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Geeky1
20 May 2004, 7:54am
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers_pr.html
Nick is building a universe on his computer. He's already mapped out his first planet: an anvil-shaped world called Denthaim that is home to gnomes and gods, along with a three-gendered race known as kiman. As he tells me about his universe, Nick looks up at the ceiling, humming fragments of a melody over and over. "I'm thinking of making magic a form of quantum physics, but I haven't decided yet, actually," he explains. The music of his speech is pitched high, alternately poetic and pedantic - as if the soul of an Oxford don has been awkwardly reincarnated in the body of a chubby, rosy-cheeked boy from Silicon Valley. Nick is 11 years old.

Interesting read. I was told I had a mild case of Asperger's 2 years ago or so. (after I came up with the screen name, no less). Doesn't bother me at all, and I would argue that some aspects of my personality that one could blame on it are actually good things. Regardless, it has been speculated that most "geeks" have it, which means that most of the people here probably have it, to one extent or another.

However, we're in (mostly) good company:
http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/4502/famousac.html

The (mostly) stems from the fact that Al Gore is on that list. I feel sick. ;D

Geeky1
20 May 2004, 8:00am
Oh, this is interesting too...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-03-29-asperger.htm
It's about Kevin Mitnick

EyesOnly
20 May 2004, 12:18pm
So now we know what you do in your spare time. ;D

Geeky1
20 May 2004, 5:16pm
Heh. I couldn't hack my way out of a wet paper bag with a machete.

madmat
20 May 2004, 7:10pm
Nope, I'm the total opposite of that...I never arranged my toys, heck, I coulda lost the Queen Mary in my toy box as a kid although at the age of 4 I read a Hot Rod Magazine article about destroking a 289 with a 260 crank that I remember to this day (not chapter and verse mind you) and I understood it...of course I remember watching the Apollo 11 moon landing later that same year...good times, good times.

Geeky1
20 May 2004, 7:25pm
Oh, believe me, I don't fit all of that- I STILL can't organize my crap (as my boxes of computer parts can attest to).

keto
20 May 2004, 7:26pm
There's a lot of me in those descriptions too - very law & order, somewhat gullible, don't read body language well, I NEVER know ANYONE's hidden agendas and never have any myself.

But when I mentioned it to mrs. keto, who has read up on it extensively, she just laughed at me. So I guess I'm just your garden variety geek.

QCH
20 May 2004, 7:47pm
Hey... I'm in that article.....

keto
20 May 2004, 8:04pm
so's Michael Jackson, don't get too excited lol

GHoosdum
20 May 2004, 9:29pm
This article scares the crap out of me, particularly this sentence: "...The chilling possibility is that what's happening now is the first proof that the genes responsible for bestowing certain special gifts on slightly autistic adults - the very abilities that have made them dreamers and architects of our technological future - are capable of bringing a plague down on the best minds of the next generation..."

Geeky1
21 May 2004, 1:33am
The article is misguided from that standpoint. Coming from someone that's got it, in its mild forms, it's hardly a plague. In fact, I consider it to be highly advantageous for certain things.

EyesOnly
22 May 2004, 8:26pm
Sorry for asking but can someone in plain english tell me what Asperger's really is. What are the symptoms. I haven't understood that yet. As for you geeky well as long as you stock heck away from my heatzinks i'm not worried. :) As for not organising well that i too am good at. :D

Kwitko
22 May 2004, 8:41pm
Interesting...

pseudonym
22 May 2004, 11:19pm
Interesting...

I have assburgers??? Uh oh....