On Aug 18, 2008, at 2:02 PM, Alberto Monteiro wrote: > Ok, let's see how Heinleinian I can claim to be :-) > >>> "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, > > Ok, ok > >>> butcher a hog, > > Never done it. > >>> conn a ship, > > I have no idea what's that. But I can pilot a spaceship (did that for > 18 years). > >>> design a building, > > Probably yes. > >>> write a sonnet, > > No. > >>> balance accounts, > > Yes - but it insists on remaining negative. > >>> build a wall, > > I think I can. > >>> set a bone, > > Never done that. Probably I couldn't, I have a kind of panic to > treat people and causing more harm than good. > >>> comfort the dying, > > Tried that, but I don't think I was successful. The last time, > _I_ was comforted by the dying. > >>> take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, >>> analyze a new problem, > > Yes to all. > >>> pitch manure, > > What's that? > >>> program a computer, > > Yes. > >>> cook a tasty meal, > > Yes - with a microwave and pre-prepared meal. > >>> fight efficiently, die gallantly. > > Probably yes to both, but never had to do any of them. > >>> Specialization is for insects." > > I agree - I am now in my 3rd different profession [plus a couple > of non-pro that I have a good understanding] :-) > > Alberto Monteiro
You're also not 4000+ years old. ;) (or however old Lazarus was the last we heard from him ..) I've designed a building, built more than my fair share of walls (framing nailers are amazingly fun tools), programmed computers (depending on what the current definitlon of "programming") is, cooked one or two tasty meals (although very non-PC non-vegetarian), balanced accounts and completed more than usually complex tax returns, written poetry (no sonnets yet, though), and been somewhat comforting to at least one dying relative. I haven't butchered a hog yet, or conned a ship (although I'm reasonably sure I could manage both with a small allowance for learning curves, and I do have some rudimentary understanding of orbital dynamics and could bash through the vector calculus with some pointers and a little practice, I think). I've also overhauled nearly every type of major car component except for automatic transmissions, and could do that as well if they're Simpson gearsets (the Ravigneaux type is still a little bit of a stretch for my brain right now), done home electrical work up to and including replacing a faulty breaker box, helmed a keel boat, built and tested gas chromatographs good to single partes per trillion of fluorocarbons in air, designed gate-level logic circuits for instrument valve and trap sampler interfaces, and done no small amount of amateur gunsmithing. A specialist I'm most definitely not. "Giving kickbacks to the wealthy isn't creating wealth, it's just giving kickbacks to the wealthy." -- Toby Ziegler _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
