Career Change for you: Forensic Scientist - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Mondak · 05-20-2003, 11:36 AM

Ok - no. I am perfectly happy being an Industrialist. I just keep running into this situation and wanted to see if others are seeing it too.

I think it is more prevalent within lowbrainpower folks, but here it is. I have been in some situations lately where I am having a casual conversation with someone. Usually someone I don't know or just know in passing. That is when they drop it on me. It is usually something like "I am looking for a career change. I think I am going to go back to school. I want to be a forensic scientist."

Do you think these dopes really ever wanted to be forensic scientists? I don't. I think that these people have no idea of the control that TV has over them. I mean a couple facts here:

1- it probobally takes a while to train for this - both through formal schooling and also apprenticeship. Most of these folks are late 20's and even early 30's

2- How many forensic scientists does the world need here? I would venture a bet that there are not THAT many openings for this type of thing.

3 - When they see an add for Snicker bars, do they feel like candy and not know WHY they are going to the store - or do they know they were influenced by TV. (Is it a coincidence that CSI is a hugely popular show that they watch every week)

So a couple final thoughts:

I was thinking about opening up a website that offers accredited Forensic Technician certificates which is the fist step to becoming a Forensic Scientist. (I just made that up) after taking our online / mail order class. (We will be accredited by some other fake stupid company that I open like The Mondak Forensic Institute)

There are 5 classes that you have to complete, one at a time at like $695 each class. I doubt that these dopes have any stick to it and would not take the class or get the "certificate". The right way to do it is start by going back to school, but this is a shortcut, kinda like those magic diet pills that we see on TV all the time.

To Discuss:
Is it wrong to take advantage of people who are dopes?

Do you know other Potential Forensic Scientists?

Are you one?

Cynthetiq · 05-20-2003, 11:41 AM

I do.

I think it's called Quincy, ME/CSI syndrome. They watch the show and figure it's really a neat job that they do on TV.

Well like my archeology 101 professor in 1990 said to the overflowing class, he said,"I see all you people are interested in Arch101. Well let me set the record straight. Archeology is boring. It's nothing like Alan Quartermaine nor is it like Indiana Jones. It's nothing close to the Mummy or anything that you've seen in the movies. It's boring. Long and tiring SLOW work. You do thing very slowly and meticulously in archeology."

Now to speak about the actual posed question:

As Popeye sez: It's not nice to make fun ofs dumb aminals.

warrrreagl · 05-20-2003, 11:53 AM

My wife wants to be one, suddenly. She went out last year and bought all kinds of books about forensic science, and she reads them voraciously.

However, her father was a circuit judge when he was alive, so she grew up looking at gruesome crime scene photos around the house and discussing murder cases. So I believe it's an honest infatuation, and not one fueled by TV.

And just try to convince her how you should be allowed to drive to Florida for the weekend with your philandering brother, and you'll see she's no dope.

On a related topic, how did Catherine (former stripper and drug user on the show) manage to pass the background checks to be a CSI?

MSD · 05-20-2003, 11:58 AM

Regardless of it's alleged boringness (is that a word?) I find archaeology interesting and fun. I've done some test pit digs and excavations in the yard around 400-year-old houses, and it was very interesting to see what you could find. I seem to be able to find good spots to dig, I pointed to three spots, and they turned out to be full of stuff.

Mondak · 05-20-2003, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cynthetiq
I do.

I think it's called Quincy, ME/CSI syndrome. They watch the show and figure it's really a neat job that they do on TV.

That is what I forgot. What other fad jobs fueled by TV have there been?

Oh yeah and warrrreagl: Is your wife really looking to be one or does she just really enjoy the subject? Are there plans at this point to spend your hard earned money on sending her back to school or does she just like it? I find that the females (strangely most subjects to date are female...) tend to want to do this and on their long term life calender (every woman has one) the date of potential graduation / date when someone would actually be gainfully employed in any way seems to coincidentally be the same date at which they would pop out kid#1. "Don't worry honey - all that money we spent won't be wasted. I will still work after we have kids."

Cynthetiq · 05-20-2003, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mondak

That is what I forgot. What other fad jobs fueled by TV have there been?

Oh yeah and Cynthetiq: Is your wife really looking to be one or does she just really enjoy the subject? Are there plans at this point to spend your hard earned money on sending her back to school or does she just like it? I find that the females (strangely most subjects to date are female...) tend to want to do this and on their long term life calender (every woman has one) the date of potential graduation / date when someone would actually be gainfully employed in any way seems to coincidentally be the same date at which they would pop out kid#1. "Don't worry honey - all that money we spent won't be wasted. I will still work after we have kids." [/B]

ummm... you meant to ask that to warrrreagl... my wife.. she doesn't to be one of those.... then again.. her youngest sister in law does.. SIL2

Mondak · 05-20-2003, 12:52 PM

oh yeah - duh - edited post

fearofmear · 05-20-2003, 02:50 PM

I know what you mean. It seems like every microbiology major who isn't going to med school that I have met want to get into forensic science. Cynthetiq hit it right on the head about it being due to the popularity of CSI.etc. I am not positive but I think most people need a master's degree in forensic science with some medical background

Mango · 05-20-2003, 03:01 PM

Yes, it is wrong to take advantage of dopes. However, it is fine to mess with them for your own amusement.

I want to be a forensic gynacologist, or perhaps a gynacological forensist. I don't have a TV so unfortunately I don't know what all the cool jobs are these days.

rs8001 · 05-20-2003, 03:48 PM

Fad jobs due to T.V.? Remember L.A. Law? I remember it being reported that Law School applications were up substantially when that show was in its prime.

My girlfriend had mentioned once she thought it be cool to be forensic scientist. She'd said she'd love to help catch the bad guys. She is smart and dedicated enough to actually do it but it hasn't come up since.

bfresh · 05-21-2003, 06:22 AM

Don't forget about the movie Jurassic Park. The geology 103 class I was proctoring, overflowed w/ people wanting to be a paleontologist. It took about a year for them to be either weeded out or figure out that there is more to paleo. than just dinosaurs.
Plus the fact there were no "Laura Derns" in geology..well none at my college, they were more like Pat from SNL.

Now my wife loves all the forensic TV show (CSI, The New Detectives, Cold Case Detectives, etc.). She says she likes to watch them so when she "kills me" in my sleep she'll know what to do to avoid prison time (FYI: I don't sleep much any more).

warrrreagl · 05-21-2003, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mondak
Oh yeah and warrrreagl: Is your wife really looking to be one or does she just really enjoy the subject? Are there plans at this point to spend your hard earned money on sending her back to school or does she just like it?[/B]

She tends to cook things inside for a long while before popping out with a decision, so I don't know yet. And it will be her own hard earned money.

Mondak · 05-21-2003, 07:07 AM

Yeah LA law is a good one. So is Jurrasic Park.

warrreagl: that is a good sign that she tends to cook things inside for a while. . . unless you are speaking about when she is mad at you. You might be in trouble then.

spanky spangler · 05-21-2003, 02:20 PM

Well, i know someone who's into her third year postgrad course training to be a forensic scientist. She freely admits the job scene is pretty much 'dead man's shoes', and spends most of her time trying to get her Raman spectroscope to work. i can guarantee that she didn't choose the course based on a TV show, though.

05-21-2003, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mondak

To Discuss:
Is it wrong to take advantage of people who are dopes?

Well, the state lottery businesses seem to be doing okay....

bfresh · 05-22-2003, 11:49 AM

You know I though of another movie last night: I remembered when Top Gun came out and all those guys who rushed to sign up thinking they too could be Navy pilots and get the girl in the end, but ended up circling the Artic on a small boat or submarine.

Also my father-in-law (dean arts and sciences UTK), told me last night that the forensic department is now overflowing w/ students, I'm assuming this will change as soon as they have to take the trip to the UTK "Body Farm" hehehe

Mondak · 05-22-2003, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bfresh
...Also my father-in-law (dean arts and sciences UTK), told me last night that the forensic department is now overflowing w/ students, I'm assuming this will change as soon as they have to take the trip to the UTK "Body Farm" hehehe

See - exactally the reason I need to open a second rate program. It will give an outlet for those folks that need to satisfy their desire for Forensic Science without the gory details like a body farm. Instead we can take class trips to rotten.com or something.

Now if I can just figure out a way to put in subliminal messages into the courseware, I can maybe interest these weak minded fools in some other adventure.

bfresh · 05-23-2003, 12:16 PM

A friend and I were going to create a geology organization were members pay yearly dues ($50+/yr) they would get a spiffy wallet ID card and a wall certificate. We were going to give it some professional sounding name like The National Association of GeoScientists (NAGS) or something like that. We were also going to make a web site for members only with links to topozone.com, USGS.gov, EPA.gov etc.

We noticed that quite a few people in our field would say something like well I'm a member of this group or this organization but had no clue as to what they were doing, so we decided that we could get them to pay us to make them look smarter.
But most geo organizations have continuing education classes that you can take for a fee, to "broaden" your knowledge, or various "field trips" where you pay to go get drunk and see things you won't normally see where you live...
You could always do something like that, ie the Committee of American Forensic Scientists (CAFS).

05-20-2003, 11:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mondak Industrialist Location: Southern California	Career Change for you: Forensic Scientist Ok - no. I am perfectly happy being an Industrialist. I just keep running into this situation and wanted to see if others are seeing it too. I think it is more prevalent within lowbrainpower folks, but here it is. I have been in some situations lately where I am having a casual conversation with someone. Usually someone I don't know or just know in passing. That is when they drop it on me. It is usually something like "I am looking for a career change. I think I am going to go back to school. I want to be a forensic scientist." Do you think these dopes really ever wanted to be forensic scientists? I don't. I think that these people have no idea of the control that TV has over them. I mean a couple facts here: 1- it probobally takes a while to train for this - both through formal schooling and also apprenticeship. Most of these folks are late 20's and even early 30's 2- How many forensic scientists does the world need here? I would venture a bet that there are not THAT many openings for this type of thing. 3 - When they see an add for Snicker bars, do they feel like candy and not know WHY they are going to the store - or do they know they were influenced by TV. (Is it a coincidence that CSI is a hugely popular show that they watch every week) So a couple final thoughts: I was thinking about opening up a website that offers accredited Forensic Technician certificates which is the fist step to becoming a Forensic Scientist. (I just made that up) after taking our online / mail order class. (We will be accredited by some other fake stupid company that I open like The Mondak Forensic Institute) There are 5 classes that you have to complete, one at a time at like $695 each class. I doubt that these dopes have any stick to it and would not take the class or get the "certificate". The right way to do it is start by going back to school, but this is a shortcut, kinda like those magic diet pills that we see on TV all the time. To Discuss: Is it wrong to take advantage of people who are dopes? Do you know other Potential Forensic Scientists? Are you one?

05-20-2003, 11:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I do. I think it's called Quincy, ME/CSI syndrome. They watch the show and figure it's really a neat job that they do on TV. Well like my archeology 101 professor in 1990 said to the overflowing class, he said,"I see all you people are interested in Arch101. Well let me set the record straight. Archeology is boring. It's nothing like Alan Quartermaine nor is it like Indiana Jones. It's nothing close to the Mummy or anything that you've seen in the movies. It's boring. Long and tiring SLOW work. You do thing very slowly and meticulously in archeology." Now to speak about the actual posed question: As Popeye sez: It's not nice to make fun ofs dumb aminals. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

05-20-2003, 11:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
warrrreagl pinche vato Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton	My wife wants to be one, suddenly. She went out last year and bought all kinds of books about forensic science, and she reads them voraciously. However, her father was a circuit judge when he was alive, so she grew up looking at gruesome crime scene photos around the house and discussing murder cases. So I believe it's an honest infatuation, and not one fueled by TV. And just try to convince her how you should be allowed to drive to Florida for the weekend with your philandering brother, and you'll see she's no dope. On a related topic, how did Catherine (former stripper and drug user on the show) manage to pass the background checks to be a CSI? __________________ Living is easy with eyes closed.

05-20-2003, 12:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mondak Industrialist Location: Southern California	oh yeah - duh - edited post __________________ All truth passes through three stages: First it is ridiculed Second, it is violently opposed and Third, it is accepted as self-evident. ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860)

05-21-2003, 07:07 AM	#13 (permalink)
Mondak Industrialist Location: Southern California	Yeah LA law is a good one. So is Jurrasic Park. warrreagl: that is a good sign that she tends to cook things inside for a while. . . unless you are speaking about when she is mad at you. You might be in trouble then. __________________ All truth passes through three stages: First it is ridiculed Second, it is violently opposed and Third, it is accepted as self-evident. ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860)

05-20-2003, 11:58 AM	#4 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	Regardless of it's alleged boringness (is that a word?) I find archaeology interesting and fun. I've done some test pit digs and excavations in the yard around 400-year-old houses, and it was very interesting to see what you could find. I seem to be able to find good spots to dig, I pointed to three spots, and they turned out to be full of stuff.

05-20-2003, 02:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
fearofmear Insane Location: Florida	I know what you mean. It seems like every microbiology major who isn't going to med school that I have met want to get into forensic science. Cynthetiq hit it right on the head about it being due to the popularity of CSI.etc. I am not positive but I think most people need a master's degree in forensic science with some medical background

05-20-2003, 03:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
Mango Banned	Yes, it is wrong to take advantage of dopes. However, it is fine to mess with them for your own amusement. I want to be a forensic gynacologist, or perhaps a gynacological forensist. I don't have a TV so unfortunately I don't know what all the cool jobs are these days.

05-20-2003, 03:48 PM	#10 (permalink)
rs8001 Crazy Location: Indiana	Fad jobs due to T.V.? Remember L.A. Law? I remember it being reported that Law School applications were up substantially when that show was in its prime. My girlfriend had mentioned once she thought it be cool to be forensic scientist. She'd said she'd love to help catch the bad guys. She is smart and dedicated enough to actually do it but it hasn't come up since.

05-21-2003, 06:22 AM	#11 (permalink)
bfresh Crazy Location: TN	Don't forget about the movie Jurassic Park. The geology 103 class I was proctoring, overflowed w/ people wanting to be a paleontologist. It took about a year for them to be either weeded out or figure out that there is more to paleo. than just dinosaurs. Plus the fact there were no "Laura Derns" in geology..well none at my college, they were more like Pat from SNL. Now my wife loves all the forensic TV show (CSI, The New Detectives, Cold Case Detectives, etc.). She says she likes to watch them so when she "kills me" in my sleep she'll know what to do to avoid prison time (FYI: I don't sleep much any more).

05-21-2003, 02:20 PM	#14 (permalink)
spanky spangler Upright	Well, i know someone who's into her third year postgrad course training to be a forensic scientist. She freely admits the job scene is pretty much 'dead man's shoes', and spends most of her time trying to get her Raman spectroscope to work. i can guarantee that she didn't choose the course based on a TV show, though.

05-22-2003, 11:49 AM	#16 (permalink)
bfresh Crazy Location: TN	You know I though of another movie last night: I remembered when Top Gun came out and all those guys who rushed to sign up thinking they too could be Navy pilots and get the girl in the end, but ended up circling the Artic on a small boat or submarine. Also my father-in-law (dean arts and sciences UTK), told me last night that the forensic department is now overflowing w/ students, I'm assuming this will change as soon as they have to take the trip to the UTK "Body Farm" hehehe

05-23-2003, 12:16 PM	#18 (permalink)
bfresh Crazy Location: TN	A friend and I were going to create a geology organization were members pay yearly dues ($50+/yr) they would get a spiffy wallet ID card and a wall certificate. We were going to give it some professional sounding name like The National Association of GeoScientists (NAGS) or something like that. We were also going to make a web site for members only with links to topozone.com, USGS.gov, EPA.gov etc. We noticed that quite a few people in our field would say something like well I'm a member of this group or this organization but had no clue as to what they were doing, so we decided that we could get them to pay us to make them look smarter. But most geo organizations have continuing education classes that you can take for a fee, to "broaden" your knowledge, or various "field trips" where you pay to go get drunk and see things you won't normally see where you live... You could always do something like that, ie the Committee of American Forensic Scientists (CAFS).