What helped me get over my paranoia is that I realized it takes a pretty big ego to imagine anyone cares about me or my life. Shadowy gov’t bureaucrats are just as self-absorbed and incompetent as everyone else. I mean, they couldn’t even fake the moon landing properly! 
+1 ^^^^
Thanks for the explanation, E. Sorry I mischaracterized you.
Mort, I don’t neceessarily agree that putting more ‘noise’ out there would help. I did fill out the census form. I’m ex-military so yea, my info is out there, fingerprints and all. I think the govt is way to intrusive anymore and I definately don’t like the direction we’ve been going as a country lately… I can’t see it getting better anytime soon… and you’re right about the NSA, if they want to find something on you, they will! I don’t do facebook, linked in or any other social networking, I have a very small footprint online. I highly doubt I’m on anyone’s radar and think the only reason they would even glance at me is my firearm purchases… I don’t feel I have a very big ego that the govt is watching me… I just don’t like the direction is all be going. My point is, don’t blindly go answering questions about homebrewing or anything else for that matter just because someone seems interested.
I hear you. didn’t mean to snipe. to each…
Then you’re doing it wrong.
(I’m not a layman, by the way, I’m a biochemist.)
Biochemist and enzymologist turned developmental biologist here 
You’ve got to tell me your secret!
This is closer to my research experience (Electron Café: Image)
As a school teacher with a degree in archaeology, a masters in science education, homebrewer, and a rock/mineral collector I completed the survey. It’s obvious to me the point was to gauge how to better communicate the importance and relevance of science in the everyday life of the general public. In archaeology we called this “public archaeology.” Other goals of the survey seemed to be to get an idea of the importance of science to the average person and how much his/her hobby or public education contributed to this. Nothing nefarious here.
There ya go, Big Government wins! May I PLEASE have more government control of my life!
Science is for thoughtful people who cannot handle the underlying math that defines what’s going on. Many of my fellow engineering students in college transfered from the engineering track to the science track because they could not handle the requisite math.
College taught me how to learn, more than anything else. In the nine years since I left college I’ve taught myself much more than I ever learned for my engineering degree. And I got to pick the subjects of my attention.
Engineering is applied science: math, physics, biology and chemistry. We make theories into working models.
FWIW - living where I do, I get to pal around with some of the world’s foremost astrophysicists, geophysicists, and oceanographers. They really enjoy my white dog, and my homebrew too.
Oh yeah, Big Bird must die!
Hey! Lay off the scientists! (My business card actually says “Scientist” on it… ;))
I’ve been a part of the development of a dozen new drugs. My wife, who is also a biochemist, found a way to create a whole new type of drug that will probably become multiple major new treatments for cancer. Turning an idea into a drug seems quite applied.
Oh you’re a profit-driven type of a researcher. I see… No wonder you go in straight line from idea to result lol
You didn"t build that. Somebody else made that happen.
geez carl, a little sore loser action going on?
Hell no. I’m doing a victory lap. We’re in the Golden Age now!
Yeah! And in my experience the math in my field (physics/astronomy) is more difficult than engineering math.
But I still hate math…
How much engineering math have you studied?
What is “engineering” math?
Ask mihalybaci. (see above).
I use differential equations and linear algebra in my work.