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quicksilver
International Hazard
Posts: 1820
Registered: 7-9-2005
Location: Inches from the keyboard....
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Mood: ~-=SWINGS=-~
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Magpie
I am likely the resident geezer here at 62. I liked chemistry from an early age. One of the few Christmas gifts I ever asked for was a Gilbert
chemistry set. I didn't take this hobby up again until I retired 2 years ago from a career in chemical engineering.
Getting supplies is more difficult now - requires more creativity and effort. But if you make some of your own you are bound to have more fun and
learn more chemistry. |
You do have a few years on me (I thought I was at least one of the oldest - I'm close) but I remember Gilbert's Chemistry Set. I have the one that
folded out upon itself and I believe was made of thin sheet metal; all items stored within.
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12AX7
Post Harlot
Posts: 4803
Registered: 8-3-2005
Location: oscillating
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Mood: informative
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Hmm, I have to change my vote, I've been 20 for a while. 
Tim
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Aikimike
Harmless
Posts: 15
Registered: 14-10-2006
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Mood: No Mood
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I'm 14 now but 15 in two months. I really should post more...
Regards,
Mike
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vulture
Forum Gatekeeper
Posts: 3330
Registered: 25-5-2002
Location: France
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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22 years here and approaching 23 soon...getting pretty old for a vulture. Maybe I should become an old wise owl, they're more pretty anyway. 
One shouldn't accept or resort to the mutilation of science to appease the mentally impaired.
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The_Davster
A pnictogen
Posts: 2861
Registered: 18-11-2003
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Mood: .
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I would think it would be interesting to start a new poll on this, to see how the demographic here has changed over time. Any objections?
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Magpie
lab constructor
Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
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Vulture you are still just a "spring chicken." Please do not become an owl. You would lose your valuable talent of being able to detect carrion from
miles away. But you would gain in the area of night vision. Hmm...
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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Elawr
Hazard to Others
Posts: 174
Registered: 4-6-2006
Location: Alabama
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Mood: vitriolic
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Looking at the age distribution makes me feel REALLY OLD. I'm almost 51 -aaaagh!!!
We need more ancient members here so Iwon't feel so old!
...I just bumped the 50+ group to just over 9% with my vote!
[Edited on 9-4-2007 by Elawr]
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enhzflep
Hazard to Others
Posts: 217
Registered: 9-4-2006
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Mood: No Mood
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Nearly 30.
Always loved chemistry from the first contact with it.
Got especially turned on to it when as a 12 or 13 year old, our science teacher chose me to be the one that dropped the lumps of sodium and potassium
into a vat of water from the end of a 1m ruler.
Oh, and I guess the rockets we made in yr7 using soda bulbs hardly moderated my interest...
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MadHatter
International Hazard
Posts: 1346
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Maine
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Mood: Enjoying retirement
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Approaching 50
I'm 48 soon to be 49. When I reach 50 I fully expect my friends to give me some of those
gag gifts related to age. Bastards !
From opening of NCIS New Orleans - It goes a BOOM ! BOOM ! BOOM ! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !
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Mumbles
Hazard to Others
Posts: 436
Registered: 12-3-2003
Location: US
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Mood: Procrastinating
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I've also changed demographics since I voted. Hit the big 2-0 a few months ago(Don't tell the liquor store though ). It'd be interesting to see how things have changed over time. I do find it interesting to see that 60% of the
forum is between 10-30. I knew there were plenty of people in my age range there, but is a lot higher than I thought.
[Edited on 4-10-2007 by Mumbles]
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Levi
Hazard to Others
Posts: 196
Registered: 24-1-2007
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| Quote: | Originally posted by The_Davster
I would think it would be interesting to start a new poll on this, to see how the demographic here has changed over time. Any objections?
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I'd be interested in seeing the current demographic, but I don't think it will yield a meaningful comparison to the "old" since I just voted in -this-
poll a few days ago and I doubt that I'm only one to have done so. If I had been around here to vote when the thread was started I'd have been in a
lower age group.
Chemcrime does not entail death. Chemcrime is death.
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vulture
Forum Gatekeeper
Posts: 3330
Registered: 25-5-2002
Location: France
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A new poll would be more meaningful if the age boundaries were more narrow. Say 18-22, 22-26 and 26-30 for example.
Interesting how there is a gap in the age groups. Maybe because the babyboom generation has been growing up with chemophobia?
[Edited on 11-4-2007 by vulture]
One shouldn't accept or resort to the mutilation of science to appease the mentally impaired.
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YT2095
International Hazard
Posts: 1091
Registered: 31-5-2003
Location: Just left of Europe and down a bit.
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Mood: within Nominal Parameters
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40 in less than a month, so I ticked the 40 box.
\"In a world full of wonders mankind has managed to invent boredom\" - Death
Twinkies don\'t have a shelf life. They have a half-life! -Caine (a friend of mine)
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Magpie
lab constructor
Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
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Vulture says:
| Quote: |
Maybe because the babyboom generation has been growing up with chemophobia?
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I have to take some exception to this. I was born in 1942. Technically, a pre-babyboomer I suppose, but close. I don't consider my generation
chemophobic. I would think that the later generations "X" or "Y" would more fit this stereotype.
I want to quote the last paragraph in my freshman chemistry book: "The chemist and his colleagues in the other sciences are constantly facing new and
exciting challenges. With the beginning of the space age, scientific horizons have been tremendously broadened. Once again we are willing to set out
to achieve the 'impossible.' Even the sky is no longer the limit." This was published in 1961.
In my generation Dupont's proud slogan was "Better Living Through Chemistry." I also remember an ad for toothpaste proudly stating that it contained
hexachlorophene. I don't think that would happen today.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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MadHatter
International Hazard
Posts: 1346
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Maine
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Mood: Enjoying retirement
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Chemophobia
This baby boomer grew up with little or no restrictions when it comes to chemistry. Even the
chemical suppliers were friendlier in the 70s. That can't be said by today's standards. I'm
sure the suppliers are somewhat less willing to provide budding chemists what they
need given the harassment they face from the DEA and the CPSC.
From opening of NCIS New Orleans - It goes a BOOM ! BOOM ! BOOM ! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !
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seb
Unregistered
Posts: N/A
Registered: N/A
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I'm 54. My birthday is next monday. How am I supposed to feel? I made some meth before. I am not some bastard. I never was. I was addicted. The
meth labs could be some of the more interesting labs, with a sort of Edgar Allen Poe feel to them, with a stuffed raven over the door, and skulls with
candles in them. We have a duty to end war, which kills people, not to worry whether someone has given all geeks a bad name and made it harder for
them to go about "perfecting ways of making sealing wax", or whatever it is you do with YOUR phosphorous, MadHatter. It's all good.
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gambler
Harmless
Posts: 44
Registered: 30-6-2006
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Mood: No Mood
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20
Still young and happy about it
tat tvam asi
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Ozone
International Hazard
Posts: 1269
Registered: 28-7-2005
Location: Good Olde USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Integrated
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A spry 32. Ha.
Cheers,
O3
-Anyone who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
--Albert Einstein
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vvz
Harmless
Posts: 2
Registered: 2-2-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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i'm 30 and only start reading this forum... (i'm from Russia) verry happy to look that most of peoples there do not get crazy for drugs )). Sorry for
my bad english....
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DerAlte
National Hazard
Posts: 779
Registered: 14-5-2007
Location: Erehwon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Disgusted
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I am 70 - hence the handle.
First interested age 12 - father had a fine library that I read. I got one of those 'chemistry sets' ( don't knock them! I think they have started
many a youngster off on the path).
In 1952 my father, also an enthusiast in his youth, created a chemical lab in a small room off my bedroom. It had a tiled bench, a fume cupboard ( no
fan but sliding glass front, vented to outside). I could get almost any reagent you can name form the local druggist ('chemist' in UK, where I lived
then. My father had to sign for those on the poison register, such as arsenic oxide, antinomy oxide, mercuric chloride, sodium cyanide(!), and a few
others.
For about 5 years I lived and breathed chemistry (literally!) when I was not doing electronics. If I had that lab now I'd be in hog heaven! For
college I opted for Electrical Eng. - electonics won out. I did consider doing another year to get a Chem Eng degree as well. Father died, we had yo
move and the lab was lost - all I have now is a lovely old balance by Becker of NY, circa 1890, still works like a charm.
Son number one became intersted when he was about 16 and I went back to experimental chem with him. I had followed theoretical chem by reading all the
time. That was 26 years ago. Then son #2 came along, and i began to try to get him interested seriously, but he suffered from pyrotechnomania and was
not serious about real chem.
I retired over a decade ago and still dabble.
Regards, DerAlte
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tito-o-mac
Hazard to Others
Posts: 117
Registered: 30-6-2007
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Mood: No Mood
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It's always GOOD to have seniors and older aged guys. They much experience and are certainly a great deal of help here
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riisa
Harmless
Posts: 5
Registered: 23-2-2008
Location: Minnesota, USA
Member Is Offline
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Just turned 18! Woo hoo!
The love afair with chemistry has been around for most of those 18.
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MagicJigPipe
International Hazard
Posts: 1554
Registered: 19-9-2007
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Suspicious
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I forgot to post my actual age. 23. Will be 24 in a little over two months. I don't know why but I feel like I'm getting older too fast. Every
year seems to pass faster than the year before it and I don't like thinking about the fact that I have already lived 1/3 of my expected lifespan.
It's time to start living it up!
Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm young but it seems like just yesterday I was thinking "Damn. 20 just sounds old compared to Xteen."
"There must be no barriers to freedom of inquiry ... There is no place for dogma in science. The scientist is free, and must be free to ask any
question, to doubt any assertion, to seek for any evidence, to correct any errors. ... We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it and
that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. And we know that as long as men are free to ask what they must, free to say what they think,
free to think what they will, freedom can never be lost, and science can never regress." -J. Robert Oppenheimer
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tumadre
Hazard to Others
Posts: 172
Registered: 10-5-2005
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I feel you MJP, from the are of 18 to almost 20 it seems like the time just disappeared.
I've always enjoyed chemistry, but electronics and mechanical was where the brains went.
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woelen
Super Administrator
Posts: 8027
Registered: 20-8-2005
Location: Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: interested
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I'm 42 and I have the impression that I really belong to a minority group over here, although I also think that the average age over here is higher
than it is on most other forums.
@MJP: The feeling you express I also know, the effect becomes stronger and stronger every year. The past few years have gone soooo fast...
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