# what is your expertise **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 2, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841 "2004-04-02T03:15:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Emony\_Dax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Emony\_Dax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emony_Dax)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/61 "2004-04-02T22:04:06Z")
I’m a financial aid counselor at a large university. I specialize in the student employment/human resources side of it, but can answer lots of fin aid questions. When I’m not slaving away at work, I’m a fanatic about Star Trek and consider myself somewhat of an expert on the original series and next gen. My degree is in English, and I’m fascinated with Anglo-Saxon and Old English lit. I know a lot about breastfeeding in case anyone is curious, having done it for a while. That’s probably my most unusual area of expertise. I’m also a professional lurker, as you can see by my post count 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![quothz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/da6949/32.png) [@quothz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quothz)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/62 "2004-04-02T23:14:08Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > I wonder what a Doper Trivial Pursuit tournament would look like… Thirty people sitting around demanding primary source citations for _every single answer._ ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/63 "2004-04-02T23:16:53Z")
Despite the existence of a poster actually named **Mtgman** , I believe I am the leading expert in **Magic: The Gathering** on the SDMB. I’m also the self-appointed authority on **Wayne’s World** and **Bring It On**. I also know a lot about programming video games, as that is my job. Aside from that, I’m a generally relatively knowledgeable person, but I doubt there’s any other single field in which I’m not surpassed by many other dopers… although I could probably hold my own in discussions of tricky math/logic puzzles, Legos, card games and Oz books. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/64 "2004-04-02T23:49:38Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Does anyone know lots about fluid mechanics? Specifically, can you tell me what the hell they are? Fluid mechanics make slightly more money than quantum mechanics, due to their greater utility. Virtually all classical mechanics make more than quantum mechanics. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/65 "2004-04-02T23:52:51Z")
I am a Madonna Fanatic Extraordinaire. ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/66 "2004-04-02T23:52:54Z")
I’m sure there is another thread around here like this one… Search is not working properly, I fear. Anyway, I’m a gymnastics and trampoline coach, so you can ask me about: - gymnastics or tramp athletes - skills - unsafe practices - how to spot - strength - flex I’m also a bit of an olympics freak, too. I’m at uni at the moment studying chinese, business, tourism and travel. So I know a tiny bit about those things. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/67 "2004-04-03T04:25:07Z")
> [@DeVena](#): > > My degree is in Environmental Science. And Music (voice). So I’m qualified to sing about the joy of mud. 😉 Mud, mud, glorious mud! Nothing quite like it For cooling the blood! So follow me, follow Down to the hollow, And there let us wallow In glor-ee-ous MUD! ---
**Author:** ![Call\_me\_Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Call\_me\_Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Call_me_Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/68 "2004-04-03T04:34:31Z")
I’m more of a jack of several trades, master of none type, but I’d say my areas of specialty would be: -ST:TNG movies, episodes, and literature -Star Wars movies and literature -Simpsons episodes Pretty simple stuff, really… but my areas of knowledge include (IE, thread subjects that I’ll reply to if someone more qualified hasn’t already): -Can play trumpet, trombone, euphonium/baritone to some degree of proficiency; penny whistle and guitar quite horribly at this point -Took 2 years of Cisco Certified Networking in HS and didn’t absorb a whole lot of the details but gained a solid understanding of how networking works -Took a one-year A+ certification course and added that to my advanced novice understanding of computers -Took one year of C++ programming -Took 4 years of German in HS and scored a 4 on the AP test ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/69 "2004-04-03T04:36:12Z")
Canadian Barrister & Solicitor, with experience in both criminal law and civil matters (primarily appellate work). Working knowledge of the common law, theoretical familiarity with Quebec civil law. Specialisation in Canadian constitutional law. Because of our historical links to Britain, that also means a working knowledge of British constitutional principles (at least, up to the time that damn Tony Blair starting mucking things up - abolish the office of Lord Chancellor?! how dare he! tampering with a millenium of tradition! :rolleyes: ). Familiar with the law governing the succession of the Crown and the principles of responsible government in the Westminster model. Also have a nodding acquaintance with U.S. constitutional law, but obviously not in the detail that U.S. lawyer types on the SDMB have. Extensive acquaintance with the works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, P.G. Wodehouse, and Ngaio Marsh; Shakespearean fan. 🆒 Expert in recounting exactly how many ways the Saskatchewan Roughriders have been able to lose games at the last minute. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/70 "2004-04-03T08:06:56Z")
I know bugger all about bugger all. That’s why I come here. Experts galore 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/71 "2004-04-03T08:50:55Z")
I’m a student, and I’ve dabbled in everything from Computer Science to Media Studies/Journalism and am currently looking into getting into a nice film school. I can tell you probably anything you’d ever want to know about Star Trek (_Enterprise_ excluded… not a fan at all), The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Britney Spears. I’m a novice-to-advanced, un-degreed programmer in .NET (C++, VB), PHP, MySQL, and PERL. I used to develop web sites for small, local businesses to make money. I could probably out-do you in street racing. Also, I have an ego the size of Texas. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/72 "2004-04-03T15:12:18Z")
Regretfully, I am a psuedo-expert in:[ul] [li]Muscular Dystrophy[/li][li]Death [/li][li]Celebrity death stuff ( who died & when & how)[/li][li] Thread Killing[/li][li]Nothing in particular[/li][/ul] I am a bona-fide expert in Romance Novel. ::::::tap tap::::::::\*Hello, is this thing on? \* Frankly speaking, I am pretty much useless except for window dressing. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/73 "2004-04-03T15:52:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Mud, mud, glorious mud! > Nothing quite like it > For cooling the blood! > > So follow me, follow > Down to the hollow, > And there let us wallow > In glor-ee-ous MUD! Please join in. The ushers will be passing through the audience with rawhide whips to insure participation. I love Flanders and Swann. I’m not really expert in anything. I’m a beads-wire-and-chainmail jeweler, amatuer bellydancer, and bookworm. I can knowledgeably advise those looking for good restaurants in Toronto. That’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/74 "2004-04-03T17:01:46Z")
> [@NE Texan](#): > > So, what year did Paddington Bear play for the Atlanta Braves? I’ve been wondering. Lamentably, no bear draft has been established as of yet for MLB, and Paddington has been rather unsuccessful in his attempts to procure an agent; promises of jars of marmalade have been something less than the success he envisioned them being. Due to his present height of less than three feet, and his inability to hold a bat (though when his hands are particularly sticky from marmalade, he does manage to stick himself to the bat; he still can’t hold it up, though), the future does not look bright. Should successive attempts to acquire an agent hold the same results as present and past attempts, Paddington plans to hold a press conference to announce his entry into MLB’s supplemental draft (where he is also expecting to meet up with a few non-FDA-approved substances that may or may not be banned. These will, he hopes, bestow upon him the ability to hold a bat, which should silence most critics). I am unable to comment at this time on the state of his Marmalade Ball and also on what he has or has not been doing with Gaylord Perry. ---
**Author:** ![ForgottenLore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@ForgottenLore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForgottenLore)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/75 "2004-04-03T19:22:37Z")
Hmmm, my department at work is “network infrastructure,” and I’m the guy in charge of the routers, switches, and firewalls for our office. I also configure up a fair number of the servers and manage the company Internet connection. I guess my expertise would be called network infrastructuralizing. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/76 "2004-04-03T20:17:20Z")
For eighteen of the last twenty-six years, until a year and a half ago, I was an RPG programmer, (that’s **R** eport **P** rogram **G** enerator, not **R** ole **P** laying **G** ame), with occasional side trips into residential building construction, so I know a whole lot about one really obscure programming language and quite a bit about construction. I am also an expert at run-on sentences. I am currently (nominally), unemployed, but have a Real Estate Broker’s license in the state of Oregon, so help my wife, who’s been a real estate agent and broker for 25+ years. I’m also a model railroader (N gauge), a decent cook, and a natural born thread killer. And nobody will play Trivial Pursuit with me either. ---
**Author:** ![Paradoxical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Paradoxical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paradoxical)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/77 "2004-04-03T20:35:53Z")
> [@Emony Dax](#): > > I’m a financial aid counselor at a large university. I specialize in the student employment/human resources side of it, but can answer lots of fin aid questions. Which University, Baylor? ---
**Author:** ![wenonahbone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b4bc9f/32.png) [@wenonahbone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wenonahbone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/78 "2004-04-03T21:05:56Z")
I know how to refine petroleum. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/79 "2004-04-03T22:02:39Z")
Weezer. I know a ton about the band, and almost every song is memorized in my noggin. I couldn’t tell you anything about a show, since I haven’t gotton a chance **yet** , but I will as soon as they start touring again. Harry Potter. I have each book 6+ times, and I have seen the 2 movies 3+ times. I know enough about the books to bore you to death Ballet I spose too. I have been dancing for 10 years and counting, so I guess I consider myself an expert. None of these topics have really called for me yet. I haven’t played triva pursuit, but I bet i could kick some ass agaisnt my friends. I don’t think that a SD Triva Pursuit tournement would work. It would take FOREVER. And like someone stated, every answer would need to be looked up. We are a smart bunch, so don’t let ANYONE tell you differentl. Even if you run into a wall once and a while… ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841/80 "2004-04-03T22:08:47Z")
well I have been a practicing Architect for 20+ years and I hope I learned something in all those years! I work mainly on multi-family projects, ski lodges, destination spaces, that sort of thing. Best thing about Architecture is that there are no Architectural Emergencies. So no stress—funny thing is I deal with money all the time which tends to stress people out–but it isn’t my money–so to me there isn’t any stress! 🙂 Best job in the world–helping people spend their money. I also love to read and love films—although in those areas I just give my humble opinion. Hakuna Matata [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-expertise/237841.md?page=5)