Being a Retired Rocket Scientist...

[cudachaser]

I find this article a bit demeaning:

:mad:
Rocket scientists, long considered the gold standard in intelligence among all professionals, are not nearly as smart as originally thought, according to a controversial new study published today by the American Association of Brain Surgeons.

The study, which appears in the organization's monthly publication, Popular Brain Surgery, is entitled "The Intelligence of Rocket Scientists: Myth Versus Reality," and suggests that rocket scientists' reputation for smartness is largely undeserved.

"It does require a superior intellect to function as a rocket scientist," the article concedes. "Having said that, though, rocket science is not brain surgery."

The article drew an immediate rebuke from a spokesperson for the American Society of Rocket Scientists, who blasted the study as "state-of-the-art pro-brain surgeon propaganda."

"As rocket scientists, we take offense at this naked attempt by a devious cabal of opportunistic brain surgeons to supplant us as the smartest people on the planet," the spokesperson said. "If rocket science is so easy, we'd like to see these so-called brain surgeons give it a try one of these days."

Professor Davis Logsdon, a University of Minnesota expert who studies the turf wars between rocket scientists and brain surgeons, said that he believes the latest controversy between the two groups has been overplayed.

"The fact of the matter is, the smartest people in the world have always been, and will always be, University of Minnesota experts," he said.

[KaiYeves]

To me, everything hard is "rocket science", unless it actually is about rocket. Then, it's "brain surgery."
Example:
"Launching Phoenix wasn't rocket science- well, I guess it was, but it wasn't brain surgery or anything."

[Trebuchet]

Obviously tongue-in-cheek, but reminded me of the brain surgeon who worked on my mother-in-law last winter. We asked a question about something or other and he said somthing like, "You need to talk to a real doctor about that. I'm just a brain mechanic."

[Noclevername]

It's the rocket engineers who transform all that science into something workable. ;)

[Trebuchet]

It's the rocket engineers who transform all that science into something workable. ;)

:clap::clap::clap:

[Maksutov]

The smartest fish in the school was also noted for his obnoxious personality. His schoolmates would often refer to him, in a derogatory way, as "the brain sturgeon".

[Hornblower]

Obviously tongue-in-cheek, but reminded me of the brain surgeon who worked on my mother-in-law last winter. We asked a question about something or other and he said somthing like, "You need to talk to a real doctor about that. I'm just a brain mechanic."
The brain surgeon may have been expressing due respect for a good primary care doctor, with a humorously self-deprecating choice of words.

[Trebuchet]

Which is just the way we took it. He was a great guy.

[hhEb09'1]

I find this article a bit demeaning:
Apparently written by humorist Andy Borowitz (http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060915_andy_borowitz_rocket_scientists/), datelined Sep 15, 2006

"It's not rocket surgery." -- Mike Myers, Mystery, Alaska, quoted in the BAUT thread It's not rocket science (http://www.bautforum.com/space-exploration/4086-not-rocket-science.html), March of 2003

[Ronald Brak]

Okay, so what if an unexploded rocket flew up someone's nose and got lodged in their head. Who would you call? And would a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon have to put aside their differences and work together on this? This sounds like a premise to a TV sitcom. A rocket scientist and a brain surgeon could be forced to live together in the same house until they come up with a cure for Larry their fat neighbor who has a rocket up his nose and is always walking into the kitchen uninvited. "Hey, you guys found a cure for this, 'cause it started ticking last night and I tell you, it was almost enough to ruin my appetite. Got any cheese?"

[Celestial Mechanic]

Apparently written by humorist Andy Borowitz (http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060915_andy_borowitz_rocket_scientists/), datelined Sep 15, 2006. [Snip!]
Whew!! Glad the article is actually satire. Imagine if there really were such a publication as Popular Brain Surgery. :eek:

[Maksutov]

Okay, so what if an unexploded rocket flew up someone's nose and got lodged in their head. Who would you call?...Nose Busters!!Well, there's something strange
In the sinus duct!
Who ya gonna call?
Nose Busters!!

It's all clogged up
And completely mucked!
Who ya gonna call?
Nose Busters!!

(We's not afraid of no snot.)

If there's mad mucus
Running through your head!
Who ya gonna call?
Nose Busters!!

If the rocket surgeons
Leave you for dead!
Who ya gonna call?
Nose Busters!!

(We's not afraid of no snot.)

When a post-nasal drip
Just ain't your trip!
Who ya gonna call?
Nose Busters!!

(I ain't afraid of no snot...
No, I is.
Is snot.
Is too.
Here's a kleenex...) http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/figuren/g025.gif

[Ronald Brak]

Ah Maksutov, may your genius never dim.

[KaiYeves]

Nice one, Mak.
"Okay, so I go into the library and ask for Cosmos. That's not rocket science, is it?"
(Beat)
"Oh, wait, it is!"

[Noclevername]

It's not rocket surgery!

[Zachary]

'For heaven's sake Smithers this is just brain surgery, not rocket science!' :D

(paraphrased I fear)

[novaderrik]

do all rocket scientists have the same lack of a sense of humor?
maybe some brain surgery could help take care of that problem..

[sarongsong]

Publicity stunt? :)Rocket Science (2007)
...Release Date: 28 September 2007...
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477078/)

[hhEb09'1]

Apparently written by humorist Andy Borowitz (http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060915_andy_borowitz_rocket_scientists/), datelined Sep 15, 2006

"It's not rocket surgery." -- Mike Myers, Mystery, Alaska, quoted in the BAUT thread It's not rocket science (http://www.bautforum.com/space-exploration/4086-not-rocket-science.html), March of 2003And the BA's blog for Oct. 19 (http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2007/10/19/as-history-repeats-itself/) was just a link to another of Andy Borowitz's columns: Supreme Court Gives Gore's Nobel to Bush (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/supreme-court-gives-gore_b_68366.html)

[Noclevername]

The same article was also published in the January 2007 DIYBS, The Magazine For Amateur Brain Surgeons.

[mike alexander]

Wasn't that the same article saying Mars would appear as big as a full moon this December? Now, if it said Bronson Alpha would look that big, I would definitely worry.

[KaiYeves]

Now, if it said Bronson Alpha would look that big, I would definitely worry.
I read that as "Branson Alpha" at first and thought "He has a star?"

[torque of the town]

Ask yourselves this, who was it came up with that cute little number the lobotomy

:whistle:

[Noclevername]

Ask yourselves this, who was it came up with that cute little number the lobotomy

:whistle:

Who came up with that cute little number, the V-2?

[torque of the town]

Who came up with that cute little number, the V-2?



He was only obeying orders:rolleyes:

[KaiYeves]

Who came up with that cute little number, the V-2?
Do you mean the thing used in The Blitz or the shorthand for the second Voyager probe?

[Noclevername]

Do you mean the thing used in The Blitz or the shorthand for the second Voyager probe?

The Blitz. Voyager Two wasn't designed by rocketeers, just delivered by them. :)

[Van Rijn]

Who came up with that cute little number, the V-2?

Apparently, it isn't known exactly who came up with the number, but it came after the V-1 buzz bomb. From here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vergeltungswaffe):

Vergeltungswaffe (German for "retaliation weapon", "reprisal weapon" or "vengeance weapon") was a term assigned during World War II by the Nazis to a number of revolutionary superweapons, the V-1 flying bomb, the V-2 rocket and the V-3 cannon.

After the first operational launch in September 1944, the V-2 rocket was promptly dubbed Vergeltungswaffen 2 in official circles,[4] although no one knows exactly who gave it this name.[5] The rocket manual distributed to batteries in late August 1944 refers to the rocket as the A-4.[6]

[Noclevername]

Yes, well, "lobotomy" isn't a number at all.

[PetersCreek]

This thread reminds me of a previous job and the fellow I worked for. I was office manager for an gas pipeline feasibility study and the manager was a petroleum engineer. He didn't start out in that discipline, however. He started out as an aerospace engineer and once worked at/with JPL, if memory serves. Besides the engineers, the project team also consisted of managers in the commericial and legal areas.

One day in an all-hands meeting, a technical subject came up and our manager, perhaps losing sight of his audience a bit, launched into a long, in-depth explanation. At its conclusion, one of the legal types with a repuation for being snide remarked, "What are you, some kind of rocket scientist?" His priceless reply shut her up, but good: "Why yes, as a matter of fact, I am."

[KaiYeves]

The Blitz. Voyager Two wasn't designed by rocketeers, just delivered by them.
Suppose a time traveler prevented those missles from ever being built. Would the Space Age still have happened as we know it?

[Noclevername]

Suppose a time traveler prevented those missles from ever being built. Would the Space Age still have happened as we know it?

I don't know, ask the writers of every TV show featuring time travel. :lol:


(Ahem) Serious answer; it would have happened, but not as we know it.

[KaiYeves]

(Ahem) Serious answer; it would have happened, but not as we know it.
So you could save London, and not doom us to a NEO impact in the future.
Yeah, no guilt!
(Puts finnishing touches on time machine.)

[sarongsong]

Location: Currently on assignment on planet shown in avatar photoAssuming planet is not Earth, how you getting back and forth, and if it is Earth, what is the assignment?

[Noclevername]

Assuming planet is not Earth, how you getting back and forth, and if it is Earth, what is the assignment?

If she tells you that, she'd have to kill you. ;)

[KaiYeves]

Assuming planet is not Earth, how you getting back and forth, and if it is Earth, what is the assignment?
The planet is Earth, the assignment is to gather information on the biosphere, dominant species and their technological capabilities.

[Noclevername]

The planet is Earth, the assignment is to gather information on the biosphere, dominant species and their technological capabilities.

It'll be a short report, ants don't have much technology.

[KaiYeves]

It'll be a short report, ants don't have much technology.
No, they don't, but their social order is interesting.

[publiusr]

It's the rocket engineers who transform all that science into something workable. ;)


I just wish the enemies of Mike Griffin would understand that...

[KaiYeves]

I just wish the enemies of Mike Griffin would understand that...
If they don't, he can send his mythological namesake to eat them.