(no subject)

[meanfreepath]

When I took gen chem in college, because I hadn't done chemistry in a while, there was a period of several weeks where I broke a different thing in lab each week. It was mostly very minor stuff... things like glass stirring rods, but nothing expensive like a volumetric flask.

But I always figured I wouldn't break stuff in physics labs, and until today I generally haven't.

I just managed to blow out a brand-new wall-wort transformer. I think it may have been a bad solder joint leading to a loose wire that caused the short circuit... I was probing around with a DVM and suddenly there was an ominous spark. Granted, it's a $15 device, but now I'll have to order another one, and the purchasing office hates orders under $50.

Comments

pork barrel spending!

[olifhar.livejournal.com]

Eh, you've probably taken care of it at this point, but perhaps you should just order four of the transformers! Thus, you will have backups in case you decide to blow one again and the purchasing office won't mind as much. Bloated institutional spending!

I am trying in vain to funny here, though. Probably I would more like to say, we all make mistakes and break stuff. Intelligent people like you break small things that cost $15 and it's a hassle but in the end it's okay. Real dumbasses do stuff like breaking whole nations. I trust some people more with small things, details. Computers even. But Jerome, I'd trust you with big, important things more than a whole lot of people out there. Peace.