Tom .... I never knew!!!

[slasherdan]

I was doing some research on the net last night after watching a show on the discovery channel and look what I came across!!!

http://spectrashift.com/team.html

[shartley]

Yes, that is well known to many of the long time AO members. He also hunts fossils.

[cphilip]

He in fact is hunting fossile right now.

And last year did a presentation on extinction theory by Gamma ray bombardment..., or something like that

and the following is his entry from an Astrophysics formum (I particularly like image I get of the evil mad scientist thing in the basement ):

Interests: In pursuit of measuring redshift. Have achieved this with amateur equipment down to a level of +- 2 Km/s. Am on my 3rd generation spectroscope and migrating to IRAF with the goal of 1 Km/s readings soon. I am interested in talking with anyone with a serious interest in spectroscopy and especially professionals that could help with my endeavor.
Equipment-Notes: Telescope: 10" LX200 Guider, precision machined pickoff mirror / fiber mount and ST4 CCD.

Spectroscope: Fiber optic feed with 7 fibers running 150' to a temperature controlled room in my basement. Two additional fiber feeds from H/Ar/He reference lamps supply the scope chassis. Spectroscope chassis is 2x3 ft. aluminum plate that mounts a 3" collimating mirror 1200 or 600 line grating on rotary platform and a 3" focusing mirror that feeds an ST7 CCD. Dispersion is 1/10th angstrom per pixel and the spectroscope resolution is about 4700. Image reduction is done through CCDsoft, Quantum Image and a custom Labview program.

[slasherdan]

Then I take it ...

That Nelspot he has mounted on the wall at his office is one of the fossils he found in the past?!?!?!??!

[brianlojeck]

I thought it was interesting that he is a member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists.

Aren't all paleontologists, by nature, vertebrates?

Nerd joke, sorry...

[cphilip]

Ho ho!!!!!

Two good ones in a row!

[desslock]

nice sweater tom!! did you raid bill cosby's closet!! LOL

[barberjohn]

nice sweater tom!! did you raid bill cosby's closet!! LOL

thats harsh . all of those big words, im not sure what im looking at! btw, what did you major in Tom?

[Bad_Dog]

obviously nothing that has to do with fashon!

[Thordic]

thats harsh . all of those big words, im not sure what im looking at! btw, what did you major in Tom?

Tom never finished college. Im not 100% sure he ever started.

[RtDaNiMaL]

Bad_Dog,
that was harsh, yet quite hilarious!

[RenagadeOfFunk]

...why is tom the head of everything?....
(i think he should of sported the AGD sweater)

[1stdeadeye]

Some funny zingers here. That sweater isn't too bad......for the 1980's/

[brianlojeck]

In any group of really smart engineer/nerd types (comp sci, paleontology, star-gazers...) there is always:

1: 1 goth, or guy in black with black boots ALL THE TIME (me BTW)
2: 1 guy in sweaters who looks like he should be leading a boyscout troop
3: 1 heavyset guy with a mountainman beard
4: a skinny guy who drinks too much Jolt

Tom had to wear that sweater. He didn't want to gain weight and grow a beard, he doesn't like Jolt, and he most likley looks funny with white makeup and eye shadow.