# I am a Mythbuster! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 18, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291 "2006-05-18T18:13:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/81 "2006-05-30T04:12:09Z")
You lucky bastard. You deserve it. Hope all goes well with the probationary period. Wonder if they are still using our risk management templates ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/82 "2006-05-30T04:55:44Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > I don’t know as you’d be able to classify it as either full-time or part-time. The work will essentially revolve around my current schedule, and will involve library and internet research, contacting various sources by email or telephone and writing up the segment outlines (essentially, a two to three page outline of how the segment should be shot), which will include things like the story behind the myth, suggested experiments to test it, possible real-life occurrences, the science behind it and sources of information, such as experts in that particular area. > > I imagine it will take up a considerable amount of my free time, but it probably won’t seem much like work. 😃 But do you get to blow stuff up? Crash cars? Shoot guns? Kill Buster? ::froth:: That is WAY cool. Congrats! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/83 "2006-05-30T13:31:33Z")
🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/84 "2006-05-30T14:51:55Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > suggested experiments to test it, possible real-life occurrences, the science behind it and sources of information, such as experts in that particular area So in other words, we can expect a lot of threads from you in the future that read like “does anybody have a '79 Camaro, an albatross, and a linear accelerator”? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/85 "2006-05-30T15:11:18Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > does anybody have a '79 Camaro, an albatross, and a linear accelerator? Hmmm. Now that you mention it… ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/86 "2006-05-30T15:45:55Z")
Albatross! Get Your Albatross Here! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/87 "2006-05-30T15:56:56Z")
CONGRATULATIONS! But, you likely don’t want to move to _San Franscisco_ itself. Very very expensive, and little to be found. Many cities nearby, including South San Fransciso are much cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/88 "2006-05-30T17:16:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > CONGRATULATIONS! But, you likely don’t want to move to _San Franscisco_ itself. Very very expensive, and little to be found. Many cities nearby, including South San Fransciso are much cheaper. Yeah, but then you’d have to live in South San Francisco. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/89 "2006-05-30T18:38:33Z")
**Q.E.D.** , I’m so happy for you _AND_ for Mythbusters! It’s about time they had someone to keep them honest. 😃 You could live in Coopertino where Hewlett-Packard lives, It’s a little cheaper than in town. Or, any of the hundred little towns between SF and San Jose. > [@](#): > > So in other words, we can expect a lot of threads from you in the future that read like “does anybody have a '79 Camaro, an albatross, and a linear accelerator”? The linear accelerator is just west of Stanford. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/90 "2006-05-30T21:48:33Z")
And 280 passes right over it. Looks like a long self-store place to the uninitiated. Meanwhile, if you need any of these somewhat unusual items, I’m sure we can arrange a loan… Trebuchet Allegedly beta-test golf balls The laser assembly from a laser printer (the lenses inside are somewhat reminiscent of Jamie’s mustache) A two-plus year old pecan log A 19-year old Halon fire extinguisher And thousands of expired or locked passwords. And that’s just the wierd stuff near my desk! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/91 "2006-05-30T22:16:03Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Trebuchet > > … > > A two-plus year old pecan log You use the trebuchet to fling bits of two-year-old pecan log at people who forget their passwords, right? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/92 "2006-05-30T22:29:09Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > Yeah, but then you’d have to live in South San Francisco. 😃 Gross! I’d rather be in Petaluma. Or Hayward. Man, I need a shower now… ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/93 "2006-05-30T23:40:18Z")
Great news! Now I can say I (sorta) knew you way back when… ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/94 "2006-05-31T00:31:36Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > I have in my hand the contract for my research services with the Mythbusters! The production manager at Beyond phoned me last night and we had a very nice conversation, then she emailed the contract this morning. For reasons of confidentiality I can’t disclose most of the specifics, but let it suffice to say I’m a happy camper. My first two segment outlines will, naturally, be on a probationary basis so that they can decide if my work meets their needs and vice versa; after that, the sky’s the limit! They agreed to the fee structure I requested, and everything looks good. I’m supposed to call the production manager tonight to discuss the contract and clear up any details I might have questions about, then I’ll sign it and send it in. When they get it, I’ll be given my first assignments (which I can’t tell you guys about, due to contractual obligations–sorry!). I can’t wait to get started! DON’T SIGN TILL YOU’VE GIVEN THE CONTRACT TO A LAWYER TO LOOK OVER. Just because I know you, I’ll do this one free. Scan the thing in and send it over to me. I’ll check it out and mebbe suggest a few things. I should have it back to you in, oooh, about two weeks. That should give me enough time. Where’s the whiteout? I’ll just cross _that_ out, write “Princhester” in _there_… ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/95 "2006-05-31T00:47:36Z")
Like everyone else has said: congrats! That’s so cool. I look forward to hearing when your work makes it to air. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/96 "2006-05-31T18:56:25Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > You use the trebuchet to fling bits of two-year-old pecan log at people who forget their passwords, right? 😃 Hmmm… I \*like \* that idea! Unfortunately, it’s hard to do any physical flinging through email. What scares me is that the pecan log is just as soft and semi-edible-looking as the day I got it. Apparently, we need to worry more about pecan logs than the classic never-goes-bad food: fruitcake. There’s a myth to bust - that there’s really only one fruitcake and it’s been passed along from person to person all these years. A silly song that’s now stuck in my head: _Oh-ohh! What in the world am I going to do with this fruit cake? It’s made of all those squishy things that I would never eat! I wish there was a special place for fruit cake. And the people that send fruit cake to me._ ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/97 "2006-05-31T21:35:11Z")
I personally have consumed a total of more than one fruitcake in my life. Myth busted! For all we know, there may be as many as a dozen fruitcakes in circulation. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/98 "2006-05-31T23:37:44Z")
My father, for reasons best left unquestioned, likes fruitcake. So he’s a fruitcake sink. Of, so far, undetermined capacity. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/99 "2006-06-01T03:33:48Z")
Congratulations! That is indeed very cool news! Whoever supplies the guns for that show (Jamie?) is obviously a Military Firearm fan… I’ve seen them using M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, and (I think) a Springfield M1903A3 (amongst others). I live in hope that one day they’ll decide to use an SMLE Mk III or a No 4 Mk I Lee-Enfield in something, though… 😃 So what sort of research will you be doing, or can’t you say at this early stage? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291/100 "2006-06-01T05:28:13Z")
Forgot to say earlier, that f you need a room full of ATMs, perhaps to test out various methods of fraud or whatever, I might be able to finagle something. I doubt any have cash, but it is a bit startling to look through the window on the lab’s door and see dozens of the things. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-mythbuster/357291.md?page=6)