "organic chemist."
Postdoctoral expansion: Here's an ad posted on LinkedIn (with the recruiter's contact information) for a synthetic chemist (emphasis mine):
Hmmm: Of course, the one industrial position posted in the last two days is for a civil engineer. Of course.
Who are they looking for at 3M and Cambrex?: One in my continuing, irregular series of looks at companies on the Chemical Week 75 list, 3M seems to have 72 positions related to being a chemist; most of them, I suspect, are not really aimed at chemists per se. Cambrex seems to have 4 positions related to being a chemist.
A broader look: Monster, Careerbuilder, Indeed and USAjobs.gov show 201, 733, 2421 and 12 positions for the search term "chemist." LinkedIn shows 95 positions for the job title "chemist", with 7 for "research chemist", 22 for "analytical chemist" and 4 for "organic chemist."
Postdoctoral expansion: Here's an ad posted on LinkedIn (with the recruiter's contact information) for a synthetic chemist (emphasis mine):
I am seeking outgoing, driven individuals who would thrive in a collaborative environment. My client is seeking a PhD synthetic organic chemist with 2-4 years of post-doc work in chemical synthesis. This is a development position with Fortune 1000 company....
[snip] PhD Organic Chemistry with at least 2 years relevant experience in an academic or industrial environment.I sincerely hope this was the recruiter's doing, and not the Fortune 1000 company; I can't imagine that they're looking for a 4 year postdoc, right?
It's See Arr Oh week in the chemblogosphere!
To contact us Click HERE
See Arr Oh and I did a fun podcast over the Pierre-Yan debacle; go over to Just Like Cooking to hear it. SAO did the editing this time, so you won't get any of my pauses.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
As a process chemist, I'm amazed that this is controversial in the slightest. Our deliverable is the knowledge used to execute the chemistry, which could then be carried out by an operator anywhere in the world.If I were the skin art sort (I am not), I might think about having this tattooed on me. Well said.
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
Job search stats: The Golden Years
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It's time to revisit the job search stats that the blog has collected so far. As you might remember, I've divided up the modern era of chemistry employment as follows:
Industrial B.S./M.S.-level position, time period, number of full apps/on-site interviews (no phone)/offers:
#22A (biologist): 1996: 10/3/1
#31: 4/1997-9/1997: 190/5/2
#17: 9/1999: 2/2/2#22B (biologist): 1999: 10/2/1
Industrial Ph.D.-level position, time period, number of full apps/on-site interviews (no phone)/offers:
#9D: 9/1990-2/1991: 50/3/2#9C: 4/1992: 2/1/1#9B: 11/2000: 3/2/1#30A: "late '90s": 15/10/8
So, not a whole bunch of data points, but what do I notice?:
- The Golden Years: pre-2003
- The Clouds Before The Storm: 2003-2007
- The Great Recession: 1/1/08 to 7/31/2009
- These Modern Times: 8/2009 - present
Industrial B.S./M.S.-level position, time period, number of full apps/on-site interviews (no phone)/offers:
#22A (biologist): 1996: 10/3/1
#31: 4/1997-9/1997: 190/5/2
#17: 9/1999: 2/2/2#22B (biologist): 1999: 10/2/1
Industrial Ph.D.-level position, time period, number of full apps/on-site interviews (no phone)/offers:
#9D: 9/1990-2/1991: 50/3/2#9C: 4/1992: 2/1/1#9B: 11/2000: 3/2/1#30A: "late '90s": 15/10/8
So, not a whole bunch of data points, but what do I notice?:
- I think what I notice is that applications bear interview fruit a lot easier.
- The number of applications (with the exception of #31) is a lot lower than These Modern Times (50+).
Was there, or is there, poaching between pharma companies?
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A while ago, some documents relating to Palm poaching Apple technical staff surfaced. Here's a quote from Gizmodo's account:
I think there have been a variety of famous departures of medicinal and process chemists during the late 1990s and 2000s for new shores. But I wonder if it is/was common for pharma companies to entice each other's program managers over if/when they wanted to compete -- and, if so, if it happens much anymore? Did presidents of R&D (at the LaMattina level, say) ever call each other and made angry noises? I wonder if they ever called a truce, like Apple and Google decided to? (Such truces, of course, are 1) possibly illegal, 2) good for the corporations and 3) less good for individual workers -- 'twas ever thus.)
Notably, former Palm CEO Edward Colligan has made a statement which points out that the company was threatened with patent litigation if it didn't stop poaching staff from Apple. In the legal filing, Colligan explains how Jobs suggested that "if Palm did not agree to such an agreement, Palm could face lawsuits alleging infringement of Apple's many patents." An email which made up part of the discussions is pictured below, in which Jobs points out the asymmetry of the situation, writing: "I'm sure you realize the asymmetry in the financial resources of our respective companies when you say: ‘We will both just end up paying a lot of lawyers a lot of money.'"I don't really have much to say about the Palm versus Apple thing -- business ain't beanbag and corporations will do whatever it takes to get leverage and coercive power over other organizations.
I think there have been a variety of famous departures of medicinal and process chemists during the late 1990s and 2000s for new shores. But I wonder if it is/was common for pharma companies to entice each other's program managers over if/when they wanted to compete -- and, if so, if it happens much anymore? Did presidents of R&D (at the LaMattina level, say) ever call each other and made angry noises? I wonder if they ever called a truce, like Apple and Google decided to? (Such truces, of course, are 1) possibly illegal, 2) good for the corporations and 3) less good for individual workers -- 'twas ever thus.)
12 STEM grad ed improvement ideas rejected by NSF
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1. Grad school thunderdome
2. Random full professors are promoted to emeritus
3. Alcohol prohibition
4. Stoning for plagiarists, fabulists
5. K-101 grants for in-laboratory kegerator
6. Ask 10 good questions at seminar? 1 chapter shaved off thesis.
7. Employment outcome tracking of alumni for 10-15 years
8. Random associate professors become postdocs
9. Mandatory tequila shots for committee before candidacy exams
10. Issue every new grad student helmet/face shield for lab safety, head-mounted camera for ethics monitoring
11. Mandatory tap-dancing/jazz hands training for job talks
12. The Oprah solution: "You get tenure! And you get tenure!"
BTW, it's a real request for proposals. Seriously, you should do it.
1. Grad school thunderdome2. Random full professors are promoted to emeritus
3. Alcohol prohibition
4. Stoning for plagiarists, fabulists
5. K-101 grants for in-laboratory kegerator
6. Ask 10 good questions at seminar? 1 chapter shaved off thesis.
7. Employment outcome tracking of alumni for 10-15 years
8. Random associate professors become postdocs
9. Mandatory tequila shots for committee before candidacy exams
10. Issue every new grad student helmet/face shield for lab safety, head-mounted camera for ethics monitoring
11. Mandatory tap-dancing/jazz hands training for job talks
12. The Oprah solution: "You get tenure! And you get tenure!"
BTW, it's a real request for proposals. Seriously, you should do it.
21 Şubat 2013 Perşembe
In the clouds, a silver lining
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Luke Timmerman at Xconomy has a nice writeup responding to that silly PriceWaterhouseCooper report (and covering Derek Lowe's response to it as well). He covers a couple of recently unemployed scientists, including Steve Richards, a Ph.D. medicinal chemist:
After reading this report, I felt compelled to follow up with a regular Xconomy reader who I’d characterize as smart, experienced, hardworking, positive, and—last time I checked—jobless. His name is Steve Richards, and he’s a medicinal chemist by training. Back in 2010, he got more than 18 months’ notice that his job at South San Francisco-based Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL) was going away, and had done all the right things in terms of networking and job hunting since. He still hadn’t found a full-time gig when we last spoke in September, although he had lined up a temp job at UCSF to help keep his skills sharp.
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| Steve Richards Credit: Xconomy |
When I called Richards on Friday, I was pleasantly surprised to hear some good news. He latched on with a new startup, South San Francisco-based Global Blood Therapeutics. He’s doing medicinal chemistry for drug discovery, work that’s right up his alley. “I’m working on small molecules, treatments for genetic blood disorders,” Richards says. “It’s exciting biology. It’s great to be back.”
I was heartened to hear that a Yale-trained medicinal chemist with a decade of experience can still find a job in pharmaceuticals even though it took a herculean effort. But not surprisingly, I found that Richards was similarly baffled by the sentiments expressed in the recent PwC report.
“As somebody who has been among the workers displaced from the industry because we were told we were unnecessary, to now hear people say ‘We can’t find enough people for this new R&D environment,’ it’s unsettling,” Richards says. “While many people will acknowledge there are a lot of people who have been disengaged from the industry, there aren’t a lot of mechanisms to re-engage these people.”It's really nice to hear a happy story these days, especially with all the unfortunate news. I should also note that he introduces Marie Beltran, a biochemist still looking for a position. Go over there and check it out!
Quick hits
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Other things I'd like to note:
Other things I'd like to note:- I am hearing a rumbling of a recent set of small company pharma/biotech-related layoffs in the RTP region of North Carolina -- has anyone heard that? UPDATE: Like the idiot I am, I failed to note that David Perrey ran with part of this two days ago. Sincere apologies for not seeing it in my RSS feed, David.
- There has been a raft of "too many PhDs" news recently:
- Yet more rumblings, this time from Nature Jobs, about changing the nature of the Ph.D.
- A report from Science Careers' Michael Price on a recent panel at the AAAS meeting, including the suggestion from Prof. Gregory Petsko that life science postdocs get paid $55,000 in order to cut supply.
- The Inside Higher Ed post on similar doings, covering Paula Stephan's broad review of fields. I note that computer scientists and physicists are having their issues, too.
- Finally, a really fantastic overview from The Atlantic's Jordan Weissman about recent Survey of Earned Doctorate data, including this nicely done graph of physical science Ph.D.s. (to right.)
It's See Arr Oh week in the chemblogosphere!
To contact us Click HERE
See Arr Oh and I did a fun podcast over the Pierre-Yan debacle; go over to Just Like Cooking to hear it. SAO did the editing this time, so you won't get any of my pauses.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
Also, an absolutely stunning kerfluffle happened in the comments on Derek Lowe's post on BlogSyn #003. I'll ignore the negative and accentuate the positive, including this wonderful line from "another process chemist" (emphasis mine):
As a process chemist, I'm amazed that this is controversial in the slightest. Our deliverable is the knowledge used to execute the chemistry, which could then be carried out by an operator anywhere in the world.If I were the skin art sort (I am not), I might think about having this tattooed on me. Well said.
And congratulations once again to Blog Syn; you guys are on the right side of things.
Advice from experienced readers to younger ones?
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This has been a post a long time coming, but a recent conversation that I had crystallized it. Someone that I respect is a hiring facilitator (not technically a HR-type, but deeply involved in interacting with hires at non-degree-requiring, entry-level positions). This person complained about their interaction with Millenials, noting that they tend to show up to interview positions not correctly dressed, not armed with enough social graces (i.e. bad at small talk with new people) and just not very good at being in the working world.
I am sure some of those comments are relevant to me as well; my generation (Gen X) was known as "the slacker generation" for a while there. (I don't doubt that macroeconomics plays a big role in all of this.)
So, older Chemjobber readers (say 40 and above), what do you have to say about your younger coworkers (and people who wish to become your younger coworkers?) What criticism of their behavior do you have? E-mail etiquette? Time spent on their phones? Do they not afford you enough respect in meetings or listen to you well enough? Give it to us straight, so that we can change.
[Chemjobber readers below 40, you'll get your turn next week. Please hold your comments until then.]
I am sure some of those comments are relevant to me as well; my generation (Gen X) was known as "the slacker generation" for a while there. (I don't doubt that macroeconomics plays a big role in all of this.)
So, older Chemjobber readers (say 40 and above), what do you have to say about your younger coworkers (and people who wish to become your younger coworkers?) What criticism of their behavior do you have? E-mail etiquette? Time spent on their phones? Do they not afford you enough respect in meetings or listen to you well enough? Give it to us straight, so that we can change.
[Chemjobber readers below 40, you'll get your turn next week. Please hold your comments until then.]
Things to Do in San Diego's Balboa Park
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There are many well-known San Diego attractions that you will want to consider when you are planning a visit to this popular Southern California city. Whether you are in the city for business or pleasure, or even if you're a local that needs to entertain out-of-town visitors, you definitely won't run out of things to see. One of the best places you could go -- especially if you like the outdoors -- is Balboa Park.
Although there are plenty of attractions to see, Balboa Park is unique in that it offers a lot of diversions to keep you and your guests busy. Among the various attractions you can see on the park, there are some must-see locations which you should visit to make your sightseeing excursion complete.
One of these "must-see" attractions is the Star Trek exhibition. It contains all the original costumes and props as well as the sets that were used in all series and films of Star Trek. If you are going to get an admission ticket, you would also be granted access to other exhibits on the Air and Space Museum.
If flowers are more to your taste, then the poinsettia display will rank as your number one among the San Diego attractions. The display can be found on the Botanical Building and features more than five hundred poinsettias that were arranged in harmony with the rest of the botanical wonders around which came from all over the world. You do not have to spend anything to see the display because it is for free.
If you are searching for IMAX film among the San Diego attractions, then you can have a single ticket so that you can be admitted to one of the new films on IMAX that are shown on a seamless dome screen which is very modern. If you know of the zoo in San Diego, you would probably visit it too; but if you are going to go there, it is advisable that you go early so that you can avoid the business of the day. One of the unique things to see in the zoo is the Panda Research Station and perhaps you could go there directly.
You may have a long list of other San Diego attractions that are worth seeing, just be sure to save at least a few days of your vacation for exploring Balboa Park and all the sites it has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
Romel have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for short sales in San Diego and great passion and knowledge for San Diego Coastal and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here sandiegorealestatecafe.com
There are many well-known San Diego attractions that you will want to consider when you are planning a visit to this popular Southern California city. Whether you are in the city for business or pleasure, or even if you're a local that needs to entertain out-of-town visitors, you definitely won't run out of things to see. One of the best places you could go -- especially if you like the outdoors -- is Balboa Park.
Although there are plenty of attractions to see, Balboa Park is unique in that it offers a lot of diversions to keep you and your guests busy. Among the various attractions you can see on the park, there are some must-see locations which you should visit to make your sightseeing excursion complete.
One of these "must-see" attractions is the Star Trek exhibition. It contains all the original costumes and props as well as the sets that were used in all series and films of Star Trek. If you are going to get an admission ticket, you would also be granted access to other exhibits on the Air and Space Museum.
If flowers are more to your taste, then the poinsettia display will rank as your number one among the San Diego attractions. The display can be found on the Botanical Building and features more than five hundred poinsettias that were arranged in harmony with the rest of the botanical wonders around which came from all over the world. You do not have to spend anything to see the display because it is for free.
If you are searching for IMAX film among the San Diego attractions, then you can have a single ticket so that you can be admitted to one of the new films on IMAX that are shown on a seamless dome screen which is very modern. If you know of the zoo in San Diego, you would probably visit it too; but if you are going to go there, it is advisable that you go early so that you can avoid the business of the day. One of the unique things to see in the zoo is the Panda Research Station and perhaps you could go there directly.
You may have a long list of other San Diego attractions that are worth seeing, just be sure to save at least a few days of your vacation for exploring Balboa Park and all the sites it has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
Romel have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for short sales in San Diego and great passion and knowledge for San Diego Coastal and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here sandiegorealestatecafe.com
20 Şubat 2013 Çarşamba
Study shows more diabetes meeting goals
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A study conducted and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more people are meeting recommended goals in the three key markers of diabetes control. That is, A1C — which assesses blood sugar or glucose over the past three months — blood pressure and cholesterol. Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
Chip Ganassi Racing Teams join the “Race with Insulin” initiative
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IZOD IndyCar Series driver, Charlie Kimball (No. 83 Novo Nordisk Honda), of the Race with Insulin™ program, has gained the support of his fellow CGRT teammates across NASCAR, INDYCAR and GRAND-AM, combining for a Race with Insulin™ Unites initiative, according to the Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and partner Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care.
Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
IZOD IndyCar Series driver, Charlie Kimball (No. 83 Novo Nordisk Honda), of the Race with Insulin™ program, has gained the support of his fellow CGRT teammates across NASCAR, INDYCAR and GRAND-AM, combining for a Race with Insulin™ Unites initiative, according to the Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and partner Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care.Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
DC hosts Homeland Security Conference later this month
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The twelfth annual Homeland Security Conference, "Securingthe Homeland: Working Together, Keeping the Nation Safe", will be hostedat the Grand Hyatt Washington, Washington, DC.The conference is managed by AFCEA and will be held 26-28 February.The conference will be attended by government and industry leaders, CIOs, andprogram managers involved in operations, policy and procurement.
Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
The twelfth annual Homeland Security Conference, "Securingthe Homeland: Working Together, Keeping the Nation Safe", will be hostedat the Grand Hyatt Washington, Washington, DC.The conference is managed by AFCEA and will be held 26-28 February.The conference will be attended by government and industry leaders, CIOs, andprogram managers involved in operations, policy and procurement.
Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
Nixle provides communications via mobile technology during a disaster
To contact us Click HERE
Communication is vital when disaster strikes. People need to bemade aware of incoming dangers and situation updates. They need to receivetimely information on evacuation instructions.
Television and radio have long been a source of communication fromgovernment and emergency agencies to the citizens. A weather radio is anothergood source of information. Cell phones are another great source. Even whenlines are tied up, cell phones can receive text messages. Nixle uses a proprietary platform that allows participatingpolice, fire and emergency agencies to send secure and authenticated real-timealerts.
Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
Communication is vital when disaster strikes. People need to bemade aware of incoming dangers and situation updates. They need to receivetimely information on evacuation instructions.
Television and radio have long been a source of communication fromgovernment and emergency agencies to the citizens. A weather radio is anothergood source of information. Cell phones are another great source. Even whenlines are tied up, cell phones can receive text messages. Nixle uses a proprietary platform that allows participatingpolice, fire and emergency agencies to send secure and authenticated real-timealerts.
Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
Novo Nordisk celebrates 90 years of caring for diabetics
To contact us Click HERE
Novo Nordisk is celebrating 90 years of treating diabetes patients with the company's insulin. The company is focused on developing new and better treatments for people with diabetes and is now the world's largest diabetes care company. Novo Nordisk provides therapeutic treatments for an estimated 23 million people with diabetes worldwide and produces approximately 50% of all insulin in the world.
Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
Novo Nordisk is celebrating 90 years of treating diabetes patients with the company's insulin. The company is focused on developing new and better treatments for people with diabetes and is now the world's largest diabetes care company. Novo Nordisk provides therapeutic treatments for an estimated 23 million people with diabetes worldwide and produces approximately 50% of all insulin in the world.Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com today.
19 Şubat 2013 Salı
Daily Pump Trap: 2/19/12 edition
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Good morning! Between February 14 and February 18, there were 23 new positions posted on the C&EN Jobs. Of these, 6 (26%) are academically connected and 1 (4%) is from a staffing agency.
Arden Hills, MN: Land O' Lakes desires a B.S. chemist (3+ years in food testing) to be an analytical laboratory testing supervisor.
Hoffman Estates, IL: Tate and Lyle (the makers of Splenda) are looking for a Ph.D. research scientist. Here's their description of the desired qualifications:
Westbrook, ME: Sappi Fine Paper wishes to hire a carbohydrate chemist for a postdoctoral fellowship: "will involve technology development as it relates to polysaccharides (e.g. starch, cellulose) and proteins. The project work will include the modification of these polysaccharide- based polymers for use in a range of potential product applications."
Byron, IL: Exelon desires chemical technicians for nuclear-related water testing. They wish to hire someone with the following preferred qualifications:
East Bay Area, CA: An unknown company wishes to hire a B.S. chemist with 5-7 years experience in product development for a position researching water filtration technology. Why they didn't spend their money to leaflet Nalco's sites in Chicago and Houston is beyond me.
Arden Hills, MN: Land O' Lakes desires a B.S. chemist (3+ years in food testing) to be an analytical laboratory testing supervisor.
Hoffman Estates, IL: Tate and Lyle (the makers of Splenda) are looking for a Ph.D. research scientist. Here's their description of the desired qualifications:
The successful candidate will have a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, a strong desire to apply their expertise toward developing food ingredients that deliver health benefits and 3-5 years of industrial experience.
A background in ingredient design for foods is desirable. Deep experience in biochemistry and medicinal chemistry is required. Experience in any of the areas of ingredient design from the following list is desirable: enzyme modification of ingredients, physical processing of ingredients (spray drying, drum drying agglomeration, blending etc), natural products extraction, separations technology as applied to product design, fermentation to produce ingredients, or formulation of complex ingredient systems.Does this person exist outside of Tate and Lyle and Cargill? I am curious.
Westbrook, ME: Sappi Fine Paper wishes to hire a carbohydrate chemist for a postdoctoral fellowship: "will involve technology development as it relates to polysaccharides (e.g. starch, cellulose) and proteins. The project work will include the modification of these polysaccharide- based polymers for use in a range of potential product applications."
Byron, IL: Exelon desires chemical technicians for nuclear-related water testing. They wish to hire someone with the following preferred qualifications:
Preferred:Their offered pay? $30-35/hour, no relocation. 5 openings. I feel like this is a low ball offer, but I dunno.
- Bachelor's Or Master's Degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, or equivalent degree
- Two years professional work experience in chemistry
- Navy Nuclear experience as an Engineering Lab Technician (ELT)
- Demonstrates leadership capabilities by motivating and inspiring others to accept challenges and meet or exceed expectations, and consistently achieves results, while acting as a role model for exhibiting appropriate behaviors.
East Bay Area, CA: An unknown company wishes to hire a B.S. chemist with 5-7 years experience in product development for a position researching water filtration technology. Why they didn't spend their money to leaflet Nalco's sites in Chicago and Houston is beyond me.
Placeholder
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Hey, folks:
While I'm working on another couple of posts, enjoy a couple of great efforts from See Arr Oh and friends:
While I'm working on another couple of posts, enjoy a couple of great efforts from See Arr Oh and friends:
- A look at IBX oxidations of arylmethane centers (chemistry by Baran et al., and suggested here by the mysterious Jose)
- SAO's reaction to the current state-of-play in the Pierre-Yan plagiarism debacle, including an unsatisfying response from Dalton Transactions
Reddit Chemistry Jobs FAQ, part 1: Alternative careers
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A long time ago, I volunteered to write a chemistry jobs "frequently asked questions" section for the Chemistry Reddit. It's about darn time for me to do so, so I'm starting today. Since Tuesday is my "academic" day, I'll basically be devoting a post most Tuesdays to working on this FAQ. I've asked for questions on Reddit and as of this morning, the most upvoted question was on alternative careers for chemistry:
It is probable that just a bare minimum of B.S. chemistry degree holders end up doing chemistry after they graduate. The best statistical data is referenced in this report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce; they find that, of every 19 STEM degree holders, only 10 will hold jobs related to their degree early in their career. (Granted, this statistic came from the 1993-2003 time period, a time that was very different than our own.) After 10 years, of those 10 STEM degree holders, only 8 will be still working in STEM. So I think that it is reasonable and potentially even prudent to be thinking about fields outside of traditional bench-oriented chemistry.
I think the question should be answered thusly: Where have people with chemistry degrees gone?Unfortunately, there is not clear statistical tracking as to where chemists have gone, so we're left with the world of anecdotal evidence, for which there is a ton.
The best collection of those anecdotes (in my opinion) is Dr. Lisa Balbes' book "Non-traditional Careers in Chemistry"; I've summarized a lot of these chapters on my blog and you can see the table of contents of the book here. The typical alternative careers are covered: teaching, writing, working with computers, the legal and regulatory fields in great detail with in-depth interviews. (Here's another list of potential careers Dr. Balbes' compiled; here's a helpful set of questions to ask yourself about alternative careers that she wrote up.) Another great resource is the Just Another Electron Pusher blog, which has profiled many different people with very different careers in chemistry. My favorite were the flavor chemist and the actor, but there are a lot of "practical" careers there as well. Finally, I was not aware until today of the blog "The Road Less Traveled" about alternative careers in chemistry; there's 81 entries over there as well.
In 2010, noted chemistry blogger Derek Lowe asked his very experienced pharma-oriented readership about what they did after if they had left chemistry. The result was a 196-comment thread; I summarized 160 of those comments with the 35 different career transfers from chemistry to something else as follows:
My very best wishes to you all -- talk to you next Tuesday and beyond.
*So all you need to do with your Ph.D. in chemistry to become a national leader is have a historical collapse of a decades-old undemocratic state!
Avoidingbadsubs: What other non-traditional jobs are there out there for those with a chemistry degree?That's a great question and one that gets asked a lot -- what can I do with my chemistry degree, other than chemistry? I really dislike answers that start with "Anything!" because it's too vague. Noting that Jerry Buss (the late owner of the Los Angeles Lakers) and Angela Merkel (current chancellor of Germany) were Ph.D. chemists isn't particularly useful, especially since Dr. Buss left chemistry to become a wildly successful real estate investor and Dr. Merkel happened to get involved in the founding of political parties in the newly democratic and newly reunited Germany.*
It is probable that just a bare minimum of B.S. chemistry degree holders end up doing chemistry after they graduate. The best statistical data is referenced in this report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce; they find that, of every 19 STEM degree holders, only 10 will hold jobs related to their degree early in their career. (Granted, this statistic came from the 1993-2003 time period, a time that was very different than our own.) After 10 years, of those 10 STEM degree holders, only 8 will be still working in STEM. So I think that it is reasonable and potentially even prudent to be thinking about fields outside of traditional bench-oriented chemistry.
I think the question should be answered thusly: Where have people with chemistry degrees gone?Unfortunately, there is not clear statistical tracking as to where chemists have gone, so we're left with the world of anecdotal evidence, for which there is a ton.
The best collection of those anecdotes (in my opinion) is Dr. Lisa Balbes' book "Non-traditional Careers in Chemistry"; I've summarized a lot of these chapters on my blog and you can see the table of contents of the book here. The typical alternative careers are covered: teaching, writing, working with computers, the legal and regulatory fields in great detail with in-depth interviews. (Here's another list of potential careers Dr. Balbes' compiled; here's a helpful set of questions to ask yourself about alternative careers that she wrote up.) Another great resource is the Just Another Electron Pusher blog, which has profiled many different people with very different careers in chemistry. My favorite were the flavor chemist and the actor, but there are a lot of "practical" careers there as well. Finally, I was not aware until today of the blog "The Road Less Traveled" about alternative careers in chemistry; there's 81 entries over there as well.
In 2010, noted chemistry blogger Derek Lowe asked his very experienced pharma-oriented readership about what they did after if they had left chemistry. The result was a 196-comment thread; I summarized 160 of those comments with the 35 different career transfers from chemistry to something else as follows:
Computer-related work (computational science, programming, etc.): 9 (26%)After looking at all these piles of anecdotes, alternative careers in chemistry seem to fall under a few general categories:
Other: 8 (23%)
Business (MBA, business development): 4 (11%)
Intellectual property law (patent attorney, agent): 4 (11%)
Regulatory affairs: 4 (11%)
Pharmacy-related stuff: 3 (9%)
Teaching (high school, tutoring): 3 (9%)
- Non-traditional teaching (high school, tutoring)
- Working with computers somehow
- Being a writer/editor
- Working on the business side of chemistry (legal, regulatory, sales, marketing, etc.)
- Something else that's not easily defined
My very best wishes to you all -- talk to you next Tuesday and beyond.
*So all you need to do with your Ph.D. in chemistry to become a national leader is have a historical collapse of a decades-old undemocratic state!
Quick Weeknight Dinner for 2 with Campbell's Skillet Sauces
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Back in November, I changed jobs and transitioned from working about 30-35 hours a week from my home to working 40+ hours a week at an office about 1 hour away from my home. That meant that between the added commute and extra work hours, I suddenly had about 20 less hours a week for household chores, cooking and (as you've probably noticed) blogging.
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.
There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
Cranberry Lemon Scones
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Lemon and cranberry is one of my favorite flavor combinations. And though I've had many a scone in my life, I've never had this variety before. So I decided to experiment in the kitchen a little and made up a batch to serve as my easy eat-on-the-go breakfast for the week. The result? Not too tart, not to sweet, but perfectly moist and delicious -- and verified easy to eat in the car (even in San Diego traffic!). Looking to change up your usual breakfast routine? Give 'em a try!
Cranberry Lemon Scones
(Makes 6)
Ingredients:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) cold butter
1/2 c. dried cranberries
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4-1/2 c. milk
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In the bowl of your food processor, combine flour, baking powder salt and white sugar. Pulse a few times to mix.
Cut the butter into a few chunks and add to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is grainy, with the butter chunks smaller than the size of a small pea.
(If you don't have a food processor, you can just mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then cut in the butter with a fork.)
Pour the butter/flour mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir in the dried cranberries, lemon zest and lemon juice. Slowly add in the milk, just until the dough comes together into a ball. (You may not need to use all of the milk.)
Dump the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and carefully mold into a disk about 6 inches wide and 1/2-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 6 equal wedges.
Carefully pull the wedges apart so there's at least 1" of space between each one.
Transfer the parchment paper and scones to a large baking sheet.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the tops of all of the wedges of dough.
Bake for 15-17 minutes until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Lemon and cranberry is one of my favorite flavor combinations. And though I've had many a scone in my life, I've never had this variety before. So I decided to experiment in the kitchen a little and made up a batch to serve as my easy eat-on-the-go breakfast for the week. The result? Not too tart, not to sweet, but perfectly moist and delicious -- and verified easy to eat in the car (even in San Diego traffic!). Looking to change up your usual breakfast routine? Give 'em a try!
Cranberry Lemon Scones
(Makes 6)
Ingredients:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) cold butter
1/2 c. dried cranberries
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4-1/2 c. milk
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In the bowl of your food processor, combine flour, baking powder salt and white sugar. Pulse a few times to mix.
Cut the butter into a few chunks and add to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is grainy, with the butter chunks smaller than the size of a small pea.
(If you don't have a food processor, you can just mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then cut in the butter with a fork.)
Pour the butter/flour mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir in the dried cranberries, lemon zest and lemon juice. Slowly add in the milk, just until the dough comes together into a ball. (You may not need to use all of the milk.)
Dump the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and carefully mold into a disk about 6 inches wide and 1/2-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 6 equal wedges.
Carefully pull the wedges apart so there's at least 1" of space between each one.
Transfer the parchment paper and scones to a large baking sheet.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the tops of all of the wedges of dough.
Bake for 15-17 minutes until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
18 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi
Fireworks, Shopping & Lots More In San Diego
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December means Christmas, festivities, time to get together with family and friends, eating mouth-watering food, devouring plum cake, chilling out at fun-filled events and so much more. In other words, December is all about entertainment, fun, holiday cheer and high spirits!
San Diego is going to host a series of interesting events and activities to keep the incoming tourists happy and enthralled. Here are some of the events which you can check out if you are heading to San Diego for a packed holiday in December:
December Nights in Balboa Park
Balboa Park December Nights is one of the most popular events in San Diego which appeals to people of all ages. As the name suggests, it will take place on 2nd and 3rd December, 2011 at the Balboa Park. You can check out dance presentations, listen to musical performances, explore some of the participating museums for free and relish a huge variety of delicious food from all over the world. Especially the offer of exploring some museums for free is surely very tempting if you are fond of visiting museums. Isn't?
San Diego Bay Parade of Lights
How about a night of spectacular glory? San Diego is famous for its beaches and the Bay area. Now imagine the sight of more than 100 ships decked up in holiday-themed, sparkling lights and cruising a 7 mile route from Shelter Island to Coronado. Wouldn't that look beautiful?
You can catch up all this excitement on 11th and 18th December, 2011. You can watch the boat parade from various spots on land as well as on the water. However in order to catch the most magnificent view of the boat parade, come to the shores of Seaport Village, Coronado, Embarcadero, Harbor Island. Views from these four places are the best. Every year, the event is hosted keeping in mind different themes. This year's theme is called 'The Sounds of Christmas'. The event would be flagged off with spectacular fireworks. So do come on time to watch the spectacle.
Shop, shop & shop
No vacation is complete without shopping. And especially during December, one has to do lots of shopping. From buying gifts for friends and family to getting new clothes for yourself. Christmas and the New Year are best excuses to indulge yourself. Now aren't they? San Diego gives endless number of options for shopping from high-end to flea markets.
Some of the well-known shopping centers are in Seaport Village, Little Italy, or Mission Valley. Besides there are malls, and flea markets of Old Town are quite popular. Christmas in December is the time to get together with friends and family. Shopping too becomes even more enjoyable when you go out for shopping with friends or family. This way you get to shop and spend time with your dear ones.
With so much interesting things happening in December, it is better to stay in an San Diego lodging major attractions. At this time of the year, some San Diego hotels will also offer attractive discounts and vacation packages so all you need to do is browse some hotel sites to grab an attractive deal during your San Diego vacation.
About Author: I am a traveler.
Article Source: ArticlesAlley.com
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