Life Science Tools of the Trade

I proudly announce the engagement of my good friend, talented co-worker and Duke’s most eligible bachelorette! I’ll let her announce his name when she’s ready (Larry) and I’ll let you figure out who she is. I know the regulars have a pretty good idea. 

At a recent vendor show a flyer advertising an online site for scientists (no, I’m not going to plug them on SAB!) used the phrase “And maybe win a car too…” in an attempt to lure new cattle, erh, scientists to their site. I assume they actually gave away a car but it wasn’t to me.  Yeah, I put my name in the raffle and now I’m waiting for the spam to begin. Odds of winning  a car 1:1000000000000000000000000000. Odds of receiving unwanted email 1:1.

 Oh yeah, “Enter as often as you like!”

I never thought it could happen but it did. The sales rep had ordered a ton of pizza and told everyone it would be delivered at noon. It was another free lunch.

At about ten after twelve, we went over. There were still boxes of pizza everywhere and the line of people went out the door. I’m not sure if it was the people or the smell of the pizza. Whatever is was, we turned around empty handed and headed back to the lab.

It was just too much… too much pizza. Free pizza lunches. Free pizza at departmental meetings. We’ve hit our limit on eating pizza.

I attended a vendor show and met a NEB sales rep for the first time. Yes, the first time. Ever. Apparently, Fermentas has rattled the sleeping giant and they have hit the road to counter Fermentas and their new “FastDigest” enzymes. NEB is now offering  their own “Time-Saver Qualified Enzymes”! 

Sounds good. What’s the improvement. There isn’t one. Add one microiter of a restriction enzyme and almost any enzme cuts to completion in about 5 minutes. 

It is hard to believe that the perceived “threat” from Fermentas was enought to force NEB to rename their enzymes and send a sales rep on the road!

A favorite sales-rep (who won’t be mentioned) for a major life-sciences supplier (who won’t be mentioned) handed out gift cards for ten free downloads from iTUNES. Neat promotion…………appreciation………gift……until you enter the code at iTUNES and find out that the code has expired! I assume the certificates were paid for so why would they expire?

Thanks Apple!