Who are the DU brains and experts? I want red meat, not a popularity contest.

[DemoTex]

For example: Trof, MecurioATC, and DemoTex (moi!) are aviation professionals and experts. Will Pitt is a brain. Etc., etc.

Lay it on. List yourself if appropriate. I want a thread I (and YOU) can bookmark for many future references.

Thanks!
Mac

BTW: This should have been done long ago.

On edit: Who can replace screen on a porch, grow a garden, tune a ham radio antenna, take dents out of a Toyota, teach differential equations, etc.? I want to know.

[Lex]

1. I'm Spartacus.

nt

[AlCzervik]

13. I Am Shiva, God Of Death.

:o

[spelldmilk]

48. I am Kali, Goddess of Destruction…Biyatch.

[shadowknows69]

74. self delete

[XemaSab]

113. I've met you

at most, you're the God of Snark. :eyes:

[shadowknows69]

66. I thought I was Spartacus!

[tama]

82. I am Spartacus!

and behind that facade, just tama, at your service.

[ThoughtCriminal]

102. OK - you're Spartacus

Can I go now?

http://thoughtcrimewave.blogspot.com/2008/07/he-is-spartacus.html

[roseBudd]

2. HTML, CSS, Flash, Actionscript, PhotoShop, some javascript

[uppityperson]

3. I've been in health care for over 30 yrs.

Ready to give a thought or 2 to health care issues ("am I sick" to "is the system sick").

[burythehatchet]

70. same here

[Tallison]

4. RN and houseplant authority

ETA: I can grow anything.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. I know all. I see all.

I am the great and powerful Oz.

[supernova]

6. I'm a word nerd, and rhetorician

logic and alla dat. Can do word histories and origins and using inappropriate vocabulary sends me into hysterics.

I also know food and am pretty good with new technology and history.

[Rage for Order]

7. "Expert" may be a bit presumptuous

However, (Thanks to Georgie Boy I'm almost ashamed to admit it) I have an MBA with a background in residential and commercial real estate. Therefore, I am qualified to answer almost nothing, but I will give you an answer that will make you think that I know what I'm talking about ;)

[Tallison]

9. What do you think of the 'bailout' legislation? n/t

[Rage for Order]

37. I'm torn

I haven't read the new version that the Senate passed last night, but I'm more than a little aggravated that the cost went from $700 billion to $850 billion in a few days time. If they're going to pass a bailout...sorry, "rescue"... plan, the bill shouldn't be loaded down with riders and money for pet projects. It should deal strictly with the issue at hand. I'd like to see them be more deliberate, methodical, and patient to make sure they get the right deal in place rather than trying to rush something through. I think the markets would be okay as long as investors knew Congress was working on something even if it was going to take a month or longer to get a deal finalized.

I'd like to see Congress convene a roundtable of a couple dozen of our best economic minds, comprised equally of people in favor of a bailout and those opposed to one. Air it on C-Span so that we can hear the pros and cons of the various positions and proposed solutions. Apparently our politicians have only considered two plans - insuring the assets, or buying them. Surely there are other options available, but it seems that once Congress gets its mind set on something they get tunnel vision and forget about everything else.

I like limiting CEO pay to $500k. I don't like the government having the ability to reduce the outstanding principal balance on loans. How much will it cost is they waive $50k - $100k on bad mortgages in California, Arizona, Florida, Vegas, and the other markets where the bulk of the problems are found? And if they do unilaterally reduce the principal balance on some loans, how is this fair to people who have paid their mortgages on time? It'd be nice if someone suddenly told me that I now owe $100k less on my house than I did yesterday.

I think something needs to be done, but I'm worried that an additional $700 billion will fuel inflation, making the dollar worth less and, as a result, making oil cost more, thereby making everything else cost more. Plus, by bailing out banks who made bad loans, we're encouraging them to make bad loans in the future since they won't suffer the consequences of their decisions. It's a big freaking mess, and I'm not sure what the right answer is. I don't like the manner in which they are trying to do this - messages of fear, economic calamity, etc. I don't think we should rush into anything this expensive and this important, and I certainly don't trust the people who got us into this mess in the first place to be able to get us out of this mess.

[KoKo]

8. Well...your "short list" seems to be well........short. n/t

[Hepburn]

10. California Attorney ~~ Now Retired

Family law, some criminal defense, some civil, pretty fair amount of appellate work ~~ appellate settlement conference mediator at the request of the then sitting justices.

:hi:

[Canuckistanian]

11. Electronics - 20 years

R&D, Design, Test and Programmimg.

[Uben]

12. I'm a decider

That's what I decided to say.

[wryter2000]

14. I write erotica

If you want to know about that, I'm your gal.

[Rage for Order]

52. Do you publish it, post online, etc?

I'm guessing you know about www.literotica.com

[wryter2000]

129. I have a couple of publishers

Two small presses -- Red Sage and Changeling -- and Harlequin. Currently, I'm only doing e-publishing, but I hope to get back into print soon.

Thanks for the link. :)

[flvegan]

15. Real estate title expert. 3 personal trainer and sports nutritionist

certifications. Some say I'm pretty great with animals.

[Hepburn]

17. Wow, where were you when I was trying to disabuse my Scottie that...

...it is MY house and NOT hers! :hi:

[fla nocount]

16. I shoot sacred cows from helicopters. Ask me anything.

[lamp_shade]

18. Hope you get good response because I'm bookmarking your post.

I also agree with your BTW.

[FlyingSquirrel]

19. Polling & math "experts"

Grantcart, phrigndumass, and possibly moi. (at least I spend a lot of time on it. But I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn last night.)

[lamp_shade]

21. You're good FS, I read all your posts (if I can catch 'em). n/t

[Gore1FL]

20. publish author, playwright, and windows admin

what a combo, eh?

[Parker CA]

22. Wine.

[dweller]

27. okay, i a fan

sadly, not an expert tho.

dp

[angrycarpenter]

23. expert woodworker

woven chair seats, auto repair, furniture refinisher, appliance repair, Jack-of-all-trades, master of some.

[htuttle]

24. I write code to pay my rent

I'm reasonably fluent in about 12-15 computer languages. Java, C++, Objective-C, Perl, network security and finding bugs in someone else's code are my specialties, along with Macs.

I had the opportunity to look over the code to a Diebold voting machine a few years ago...probably still have it somewhere...hmm...what a fucking mess. Novice-level errors.

Been involved in the operations of a worker-run cooperative for 17 years. I know quite a bit about that economic model, too.

I've done about a million other things, but more in a Jack of all Trades sense than as an expert.

[arcadian]

25. U.S. Intelligence agencies

Military components and installations. Special Operations Forces. CIA. State Department. Various other Executive Branch bureaucracies. Weapons systems. U.S. satellite command, control and communications. HUMINT, SIGINT, COMINT, ELINT, MASINT and especially open source intelligence gathering.

[NightWatcher]

45. former spooky guy here too. DIA, private contractors, mostly domestic. All HUMINT

I have been rented and lent out to tons of 3 and 4 letter agencies under Executive headings. Used to report directly to OIG's all over the place. I did the private sector thing, but lost the taste for it.

[arcadian]

50. I have never worked for the government.

I've been reading Janes since I was in the 7th grade and living in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia most of my life you pick up a few things. :D

[ColbertWatcher]

26. I am a retired restauranteur, wiki admin/hobbyist. n/t

[leftofthedial]

28. I am highly unpopular among most DUers

(What with me being an actual unreconstructed liberal and an actual Democrat and all.)

I guess that makes me an expert at being a thorn in the side of smug post-raygun, supply-side, corporate "democrats."

[tom_paine]

33. You and me both, pal.

Election time brings out the DLC-types, doesn't it? Isn't there someplace they'd rather be?

[leftofthedial]

42. www.aei.org?

[tom_paine]

77. Might be who's payin' 'em to come HERE.

[fla nocount]

35. Ever ride in a helicopter? n/t

[DemoTex]

59. Yes. Why?

I can even fly a helicopter.

[leftofthedial]

104. no but I've straddled a camel.

[mitchum]

98. Only those who are fools

[TahitiNut]

29. I collect navel lint.

:dunce:

[fla nocount]

41. Navel or naval, big, big difference ya know.

[DemoTex]

47. T/N! Do better!

I'm serious .. for a change. You are a brain-trust of DU too.

[TahitiNut]

111. Well, I can field strip an M-1 and M-14 and operate an M-79. (But I gotta be wearing green.)

Since I've totally eliminated the color green from my wardrobe (for 38 years, now), I guess I'd have to borrow.

:dunce:

Also ... Former high school math teacher, systems programmer (big iron), internal auditor, operational analyst, manager, research scientist, and management consultant. Experienced in counseling, coaching, travel. Interests vary.

That (and about $1.00) will get me a cheap cup of coffee. :shrug:

[Adsos Letter]

116. Ah, the M-79 "thump-gun"...I sported the M-203 under my M-16...

but the M-109A1 produced a lot more bang. I, too, have an aversion to green... :hi:

[TahitiNut]

123. Yup. Thumper. He came in handy one night. (02/23/69)

:scared:

[KoKo]

69. Good ONE!

:rofl:

[tom_paine]

30. I am a molecular biologist specializing in RNA with a lifelong interest in history.

Also a bigmouthed idiot.

:evilgrin:

[redwitch]

31. amerikat

can cook, do carpentry, plumbing, electric, draw, repair a car, and figure out how anything works. And he does it all well. He is also a champion cat rescuer. Plus, he's my big brother. :loveya:

[ben_thayer]

32. I've been a security/CCTV tech for 35 yrs.

Still learning... Like computers, it changes weekly!

:crazy:

[H2O Man]

34. I scored a 97

on my social studies mid-term in the 8th grade.

[Canuckistanian]

38. Wicked. n/t

[4 t 4]

40. I've worked at the CBOT and the MERC in commodities

for 30 years and I can name the newspapers and mags. I read without batting an eye!

[DemoTex]

43. And you are a, if not THE, DU brain.

Thanks for kicking in.

[Individualist]

51. I scored a 98

on a Civil Service employment exam.

:P

[KoKo]

58. You guys are so COOL...you've overwhelmed the OP! Sheesh!

[ColbertWatcher]

54. But, what do you see when you look out your window? n/t

[TahitiNut]

115. I scored a 99

... on an IQ test while I was hungover and sleeping. :evilgrin:

[Ohio Joe]

36. Mainframe - just about 20 years

of course, not much call for that though :D

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. a rather unpopular egghead... (historian by training)

areas of expertise during MA

Enlightenment era Mexico

US Political History

European History

But as I said, just an egghead, nothing to see here

I guess the blue collar work as a medic (with an NGO) makes this a little more palatable

Oh and a writer and game designer

[DemoTex]

56. You are my favorite "egghead."

I know high IQ when I see it. I always love your posts.

[zbdent]

44. I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express ...

[KoKo]

57. I stayed at a "Motel 6" back in days of "heavy ads." I ended up with fleas...

or chiggers or something that itched me for weeks until the "Urgent Care" gave me a cream to deal with it.

Thank GOD...I didn't end up with HERPES!

[KoKo]

65. I forgot to mention I was "Homecoming Queen" in my High School.! REALLY...

:D Me and Sarah...might have something going...even though we are on the "wrong side of the tracks from each other!" GASP!

[Kurovski]

46. In high school I won Gold Key awards in art from Wieboldt's department store in Chicago.

I can draw boobies real good.

[4 t 4]

105. Hehehehehehhehehehehheh Great answer!

[KamaAina]

49. turtlensue: research scientist (and all-around good egg).

Comes in handy during those infrequent occasions when we have some mild disagreements about the topic of vaccination, for instance. :eyes:

kestrel(insert CA ZIP code): veterinarian. Good to have around when animal-related issues such as the melamine-tainted pet food scandal (remember when it was only pet food??) come up.

Many, many DUers are experts in their own local geographical areas, e.g., madfloridian always has the inside goods on Dem politics in that swingin'est of swing states.

[KamaAina]

97. It's kestrel91316

just for the record.

[KoKo]

53. Sorry...I can't do "differential equations." I don't make your list for that one....BUT!

Oh dear....:eyes: I can do much of the rest, though...OOP's...I forgot...I can't "tune a ham radio." ...But, 'ya know....I think I could muddle through that one with a little "Google" help.

:rofl: I've done the rest...with "rubber hammer, sweat and a hoe and a hammer and tack nails."

[DemoTex]

85. Thanks for posting at least three times.

I am impressed. I think.

[lynettebro440]

55. Security and Life Insurance Licenses

Legal secretary, EMT and a cake decorator....I would say I'm an employer mutt.

[garlicmilkshake]

60. I can teach calculus...fly an MU2, trim a 20 meter inverted vee

assemble a PC and overhaul a Mercedes engine. :D
Not much punkins on body work though.
:rofl:

[kenny blankenship]

61. I'm Sarah Palin, and in answer to your question: All of them

Any of them. Whatever's put in front of me. As long as it involves a moose getting skinned at some point.

[Ilsa]

62. I'm a lactation specialist and RN.

I almost sat for the board exam for IBCLC, but got really busy with my kids, so I blew it off.

[anigbrowl]

63. Oh hai guise, am I too late?

I really have no excuse whatsoever for posting this twice in one day.


Apart from, I'm a dilettante. I've been a political junkie for 30 years because my old man made me sit through his lectures on public administration, I wrote a book about the internet before it was cool, and now I work freelance (ie not often enough) in the film industry. It's not very profitable though. I'm thinking of going to school to get an economics degree.

[Trailrider1951]

64. OK, at the risk of getting a few booos and hisses here

I am a Geologist with 25 years experience in all aspects of my field. Let's say you just bought a farm.
1. You want to put in a water well on the back 40 acres. I can tell you how far down to drill or dig to find the nearest aquifer, and give you an idea of the water quality in it. I can tell you how much casing you will need to keep the hole from collapsing, and whether it should be plastic or metal casing. 3+ years experience.

2. I can assess your old farm house for the presence of asbestos minerals, and tell you whether the EPA will require you to treat such waste as hazardous. I can tell you if you can leave it in place with a minimum of danger to you and your family, or if and how it can be safely removed. 10 years experience.

3. One day, a land man from an oil company shows up at your door and wants you to sign a contract for them to lease the mineral rights from you. I can evaluate the prospect, be it oil, gas, or coal, and let you know if you are being dealt with fairly (yeah, you already know that one!). 25 years experience. Don't let anyone tell you that the rank and file oil company workers are all conservative and repuglicant. There are plenty of us Democrats and Liberals out here, yes, even in Texas.

Other than that, I am an amateur astronomer, and I build telescopes. I ground and polished my first mirror when I was 16 years old, the year that Bobby Kennedy was murdered. I am a water color and pencil artist. I've rebuilt carburators, re-wired 12 volt electrical systems, helped to build a geodesic dome. I used to race mountain bikes, and won my state championship in 2001. AND I AM ALSO FEMALE!!! GOTCHA!!!

Do NOT let ANYONE tell you that Liberals and Democrats are just not the sharpest tools in the drawer. The person who says that is most likely Joe Six Pack who votes republican because Limpballs tells him to.

[ColbertWatcher]

81. Show off! n/t

[XemaSab]

119. Come drill a well in my back yard and I will be your BFF

There's a leaky canal nearby, and the rumor is that the depth to groundwater is less than 10 feet. Failing that, we're in the floodplain of the Sacramento River, and you KNOW we're rocking the underflow! :bounce:

If I was really ballsy, I'd hire an excavator to put an oxbow in the yard. What's a yard without an oxbow? :shrug:

[DisgustipatedinCA]

67. Network Engineering / Internet Routing Protocols

with caveats: I don't like calling myself an expert; I'm still learning more all the time. But I've been a network engineer for 15 years, so I know a fair amount. Clearly, this isn't much of a burning issue on DU, but on occasion it's come in handy.

[Lars39]

68. I sew.

Do clothing alterations and patching, crochet, cook, know how to cook with a dutch oven. Know some gardening skills.

[KoKo]

71. Thank YOU.....really...for chiming in...

on this bizarre post....

[Lars39]

72. He's just putting feelers out for a working network.

He edited his OP a bit. :hi:

[KoKo]

73. Oh...I didn't get back to his OP for the Revision...You mean it's a Lounge Joke?

:eyes: Coulda fooled me...and it did.

[Lars39]

75. DemoTex was serious, but some took it and ran. :^)

[KoKo]

83. Well....the way he put it...it did leave some room to RUN...for Sure! n/t

[DemoTex]

79. He? Moi?

I edited just a few minutes after posting. But you are right. I want a working network that I can use, and maybe the rest of my DU friends can use too. OK?

[KoKo]

84. OY!

[DemoTex]

88. Oy vey!

.

[Lars39]

99. I think it's an excellent idea.

You never know when you might need a friendly face with skills. :hi:

[Generic Other]

76. I am a college professor

Poet, artist and rabble rouser!

[Hissyspit]

95. You and I have much in common.

Except the poet part.

[shadowknows69]

78. Radio stuff. Audio/video production. Used to write a mean TV/radio commercial

Journalism schooling and experience. I used to make a mean chicken parm.

[ColbertWatcher]

80. Can YOU name a Supreme court ruling with which you disagree? Or a magazine you've read? n/t

[shadowknows69]

I read whatever's in the Doctor's office at the time.

Didja know the Berlin Wall fell down?? B-)

[ColbertWatcher]

91. Berlin had a wall? Where was it? n/t

[paparush]

86. Programmer Here - C#, Java, Asp.net, C++, VB.Net, SQL

Did human services in a former life-
Parole Officer (5 years)
DSS Social worker (4 years) - Child protective services, trained foster parents, coordinated adoptions.
Mental Health Case Manager (1 year) for substance abusing and mentally ill adults.

[Art_from_Ark]

87. To tell you the truth,

there's not a whole heck of a lot I can do outside of my own little world. I'm practically as worthless as a bank CEO, but get paid a whole lot less!

[southernleftylady]

89. I know it all just ask my hubby ;) lol j/k nt

[Hardrada]

90. Oberst des Preussens Generalstab

Wir wollen Frankreich siegriech schlagen!

[boomerbust]

92. I am wiboy

Purveyor of all things Wisconsin

[NNN0LHI]

93. I specialize in circumcising elephants

The tips are huge.

Don

[zeos3]

122. That's horrible...

May I use this joke?:spray:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

94. Graduate degree in linguistics, lived in Japan, currently a Japanese-English translator

I'm also pretty good on classical music, religion, and history, including the "current events" of my lifetime.

[reflection]

96. I can stand on my head

And stack 10 B.Bs with a pair of greasy boxing gloves. Coincidentally that is also one of the moves I pull out on a hot date.

[ThoughtCriminal]

100. Ned Nederlander: What is this village really good at?

A: We can sew
Ned: If only we had known that earlier.

Me - I make maps, pretty good programmer, do killer research and I can make my wife laugh.

[tismyself]

101. How did you screw up the Toyota - hmm?

:evilgrin:

[KG]

103. AutoCAD residential architectural drafter - i can draw blueprints of houses an' stuff

[Missy Vixen]

106. I'm more qualified than Sarah Palin

I held political office in our hometown (population 5,400) for fourteen months. We administered a $17 million dollar a year budget, had a staff of 30, and I met my constituency on a daily basis at the grocery store, the post office, and the local Mexican restaurant. I'm not a good politician, because I do my best to tell the truth.

Why am I more qualified than Sarah Palin? I can figure out that a country with a ballooning national debt, desperate cash flow problems, and subsidizing a pointless war to the tune of $100,000 per minute CANNOT AFFORD TO CUT TAXES. There, I said it.

As for my other qualifications, I've worked in the health care industry. I owned my own business. I'm a published author. My resume is not as impressive as some on this thread, but I'm bright enough to know that we need the smartest people in the room to run this country, and neither of them are John McCain or Sarah Palin.

And, yeah, if DemoTex was still flying, if he were at the controls, I'd get on the plane, despite a fear of flying I've been battling with for years now. ;-)

Julie

[Canuckistanian]

107. Kicking....

Don't want it to get lost in the post-debate avalanche.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

108. I am master of my domain

Well, most of the time...

What a cool thread. Bookmarked. Thanks!

[texastoast]

109. Very good with unusual facial expressions

And I can wiggle my ears.

[notadmblnd]

110. I'm a smartt assed pain in the butt

[XemaSab]

112. I'm an expert

I know a LOT about biology, soils, and the environment.

The environment/energy forum is also full of experts, including hatrack, phantom power, NNadir, dead_parrot, GliderGuider, jpak, and others. I don't agree with all of them all of the time, but dammit, they're the guys I want to be in the bunker with. :pals:

(Yeah, I know that there would be bloodshed by day 2, but hey, if you want to make an omelet.... :P )

[emmadoggy]

121. The E/E forum is

really great. Many VERY smart folks there. I go there and just try to absorb up a smidgen of the intelligence I find there.

[Adsos Letter]

114. I was a painter/finisher for 30 years....now retired, and finishing a MA in History.

[Occulus]

117. I can teach Blender basics.

Oh, I'm talking about Blender, the open-source 3D modeling and animation package available (did I mention, it's free? And for dialup users, relatively small?) at the link. To get the most out of Blender, you'll also want Python, an open source scripting language used in Blender to run modeling scripts.

Be sure to check out The Blender Foundation's gallery while you're at it; you'll find user creations that show very well what Blender can do.

I'm thinking of writing a tutorial series for DU members, but tutorials themselves are an art form, and it'll be a minute on that if I want it done right.

There are also video tutorials out there by the dozen. If you want to see a polished short film that really makes Blender shine, try this, made with Blender, the GIMP, and other open source software.

The day is rapidly coming when anyone with the knowledge will be able to create broadcast-quality animations and commercial quality CG stills on their home PC. Blender sits at the forefront of that, and I'm more than willing to share the joy!

Here's "The Homer", from the above gallery, constructed and textured in Blender:

[Super62]

118. Electrical grid "expert"

Transmission, generation, distribution, some solar, some wind too. I am not, however, responsible for 20% of our countries energy needs.

[Naturyl]

120. I can discuss Eastern philosophy

If that interests anyone. In particular, my areas of experience are Zen, Buddhism in general, and Taoism.

I'm too lazy to do a "credentials" list at the moment, and those familiar with the subject matter should know it wouldn't make much difference anyway.

[Stellabella]

124. Food expert, cookbook writer, gardening, sewing,

all the Sue Ann Nivens things.

[mackerel]

126. Human Resources

Law firm

[Chisox08]

125. I'm a career student

Mainly because I can not afford to attend college full time.

[frustrated_lefty]

127. It's an interesting question.

Not meaning to slight anyone, I tend to think very highly of kpete, n2doc, and AzDemDist6 postings. I also thought highly of MzMolly, but think she doesn't post much around here anymore. Each of the aforementioned tend to stay on top of the latest information, in their own ways.

Philosoraptor tends to offer good insights to posts by others. No offense to Philosoraptor, but I think of his threads as a great post-thread analysis.

Skinner and Elad deserve kudos for keeping these forums focused.

Outside of that, I think many posters have higly specialized skills to offer. Mine is in terms of molecular biology, virology, gene therapy and tissue engineering.

[Oak2004]

128. I've got a weird set of skills

I was, for a brief period of my childhood, an expert at chess. I had a natural knack for the game, and after winning a few state titles and national tournaments, and coming close to defeating a grandmaster, I began to attract attention, which I very much did not like. So I quit. For years, I refused even to allow a chess set in my house. Recently though, I've gotten an urge to return to competition. I doubt at my age I'll be anywhere near as successful as what was once predicted for me, but I think it reasonable that I can become a (literal) "expert" after some practice.

As a kid I had wanted to be an astrophysicist, which happens to be a very poor objective if you have dyscalculia in an era before either dyscalculia was fully recognized or calculators were widely available. I squandered 7 years or so of my life, from about the ages of 16 to 23, attempting-- and failing-- to get a physics degree. Occasionally I'd give up and switch to a history major, a major I was very good at. Then, despite the active encouragement of the history department, and for that matter the dean of the college, to stay put, after a few weeks or months I'd dash back to the physics department and flunk myself a few more physics and math classes.

My final grade point average makes my non-expertise in physics painfully clear. But before my physics grades sunk my college career, I was well into graduate level history classes. That's what happens, by default, if you take seven years worth of classes in a department where you can earn grades high enough to somewhat offset the trainwreck in progress in your major field. You'd think I'd have gotten the message. But I can be a world class expert in self-destructive stubbornness :) And so I'm a half-assed, sans-degree, expert, on the history of reform and revolutionary movements, in particular those in the English-speaking world, though I do read just enough Russian to be able to make heads or tails of original documents in that language. While I make no effort to publish anything as a half-assed degreeless expert, I have continued to follow the subject and I do research for my own enjoyment (assuming "creeped out at the apparent instability of the society I live in" constitutes enjoyment).

After having banged my head on the wall of physics, I stumbled into a job working for natural hazards researchers. This spurred enough of an interest in the field that I enrolled in FEMA and fire institute training classes, enough so I'm theoretically employable as an emergency program manager. I've not worked in the field in any practical capacity however, and I'm reluctant to claim too much expertise. I was just lucky enough to spend time around real experts, and a little bit rubbed off on me.

After becoming an ex-expert, a halfassed expert, and a little bit of an expert, I had the honor of becoming a true expert in survival, thanks to two years of homelessness. The homelessness taught me what I did not know. Afterwards, learning hunting, plant identification, martial arts, navigation, and many other skills filled in the gaps.

I was a CR, once upon a Republican past ago, and spent way too much time in that damned party. I'm not quite an expert on the Republican Party, but I know some of the culprits, and know how they operate.

I have found myself responsible for an internet server in recent years, by accident rather than by any particular qualification. I am not competent enough at it to warrant the title of sysadmin, though I can at least stumble around the inside of a Linux server without doing too much damage. Pages get served, mail gets delivered, and nothing crashes, most of the time.

I can repair PCs, and have made money at it. I used to do woodworking, until asthma put an end to that. I'm a very good container gardener, and until my move to a high-rise, made a point of growing one "impossible" vegetable every year (container sweet corn?? Yes, container sweet corn! :)).

[ThomWV]

130. I spent 25 years as the person you always knew existed but didn't dare ask, "Contracting Officer"

I was (prior to Retirement) a Contracting Officer with a major Federal Agency. I spent - and yes, it was my signature on the bottom line - hundreds of millions of your dollars. I did it in strict accord with tens of thousands of pages of regulations and internal Agency guidance and with equally onerous Congressional pressure.

On Edit: I have replaced many a screen on a porch, have grown gardens for over 50 years, got my HAM license 10 years ago and cut and tuned my on HF antenna the day I got it, I've taken dents out of toyotas, GM products, many a car from Germany, and a couple of boats, however I was never much of a wizz at advanced mathmatics. Oh, and most of day-job work involved the nuclear weapons complex and I am very familiar with its workings and problems.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

131. Jill of all trades, Mistress of none....

Wow, that sounds kinda sexy! :D

I can do just about anything I set my mind to, but I have training and/or experience in make-up for film & TV, photography, eastern massage, home repair and renovation, garden design, plant care, and holiday desiger.

And a whole bunch of other incredibly random stuff. :)

[slackmaster]

132. Gardener, amateur machinist and gunsmith, federally licensed collector of curio and relic firearms

If you want to know how to grow garlic or pick out a surplus military rifle, I'm your man.