Saturday, November 25, 2006

Eureka, yawn

Christmas morning scientists
My first (and last) Chemistry Set
Last week's nonsense hyperventilation "Volunteer needed to land on asteroid and change its course before we all go the way of the dinosaurs, only worse," alarmed me only to this extent. It's another example of how technology, and a 24/7 news cycle, have turned the world into a bunch of kids with Christmas present microscopes. Every wiggly microbe, seen for the first time, is elevated to a thing of catastrophic importance. Especially if there's research money involved, and a politician to dispense it.

5 comments:

Rodger the Real King of France said...

The rollover was my very first (and last) chemistry set. I stayed up all night mixing chemicals, willy-nilly, expecting something to happen. Nothing did. What was I thinking, asking for it? I later passed high school chemistry with a D, and to this day don't know how.

Just Another Old Geezer said...

I remember my chemistry set. In about the 5th grade. I remember turning water red and then purple. Got the sulfur to smell up the house and that was about it.

Then at the ripe old age of 30 while working as an operator in a guess what? Yeah, chemical plant. Any way, I thought I wanted to be a Chem Eng. Till I got a C in first semester Organic Chemistry and had to take the 2nd semester twice. Said fuck it, I'll be a Civil Engineer and dig ditches. So I did and wound up in a pipeline company.

Anonymous said...

Yea.Know what you mean...I didn't get much outta mine either.One thing that I enjoyed very much was the GILBERT PUZZLES.Djerver have those?

Anonymous said...

I have learned how to make things ferment into intoxicants. That is all of the chemistry I need.
Tim

Josh Fahrni-Barn Army Dog Catcher said...

Closest I've come to owning a chemistry set was the ooze factory candy maker my brother has.

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