I am informed by a fellow member that the word is being circulated that I am supposed to be a 'media" type who is researching some sort of article on
this forum and its members. The implications being that I am some sort of provocateur and that my posts reflect some hidden agenda.
THAT IS ALL CRAP.
I am here because I am and always have been fascinated by chemistry in general and organic chemistry in particular.
End of story.
I am not writing any sort of article about this place. I am not writing any sort of article about anyone here. I do not write that sort of garbage
(mainstream media exposes or sensationalism).
The only reason that anyone here knows I have any connection to journalism is because I said so myself right here on the forum out in the open,
something I suggest to you I would hardly have done if I were ferreting out some sort of a story.
Some people here are too frigging paranoid.
It's not an endearing trait.Nerro - 10-1-2007 at 05:26
Your usage of the word "endearing"; the good sentence structure; intro-body-end structure and a few other small hints lead me to suspect you might be
a journalist after all... Suspicious, very very suspicious!
[Edited on Wed/Jan/2007 by Nerro]enhzflep - 10-1-2007 at 06:19
Man, get off the acid-trips or the speed or whatever it is. Use a little logic Nerro. What is to be gained by lighting a fire whilst hiding in a dark
place??
Surely anyone with more than 1/4 of a brain-cell would simply lurk on the forum and report on the interactions between members. Only someone on a
jihad (suicide) mission would state that they were a journo and stick around if their intention was to fuck us over.
Besides, couldn't you feel the pasion as the story about the absinthe and his mate producing it were divulged. Of course, I may be wrong, you may be
wrong or whatever. The place is hardly a secret and is obviously watched by cops. I write everything I'm up to here since I have faith in the
intelligence of those that have the discretion, to see the difference between somebody doing something they're not actually allowed to, i.e Driving at
250kmh in the open desert and somebody who is an actual risk, e.g Driving at 100 kmh past schools at 8:30am. They're both a no-no, but only one of
them poses any real risk to anybody but oneself.
If you want a laugh, go to RS.org at the moment. There's some idiot who in his first post stated that it was his intention to make 400lbs of NH4NO3
disapear in the blink of an eye. <Matt_Ladder> The response he got was downright hostile. Scientists are a cluey bunch, and my belief is that a
great number of BS detectors would have been set off both publicly and vocally as was the case at RS, IF in fact Sauron was batting against us, so to
speak.
I believe ya Sauron..Sauron - 10-1-2007 at 08:17
Thanks for having a level head and common sense, @Enhzflep
Small hints? I posted a jpg of my Thai Press Card. But I also pointed out that my position is a sinecure. I have nothing to hide.
Some among us are paranoid fools.
Nerro wants to be suspicious because I write well and have a vocabulary. Well, I'm old enough that when I went to school they still taught one how to
use the English language properly. So what?
Writing well and having a press card does not equate to being an undercover reporter digging up dirt for the National Perspirer.
No more than being interested in explosives makes one a mad bomber.
[Edited on 10-1-2007 by Sauron]YT2095 - 10-1-2007 at 10:13
it might even be nice for us Chemists/Hobbyist to get some GOOD Press coverage for a change, from someone that DOES Know us on a personal level and
experience.
he`s made some good posts and contributed and likely learned much also, that`s all I`m here for too Sauron - 10-1-2007 at 11:03
Unfortunately I really am not the kind of journalist who can do you either good nor harm. But if I were I would onl;y try to do you all good.
It is a sad truth that the media does not relish good news. Bad news is what sells newspapers. Bad news is what drives television "news" which isn't
news at all but a perverse form of entertainment. That is why the media are in an unholy symbiosis with the terrorists. The terrorists want publicity
and the media want Bad News. A marriage born in Hell. Terrorism is a form of theater, where the world is their stage and the public are the extras.
It's a huge canvas painted with human blood.
Anyway I'm just here to talk about chemistry, yes to learn when I can and hopefully to teach also. I've only been at this after all about 45 years so
maybe I have an insight or two to pass along.Fleaker - 10-1-2007 at 12:48
Isn't it akin to grotesque fascination? After all, isn't that why so many watch NASCAR, not to see if they win, but just to see a crash? Violence
sells because people possess a carnal lust for it.
Since when does a good vocabulary and writing style mean one is a journalist? If we follow that reasoning, then there are a fair few here at SMDB that
are journalists. Polverone writes concisely with a good vocabulary--does that mean he made this board just to write articles about it? Granted, I can
understand the paranoia: any publicity is good publicity is not exactly true with regards to us amateur chemists (at least nowadays).Sauron - 10-1-2007 at 14:37
There's a difference between caution and paranoia. Paranoia bu definition is an UNREASONABLE fear of persecution.
Also things are out of hand when paranoia leads to us turning on each other.joeflsts - 10-1-2007 at 17:07
Sauron,
I'm of little importance to this forum but find it highly entertaining and informational. I find your posts enlightening, thought provoking, and of
great value. The information you provided during the Fluorescein discussion was highly valuable to me.
I am glad you are here.
JoeOzone - 10-1-2007 at 17:55
I, for one, appreciate eloquence whenever it is serendipitously encountered. I have taken no offense as to the nature of your posting. I have faith
that any translational modifications of the journalistic sort that may be promulgated by you will be positive, and, as such, of general merit to the
art.
Cheers,
O3The_Davster - 10-1-2007 at 18:31
I find it interesting how one can kind of determine the age of a poster from the quality of ones language. Back when they taught english properly to
those scientifically inclined. It is obvious I am of a younger generation of scientists...my english is not so great.Sauron - 10-1-2007 at 20:26
I don't see anything wrong with your English skills.
But wen I was a lad (admittedly in the First Age) they taught everyone to use the language properly, even in secondary schools.
Now high schools are concentratiion camps and universities are diploma mills designed to keep the underclass off the unemployement rolls for 4 years
longer than otherwise.
The real changes came in the 1970s. At my university, which admitted all state residents with a high school diploma because it was a state university,
the first year was designed to flunk out those who really didn't belong in a university. Then in the 1970s with the introduction of federal grants in
aid, the so called BEOGs, they changed to have remedial courses in English and math, and remedial remedial courses in both for those who couldn't
handle the remedials. Well, four years later the people who placed into the remedial and double remedial courses still could,t read or do algebra or
trig (forget calculus) but they got their degrees, in various meaningless liberal arts. THEN they joined the ranks of the unemployable.
And the value of my two degrees plummeted as a consequence.
My compensation was to basically be self employed for most of my life so that I didn't have to show sheepskin to anyone. I merely had to perform, and
deliver. I did.
After being trained as a chemist and as a political scientist I ended up for 30 years in the small arms business, as a designer, manufacturer,
consultant, lecturer, and eventually as a journalist and editor because I was at the upper tier of my profession. Not because I had to scribble for a
living.
As I have already said I burned out in the late 1980s and moved to Thailand to drink beer and fraternize with the LBFM. Eventually that palled and I
backslid into arms dealing and defense journalism a little. Now I am trying to relive my days as a research chemist.]garryb - 11-1-2007 at 01:38
I have enjoyed Sauron's posts, and regard him (in my very humble opinion, as an extremely junior member of this board) as an intelligent and
interesting contributor. As others have said, it is a sad state of affairs when people can be regarded as suspect merely for communicating in clear,
simple, correct English. I am also middle-aged, and regard good English as a basic courtesy to those who read it. I am not a journalist.Sauron - 11-1-2007 at 03:24
Some of the members from non-English speaking nations write better English than some of the "native speakers" do.garryb - 11-1-2007 at 03:29
This is true! What a sad reflection on our educational system. I have German and French friends who are world class scientists in their own fields,
and they regard speaking (nigh on perfect) English as a basic skill, not something to be particularly proud of. I occasionally meet English people who
have degree level qualifications in speaking eg German. They have no other great skills. They are then surprised that no-one rushes to employ them.woelen - 11-1-2007 at 06:24
I also want to add that I trust Sauron. I have read many of his posts and they are very reasonable and also provide good evidence that he really is
devoted to chemistry. So, forget all that BS about hidden agendas and just trust each other.
The last thing we can use is fearing each other. We don't have a "Securitate" over here, and we should feel free to post about our experiments.Elawr - 11-1-2007 at 10:43
Maybe I missed something obvious, but after reading this thread I find myself wondering: how could the writing of a truthfull article concerning
sciencemadness.org possibly be seen as a bad thing?
[Edited on 11-1-2007 by Elawr]Sauron - 11-1-2007 at 14:16
The devil is always in the details. Define "truthfull"?
Some "journalists" thrive on sensationalism, and one such could pain this place as a hangout for wacko mad bombers, various sorts of sociopathic drug
abusers and worse.
However, I am not one of those. I am not writing anything except the posts here. AFAIK no one is writing anything about this forum.vulture - 11-1-2007 at 14:21
Quote:
We don't have a "Securitate" over here
Ofcourse we don't....(phew, close one there)...officially.
Now, if somebody could explain to me what the point of this thread is?Sauron - 11-1-2007 at 14:39
The point of this thread, which ought to be clear if you bothered to read the first post, is that I was PMd to inform me that "high authority" had
warned the author of the PM to avoid me as I am "media" and up to no good.
Which is bullshit. So I wanted to air out this linen in the open.
Is that crystal?Lambda - 11-1-2007 at 14:48
This is all bullshit,....we know that,.... don't we !
I must however say, that this thread is a very amusing read indeed. And therefore do not despise it's existence, on the contrary, please go on.
@Sauron, I like you more and more by the day, and feel that your presents and contribution to this Forum to be fun and of a positive nature. You seem
knowledgeable, have had a fair share of life experiences, and therefore can only be of benefit to this Forum a positive way.
Welcome to the club, you seem to be cochure, and I hope you will stick around. You don't have to explain yourself to me, for your presence is more
than appreciated.
Regards,
Lambda.Sauron - 11-1-2007 at 16:56
Thanks @Lambda, I appreciate that. Organikum - 12-1-2007 at 07:43
I have little doubt that Sauron is not what he claims to be and I would for this reason not want to have any contact to him which exceeds replying to
some of his posts. Thailand - sounds sooo exciting and seducing to the drug fiends doesnt it? Too much like a bait for my taste, but this bait may not
even be for "bad" purposes.
Besides being a imposter he annoys the hell out of me, claiming to use the internet and the-hive for years and not being able to use a ftp-client and
other basic skills lacking? Outch!
And he sounds as much US-American as it can get to me.
Not interested
/ORG
[Edited on 12-1-2007 by Organikum]pantone159 - 12-1-2007 at 11:02
AFAIK, Sauron has never claimed to be anything other than a US expat now living in Thailand, not a native Thai. He's also leaked out his true name,
as the author of a thujone 'Molecule of the Month' by Oxford.
