Church camp looks so … fun? » « Jim’s dead

Alternative career choices for chemists

What? Breaking Bad had a grain of truth? Read this story about a university chemist who was probably involved in making meth; he was also a consultant to the police, and an expert witness who helped accused meth dealers get acquitted.

And he’s free and a successful CEO in Europe. That part of the story doesn’t quite align with the Breaking Bad story.

Church camp looks so … fun? » « Jim’s dead

Comments

  1. says

    My academic division once had a dean whose degree was in chemistry. We used to tease her that she had significant fall-back options if her stint in academic management proved unsatisfactory. (But no one thought it was all that funny when she pointed out that chemists know a lot about poisons, too. Should we eat the muffins she brought to department meetings?)

  3. Anthony K says

    (But no one thought it was all that funny when she pointed out that chemists know a lot about poisons, too. Should we eat the muffins she brought to department meetings?)

    Aware of the poisons most commonly administered at work functions, I’ve spent the last twenty years building up an immunity to ethanol.

  4. anteprepro says

    Meth dealer, CEO, pretty much same career trajectory. Don’t know how “chemistry teacher” slipped into there.

  5. says

    Fifteen years ago, when I was a chemistry student, one student of geography once casually, with straight face and quite seriously told me, that I am well of, because after I am finished I can go and cook methamphethamine for good money.

    At first I thought he is joking and I was totally apalled when I found out he means what he says. I had then, and I have now, serious trouble with understanding how someone’s moral compass can be that perfunctory, that they consider illegal preparation and distribution of lethal and damaging drugs a “good career” because all they can see is their personal profit.

    If I found out one of my uni teachers was/is involved in drug business, or that they “only” help to intentionally muddy the legal waters at trials, then even if they saved my life it would not get away my disgust at them. And I would certainly not be inclined to interpret any facts favorably towards them, quite the opposite.

  6. Rich Woods says

    @Charly #5:

    I had then, and I have now, serious trouble with understanding how someone’s moral compass can be that perfunctory, that they consider illegal preparation and distribution of lethal and damaging drugs a “good career” because all they can see is their personal profit.

    Maybe he’s a libertarian.

  7. lochaber says

    eh, I’d rather deal with an illegal substance producer/distributor then a CEO any day.

    Granted, I’d avoid either if given the chance, but I’ll take the criminals who have to avoid the law over those who are immune to it any day.