Of heroes and bigots (Part 2)

Hello all,

Further to my "Of heroes and bigots" blog, I'm posting here a link (sent to me by a guy called Lucio) about the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) for HIV/AIDS. Basically, this is a group chaired by Zackie Achmat which is leading the fight to make provisions for retroviral medicine to be made available and afforadable for all those who need it. Also, an apology; unlike I stated in my last blog, Mr Achmat isn't dead (at least, that's not what it says on Wikipedia.) He is, however, boycotting the retroviral medicine until it's made freely available, and he is still facing a ridiculous legal challenge by Messrs Brink and Roth (notice I avoided using the word "doctors" there.) I will make the necessary corrections to the previous blog; in the meantime, please support the TAC and fight dangerous purveyors of bad science.

Peace,
Liam (the cyber-Prof)

State of the union address

Hello folks,

Firstly, an apology for my less-than-prodigious blog output since the turn of the year; the last couple of weeks have been mental (particularly given that I’ve had to prepare a poster on all the chemistry that hasn’t worked during my research project this past academic year), so my excursions into cyberspace have been limited recently.

However, my return to the blogosphere has been prompted by a couple of recent bits of news; firstly, as you know, I recently sat a few exams, and I am pleased to announce that the last of the exam results was (finally) announced on Monday. Therefore, I can at long last confirm my results for the January exams, which are as follows:

• Organic Chemistry of Transition and Main-Group Elements = 88%
• Medicinal Chemistry = 86%
• Organic Synthesis = 92%
• Synthesis for Chemical Biology = 69% (the fly in the ointment; an agonizing one mark off a first – I could have sworn I did better in that exam, but c’est la vie)

Secondly, as this year is my final year (of my undergraduate degree, anyway), I have been busy penning application form, both for PhD positions and for wage sla… sorry, job positions. I now have interviews for those 2 job positions I’ve applied for; a 2^nd round interviews with AZ (having managed to bluff my way through the 1^st round one), and another interview at GSK (though I also have to do a bloody presentation on my project there, too!) In all honesty, my preferred option would be to do a PhD, but only one person has been in touch so far (the person in question, in case you’re curious, is a bloke called Dr Ian Fairlamb at York; unfortunately, he only has 1 project lined up for next year which he has already allocated to someone else, though I’ve been assured that I will be informed if anything else surfaces.) I’m not sure whether or not I should be worried about that; I’m hoping that it’s only administrative red tape that’s prevented researchers getting in touch with me so far (rest assured, though, if that if I am offered an interview/position by anyone, you’ll hear it here first.)

Finally, just before I sign off, a brief critique of the gig I went to last night; unfortunately, due to a combination of uni work, a 3^rd rate rail system and the gig actually starting at the time stated on the ticket, rather than said time merely being the time when the doors open (who on earth organises gigs that way?!?), I missed one of the bands that I wanted to see last night, New Young Pony Club. I was crestfallen upon finding out that bit of news, and, given that the 2 Sunshine Underground songs I heard when I arrived at 8.15pm confirmed my view that they were just a mediocre Rapture tribute act from Yorkshire, the night might have been a bitter disappointment had it not been for CSS, who were fantastic last night (particularly during the final track of their set, Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above, when the venue swayed like the Kop during matches in the 60’s.) I did make tracks, however, before the Klaxons (who were headlining) came on, because, as I’ve mentioned on Shit’s site before, they are shite.

Anyway, that’s all for now. Again, sorry for not having posted more; please keep visiting though, as I’ll try and keep you informed with what’s going on re. interviews and the like (as well as my usual rants about bands and football.)

Later,
Liam