A two-stop tour of UNC-Chapel Hill’s nanotechnology research and a visit to see non-invasive, no-harm research protocols at the Duke Lemur Center are among today's highlights at "a meeting for science writers, by science writers." If you are unable to attend, you can follow the Twitter hashtag #sciwri12 and watch this space in coming days for further reports. The conference runs through Tuesday and we'll post reports as they are received.

M.J. Rose offers a list of 11 "Don'ts" to complement the usual "Do's" in this post on a blog called Buzz, Balls & Hype. A sample: "Don't plan readings for bookstores that include you reading all 20 pages of the first chapter unless you're a stand up comic and there is only one joke on each page." Also: Don't spend all your money on a marketing trailer, or a website, or "an antique sports car, diamonds by the yard or a bottle of wine from Thomas Jefferson's cellar."

Do you have a great idea for a science writing resource? NASW invites proposals from individuals or groups to apply for grants ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 for projects and programs that are designed to help science writers in their professional lives and/or to benefit the field of science writing.

Kathleen Raven was writing about an Alzheimer's drug when she asked for comment from an analyst who foresaw its failure in late-stage trials. His response: "I’m sorry, I don’t talk to the media." He wasn't the only source who clammed up, Raven writes on Embargo Watch. Their excuses: "Some said they consulted for the drug company ... Another explained he simply didn't have time to give an interview. Yet another potential source gave no explanation and simply hung up."