RE: [Leica] John Bardeen, was Re: OT Richard Feynman

["George Day" <george@rdcinteractive.com>]

I had the privilege of meeting Linus Pauling once and eventually spending
some good time with him.  The meeting was funny. I was a graduate student
(in history of science) working at a registration booth for a conference my
department was hosting. Around mid-morning, an elderly gentleman comes up to
me, asks for a badge and whips out a checkbook to pay for the registration.
I inform him, as I was told to, that pre-registration was a requirement and
that he would have to return after a certain time.  He smiled, said, "oh,
thank you"...and then I noticed that he had already filled out the badge:
Linus Pauling.  The strange familiarity turned into sudden recognition and,
well, let's just say that Dr. Pauling received, thenceforth, the most
curteous and express treatment conceiveable and that I blushed many shades
of purple.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Brian Reid
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001 7:25 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] John Bardeen, was Re: OT Richard Feynman


I knew both Bardeen and Feynman. I took a class from Feynman in 1968, and I
knew Bardeen when he was at U of Illinois in that same time period. Trying
to decide which of them is smarter is like trying to decide between Canon
and Nikon. Let's not go there. Feynman was a better drummer.

I also knew Linus Pauling, who won two unshared Nobel prizes, and after one
day around him you realize that, if your goal is changing the world,
intelligence isn't everything.