Phenomena Unpredictable
As a Georgia Tech graduate and meteorologist, I enjoyed the article Handling the Heat on Judith Curry in the November/ December Alumni Magazine . I especially appreciated her concluding statements regarding the future uncertainty. As a weather forecaster in the Air Force for five years, I appreciate the complexity and unpredictability of weather phenomena and maintain a healthy skepticism regarding climatologists’ forecasts of the distant future using models. As Edward Lorenz showed us with his contribution to Chaos theory, little changes in complex weather variables cause major changes in the forecast outcome. In my career, I developed models from time to time, mostly financial, and found that with tinkering and some logical gymnastics I could fit complex historical data fairly well. However, predicting the future with these models didn’t turn out all that well in my case. So I am skeptical of climate models predicting 100 years or so into the future and am concerned with the impact of relying on these models to drastically alter our economy. My thanks go to Judith Curry for treating this world-changing subject like a scientist. Philip W. Matos, ChE 58 Phoenix
The Smaxton Capers
A number of readers correctly pointed out in the November/December issue of the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine that Henry Claxton was a co-conspirator in the installation of the Mickey Mouse clock on the Skiles Classroom Building in late 1978. Henry was in fact the “axton” in Smaxton, our small organization dedicated to creating general mischief on and around the Tech campus. Our initial hope was that the clock would remain up for a day or two so that we could take some photographs. To see our efforts eventually recognized with the No. 57 spot on the list of Tech pieces of history [September/October] is humbling at the least. Although the clock caper turned out to be our best-known project, it was by no
Lindsey Smith and Henry Claxton’s entry, Tyrannosaurus Reck, won a second-place prize in the 1978 Wreck Parade. The duo were responsible for a number of campus capers including the installation of the Mickey Mouse clock. means our only effort. A few weeks earlier, Smaxton was awarded second place in the fixed body category in the ’78 Wreck Parade. We had wanted a car with a convertible top, so we rolled back the roof of our Tyrannosaurus Reck like a sardine can! Most of our other endeavors at Tech were clearly in the mischief category and usually involved heat, pressure, noise, flight, etc. — oftentimes all at once. The fact that we were never caught and/or arrested for some of our antics amazes me to this day. I have to constantly remain on guard when relating some of Smaxton’s stories as my son is currently a senior in engineering at Tech and needs no encouragement in nonacademic areas. Sadly, Henry was lost in a civilian air crash in 1983. I know that he would have had proud and fond memories of our many adventures at Tech. Lindsey Smith, CerE 77, MS CerE 78 Orchard Park, N.Y.
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Are Recruits Qualified?
I’ve read several articles in the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine referencing Tech’s efforts to increase campus diversity. If this means recruiting the most highly qualified people from wherever in the world they happen to be, I’m all for it. However, I infer from the context of the articles that it means recruiting people of possibly inferior qualification simply because they look or act differently from the campus majority. If this is indeed what it means, I am firmly opposed. David Brock, ME 85 Evans, Ga.
History Notes
Thanks for showing a great collection of Tech historical items in the September/ October 2010 issue of the Alumni Magazine . Here are some comments on these and on a few Tech items I have accumulated over the years:
January/February 2011
Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine
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