Hello ism,

Regardless of the original source of the HIV virus, the AIDS pandemic now infects over 40 million people (including millions of children). Global warming and perchlorate pollution are actually man-made problems, but they still need lots of our attention, if we are ever to have any hope at ameliorating these problems.

The tools and techniques that we create and test with FightAIDSatHome are shared freely with academic researchers throughout the world. Over 4,000 labs use AutoDock in their own research against other diseases. Helping us also helps them in the long run.

Don't insult all of us. If I were in this for the money, then I would be spending my time getting an M.B.A or a J.D., instead of doing a second postdoc devoted to anti-HIV research. Or I would be designing scientific equipment (all the real money in science is in the equipment...........it's like the gold rush--Levi and Strauss made all the real profit, not the miners. It's generally the same thing in science--Marie Curie and Jonas Salk didn't make billions of dollars with their discoveries, but Arnold Beckman did by designing scientific equipment). My daily salary is less than what a substitute high-school teacher makes. Our project is not about the money, it's about the patients.

This is not a bad project; it's an essential endeavor. Perhaps you're just having a bad day? Go vent your frustrations against people who actually cause problems---not the people who are trying to help.

My $0.02,
Dr. Alex Perryman