Normally, I don’t go in for link posts, because I doubt I can tell you anything new: I don’t think a pointer to a big-league aggregation site is value-added, and I care about value for my 20 readers.

But I make an exception tonight, as I collect a few things that are fun.

A Demolition that Didn’t: watch in awe as a grain elevator experiences a controlled implosion, drops about 20 feet, slews over sideways, and stays up. Read more.

Too visceral? Need something with more of a drug-patent-law crossed with very weird chemistry flavour? Unenumerated points at a gripping tale of how polymorphic crystals can cause major headaches for chemists, in this case effectively leading to a very unusual patent-infringement case.

I urge you to read Judge Richard Posner’s decision in SmithKline Beecham v. Apotex, a remarkably well-written explanation of some extremely fine points of law and science. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but maybe the most interesting anecdote of all involves the AIDS drug ritonavir:

Two years later a previously unknown–and, characteristically, a more stable–polymorph (Form II) appeared in the plant in the United States in which the final product was being manufactured. Immediately the old polymorph (Form I) began converting to the new. . . . Form I and Form II ritonavir were not bioequivalent. Fortunately (or so it seemed), Form II (the new polymorph) had not yet been observed in the plant in Italy where the bulk ritonavir was produced–but shortly after a visit to that plant by scientists who had been exposed to Form II, Form II showed up there too, probably . . . as a result of seeding from Form II crystals on the scientists’ clothing.

Now, why am I looking at white weatherproof adhesive labels? Because I could use them to make pro-looking customized top-tube bike labels. Better than pro-looking, really.

If you happen to know of a local-to-Vancouver source for white BOPP label stock that doesn’t require me to buy $50 worth of labels as a minimum order, I’d be grateful.