What Does a Chemist Have to Say? Borek's PF Insights Post

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Greg Bernhardt submitted a new PF Insights post

Interview with a Chemist: Borek

borek2-80x80.png


Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
 
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I can't believe it.
Borek is the same Borek that was also Naczelny, Kopalny, etc., of Top Secret!

I blame you guys for spoiling my childhood. I should have gone out more, instead of playing games and reading your irreverent, absurdist magazine.
 
You've had a fascinating path through life, Borek.

Your thoughts on education really resonated with me. Every time I think about the education system, I get this nagging feeling that something is really not right. I just can't quite figure what it is.
 
Love the narrative, Borek.

My early life was a series of stop-and-start issues, so I can empathize. I don't know if growing up in Maine was better or worse than in Soviet-controlled Poland. No way to compare.
 
Hi Borek
Thanks for the look at a strange far away galaxy!

BTW, you have quite a way with words--many of them are even used correctly :biggrin:
 
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your life, Borek.

marcusl said:
...

BTW, you have quite a way with words--many of them are even used correctly :biggrin:

My thoughts exactly!
 
Doc Al said:
Good story, Borek! :smile:

Monsterboy said:
Nice story

Evo said:
Loved your story Borek! :biggrin:

Mark44 said:
Very interesting, Borek!

Dembadon said:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your life, Borek.

Thanks :smile:

Bandersnatch said:
I can't believe it.
Borek is the same Borek that was also Naczelny, Kopalny, etc., of Top Secret!

I blame you guys for spoiling my childhood. I should have gone out more, instead of playing games and reading your irreverent, absurdist magazine.

Its a small world, isn't it?

Google for Pixel Heaven 2013.

lisab said:
You've had a fascinating path through life, Borek.

Up to 1996, since then it is mostly boring.

turbo said:
I don't know if growing up in Maine was better or worse than in Soviet-controlled Poland. No way to compare.

We were not under a strong ideological pressure, sure, many things were organized differently, economy was different, but I doubt as a 10 years old we would be able to name and understand serious differences. They were becoming more and important when we grew older.

marcusl said:
BTW, you have quite a way with words--many of them are even used correctly :biggrin:

I found when you write a lot and use a lot of words, some them land in the right places. I am just a monkey with a typewriter.
 
Borek said:
... I found when you write a lot and use a lot of words, some them land in the right places. I am just a monkey with a typewriter.

Nah, you're a very humble person, but your writing style is very refreshing and nice to read.
 
. . . what did you do in Chemistry Borek? Chemist to a chemist? How can someone not ask that question since you consider yourself a prodigy? I mean I didn't do much, made alanine from scratch but you'll know that ain't no hill. The department head, whom I had asked to do a "special synthesis", looked at me with suspicion and asked, "what kind of synthesis?" Suppose that response was warranted since I did pot with him and a group of students at a party at his house the previous year.

Anyways, I'm just curious what you did on your own in Chemistry that wasn't part of the curriculum?
 
jackmell said:
. . . what did you do in Chemistry Borek? Chemist to a chemist? How can someone not ask that question since you consider yourself a prodigy? I mean I didn't do much, made alanine from scratch but you'll know that ain't no hill. The department head, whom I had asked to do a "special synthesis", looked at me with suspicion and asked, "what kind of synthesis?" Suppose that response was warranted since I did pot with him and a group of students at a party at his house the previous year.

Anyways, I'm just curious what you did on your own in Chemistry that wasn't part of the curriculum?
I believe Borek said others considered him a prodigy, not he himself, he said he got along not by doing the best, but I have no doubt he would have been had he had a better school experience.

I see that too much, really bright students discouraged by teachers and/or the school policies.
 
Wow! What can I say. Interesting life.
My first wife was Czechoslovak, born in the the 50's escaped in the late 60's. So that galaxy far far away you speak of is known to me.

I also know about that waiting on computers you mention. I did my BS in math doing mainly numerical analysis courses on my Apple II. I completed every Numerical analysis course offered by OSU between 1980 and 1984.
One of the models I did took over 12hrs to run. .
 
Evo said:
I believe Borek said others considered him a prodigy.

. . . same dif.

I was just askin' for a little bit of chemistry that's all since I majored in Chemistry and loved it.
 
God, I hated chemistry. I took this test once and accidently picked water as a combustible material because it was composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
 
The beginning of the story definitely hooked me! I LOVE IT!
I'll be back to read the rest..multiple times. :biggrin:
 
Unfortunately, I'm not aware of Poland's rich history, maybe I'll start to read more. Nonetheless, that was quite an interview. Thanks for sharing Borek. :smile:Ps. I was expecting more details when it comes to Marzena.. :biggrin:
 
jackmell said:
Anyways, I'm just curious what you did on your own in Chemistry that wasn't part of the curriculum?

Whatever I did, disappeared with flash, smoke and noise.

Seriously, the only experimental part I even did by myself was small scale pyrotechnics. Still, even on small scale it can get dangerous.

Gad said:
Ps. I was expecting more details when it comes to Marzena.. :biggrin:

That has to wait for "Meet an Admin's wife" series.
 
Borek said:
Whatever I did, disappeared with flash, smoke and noise.
Sounds a bit like my childhood with a chemistry set. I discovered, years after the fact, that that choking cloud of noxiousness that I made as a child was red fuming nitric acid.

They don't make chemistry sets like that any more.
 
That was very fun reading! artistic non fiction, great writing skill you've got Borek.And a great opening too, for pf readers

I was born half a century ago, in a galaxy far, far away. So far away our laws were all shifted to the red,
 
Borek said:
That has to wait for "Meet an Admin's wife" series.


Can't wait! :!)
 
lisab said:
Your thoughts on education really resonated with me. Every time I think about the education system, I get this nagging feeling that something is really not right. I just can't quite figure what it is.

This was just posted elsewhere (in the context of education, which makes it even more fitting):

Our system has taken away an important human right, the right to fail.
 

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