what is left after you (as a scientist)

 Of course we have too many scientists and it is difficult to make a meaningful  contribution.  When I was very young (20-25 years old), I had my PhD defended in 1985 when I was 25.  This is the time when I did the best of my work. Then I started to work in Russian Academy of Sciences and still did some very good work, till about the age of 30. I had a better equipment and analitical tools at my disposal and could do a better experimental chemistry.  Then I spent some time in Lund and did some good work in 1992 - 1993.   Then  I moved to industry and started to work for biotech (1994 - 1998) and then HP (1998 - 2020).   I was very busy and did plenty of applied work.

Here is the frustrating part. Although I was very well paid in industry and worked very hard, whatever I have done there has completely lost its relevance. I was chasing the requirements of the day that always became irrelevant in 2-3 years after. So, a lot of time with the industry, very busy, well paid, nothing is left.

Of course there are patents, but only a small fraction of them is good. 

Life in Time of Cholera

 I remember how I was perplexed by the attitude of German population during the Second World War. After all, the country was engaged in a brutal (yet highly successful) war, with multiple civilian and  military deaths involved-- yet the life in Germany was going as usual--- children were going to school, symphony halls were performing music, etc. Of course the country was covered with the flow of Nazi propaganda, but it should have affected only the non-educated - am I right here? And the deaths mostly happened outside of the country and were not truly visible to civilian Germans --- and the concentration camps were also virtually hidden?  I was able to understand  and accept that the pan-Germanic idea may had had many followers across the board, including the aristocracy, upper class and educated community.

However many of them  knew and they did not do anything?   Why?

I now see exactly the same in Russia. We do nothing.  The children go to school. The stores work. The sports events continue. TV  entertainment is at a full scale.  Again, I can imagine that many members of Russian elite do support the pan-Russian idea.  However, many of them know, and nobody is brave enough to say a word.  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the ugly reality of the modern world.

Black's Beach-La Jolla

 

Power tools are old man friends!

 I recently discovered how much the construction business has changed with power tools.  

I now have 14 different Makita tools, all powered with 18 volt batteries!

Plus, a Makita vacuum cleaner and a lantern, also powered by 18 volt battery

Plus 2 pneumatic nailers and a compressor, from Makita.

Plus two fancy bit sets, both from Makita.

My life became so much easier! I do not hurt myself anymore, and work much quicker.

Makita tools are addictive. So are Ryobi tools; I have only the high power version of Ryobi that works from 40 Volt  battery, which are:

Edger, chainsaw, trimmer, auger, lawnmower.