Sand won’t save you this time (2008)
This is from Derek Lowe's blog "In The Pipeline" on the pharmaceutical industry via chemistry, and it's the best.<p>It's bounced around a couple hosts over the years, and sadly this latest incarnation on science.org doesn't preserve the tags from the original.<p>Nevertheless, look up "Derek Lowe things I won't work with" for a great and hilarious series of posts on "fun" chemicals.<p>For example:<p>* Peroxide Peroxides:<p><a href="https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/things-i-won-t-work-peroxide-peroxides" rel="nofollow">https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/things-i-won-t-wor...</a><p>* Dioxygen Difluoride, or FOOF to its frenemies (let's put the two strongest oxidants together just for fun):<p><a href="https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/things-i-won-t-work-dioxygen-difluoride" rel="nofollow">https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/things-i-won-t-wor...</a><p>* Triazadienyl Fluoride:<p><a href="https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/things-i-won-t-work-triazadienyl-fluoride" rel="nofollow">https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/things-i-won-t-wor...</a>