At 07:21 am 23/08/2001 -0600, you wrote:
[PhD's]
>Actually, it's not as unusual as you may think. Some folks don't know how
to do
>anything useful, so they get more advanced degrees instead. I know of
several
>folks who have multiple PhD's, not that it increases my respect for them,
but it
>does indicate they've completed a major piece of academic work with a
minimum of
>supervision.
There is definitely an element of that, although R&D does make an excellent
outlet for the head-in-the-clouds types. Some of these people have designed
some exceptionally clever bits of kit; even if some of that kit verges on
the brutal. For instance, I know the chap who invented a thing called the
"Frit Welder", or "Fritter" as it's known. This repairs mains (and higher)
voltage AC lines by connecting live directly to neutral for 1/2 cycle; the
resulting surge either repairs corroded joints by melting them (thus
reforming the joint), or blowing a hole in the ground so the engineers know
where to dig...
Apparently, the machine jumps when its used...
Cheers!
Ade.
--
B-Racing: B where it's at :-)
http://www.b-racing.co.uk
Received on Fri Aug 24 2001 - 04:09:43 BST