[aj7]

Virtually everything, and I mean everything in your post was wrong, but I still enjoyed the hell out of it.

Laser scientists know that if you use (a well anti-reflection coated) Ge window or lens to transmit a high power CO2 laser beam, slight absorption heats it a little. Heating it a little makes it more absorptive. So it heats a little more. And so forth, until the motherf——r cracks: “thermal runaway.”

Guess why? You are going to be a good experimental physicist eventually. Eventually. I spent two years blowing up homemade nitrogen lasers at Berkeley. Keep posting!

[raldi]

> You are going to be a good experimental physicist eventually.

He switched to CS and now gets paid to work on A-list videogames all day: http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~kovar/cv.html

Edit: Oops, LinkedIn says he's now at Google.

[gascan]

Conclusion: Going into physics was the biggest mistake of my life. I should've declared CS. I still wouldn't have any women, but at least I'd be rolling in cash.

[johndavidback]

The last line from his CV is a gem:

"Two years experience in swing dancing (east coast swing and lindy hop)."

[mikepurvis]

Swing dancing is wonderful, and is very compatible with the analytical nerd brain as far as building up something beautiful from components, expressing yourself within a structure, getting physical exercise, etc etc.