Mineral oil Quenchant

[fitzo]

In my experience most PhD’s are very intelligent, but socially retarded.

That observation cracked me up, Chris. It is funny to see science geeks get together and argue about who is the nerdiest. Chemists and physicists will debate forever on who is cooler, but they invariably agree that mathematicians are "the real nerds".

I hope I'm not alone in seeing the humor in that.

....... I definitely am weird on certain topics.

Thank goodness, you're the only one around here like that.

 

[Chris Meyer]

Steve,

Since you have a background in geology, you might appreciate this nerd story. One day as a teenager I went spearfishing at the beach with my weird uncle, the physics professor. He gave up and got out of the water because it turns out he can barely see his hand in front of his face. Imagine my horror when I came out of the water with a speared fish trying to look cool, only to find my uncle sitting by the shore, breaking open rocks and tasting the insides! He said he was trying to identify the rocks in preparation for a geology class he had to teach. Thank God the beach wasn't very crowded that day! Needless to say, I never hung out at the beach with him again.

PS: Sorry for straying so far off topic.

 

[fitzo]

...

PS: Sorry for straying so far off topic.

I think it was already pretty well over, Chris. Sorta got trashed by a sudden schizoid dissent, IMO. The original points got made, though, and more. It was a good thread until then, and turned into some good fun afterwards.

Might even be best for people with questions to start another thread with a fresh topic.

 

[son_of_bluegrass]

I must say I get a chuckle out of your perspective on chemistry, Ron. I think it's a bit oversimplified, but I'm sure we have differing experiences that contribute to our respective viewpoints. Like all areas of expertise, one can learn just what's written down, or learn how to manipulate that information to new end and excel. I personally have just as much respect for a creative master machinist/modelmaker or accomplished artisan as I do for a good chemist. It is the mind/skill gestalt I admire, not institutionalized "letters" whether they be PhD or ABS MS. I know poor examples of both, as well as those who shine. I definitely share your healthy disrespect for the ivory towers; one could even say it defined who I am.

Thanks for the grin!

We may be more alike than I originally supposed. I must say I respect the perservence of anyone who sticks to it for a PhD. And I've known some who were absolute geniuses. I've impressed a few by working out the solutions to some problem in the margin of a test. But the single most important thing I learned from all my college is how to find the answer / data needed. Sometimes that means asking someone who works in that area every day, sometimes it is grabing the CRC from the shelf and every now and then it means expermenting.

A mathmagician I hung out with in college had a heirochy for the sciences
"real sciences"
math
physics
chemistry

"pseudo science"
biology (where I spent most of my schooling)
computer science

"diciplines that like to thing of themselves as science"
sociology
psychology


Glad offence wasn't read into my posts. gonna go back to lurking instead of wasting bandwidth now.

ron
weider than most

 

[fitzo]

No offense whatsoever. In fact, you inspired some fun discussion, which I for one really enjoyed.

I encourage your participation..... hardly a waste of bandwidth. Rational discussion is always good, and how we can learn.