# Congrats to RacerX



## dlookus (Mar 18, 2002)

You've got mad posts. 
It's an honor to be the first to notice you're 1000.


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## Klink (Mar 18, 2002)

Just finished PMing a friend about this. delookus you quick draw.

Racer, congratulations on a fine accomplishment of 1000 thought provoking, entertaining, funny, fact filled, zing retorted, troll squashing and friendly posts. I look forward to the many more that follow.
Whoo whoo!


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## tagliatelle (Mar 18, 2002)

I Wanna Fold You!


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## themacko (Mar 18, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Hervé Hinnekens _
> *I Wanna Fold You! *


Is that kinky?


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## Klink (Mar 18, 2002)

Actually Klinky.


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## edX (Mar 18, 2002)

BIG CONGRATS TO RACERX !!!

I have little doubt that if posts were measured by volume of content per post, that RacerX would be the hands down winner on the site. I would guess his actual word count probably beats Admiral. and a lot of those posts are very informative as well. So i raise my morning coffee to my good friend RacerX and toast his existence. long may he post


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## MDLarson (Mar 18, 2002)

Yay!  I snatched this screenshot!


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## Matrix Agent (Mar 18, 2002)

You do know why he isn't here, don't you? 

You didn't bring a sacraficial troll, Fools!



Sorry RacerX, got here just in time, I brought you Herve's little brother, who I guess has been posting under than name, Nummi for the past 4 months?


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## RacerX (Mar 18, 2002)

Gosh, thanks guys! This is great! I didn't realize I was reaching the old four digits so soon (I was thinking I would hit it on about the 2nd of April, My first anniversary of being a member).

All I can say is that I would never have thought about being part of an online community before this one (and can't imagine how any other could possibly compare now). The individuals of this community have been the most remarkable and engaging people I have ever met. I would have to write one of those very long post (like what Ed was talking about) to name everyone that has made this forum an irreplaceable part of my life.

Thanks again.


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 19, 2002)

yay racer 
I think I seen a direct link with posting and climatic changes.

Racer is in the US version of siberia (cold cold cold) -- thus post less.  Ed is in the south part, hot hot hot, thus posts more  -- anyone notice this ???? Of course I am the exception


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## RacerX (Mar 19, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Matt _
> *Yay!  I snatched this screenshot! [/B][/QUOTE]
> 
> Hey, I know other people have given you a hard time about that one gift you made, but I was actually hoping that you had put it together with that screenshot. If it wouldn't be to much trouble, I would love to show something like that to my wife.
> ...


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## sithious (Mar 20, 2002)

yay for racerx!


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 20, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *
> 
> Hey, I know other people have given you a hard time about that one gift you made, but I was actually hoping that you had put it together with that screenshot. If it wouldn't be to much trouble, I would love to show something like that to my wife.
> ...




hmmmm....perhaps its the climate racer


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## MDLarson (Mar 20, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *Hey, I know other people have given you a hard time about that one gift you made, but I was actually hoping that you had put it together with that screenshot. If it wouldn't be to much trouble, I would love to show something like that to my wife.*



Sure, I've still got the original files, it would be no problem to put it together.  Should I just copy your info with the same post counts and stuff?  Let me know exactly what you want I'll hook you up.


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## RacerX (Mar 20, 2002)

I would love the post numbers scrolling towards 1000 and then flashing _no life_ (my wife would get a kick out of that).

Thanks.


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## edX (Mar 21, 2002)

> _as originally whined by my good friend coach_
> I don't see how Ed can get away with it with his girlfriend.



well, if she ever find out i would get more than a little eye rolling i am sure. she thinks this kind of thing is silly ( so did i until i found this site and the people who make it what it is). She does not know about this site and probably won't until i am closer to getting my dissertation finished. She is one of those really organized and efficient people who tries to have everything done as soon as she knows the task exists.  She would make this the whole reason i am not ahead of where i am in finishing up.

so your bewilderment is understood. there are days you can tell she is home from work because i don't get as much posting time in. she is constantly using my breaktime towards her projects. but i will give you a hint. i get a lot of time to play on my computer at night when she is either watching her court/cop shows or in bed.


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## MDLarson (Mar 21, 2002)

Here you go!  Do you happen to want the original Photoshop / ImageReady file?


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## RacerX (Mar 21, 2002)

I don't need the original, this should do great. I'm sure she'll get a kick out of it.

*Thanks!*


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## RacerX (Mar 21, 2002)

> _said by my friend Ed_
> * i get a lot of time to play on my computer at night when she is either watching her court/cop shows or in bed. *



Sounds like an average night at my home.


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## MDLarson (Mar 21, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *I don't need the original, this should do great. I'm sure she'll get a kick out of it.
> 
> Thanks!
> ...



Cool, glad you like it!


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## TommyWillB (Mar 22, 2002)

> > _by Ed_
> > *i get a lot of time to play on my computer at night when she is either watching her court/cop shows or in bed. *
> 
> 
> ...


That's actually a little bit of a downer.


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## edX (Mar 22, 2002)

> _originally posted by coach_
> Sounds like an average night at my home.



now see, this is the problem with the world. if we lived down the block from each other we could have great times together. our women would watch Law an Order together and we could goof on the 'puters and eat tacos and..

but instead you live in western siberia and i live on the left coast. 

but at least we still get to goof on the computers together


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## RacerX (Mar 22, 2002)

Ahhhh, but my penance won't last forever. Someday I'll shall returm to the land of my birth... and live happily ever after (or something like that).


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## edX (Mar 22, 2002)

*really?

are you absolutely sure?*

he he

I moved ot ohio for what i thought would be 6 mos to a year. 15 years later i finally could call myself a Californian again.

and i am absolutely sure i will never miss driving in the snow


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 22, 2002)

lol....hmmm....
--admiral in serious thinking mode ---

california --- silicon valley
california --- lots of nice looking single women...
california --- Ed and Racer live there...


hmmm... is there a connection  ?!?!?!


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## RacerX (Mar 22, 2002)

Yep, California has pretty much everything you could want. You can live at the beach, go skiing for the day, and then come home for the sunset. We even have DisneyLand there!

I have often thought about running for president of California. I would make it into it's own country, with three states: Northern California, Southern California and Baja California (Mexico doesn't need Baja anyway), and the District of San Diego would be the home of the new nation's capital.

Can you imagine the property value of the coast line of Baja (that practically encircles Baja) if it were part of the _*United States of California*_*!*

(Okay, okay, I know it sounds crazy, but it's my thread... and I'm quite home sick  )


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 22, 2002)

hey racer, if you have an earthquacke though it will the the Submerged United Stated of California


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## MDLarson (Mar 22, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Ed Spruiell _
> *really?
> 
> are you absolutely sure?*


*
Hey!  *


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## RacerX (Mar 22, 2002)

> _said by Admiral_
> *hey racer, if you have an earthquacke though it will the the Submerged United Stated of California  *



Nah, they wouldn't sink, just get really shaken up (and we would all move a couple inches north). Parts of _USC_ are actually on the Pacific plate (the same plate as Japan) and not on the North American plate. The Pacific plate is rotating counterclockwise and rubbing the North American plate.

Besides, the worst earthquake I've been in was a 3.6 (I was on top of that one  ), and the Northridge quake, but I was over a hundred miles away from that one, so I hardly felt it (it was at like 4:30 am, and I was sleeping  ).


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## RacerX (Mar 22, 2002)

> _said by Ed_
> *really?
> are you absolutely sure?*
> 
> ...



lol, I get it!


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## edX (Mar 22, 2002)

well i have been in a 6.something earthquake back in the 70's in LA. It woke me up with stuff flying off my shelves. It didn't last long but it was a bit scary as it was the first one i had ever really felt. Since then i have come to accept earth movements as common. no big deal. i missed them when i was in oHIo. I think i have felt 2-3 of them since i have been in the bay area even though they happen somewhere around here almost weekly.

I think we tend to worry more about brush fires during the summer. They are always devastating and risk the lives of the firefighters as well as others. 

tolya - for an international man of mystery, your concepts of calif. are kinda stereotypical


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## TommyWillB (Mar 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *Yep, California has pretty much everything you could want. You can live at the beach, go skiing for the day, and then come home for the sunset. We even have DisneyLand there!
> 
> I have often thought about running for president of California. I would make it into it's own country, with three states: Northern California, Southern California and Baja California (Mexico doesn't need Baja anyway), and the District of San Diego would be the home of the new nation's capital.
> ...


I'll accept that only if Sacramento is part of Southern California and San Franciso is the capital of Northern Capital... If not SF, then Humbolt.


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## edX (Mar 23, 2002)

so Tommy, what is wrong with Sacramento? it seems like a perfect place to warehouse politicians to me 

I would prefer we not clutter the city with anymore of them than we have to. and just exactly which piece of empty land would you build this new capitol building on?


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## RacerX (Mar 23, 2002)

So if you want Sacramento to be part of SC, who is going to take Fresno?

I don't know, I just thought that we would make everything north of SLO town be Northern California, everything else (except SD county which becomes the _District of San Diego_) would be Southern California.

Any ideas about what would be the capital of Baja? That is the area that would see the most dramatic changes by joining the USC.


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Ed Spruiell _
> *
> tolya - for an international man of mystery, your concepts of calif. are kinda stereotypical *



lol its the fact that I have not been there in order to see first hand what goes in 

maybe one of these days


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## TommyWillB (Mar 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Ed Spruiell _
> *...and just exactly which piece of empty land would you build this new capitol building on?  *


If you've been here in the last few years you'd know that our "royal" Mayor  slick-Willie Brown has all of the necessary palms pre-greased.

I've lived near SF my entire life and have never seen an massive of a building boom as right now. Where does the land come from? Eminent domain of course. 

You should see his city hall. Somehow me managed to raise "private funds" to have the top of it guilt (guilded?... you know, encrusted in gold).

Truth be told, if Willie brown had his way he'd build a castle on Treasure Island. I have no doubt that would also be where the State capital would be located.


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## TommyWillB (Mar 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *So if you want Sacramento to be part of SC, who is going to take Fresno?
> 
> I don't know, I just thought that we would make everything north of SLO town be Northern California, everything else (except SD county which becomes the District of San Diego) would be Southern California.
> ...


Since Fresno (a land of toxic fertilizer laced dust storms) is well south of Sacramento, this is a no brainer. They can have it.

The gerrymandering would be a bit tricky. Basically I'd like Northern California to keep it's water and some of the farms. Southern California can invest in desalination and negotiations with Colorado/Arizona for Colorado River water.

Possibly Southern Claifornia can have the eastern edge up to Sacramento and Northern California can take the coast down to SLO/Cal Poly.


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## RacerX (Mar 23, 2002)

Okay, lets remember that we are talking about the *United* States of California here (not the _My State is Better than Yours_ States of California), which collectively is the 6th largest economy in the world. We aren't going to get anywhere if people hog resources. There is enough water in the Sierra Nevadas (which runs the length of California I might add) for everyone, and we are _all_ going to be using desalination. There is no way we are using drop one from the Colorado River (we are not asking the USA for anything that we don't have to). The only thing I care about having to do with the Colorado River is the the water that comes out of it into the Gulf of California is completely clean.

Besides, you would be giving SO complete control of the future power supply that way. I plan on making a number of solar field in Death Valley to help power USC. 

And something tells me Baja is going to produce more from their farms within a couple years of it becoming a state than both NC and SC combined.


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## edX (Mar 23, 2002)

Hey Tommy, Slick Willie is my man.  

and i hadn't thought of Treasure Island which i don't really consider to be part of the City. but it would be the perfect place for such a capitol building. I still don't like the idea of having that many more politicians that close to us. And I would hate to see the beauty of Humboldt disturbed by their presence even more. 

and while i too believe in the country of Calif, this whole north vs south thing where californians want to split into two states already is a problem. I have seen both sides of it and basically see the current sharing of resources as beneficial to all. I am sure there is room for improvement but have never focused on how we might do so.

RacerX - why would you want to provide more power to the University of Southern California?


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## RacerX (Mar 23, 2002)

> _said by my troublesome friend Ed_
> *RacerX - why would you want to provide more power to the University of Southern California?  *



 You know what I mean!

 They could use some more power though.


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## RacerX (Mar 23, 2002)

> _brought up by Tommy _
> *The gerrymandering would be a bit tricky. Basically I'd like Northern California to keep it's water and some of the farms. Southern California can invest in desalination and negotiations with Colorado/Arizona for Colorado River water.*



Okay here is a map of the counties of California (the District of San Diego is in red). Which would you consider Northern and which Southern? Or should we go with what Disneyland used for their Southern California discount (were if you had a zip code from an area they considered SC, you got a reduced rate to get in).


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## TommyWillB (Mar 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *...we are not asking the USA for anything that we don't have to...the Colorado River is the the water that comes out of it into the Gulf of California ...*


Ahhhh! Now I see the wisdom in annexing Baja.


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## RacerX (Mar 23, 2002)

This could really work... if it were possible that is.


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## TommyWillB (Mar 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *...Which would you consider Northern and which Southern?... *


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## RacerX (Mar 24, 2002)

I think I could agree to a map like that... if SC get Lake Tahoe in the deal.


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## edX (Mar 24, 2002)

no way SC gets Tahoe. You have Big Bear and Arrowhead, not to mention some of the best bass fishing lakes in the world in SD!!!


F*I%S@H^T#A!C$O


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## RacerX (Mar 24, 2002)

> _said by Ed (in code) _
> *F*I%S@H^T#A!C$O
> 
> *



Hey, are you trying to bribe me?   Okay, you can have Tahoe.


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## edX (Mar 24, 2002)

i didn't really think of it as code so much as a very strong subliminal suggestion 

now what i really want is a clause to bring Roberto's and their taquitos to the bay area


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 24, 2002)

fish tacos ? ... is that authentic mexican ?


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## TommyWillB (Mar 24, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *
> 
> Hey, are you trying to bribe me?   Okay, you can have Tahoe.  *


He he! Glad I kept my mouth shut. I was just about to conceed 1/4 of Lake Tahoe. 

Now USC get's 1/2 and has to have a war with Nevada to get the rest.


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## TommyWillB (Mar 24, 2002)

> _Originally posted by AdmiralAK _
> *fish tacos ? ... is that authentic mexican ?  *


Yeah, but the fish are usually sea bass and not freshwater bass.


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## edX (Mar 25, 2002)

in authentic mexican you can wrap just about anything in a tortilla. there are no rules particularly. and authentic mexican is not really spicy like the americanized versions. mexicans are no more likely to want to burn their stomach linings out than anyone else. 

the USA could keep the nevada part of tahoe for all i care. there are casinos in CA now so who needs nevada? 

as for the capitol of baja, i think Ensenada would be best. It is a decent size city without all the tourist crap and still close enough to easily drive to from SD. 

i think i would move down that way if it were part of the USC.  (note difference between 'USC' and 'the USC'


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 25, 2002)

are u guys still talking about sucession ? 
I think the national guard would have something to say about that


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## TommyWillB (Mar 25, 2002)

> _Originally posted by AdmiralAK _
> *are u guys still talking about sucession ?
> I think the national guard would have something to say about that  *


You mean the newly nationalized Unites States of California National Guard?


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## AdmiralAK (Mar 25, 2002)

hmmm....well.. you would still have the national guard of nevada, washington and all teh rest of the neighboring states


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## RacerX (Mar 25, 2002)

Actually I was thinking we would be very much like Japan, national defense force, but no other military to speak of . Infact, I would want the USA to keep there bases in San Diego so we wouldn't have to send our people anywhere to defend our _interests_. Of course we would pay the USA for such protection, but with the possible economy that the USC would have, it would be worth it.


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## edX (Mar 26, 2002)

doesn't the US normally compensate other countries for allowing their military bases? this whole military thing throws some funky wrinkles into the plan. i mean, California has quite a few important US military installations. and think of how bad sailors in SD can be now. Can you imagine what it would be like if they felt like they were in another country 

of course, with baja being part of the USC, we could close that stupid checkpoint at Pendleton down and going north from SD would be a lot faster


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## RacerX (Mar 26, 2002)

> _said by my good friend Ed_
> *doesn't the US normally compensate other countries for allowing their military bases? this whole military thing throws some funky wrinkles into the plan. i mean, California has quite a few important US military installations. and think of how bad sailors in SD can be now. Can you imagine what it would be like if they felt like they were in another country *



Countries like Japan that have made the choice not to have a military and let the USA act in their global interest do let the USA have a large number of bases. SD lost the _Kitty Hawk_ to a base in Japan within the last 5 years... that represents a loss of so 2500+ families from the area (if they were willing to live in Japan to be near their enlisted personnel). As for the important installations, the numbers have been decreasing in the last 10 years (except SD which was seeing a rise in the number of future carriers once the corp of engineers finishes with the bay, which also helped area beaches with their sand problems).

As for _how bad sailors_ are,  that depends on how much you have to interact with them (of course, my family has been in SD since the 1890's, and more than a few have been part of the Navy... not that that would make me bias in anyway  ). Besides for most sailors California *is* another country to them because many of them come from the midwest... and boy can I tell that from where I'm at now! And I grew up in the dense population of sailors in SD... Coronado. Nearly everyone I knew in high school was a child of an officer*.

* Quick note on class distinction at Coronado High School. The social class structure took two forms, first was officer vs enlisted children, second was academic ability (which required that you be in at least one AP course to fit in... which also helped enforce the officer vs enlisted structure). Sports played very little part in social acceptance (being in 3 AP courses made more of a difference than being one of the fastest people in SD County for me), and even the general requirements of the school played against new students coming from _other_ lesser schools (Coronado was second only to La Jolla High School in academic standards), and enlisted families seemed to move more often than the families of officers.


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## dlookus (Mar 26, 2002)

Hey Racer,
My wife and I spent a couple days of our honeymoon at the "Hotel Del" Lovely place.


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## RacerX (Mar 26, 2002)

Hey, when were you there? It is a great Hotel!

My first wife and I went to Catalina for most of our get-a-ways. There is nothing like a few days in Avalon . Strangely enough, the first time I had heard of Minnesota being call Siberia was at the Avalon Casino's movie theater while watch _The Cuting Edge_ for the first time.


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## dlookus (Mar 27, 2002)

We were there last may. It's pretty expensive, but we managed to get a bargain. We managed to get a room for $200 a night, which is quite good. I think the rooms that face the ocean are around $600. We even got a nice room (and a free bottle of wine) because we mentioned it was our honeymoon. We ate at a place called (I believe) Cafe Rhinoceros. It was very good. Maybe you've heard of it, Racer.


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## RacerX (Mar 27, 2002)

Yeah, I had lunch there with my mother once, it was good as I recall. My sister worked at the Brig for a while when she was a senior, that was a pretty good place to eat. My (then) girlfriend (and some day future ex-wife) and I went to Miguel's most of the time, that was by far my favorite place to eat on the island.


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## edX (Mar 31, 2002)

well i would hate to see this wonderful thread die just because you told a story about eating lunch 

that last one is sort of a hard post to follow but i will give it a try.  

my own personal favorite memories of San Diego are of watching sunsets from sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach. There is a certain beauty about the place. OB was always considered the poor man's beach - for one there wasn't much beach. But the beauty of the cliffs and the mellow atmosphere at sunset were something i have never quite recreated anywhere else.


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## Matrix Agent (Mar 31, 2002)

All I can remeber is the zoo. Quite a nice place.


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## RacerX (Mar 31, 2002)

Thanks for trying to save this thread, Ed. Something tells me that it is never going to amount to the type of threads that you and Admiral have.  

Maybe we should bring up another subject other than San Diego and the United States of California.  

So Phil, do you have any ideas (something tells me that the best subjects end up over at Herve's)?


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## TommyWillB (Mar 31, 2002)

It's too quitet in here. I'm heading over to Herve's.

Anyone want to come along?


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## RacerX (Mar 31, 2002)

> _said by Tommy_
> *It's too quitet in here. I'm heading over to Herve's.*



You know I saw that you had posted something here and then moved it over to Herve's a few days ago... that hurt my feeling.  



Okay, maybe not.   Lets get a shake, I love milkshakes.


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## nkuvu (Apr 1, 2002)

I just wanted to say that my memories of San Diego are .... not there.  AAigh! Aliens have modified my memories! Or I'm in an alternate universe!  Oh no! What will I do?!

Oh, wait.  San Diego?  I've never been there.  Nevermind...


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## TommyWillB (Apr 1, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *You know I saw that you had posted something here and then moved it over to Herve's a few days ago... that hurt my feeling.  *


   


> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *How is this? *


So did that Rhapsody powered car exist before I mentioned it?

What is that car named? I Speed Racer's was the Mach 5...

What features does your car have that Speed's does not? (Anything like the Mach 5's saw blades that poped out of the front to allow Speed Racer to drive through forests?)

What OS does the Mach 5 run?


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## TommyWillB (Apr 1, 2002)

Hey, did they interview you for this story?

It is not all together flattering?

A "jinx"? A secret agent for the "Paris-based International Police"?

<tommywillb takes one imperceptable step back>


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## RacerX (Apr 1, 2002)

> _uncovered by Tommy_
> *Hey, did they interview you for this story ?
> 
> It is not all together flattering?*



Yes, but the truth rarely is.  

My Rhapsody car runs on the Mach 2.5 kernel.  

And if Mac OS X is using Darwin (which uses Mach 3), then maybe the Mach 5 is running Mac OS XII... it could happen.


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## RacerX (Apr 1, 2002)

> _movements by Tommy_
> *<tommywillb takes one imperceptable step back> *



What? I'm a nice guy, just ask my friends (and don't read my posts with PC Trolls or on politics).

Admiral, Ed, say something nice about me... and mean it!


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## RacerX (Apr 1, 2002)

> _Originally posted by nkuvu _
> *Oh, wait.  San Diego?  I've never been there.  Nevermind...
> 
> *



What? A _zonie_ that has never been to San Diego? I thought all you guys come there for the weekends (on some weekends, I've seen almost as many Arizona plates on the roads as California).

I actually like _zonies_, my sister was born in Phoenix (I think that was why she was a little strange).


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## nkuvu (Apr 1, 2002)

I'm not a native _zonie_.  Transplanted last April from the soggy northwest...


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## nkuvu (Apr 1, 2002)

> I think that was why she was a little strange


Heyyyyy, what are you saying?


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## edX (Apr 1, 2002)

Tom - really no need to fear the Coach. He is one of the nicest guys around here. granted, he has a loud bark when he senses intruders but he is more like a playful puppy around friends - amusing antics, faithful to friends, and prone to long periods of rest between rambunctious activities. He is easily dragged into a game of chase your own tail with other dawgs and will chase sticks thrown for him. As far as i can tell, he is housebroken and will only piss on outsiders 

Seriously, he is a great guy and fun to hang out with. 

nkuvu - you really should make the road trip to Diego someday. It is well worth it. I know it is a bit further from Toucan than Feenix, but i still would recommend it. I would agree with Phil's memories - see the zoo while you are there. Staying up all night wandering up and down the beach in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach is also an unforgetable activity.


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## nkuvu (Apr 1, 2002)

I haven't even been to Feenix [sic ].  Just got a reliable car in October, and have been too busy to even think of a road trip.

And I used all my vacation time to spend time with my grandfather in Washington...


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## edX (Apr 3, 2002)

spending time with your grandfather seems like a good thing. I am sure Feenix and Diego will be around longer than he will be. My son's maternal grandparents live in Toucan and recently closed their store and retired. They owned an authentic native american goods store. everything was made by native americans. I was never there but the pictures looked pretty cool. 

so do you ever get out to the desert at night? I love it at night. What about you Coach? ever go out camping or running around in the desert at night?


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## RacerX (Apr 4, 2002)

A few times, my family wasn't into _roughing it_.


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## RacerX (Apr 4, 2002)

Okay, so I found a picture of a car that was the same model year as mine was (this was the one I had for almost 11 years back in California, and I'm going to have to replace once I get back there). I changed the color of the paint so that it is the same as mine was (mine was olympic blue, this one was originally red).


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## edX (Apr 6, 2002)

he he

my family was never into roughing it either. all my camping expereinces were either in boy scouts or with friends. I don't think i have been out to the desert more than a few times myself, but all were very memorable (which is saying alot considering all i was doing to confuse my memory in those days )

so you had one of those square porsches. i always associate them with the targa series. but i really don't know much about porsches. and while i used to know more, it is one of those 'use it or lose it' kinds of topics for me.


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## Klink (Apr 6, 2002)

That is quite a beautiful model Racer.
If you put this one next to it, you can see some commonalities in line design.
I love those old designs. There's some much character in them.


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## RacerX (Apr 6, 2002)

Ed, I actually had a 911 Targa and a 911 Coupe (and another silver 914, but I used it for parts for my blue one). My Dad had an olympic blue 911 Targa when I was growing up, which got me started on them I think. Funny thing was that after the first year of having my 914 (back in 1987) I really didn't take the top off that much.

Klink, a friend of mine had one of those once. I have always stuck with cars with roll bars though. One of my relatives was killed in a rollover accident in a convertable. 

By the way, why haven't we been seeing more of you around lately?


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## Klink (Apr 6, 2002)

Sorry to hear of such tragedy. Convertibles aren't the safest cars you can buy are they? The whole car scares me when we're talking about accidents. I feel if I get into an accident that intense, I'm sure it would be fatal, roll bar or not. The way the roll bar would be mounted on those cars would be to the floor pan and wheel well which are very thinly constructed and wouldn't hold up to the weight of the car, let alone adding momentum/inertia into the equation. And the structure holding up the windshield is a joke really. The thing would collapse right on top of me. I think most people put roll bars in for the illusion of safety. They have to be reinforced into the chassis to be of any real benefit. Is that how Porsche does it? Given their engineering excellence I would think so.

Just have been a bit busy. Working late at night, in the mornings and the weekends. Eesh, I really need to get another gig. Wearing 2 hats is not healthy, mentally and physically. Plus these peanuts for a salary are getting stale.


----------



## Klink (Apr 10, 2002)

Got a haircut?


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## RacerX (Apr 10, 2002)

> _ first Klink said_
> *They have to be reinforced into the chassis to be of any real benefit. Is that how Porsche does it? Given their engineering excellence I would think so.*



On the 914 the roll bar met the SCCA'a standards for a roll bar (in the early 70's), so other cutting off the front windshield, you could race a 914 stock. The structural reinforcements actually gave the car the same strength that a coupe would have. The other cool thing was the the front and rear luggage compartments were designed to collapse on impact protecting the passenger compartment, fuel tank and engine (there are also a number of fire walls between each). When my grandfather and I tried to cut up my second 914, we found out just how solid that car really is. We got the front and back off, but the rest was just more than our cutter could do (we went through three blades and only made it half way through the passenger side roll bar).



> _ and then Klink said_
> *Got a haircut?.*



Did laundry.


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## Klink (Apr 10, 2002)

Now I would feel much safer in the Porsche. The only safety feature for my Fiat is it's infrequent use. Hardly put a few k a year on it.
Were you and your grandfather cutting up the 914 for race purposes or some fun modifications?



>
And had a quick breakfast...
http://maccentral.macworld.com/storyforum/forums/2001/04/06/diary/?read=23


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## RacerX (Apr 10, 2002)

When I finally gave up my 914, I had about 320,000 miles on it because it was our only car for most of the eleven years I had it (we would get a second car for a while and then usually sell it after not to long). We actually got the second 914 to use as parts for the first (mainly to replace the the transmission), and because it had a crack in the engine casing, I ended up getting it for about $600 (the owner before me had already moved onto a 924 Turbo). My grandfather and I set both cars down next to each other and did a part by part comparison. If something was questionable on mine but looked better on the other one, we pulled it. When we were done, we took stock of the parts and body pieces that would be sellable and found a place that would sell them for us for a % of what ever they sold for. In the end we were left with just the body of the car from the front firewall to the engine compartment, and we ended up just getting rid of that part. So the car actually made me some money and fixed the problems I was having.

Hey, how did you find that? Do they still keep that stuff from that long ago? Too funny!


----------



## edX (Apr 11, 2002)

RacerX - i like your new avatar. it looks 'more you' without that silly grin on it. 

also nice to see proof that you aren't always right i was beginning to wonder. 

btw - i envy you both - i have always dreamed of owning a little coupe sportcar. I am kinda partial to triumphs myself but any of the genre would do.


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## Klink (Apr 11, 2002)

Hahaha! I didn't even notice the year. I guess I was still shocked in finding something like that with a simple Google search. Thought it was this year! Guess the haircut/avatar, breakfast/missing for 4 days reference won't fully work anymore. 

That must have been a great bonding experience for you and gramps. Similar to my experience with my uncle. Uncle Mike was a motorcycle dealer/repair & customize/road racer of the 60's, ... type uncle. He coached me through my first Fiat rebuild (I'm on my 4th now). Basically how you described, scavaging from a host car. It was neat for me too as when the job become a bit more difficult, another uncle or cousin stepped in to give their 2 cents (my mother's side of the family is heavily weighed by mechanical engineer types). It become a small family affair and conversation piece at the family gatherings. Sadly these days, time is a big factor and have to keep the tinkering down to essentials. But..... summer is on the way so I might be inspired if the season is personally slow. 



Ed, Racer not right? I don't think he would allow that to happen. I would need proof to believe that blasphemous statement.


----------



## dlookus (Apr 11, 2002)

I'm jealous too. I've always liked the old Austin Healeys. I think they're making a new one like they did with the Mini. I've seen tons of the new Minis zipping around here. I'd love one, but being 6'4" it's probably not the best car for me. How do you guys feel about all those old companies being reincarnated (MG, Mini, Bugatti etc.)?


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## RacerX (Apr 11, 2002)

> _posted by my friend Ed (who is no longer MIA)_
> *also nice to see proof that you aren't always right i was beginning to wonder. *



I never said I was always right!  



Um... that having been said, where did I screw up on this time?


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## RacerX (Apr 11, 2002)

Hey, I got an idea... lets try to find some cool images of these cars and post them! That way we'll have some mental image of what they look like if we haven't seen them before.


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## edX (Apr 11, 2002)

well ok, i admit that i misinterpretted your original post that klink shared with us. but then i found this as a reply to it. so it seems that maybe i was right that you were wrong. (at least somebody else thought so )

of course, i don't know enough about this issue or even care. i was mostly just teasing


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## dlookus (Apr 11, 2002)

Here's an A.H. Bugeye Sprite:
Bugeye 

But I wanty one of these:
3000 MK III


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## Klink (Apr 11, 2002)

I saw my first Mini print ad just recently and yet to see a live one. That car is right up my ally. I love it!

6'4" dlookus? Hahaha, it would be comical to see you in that car kissin your knees.


LOL!   Ed you would have to find THAT post, aye!? 

Racer, I was scratching my head a little too with Ed's comment... till he explained. And I thought it was just me. I was planning damage control posts already. 


Great idea! Here is a decked Mini for now...

Nice ones dlookus!


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## ebolag4 (Apr 11, 2002)

Props to RacerX from a newbie.

May all of us acheive your level of greatness.


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## RacerX (Apr 11, 2002)

dlookus,

The 3000 MK III, beautiful looking car. Love the color too. There is a car that needs two spaces in a parking lot!  

Klink,

My wife said that her boss is looking into getting one of those. He was showing her the brochure last week.

ebolag4,

Thanks! With people like you guys to talk to, hitting the 1000 mark was a ton of fun. I think this is one of the best places on the internet, and it is largely because of the great people we have coming here.


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## edX (Apr 14, 2002)

once more i would hate for this thread to end because of something someone said or did so i will try again to change the subject 

So RacerX, is it true that every lake in Minnesota has two loons? I'll bet if we set up a lake in this Forum, we could find more than 2 

And how about the SF Giants? they are off to an unbelievable start!! Last year they made it to the playoffs after a lousy start. This year could be their big year if they keep it up.


and if Tom is still hanging around, i must say that Rosarita has changed a whole lot since i was last there about 20 years ago. It was just a hotel, a couple of restraunts and some shell wholesalers then. From your pics on your site, it looks like a regular tourist attraction. I have a pretty good story from my camping trips down there if anyone is interested.  But be warned it might include a few less than legal activities (ah - the joys of youth )


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## RacerX (Apr 14, 2002)

> _Ed to the rescue_
> *And how about the SF Giants? they are off to an unbelievable start!! Last year they made it to the playoffs after a lousy start. This year could be their big year if they keep it up.*



I would love to follow baseball again, but for some strange reason Minnesota plays by these strange rules. Here the pitcher never bats, what is up with that? I miss real baseball (loved the National League).

And my thread wasn't in (too much) danger, I was having fun in another section over the last couple days.


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## edX (Apr 15, 2002)

you were having fun? what? is there a troll i don't know about? 

yes NL baseball is better but DH rules are pretty cool too because you typically get to see some great old player who is extending his career bat instead of the pitcher. But i will admit the twins are hard to get too excited about (have been since Harmon Killebrew retired i think )

the giants have just tied things up against the padres in top of the 8th. this is a good game i have on behind me. i can't really say i am watching it since the tv is over my shoulder. but i can hear it all and turn around and watch when it sounds exciting.


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## edX (Apr 21, 2002)

well the Giants ended up losing that night. but they are still winning in general.

now what about those lakes and loons? 

or what about the Chargers drafts? I think they did a pretty good job so far this year. I am so glad that Beathard is gone. Getting an offensive tackle from Nebraska is always a good move. they grow them boys BIG out there.


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## RacerX (Apr 21, 2002)

Do you want to know how loonie this place is!

Wednesday we hit 91 degrees here, today it is snowing.  



I need to get back to California!

Bobby Beathard gone? He was the reason Bobby Ross left. Maybe I'll have to start watch football again.


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## edX (Apr 22, 2002)

doesn't the computer on your car engine just love that rapid fluctuation in weather and temp? 

watching Chargers Football is one way to help keep your sanity in the Midwest. i also suggest old 'Simon and Simon' reruns


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## AdmiralAK (Apr 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *Do you want to know how loonie this place is!
> 
> Wednesday we hit 91 degrees here, today it is snowing.
> ...



lol that happened here yesterday 
4 days ago we had 80+ degrees, and yesterday it was snowing, lightly  ... damn new england weatehr!


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## dlookus (Apr 23, 2002)

I blame El Niño.


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## RacerX (Apr 23, 2002)

We had another nice warm day today, and they are talking about snow again later in the week. I am in the wrong state!

 

(it sure seems like a state of confusion to me )


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## edX (Apr 25, 2002)

no, it is La Nina. Everyone knows it is always a woman's fault


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## RacerX (Apr 25, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Ed Spruiell _
> *no, it is La Nina. Everyone knows it is always a woman's fault  *



_La Nina_? Is that Mother Nature's real name?  

Anyway, I was setting up a server today and had some time to kill while formatting a couple 80 GB drives, so I set up my PowerBook to access the Internet via their T1. It was really cool (I couldn't do this with my ThinkPad because I didn't have an ethernet connection for it and Rhapsody doesn't work with modems).

This was a great upgrade from the ThinkPad, I can now play Quake II on my PowerBook and I'll most likely install Quake III soon (Omni didn't make versions of them for the Intel version of Rhapsody). To much fun!


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## edX (Apr 26, 2002)

you haven't heard of La Nina? the year after El Nino, we had La Nina. La Nina is much dryer weather than usual with more extremes in temps. the water is colder than normal i believe. basically it was the opposite of el nino in whcih the ocean was warmer, it rained constantly but temps were relatively mild and consistent, and calif. practically shut down because no one can drive when it rains. 

neither was a whole lot of fun but both were certainly interesting to have lived thru. 

glad you are having fun with your new toy. I guess you are finally a big boy now 

so what do you think, has our buddy matt gotten his balls above his head again or what?


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## RacerX (Apr 26, 2002)

He really is young, and really does live in a small world. It is funny (sad) that people like that can't let others believe anything different from themselves without it seeming like an attack on their faith.

I have known a lot of people who are that insecure, at first I was always mad at them, then I started to see what a scary world they must live in. To have that much fear is a hard think to imagine. To be so afraid that your beliefs can exist without (or more importantly in spite of) actual facts is so sad.

I really need to send you my copy of _Eye in the Sky_, it really is a great book.


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## edX (Apr 29, 2002)

well, that does shed some insight. being young is a tough thing anyway. being young and fearful is no fun at all. Of course the other extreme, the one i lived, of being young and afraid of almost nothing, is not exactly a smart way to live either. i must say matt's latest revelation about not knowing how moral he would be without the bible was both shocking and enlightening. It is no wonder so many Christians do things that are incongruent with what their religion if they only know their ethics and morals by reading about them.

I am really enjoying ebolag's contributions to the thread and must pay more attention to them. i think sometimes we get so focused on matt that we forget anyone else for a bit. at least i know i have been guilty of that. I made an attempt to correct that tonight.

i don't want to turn this into a little side conversation about others so what about your weather this weekend? it looked very nice, even if just a bit chipper, in the midwest. At least in Cincinatti where the Giants were playing.

I'll bet even a regular footlong burrito would sound good to you about now, eh?


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## Klink (May 3, 2002)

thread inactivity cron job commencing...

Congrats on the new family addition Racer. What's the powerbooks name?

I'm watching and enjoying this resurgence in NeXT/OpenStep in our community. It's wonderful! Kind of like learning about your family tree.


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## tagliatelle (May 3, 2002)

Rated R 
Acer
X


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## Klink (May 3, 2002)

aka
the Popup Dude


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## tagliatelle (May 3, 2002)

aka
pop
dud


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## edX (May 3, 2002)

Dudley Doright


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## RacerX (May 3, 2002)

I named it Milnor after Prof. John Milnor (who is currently at SUNY Stony Brook).


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## edX (May 3, 2002)

now that's a thread killing post if i ever saw one. nothing but a straight forward reply with a reference to some obscure mathematician.  

so do you get tornados in minn? i understand they have been getting them in the midwest recently.


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## Valrus (May 3, 2002)

Nothing wrong with mathematicians Ed...

This John Milnar fellow might be a bit too obscure to really *ignite* this conversation though. 

-the valrus


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## RacerX (May 3, 2002)

So in order to keep my thread going I should _not_ post in it?  

Yes we get tornados, but everyone here thinks that Earthquakes are worse (though they have never been in one).


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## nkuvu (May 3, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *So in order to keep my thread going I should not post in it? *


It's not that you shouldn't post in it, but not being able to post in your own thread _is_ an amusing thought.    It's just that you need to post mysterious things about your computer's name to keep people guessing.  At least, that's what I think Ed is saying.

Oh, and Ed thinks that John Milnor isn't exciting.  Obviously Ed is not a mathematician.    Not that I am, either, and I probably couldn't pick John Milnor out of a crowd of two.  But you get the idea...


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## crarko (May 3, 2002)

> _Originally posted by RacerX _
> *So in order to keep my thread going I should not post in it?
> 
> Yes we get tornados, but everyone here thinks that Earthquakes are worse (though they have never been in one).  *




Hey, guy! Yeah we got tornadoes, floods, blizzards and the whole nine yards. As far as quakes go, well here you go!

We must commune and build some machines sometime soon!

-- Craig


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## edX (May 4, 2002)

now that i have my laugh back under control, i am not sure what to write in response. i am also not sure what i would be responding to. 

i am not sure i ever had a real point to make but apparently i said something that got the telegraph lines crackling. Coach, maybe you and i should develop a stand up routine and let the audience heckle us. We can both be the straightman 

at this point i would say Milnor and your powerbook are in second place for quantity and quality of content in this thread. It will be hard to overtake The USC.

i think i'll just blame it on Herve this time


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## Klink (May 4, 2002)

Ed 'the trouble maker' Spruiell. 

Milnor. Isn't that a coincidence Racer? A Professor at Stony Brook and the New Yoka asking.

Milnor is a pretty hep cat. Not just an incombustible obscure Mathematician, or a mysterious pc naming convention. Actually an important person to you, I think Racer. The father of differential topology. Your passion.

Look at some of his accomplishments, gents...

-was awarded a Fields Medal at the 1962 International Congress of Mathematicians in Stockholm based on his work which gave proof that a 7-dimensional sphere can have several differential structures. This work opened up the new field of differential topology. Ahem!
-received the National Medal of Science in 1967 and was elected a member of the National Academy of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Science
-he's a member of the American Philosophy Society (Ed, did you catch that?) and has played a major role in the American Mathematical Society.
-In August 1982 he received the Leroy P Steele Prize
-and was awarded the Wolf Prize in 1989

Not a slouch.

Is this the differential topology guru we spoke of once (the NY Stony Brook convo at Ed's place)? He looks like a fellow I could like. Maybe it's his 60's vibe. Just browsing over some of his work and stumbled over his tentative contents of Essays on Complexity. Seems like it would make an excellent read for me. I was surprised to see subjects on humanity Ed.
Then I found this, which I personally thought was cool. Some months ago I was researching quadrature circuits for coordinate tracking and Milnor shows biquadratic maps in Window [.1, .10001] X [.4024, .40241] of "Pictures of Non-Landing Stretching Rays". I found myself going over the waveform patterns looking for matches with the waveforms I was working with and his. 

Was that posted jpeg a rework of your OS site? Looks very slick so far.


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## Valrus (May 4, 2002)

Ohhhhh, topology.

Sorry, don't know crap about topology.

Mathematicians, though! Woot! Represent!

-the valrus


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## RacerX (May 5, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Klink _
> *Milnor. Isn't that a coincidence Racer? A Professor at Stony Brook and the New Yoka asking.
> *_and_*
> Is this the differential topology guru we spoke of once (the NY Stony Brook convo at Ed's place)?*



You're right, he is very important and has had a ton of influence on me. I was saving the Milnor name for a special system (like I did for Riemann and Gauss). The professor of mine at Stony Brook was Professor Phillips, maybe not in the same league as Milnor, but then again who really is?  

The page that is being displayed on my system is a special home page with links to all my HTML docs within that system (in addition to computer stuff, I have about 8 novels from a number of authors, the complete works of Shakespeare and all of Sherlock Holmes, plus a number of Kant's books on ethics and morals).


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## edX (May 7, 2002)

well, so long as i am making trouble, i may as well just be direct. Hinting doesn't seem to cut it. 

coach - i was really just trying to say that you might try asking questions of others after you answer their questions. You have commented before about feeling like you end threads. Well, conversations often end when nobody asks anymore questions. notice that others keep you involved by asking you questions. 

so i am just giving a social tip.

you might note that i don't always follow my own advice. It helps that i am not proud and will reply to my own post after a day or 2 if nobody else does 

but it is really cool that we got everybody talking about milnor and related stuff. just goes to show that i never know what will happen after i post something. 

2 good quotes from TV this week - "I never trust anybody who takes his own advice" - and "a messy room is the sign of an organized mind" - both from the Profiler.


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## RacerX (May 7, 2002)

(sadness) 

sorry...


Um... okay, so Ed how is your day going?


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## AdmiralAK (May 7, 2002)

hey racer, I kept on meaning to ask you all weekend long, what happened on Enterprize last wednesday? 
I had class when it was on (as usual) but there was no saturday rerun 


Admiral


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## Klink (May 7, 2002)

Social tip of the day.

Minty breath can extend your one on one conversations.


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## RacerX (May 7, 2002)

Admiral, you would ask on the one week that I messed both the Wed and Sat showings of it.


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## AdmiralAK (May 7, 2002)

there was no sat showing here in boston 
damn..oh well...maybe we can ask the jedi master, maybe he knows 

Anyone have a breathmint ?
I am going out in a few minutes and want to be minty fresh 
lol


Admiral


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## Klink (May 7, 2002)

I'll usually carry enough mints to share. Here Addy.

Want one Ed? Might need one after that good night rest. 

sithious, come say hello.


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## edX (May 7, 2002)

well, after oversleeping a bit my day is going fine so far. I expect to get out and do some sawing, cutting up some junk wood into burnable size pieces and stacking it. i also expect to transplant some of my pond plants which have been growing very rapidly. this is good as these are the plants that are suppossed to reduce algae growth. 

as for enterprise, it was a pretty good one. funny, our replay is on sunday nights at 8 pm. 

ok, it starts out with some aliens getting mad and leaving the enterprise. as they do, a creature goes from their ship to the enterprise. It ends up taking over a cargo bay. it is made up of long slimy tentacles. It captures the captain, trip and two crewmen. It taps into their consciousness and they can read each others thoughts. however it is draining them and assimilating them into itself at the same time. at a certain point they will cease to exist and become part of the creature. Malcom, the vulcan, the doc and the translator all work to save them. Malcom ends up perfecting the first force field - i would imagine this is the documented origin of the shield. 

so do you want to know the ending or wait and catch it in the reruns?

thanks for the offer klink, but i prefer my cinnamon tictacs. i am not a big fan of mint flavor. i like to put fresh mint in my tea, but that is about it. except for some reason i like those girlscout thinmint cookies


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## RacerX (May 7, 2002)

> _said by Ed_
> *thanks for the offer klink, but i prefer my cinnamon tictacs. i am not a big fan of mint flavor. i like to put fresh mint in my tea, but that is about it. except for some reason i like those girlscout thinmint cookies *



That is because they put an addictive chemical in them to make you want to buy them (they learned that one from the tobacco industry  ).

I don't trust girls in uniform.  Except my wife in her french maid's uniform.  (to think she, actually reads this stuff from time to time at work, I wonder if I'll be hearing about this one  )


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## nkuvu (May 7, 2002)

> Except my wife in her french maid's uniform.


This is bordering on the "more than I want to know" line...


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## edX (May 7, 2002)

no, no, no, this is exactly the kind of thing i want to know but am afraid to ask


----------



## RacerX (May 7, 2002)

*1.* Talk about your sex life with your friends online.

*2.* All the others are inconsequential after *1*.


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## Klink (May 7, 2002)

Racer, maybe one day we can meet the wife?
Alla Mrs. MDLarson's kind post. 
That was nice wasn't it?

And we would behave too. 
No mention of French Maids.


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## RacerX (May 7, 2002)

Mrs. X thinks this is just some kinda _boy's club_. There are times where I have to drag her to the computer to see some of your guy's great posts (though I think I'll pass on bring this stuff up).

Maybe when Ed's girlfriend post I'll be able to get her to type a couple lines for us (  then again, most like not).


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## AdmiralAK (May 7, 2002)

I went to the pizza place to get some food for tonite, and I saw this girl in uniform, she was drop-dead gorgeous  (and EMT too lol... she would know how to fix up almost anyone till the doc arrived lol)


Thanks for the mint, really helped for my german class


----------



## tagliatelle (May 8, 2002)

I find it nice to have a graduate in informatics so that I have a basical knowledge of English.


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## tagliatelle (May 8, 2002)

What is a graduate in informatics worth if you don't get promotion from your employer? Then you can wait another time.


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## Valrus (May 9, 2002)

> _Originally posted by AdmiralAK _
> *I went to the pizza place to get some food for tonite, and I saw this girl in uniform, she was drop-dead gorgeous  (and EMT too lol... she would know how to fix up almost anyone till the doc arrived lol)
> *



EMT?

-the valrus


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## AdmiralAK (May 9, 2002)

Emergency Medical Technician  (Us americans have the stupidest names (and usually politically correct ones) for teh simplest of jobs to describe lol).  Basically she is like a first aid person in an ambulence...maybe a nurse too, depending on some of the people's crudentials


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## RacerX (May 17, 2002)

So after seeing _Attack of the Clones_ a few times, I couldn't shake the feel that some of the parts with Obi-Wan Kenobi felt very much like an old _Phillip Marlow_ story.

Did anyone else get this impression?


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## AdmiralAK (May 18, 2002)

how many times did you see it racer ? 
and since I dont knwo who marlow is please elaborate


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## RacerX (May 18, 2002)

I saw it twice on the opening day (it is a tradition for me, I saw _Empire_ on the opening day, and _Jedi_ and _Phantom_ twice on opening day).

Phillip Marlowe was a PI set in the 30's and 40's (and played by Humphrey Bogart in at least one movie), and had a ton of connection which he could call on to help him solve the mystery at hand. (I'll rewrite the scene from _Clones_ that seems like it was pulled right out of the pages of a Marlowe story and post it).


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## RacerX (May 18, 2002)

Here is a scene from _Attack of the Clones_ with the names and places changed to protect the innocent (and not give away any of the actual story). 

Scene 045: *Interior Los Angeles,
DEXS DINNER-MORNING*

A WAITRESS is carrying plates of half-eaten food. There is a counter with stools and a line of booths along the wall by the window. A number of CUSTOMER are eating-TOUGH-LOOKING WORKERS, TRUCK DRIVERS, ETC. The WAITRESS looks up as MARLOWE comes in.

_Waitress:_ Can I help ya?

_Marlowe:_ Im looking for Dexter.

The WAITRESS approaches MARLOWE.

_Waitress:_ Waddya want him for?

_Marlowe:_ Hes not in trouble. Its personal.

There is A brief pause, then the WAITRESS goes to the open serving hatch behind the counter.

_Waitress:_ Someone to see ya, honey. (lowering her voice) A Cop, by the looks of him.

Steam billows out from the kitchen hatch behind the counter as a huge head pokes through.

_Dexter:_ Marlowe!

_Marlowe:_ Hey, Dex,

_Dexter:_ Take a seat! Be right with ya!

MARLOWE sits in a booth.

_Waitress:_ You want a cup of coffee?

_Marlowe:_ Oh yes, thank you.

The WAITRESS moves off as the door to the counter opens and DEXTER appears. He is big-bald and sweaty, old guy. Not someone to tangle with. He arrives, beaming hugely and give Marlowe a bear hug!

_Dexter:_ Hey, ol' buddy!

_Marlowe:_ Hey, Dex.

DEXTER eases himself into the seat opposite MARLOWE. He can just make it.

_Dexter:_ So, my friend. What can I do for ya?

_Marlowe:_ You can tell me what this is.

MARLOWE places the dart on the table between them. DEXs eyes widen. He puts down his mug.

_Dexter:_ (softy) Well, waddya know...

DEXTER picks up the dart delicately between his puffy fingers and peers at it.

_Dexter:_ I aint seen one of these since I was prospecting way down south!

_Marlowe:_ Can you tell where it came from?

DEXTER grins. He puts the dart down between them.

_Dexter:_ This baby belongs to them Brazilians. What you got
here is a saberdart from the Amazon.

_Marlowe:_ These Brazilians youre talkin about, are they friendly?

_Dexter:_ It depends.

_Marlowe:_ Oh what, Dex?

DEXTER grins.

_Dexter:_ On how good your manners are... and how big your pocketbook is...

And on and on (you get the picture).


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## edX (May 21, 2002)

*Ed looks up from behind his desk. Staring him in the eye is a blonde. a long, lean, eyes of trouble blonde. He just knows this day is starting off wrong despite what any other man would have thought in his situation."

"What's up doll?" he says, just like so many times before.

"aw, Eddie, you know i wouldn't be here if i didn't need your help," she almost whispers in a low sultry voice that he knew meant his life was getting ready to change for the worse.

"who is is this time?" he asked, knowing that with this dame it was gonna be somebody important, somebody with money and somebody he wasn't going to like for forcing her back into her life.

"oh, Eddie, you know it's always been you" she says, batting those big fake lashes like fans in church on sunday.

"no doll, who's the sucker you need straight with this time?

she stares at the floor for a moment and then raises her eyes with a pout. "he's nobody really, just a guy i was seeing.....he thinks i took his diamond watch. but it wasn't me. honest. still, he thinks i have it. but i know where it is. I just need you to get it back for me"

Ed reaches up and tugs on the brim of his hat and then slowly pulls out a cigarette and lights it. he knows this infuriates her. "and what's in it for me?"

"me" she says.

he slowly puffs on the cig while memories of the last time she nearly got him killed remind him of previous such promises. "you'll have to do better than that babe."

Edward Marlowe, Phillip's little known brother, was getting ready to waltz with the mistress of chaos, whether he knew it or not. whether he liked it or not.  the cards had already been played and he wasn't even holding a pair. The queen of diamonds was all it took to make him forget all his rules. But that didn't mean he had to do it for nothing. 

Tolya - Marlow was sorta the model for Mike Hammer if you are familiar with him. great storybook/movie detectives who were hardboiled and always falling for the wrong girl.


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## RacerX (May 22, 2002)

I didn't remember how much I loved the old style detective movies until I finished reading your post, Ed. Maybe I should have added a section on that subject for my favorite movies in Ulrik's thread.

*Detective Movies:
Chinatown
The Two Jakes
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
*
So Ed, that sounded like you were writing from experience. Do you like that type of _film noir_?


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## edX (May 22, 2002)

other than thinking that Chinatown was very boring, i do really like that genre of movie. I also love those old detective books - i used to devour the Mike Hammer series.  I have always loved the whole detective/private eye thing. I have always had this seccret fantasy to be one. but my reality says i don't want to be the one in that much danger. I think the part i really like is the puzzle solving aspect. So of course i find some of that in computer troubleshooting. And i find even more of it when conducting therapy with a client. In many ways i must be a detective and help uncover the real culprit at the heart of their problems. If it were obvious, what would they need help for? 

The last book i read for pleasure was Jimmy Buffett's "Where is Joe Merchant" which was kind of a cross between those old detective books and his caribbean rock and roll fantasies. I would reccomend it for good escape material


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## RacerX (May 25, 2002)

I just finished reading _Minority Report_ yesterday, which looks like (from the previews) the film is going to be closer to the story than the last Philip K. Dick story that was made into a movie (_We can Remember for You Wholesale_ was the basis for _Total Recall_).

And I just finished watching _Singin in the Rain_ (fun movie, hadnt seen it in a couple years). I think Ill switch gears and throw in _The Caine Mutiny_ to round out the evening.

So Ed, what types of movies do you like. Any recomendations?


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## edX (May 25, 2002)

well, i like just about anything but 'chick flicks' 

you could probably get me to sit down and watch Blade Runner or Altered States at any time. I loved Total Recall. The 'Hellraiser' series was great. What was the one with Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding, Jr. where they are dead? the name escapes me right now, but it was good. action adventure is mostly what me and the old lady agree upon these days. (she doesn't like scifi or horror)

as far as old films go, i still laugh thru the "Dr. Phibes" movies with Vincent Price no matter how many times i see them. The old musicals are great when i happen to run across one, but i would never set out looking for one. I am sure i will start having more movies to talk about now that the TV seasons are over. reruns mean more HBO and Starz time


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## RacerX (May 28, 2002)

I loved Altered States! I have the soundtrack but I haven't added the movie to my collection.

Someone in another thread said that I was favored _Macs through and through_, it was too funny! Now if he had said I have a bias against PCs running Windows, then I would have had no argument.


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## edX (May 28, 2002)

well, maybe the thru and thru part is a bit exaggerated but i would say you pretty much come off as a mac advocate 

i mean, i can have purple as my favorite color, but still like blue, green, brown and yellow while being biased against red for clothes and furniture while still liking red plants, right? But i'm still a purple lover for almost everything. 

Another group of movies i like, but don't get to see very often, are martial arts flicks. Jackie Chan, Bruce lee, chuck Norris, etc. At least she will watch Steven Segal movies with me. (she is a ****er for a man with a ponytail )


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## RacerX (May 28, 2002)

> _mentioned in passing by Ed_
> *(she is a ****er for a man with a ponytail ) *



I think we could have guessed that one.

So what did you think of _the Matrix_? It sorta fulls into that area.


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## edX (May 28, 2002)

I loved the Matrix. It was one of the few i have seen on the big screen. my son and i went to the dollar theater on one of my visits back to Ohio. I keep wanting to watch it again on Tv but it has never been showing at a convenient time before when i was thinking about it. she refuses to watch it as well.

I think i need to start taking advantage of taping movies i want to see. they always seem to be on when i am busy (or else i miss the beginning) and nothing good is ever on when i want to watch something. I really should take advantage of the technology. Of course i have 2 dvd movies that i have owned for nearly a year and still haven't taken the time to slide in my mac and watch. go figure.


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## AdmiralAK (May 28, 2002)

I am looking forward to the 2 matrix sequels 
They should be nice, but probably not as spectacular or as long awaited as the original since they are being released side  by side, one in july and the other in august. pitty


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## RacerX (May 28, 2002)

Yeah, it reminds me of _Back to the Future_ in that way.

The _Star Trek_ series (which are more individual stories) found out that once every two years was to close together. I do like how _Lord of the Rings_ is doing it (one a year) considering the story line. And _Star Wars_ is matching the schedule that they used for the original three (though one every two years would have worked better in my opinion).


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## RacerX (Jun 1, 2002)

Hey Valrus, 

So have you put much thought into an area of specialty yet? I started out as a physics major, so I was picky about the mathematics I was taking early on. 

Are you planning on going to graduate school? Are you considering the U? I know quite a few good professors around the country in a number of fields, though I don't know that many professors at the U (Marden and McGehee, but I knew them through the Geometry Center). My favorite semi-non geometry professors would be Doyle (Dartmouth) and Conway (Princeton), both of which love probability and games (and Doyle worked under Conway as a student at Princeton as I recall). 

So what is the math department at Macalester College like? I couldn't tell if they had a graduate program by my first look at their web site. 

What classes are you planning on taking? I love taking classes, so I've taken a ton of extra courses that had slowed down my progress toward a degree, but was very helpful in my research. Here is a list of the ones I can remember:

Math 100A-C Modern Algebra (groups, rings, fields, vector spaces, Galois theory, etc.)
Math 117 Geometry and the Imagination (introduction to topics in geometry, topology, knot theory)
Math 140A-B Foundation in Analysis
Math 150A Differential Geometry (classical differential geometry)
Math 150B Calculus on Manifolds (techniques in differential forms)
Math 151 Topic in Geometry (Lie Geometry)
Math 151 Topic in Geometry (Clifford Algebras) 
Math 190 Introduction to Topology (geometric and point-set)
Math 191 Topics in Topology (aspects of Homotopy theory)
Math 200A Algebra (more of the same)
Math 210A Mathematical Methods in Physics
Math 250A Differentiable Manifolds
Math 250B Riemannian Geometry
Math 250C Integration on Manifolds
Math 251A Lie Groups
Math 251B Lie Algebras
Physics 100A Electromagnetism
Physics 110A-B Mechanics
Physics 162 Galaxies and Cosmology
Physics 225A General Relativity
That is not counting the courses I audited . And the ones I need to take (and probably should have by now):

Math 200B-C Algebra
Math 240A-C Real Analysis
Math 290A-C Topology


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## Valrus (Jun 1, 2002)

Well, I think I'm most interested in pure math, although I haven't really chosen an area of specialization within that yet. Algebraic Structures was fun but I think I want to get a taste of some of the other areas of higher-level math before I decide which to focus on. I have always kind of liked algebra though, and I do a lot of math competitions in which number theory and the like comes in handy.

I do think I'm going to go to grad school, but I haven't really thought about where yet. Macalester is only a college so it doesn't have a graduate program.

So far at Macalester I've taken Discrete Math, Multi-variable Calculus, Linear Algebra and Algebraic Structures, which may be roughly the equivalent of your Modern Algebra. Next semester I'm going to take Real Analysis, and then I hope to be studying abroad in Budapest the following semester. Maybe. I'd also like to take Combinatorics sometime, either in Budapest or my senior year (next year I'm a junior). I don't have my course catalog or major plan handy, so I can't tell you what else is on it.  But I'm also pusuing a CS major, so I'm working on some stuff in that direction as well.

Wow, man. You've taken a lot of courses! Are you doing research at a grad school? Do you teach? Actually, if I keep asking questions like this I'll just reveal the depth of my ignorance in this area, so I'll just be blunt: What happens after you graduate from college?  I really haven't given much thought to my post-Macalester plans, partly because I don't know what my options are, and partly because as far as the options I _do_ know about (i.e. grad school), I don't know what they entail.

-the valrus


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## satanicpoptart (Jun 1, 2002)

Congrats racerx!


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## RacerX (Jun 1, 2002)

Wow, Budapest sounds like fun. And I had some friends that were doubling as CS majors. I hadn't thought much about computers when I was in school because there was so little that computers could do to help with the type of math that I do. I wasted a great opportunity at the Geometry Center in 1994 because my research didn't require the use of any of the vast computer resources they had (I was doing research on tight immersions and embeddings of both smooth and polyhedral manifolds). I could kick myself now though.

As for my current standing... limbo would best describe it. About five years ago I had a number of events happen (any one of which would be considered life altering) which brought everything I was working on to a complete halt. I am only now getting back to the point where I could pick up where I left off. This is mostly do to the fact that I'm much happier now than I have been in a number of years, and one of my professors (who is like a father to me) retired and moved here. Having him near is very inspiring.

The direction that I planned on (and hope to resume) would have me going to do post-doc work for two to four years after grad school (which I have about two to three years left of once I restart), and then trying to find a tenure-track position at a university some where. My love is research (trying to answer the many questions I have), so I'm more than willing to trade teaching for the ability to follow my passions freely.

I have two research projects (maybe three, but the third is more physics than mathematics) that I could use for my doctoral thesis, so it really is more passing the qualifying exams in Algebra, Real Analysis and Topology that I need for getting a Ph.D. Oh, and that stupid Bachelors which I also don't have yet  . I need two quarters of Muir Writing, a quarter of visual arts, a quarter of US History, and a cultural diversity course to finish my Bachelors degree (as you can probably guess, I was having way to much fun taking math and physics classes to be bothered with my lower division requirements  ). I'll mix those classes in with my remaining math courses. Who knows, maybe I'll get both my Ph.D. and Bachelors within a year of each other.  Then it would look like I finished graduate school in less than a year! 

I've never been a good student. I've always done what made me happy in school versus what would get me through the fastest. And I've been very lucky. I have had some great mathematicians go out of their way to work with me even with all of my very obvious faults.


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## RacerX (Jun 1, 2002)

> _Originally posted by satanicpoptart _
> *Congrats racerx! *



Thanks!


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## xoot (Jun 1, 2002)

Oops... I think i forgot too:

Congrats RacerX!


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## Valrus (Jun 4, 2002)

Aaaaaahhhh, don't let this thread sink RacerX! I'm not done with you!

First off, blah blah, congrats for 1000 posts since I don't think I ever said that, but who gives a crap because that's not the important thing. So instead I'll say congratulations, really, for being one of the people I most respect on this board. Usually a good measure of whether or not a thread is worthwhile is whether you've posted in it. 

Also, good luck with your classes etc. I think doing what makes you happy in school is more important than getting good grades. I get good grades becuase I seem to have some kind of irrational work ethic which makes me feel like a chump if I don't do my work, so being happy and getting good grades tend to coincide. 

You didn't really answer my question: What happens after college? I'm genuinely curious, since the end of college is approaching kind of rapidly for me. How does getting into grad school go? What kind of jobs can you get as a math major?

I don't mean to be pushy, so tell me if I am. I'm just starting to get a little concerned about the fact that I don't have the slightest idea where I'm going to be in two years. 

-the valrus


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## RacerX (Jun 5, 2002)

Gosh, thanks!

Let me see if I can shed any more light on those questions. I'll keep working on them after this post (which I am writing while being quite worn out, so I'm sure I am forgetting stuff), but I'll need a little more time. For now I can try and relate some of my experiences to the questions.

Graduate school (and other positions like what I did at the Geometry Center) seem to revolve (for me) around letters of recommendation. Because I was already taking graduate courses at UCSD very early on as a undergrad, continuing on with my graduate studies there was easy (and expected by most of the faculty). The position at the Geometry Center was more like what I would expect getting into a good graduate school would be like. The summer I was there, they had 20 positions that were being paid for by a combination NSF and DoE funding. There were over 250 applications for those positions, and the only reason I was one of the applicants selected was because I had some very nice letters of recommendation. The director of that program, Professor Phillips, told me that he really wanted to meet me after reading those letters (and even went on to supervise a number of my projects even after I returned to UCSD and he went back to Stony Brook).

So another thing is networking. While you are taking courses at Macalester, run over to the U and take (audit, actually) some courses that would interest you (I am actually thinking about doing this next year also). This gives you the chance to get to know faculty at the U and possibly get a letter of recommendation from someone at an outside institution. I would point out that these classes could be just as important as any that you would get a grade in because they could help you get into a good graduate school. And professors love students that go out of their way for their subject.

Another thing to think about, research. Many undergrad programs don't require you to do independent research, but this can be both very helpful and very fun. My first extended project was on the subject of vector displacement and Levi-Civita's connections via developable surfaces (not all that different from connections on tangent bundles, but predating those techniques by many decades). I did this in my very first upper division course (Math 150A, Differential Geometry), and even though it was not creating a new solution or method, it was recreating work that had been lost and ideas that had been over generalized. Even though my other projects generated unique material, the techniques used in that first one gave me my first taste of real mathematics. I was very honored to find out that 10 years later my professor was still using my paper as a reference in the classroom for that course.

I hadn't actually put too much thought into the job market. All my plans for the future revolved around sustaining my research habit. My cousin who has a graduate degree works as a teacher at a small college, and he is still interested in doing research (he got interested in Clifford Algebras after we had talked about them, and we worked on geometric techniques in Minkowski space using circular geometry). I guess I had always thought about trading teaching at some school for being able to do research. The nice thing is that mathematics is easier to get funding for than any of the other sciences (like physics or chemistry, both of which can be big budget science). From what I saw, the average NSF grant usually wasn't more than a few thousand dollars (mainly to cover equipment and pay for assistants, which was usually a computer or two and a few grad students).

On a number of occasions I have been asked to solve applied problems. We would get engineers and the like coming to our department asking for help, and some of my professors pointed them in my direction if the problem looked like something I was specializing in. It was only a few hundred dollars here and there, but it gave me a little taste of what someone would do with applied mathematics. Part of my problem is that I specialize in a type of mathematics that has very few applications. I have been able to apply my type of math to some areas of theoretical physics, but even then, it was pretty far from any real world applications. I'll ask around to see what types of other options are out there, I just haven't thought that much about it once I set myself on the path I had chosen.

Ill add some more after I get some sleep.


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## AdmiralAK (Jun 5, 2002)

I think netowrking (the non-compuiter kind) is grande  -- If you have a job on campus it is infinitelly easier to network (depending on the job that is) because you will interact with faculty.  Then you can get the inside track on classes, courses offered, materials and such. Not only that, you can also enter into classes which are otherwise full


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## xoot (Jun 5, 2002)

Something about the subject of networking (the computer kind):

I love freaking people out with Apple Events. And it's easy to do!

I will teach the people that don't know if there are any...


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## Valrus (Jun 5, 2002)

Thanks a lot, Racer! I'd write a longer reply but I'm fast approaching bedtime. I'm back to getting up at 6:00 to go to work at GEICO...

I will say, though, that auditing classes at the U might be a little bit out of my reach, because of transportation considerations etc. If I find out that it's easier than I think it will be though, I'll definitely try to do it my senior year!

-the valrus


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## xoot (Jun 5, 2002)

> There's no shame in using public transportation, sir!



I just love that commercial. I only wish that I could be the kid racing BlueFusion.


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## RacerX (Jun 10, 2002)

The last four days has been quite sad for me. 

Take care my friends... 



see ya on the other side.


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