[Mitch]

I'm not a usually a reader of Wired magazine but recently they've done an expose on the troubles with citizen chemistry in America. They use the less regal phrase do-it-yourself DIY chemistry and the article can be found here http://wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/chemistry.html .

Mark Kness was the person who posted about it first: http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=8932.0, but now it even has Joshua Finkelstein irked http://blogs.nature.com/thescepticalchymist/2006/05/the_days_of_wine_and_cheeses.html, although its not that difficult.

Trying to do my small part for the citizen science community I created a new forum for individuals to trade chemicals and supplies with each other http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?board=53.0, its a sad day when it has to come down to actions like this. But in a hyper-vigilante government era these are the kinds of steps the average citizen has to take.

Mitch

P.S. I know that forum will not be used much, but I'm just doing my small part.

[hmx9123]

This has been an ongoing problem in the pyrotechnic community.  The CPSC has been trying to shut them down for years, and is now trying to ban chemicals to kill them--this is bad news for pyros and citizen chemists alike.  All in the name of 'safety' and 'anti-terrorism'.