Light Metals Aren't Dry
You may or may not know, but I work at a Light Metals (aluminum, titanium, magnesium) trade magazine. I have to wade through a lot of press releases, finding stuff that belongs in the news sections of our magazine. Most of what I get in is pretty dry and technical, but every once in while I get something in that just tickles me.
For example, a press release I received today from the Light Metals Technology 2009 conference in Australia. As a part of their conference they are having an event called "Technology on Tap" (can you see where this is going?).
During the conference dinner researchers will compete to convince a series of judges that their research/technology is the best -- in the time it takes to pour a Guinness (about 2.5 minutes). They can do their presentation any way they like: straight and direct, rap, slam poetry, or comedy routine. Volunteers are then required to drink the Guinness after completing their presentation. (Oh, poor, babies.)
I laughed out loud when I read that. Seriously, sign me up for that event. I don't care that I can't talk my way through extrusion or smelting or whatever. That sounds like good fun. It'd be great to watch, I'm sure, too.
I wonder how that would work for other fields. Like how could I create a poetry competition around proper Guinness pouring. I'm sure there are lots of ways we can make this work.
For example, a press release I received today from the Light Metals Technology 2009 conference in Australia. As a part of their conference they are having an event called "Technology on Tap" (can you see where this is going?).
During the conference dinner researchers will compete to convince a series of judges that their research/technology is the best -- in the time it takes to pour a Guinness (about 2.5 minutes). They can do their presentation any way they like: straight and direct, rap, slam poetry, or comedy routine. Volunteers are then required to drink the Guinness after completing their presentation. (Oh, poor, babies.)
I laughed out loud when I read that. Seriously, sign me up for that event. I don't care that I can't talk my way through extrusion or smelting or whatever. That sounds like good fun. It'd be great to watch, I'm sure, too.
I wonder how that would work for other fields. Like how could I create a poetry competition around proper Guinness pouring. I'm sure there are lots of ways we can make this work.