Under The Microscope: gambitnut's answers

[gambitnut]

If Im an asshole for asking this first question then I truly apologize

1. Why are you in a wheel chair? Something since birth or due to injury later in life?

I don't think its an asshole question, not like its malicious or anything.

I agree. I don’t mind at all. I was born with Spina Bifida.

2. Live in Oregon entire life and if not where else?

Yep. Lived in Portland my entire life, splitting time between Portland and West Linn, a suburb of Portland for a while.

3. Whats your favorite thing to do thats non basketball related?

Play chess. Work at Free Geek.

If you were on death row and got to choose your last meal, what would you pick?

I don’t get really excited about food, so I’ll just say the first thing that came to mind. BBQ chicken pizza, just chicken and BBQ sauce on a cheese pizza.

What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?

Probably something my parents did to me.

What's the meanest thing you've ever done to another person?

I asked my friends and family, nobody could come up with anything, or at least they wouldn’t say it to my face. Then I was playing Gin Rummy with my brother and when he drew a card that didn’t help him I said “Good!” and he said I should put that as my answer to this question. I can’t think of a better answer, so I’ll go with that.

1) Do you like tacos?

Yes. I’m a picky eater though, I prefer my tacos with just meat, cheese and shell.

2) What's your favorite board game?

Chess.

3) What's the meaning behind your name?

I love to play chess and I love to play gambit openings when I play chess.

1. how do you respond to 1. d4?

I try to play a gambit involving b4(b5) or f4(f5) against every opening. I play the Benko/Blumenfeld Gambit (usually Benko) against d4. I play the Philidor Countergambit against e4 though and the Leningrad Dutch looks like that, so I might look at that opening and experiment with it.

2. Greg Oden is the residue of...

The good fortune the Blazers deserved to make up for the time they passed on Michael Jordan.

3. What package would you offer for Carter at the trade deadline?

Probably nothing. I like Carter, but we’re playing great and I live by “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Also, he’s older than everybody else in the Blazers’ core, and SG is the least of my worries right now.

What breed are those dogs in your Avatar?

Bichon Frese.

Any plans to extend Free Geek to the UK?

We don’t make plans to extend Free Geek to other locations. People in other locations make plans to start up a nonprofit to reuse or recycle computers and if they do those things in a way that agrees with the Free Geek Principles, they can apply to use the Free Geek name. I don’t think anybody from the UK has ever tried to start up anything like Free Geek. If you or somebody you know wants to try to start a Free Geek in the UK, read this page and the wiki pages on our wiki linked from there, and sign up for the startup list, introduce yourself and read the archives to see if anybody has asked about starting a Free Geek in the UK before. I don't think the application is online right now, but you can see a rough draft on the wiki and get everything else done.

What (If Any) Religion are you?

I go to the church of Free Geek. Other than that, I’m an atheist.

1. Any interest at all in European ball?

European basketball or football (soccer)? I like European basketball, but I really only follow it during the Olympics or to see how the players the Blazers own the rights to are doing. I might watch soccer during the World Cup or Olympics, but I’m not a huge fan, might like it a bit better if I understood the rules better.

2. Any interest in other sports?

My favorite sports in order:

1. Chess
2. Basketball
3. Baseball
4. American Football

3. What is "Free Geek", actually? I've always wondered what it is exactly that you guys do.

Free Geek is a nonprofit that takes donated computers and other electronic equipment and reuses or recycles it. Computers are reused in several ways, depending on how fast they are. Volunteers can work 24 hours, doing things like recycling, receiving, testing or building/recycling printers, and earn a free computer at the end of their time, as well as a class on how it works and tech support. Slightly slower computers are given to other nonprofits as hardware grants. Computers slightly slower still are sold in the Free Geek thrift store. That’s quite a few computers we need, and we don’t just give the computers away right after they are donated, we have to wipe the data off of the hard drives, install our own operating system and make sure the computer and all of the parts work, so we have another program available to volunteers. If you don’t need a computer right away, you can take your time and do other tasks with the goal of learning how to build computer and eventually building one for yourself. We’ll teach you how to identify the various types of cards, motherboards and RAM and sort them for us, then pull apart the computers we have determined are going to be recycled and pull the parts we want to test out of them before they are recycled and practice opening the cases before you deal with computers we might want to keep and rebuild. After that, you evaluate the computers that have just come in to determine whether they are good enough to keep and rebuild. Then you take a basic command line class because we use the Ubuntu distro of Linux, a free, open source operating system, not Microsoft Windows, and there are a few things you will have to type on the command line. Once you have finished that, you are ready to go into the build room. There are two steps in the build room, building and quality control. You will do a few quality controls and then build five computers and keep the sixth. This takes much more time than the other program, but will teach you much more. If you are having fun in the build program and want to learn more, you can keep building, learn by teaching and become an instructor, learn how to learn laptops or Macintoshes or learn how to test all of the various components we put inside the computers. We don’t have enough Macintoshes or laptops to give them to our volunteers, so, like everything else that isn’t a PC, if they work, we will give them to nonprofits as hardware grants or sell them in our thrift store. Our first goal is reuse, but anything that can’t be reused will be recycled. We make some money from recycling, but the reason we do it is to keep computers out of landfills. We make sure any place we send our recyclable equipment recycles it and does so in a safe manner and doesn’t exploit the earth or the people doing the recycling. I really love this place, we do some very good things, for people who can’t afford computers, people with too many computers and the earth, and we have some great people doing these things. One disclaimer, this information is based on the Portland location, others might do things slightly differently, but the basic idea is the same at all locations.

1. I'll need your 2nd favorite NBA team. If you are a purist and only have one favorite, then I'll need the other team that at least keeps you entertained the most.

The team I root for most is the Blazers. The team I root for most after the Blazers is the team playing the Lakers. Other than that, I root for former Blazers and their teams and the favorite teams of my friends on this forum, as long as those teams aren’t the Lakers or playing the Blazers.

2. If gambitnut was already taken when you went to register, what name would you have chosen?

Not sure. Probably something else to do with chess. Or maybe Blaine, that’s what I did when gambitnut was taken when I registered on the FICS (Free Internet Chess Server). Freek, a Free Geek reference and my user title here, is another possibility.

3. If you could un-ban one person on this forum, which one would it be?

We ban so few people that I think you really have to deserve it to be banned.

When was the last time you posted a topic that had to do with the livelihood of forum members?

What do you mean by livelihood? Does the entertainment they get from basketball have to do with their livelihood? How about a place to get a free computer or keep their old computer from going into a landfill? Other than those things, no idea.

Have you ever found a computer that was made entirely of chocolate? If so, did it work?

I’ve seen people do some strange things with computers, but I’ve never seen one made out of chocolate. I assume you mean a case made out of chocolate, with the rest of the parts made out of normal materials, data storage might be a problem otherwise. After I saw this question, I started asking people at Free Geek if it is possible to put standard computer parts in a chocolate case and keep the case cool enough to keep the chocolate from melting but have the parts still work. The consensus was that it would be hard, but possible.

Do you like the X-Men?

Unlike most geeks, I’ve never really gotten into sci-fi and comics.

Belle or Sebastian?

They’re from the X-Men, right I don’t know enough about them to answer the question.

Do you know that I have been crying over you(Orbison-style)?

Great singer. Great song. I see no reason to cry over me though.

King Herod, what's he got to do with me?

From what google tells me, you conspired with King Herod to kill Jesus. I’m no expert though and I’m just doing a quick search, I might not have it quite right.

Edit: I broke the rules. You don't have to answer my questions.

I’ll let it slide this time.

Whats wrong with this pic?
A) She's not in my bed
B) She has no Belly Button

B. I’d have to know her before I’d say A.

What is your fav CD of all time?

I’m a huge Motown fan but I would have a hard time picking one favorite. I’ll pick the Temptations as my favorite group and I’ll name their Anthology as my favorite CD if that counts. If not, I have no idea.

If you could only watch one movie, what would it be?

I can’t think of a movie, so I’ll take the opportunity to plug a short film my mom and a friend from Free Geek made about Free Geek.

The long version.

[video=google;3343196262291457240]http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...ei=szE6SZK8NJzaqAPBjLCbCw&q=free+geek[/video]

The short version.

[video=youtube;625LPUACix0]"]

1) What do you think of the Rocket's chances of getting out of the first round?

They have the talent to play with anybody, but their chances of getting out of the first round are directly related to their chances of being healthy.

2) When you're not posting on this board, what are you doing?

Playing chess. Working at Free Geek.

3) What are your plans for the future, career wise?

Continue to volunteer at Free Geek. I’ll probably die there.

What do you eat for Breakfast? Do you have a favorite cereal?

Usually a pastry and juice. Don't really have a favorite cereal.

Have you ever played Dungeons & Dragons and if so when was the last time?

I’m also not as much of a gamer as most geeks.

If you were on Let's Make a Deal in the 70's, would you trade what you believe to be a car behind door #1 for $1500?

Can I sell the car for more than $1500? If not, I’d probably take the money, I don’t have a need for a car.

What is your favorite television show?

Don’t watch much television, mostly sports. All time favorite I’ll go with the Wonder Years.

1) Why is everyone a hater?

Because they don’t volunteer at Free Geek. There is too much love and too many good vibes to be a hater if you work there.

2) If you could have 1 wish, what would it be?

More wishes of course. If I can’t have that, the ability for myself and all of my friends and family to live forever.

3) What do you honestly think of me as a poster?

Pretty funny, not sure if your jokes are always taken in the way the were meant. I like you though, and I’d like you even more if you were to check out the Free Geek in Toronto.

Greg Oden or Avrydas Sabonis in their prime? Who is better?

I never got to see Sabonis in his prime, but people who did tell me he was incredible. Oden is nowhere near his prime, so I have to say Sabonis for now, but I hope Oden is even better in his prime. I be thrilled though if he is just as good as Sabonis was in his prime. We might find out what would have happened if Sabonis had come over to play with those early 90’s teams.

Am I not the best person you have ever come into contact with??

I have a great family, including my Free Geek family, and see a ton of great people every day. You have some strong competition.

If you had one superpower what would it be?

Immortality.

Who would win a fight, Superman or Darth Vader?

Is “The Force” magic? I don’t think so, and if not, Superman wins easily.

Would you rather be in the Justice League, or some crapy group like the X-men?

The Justice League has a group that calls themselves Justice League Elite. I like socialism and communism where everybody is equal and I like people without egos, so I’ll go with the X-men.

Have you ever stoped reading what DaRizzle writes, and just stare at his sig? Follow up Am I weird for doing so?

I’ve stopped reading what DaRizzle writes because I couldn’t stop laughing. Just joking, DaRizzle is a good poster for a Laker fan. There is nothing wrong with staring at DaRizzle’s sig, most of the people on the site would probably be in trouble otherwise.

1) What do you think of me as a poster? Feel free to be as honest as you want.

Other than the obvious flaw of being a Laker fan, you’re pretty good.

2) If you could ban one person here, who would it be and why?

All of the Laker fans, one by one.

3) What is your all time favorite moment in sports?

Around the end of the 3rd quarter of game seven of the 2000 WCF. My least favorite was the end of that game.

4) If a doctor told you that you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do with those last 24 hours?

I really doubt I would do much different from what I usually do. I’m a creature of habit.

5) Assuming you've been to a concert before, who is the best live performance you've ever seen?

I’ll go with Smokey Robinson.

1. What do you know about Kosovo (always like to ask that lol)

Not much, other than what I remember from the Kosovo War and what I can find through google. I tried to see if I could find any famous chess players from Kosovo, but I couldn’t find any.

2. Microsoft or Apple? (can't say neither, choose one )

I’ve always be an Apple/Macintosh user. I’m typing this on an iMac. I have an iPhone. Since I got to Free Geek, I’ve learned to also love Linux, but Apple/Macintosh is still my favorite. I try to stay as far away from Microsoft as possible.

3. Since Darizzle already asked about the wheelchair, I'll ask this, do you think the country (govt, etc) does enough for people with special needs (whether it be people on wheelchair, etc)? (I personally think more can be done)

Much more can be done. Many places still aren’t accessible, the ADA has only been around since 1990 and many places haven’t remodeled and been required to address accessibility since then. Also, there might be services that are supposed to help people with special needs, but it can sometimes feel impossible to get through all the hoops they make you go through to get them, and many either are are unable to speak up for themselves and don’t have people who know the system helping speak for them and either get sick or die waiting for the services they need or just give up trying. I’m sure that’s what they count on. Not right if you ask me. If you’re going to offer services, your first priority should be making sure the people who need them get them.

4. Celtics or Lakers?

The Celtics are the lesser of two evils.

Do you think its crazy that people ask Celtics or Lakers, like those are the only two teams in the NBA?

Definitely!

Do you think Michigan State will win there bowl game?

I haven’t followed them much this season. Are they pretty good? Do we know yet what bowl game they will go to or who their opponent will be?

What do you think of Sean Avery's sloppy second's?

Pretty silly comment, but I have no idea why the NHL felt the need or right to suspend him for so long over that.

If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would they be and why?

Probably four chess players.

Do/did you ever play tournament chess? What was your highest rating? What is your current rating? Can you recount your best game or favorite experience?

My highest rating was 1599, but I always felt that I didn’t play in enough tournaments to get a true representation of my strength and I was somewhat underrated and I’ve been playing since my last tournament. I’m 1900 or so on FICS, that is probably closer to reality. No idea what my best game was. In 1993, I got 26th place, tied for 4th, in the Junior High School Chess Championships then went to the World Open shortly after, where I didn’t do so well.

Which are your favorite gambits?

I somewhat answered this earlier, basically anything that is designed to lure one of my opponent’s pawns away from the center.

If you could be any chess peice, which would it be and why? [extra points if you know which famous chess player was once asked this question and what his answer was]

I’ll go with the pawn, just when you forget about them, they show their true power. I think I’ve seen that quote from at least one famous player, but I can’t remember who or what they said.

If you could be any member of the Fellowship of the Rings, who would it be and why?

Never read the books or seen the movies.

What is your favorite fruit?

Off the top of my head I’ll go with strawberry, but I like most fruits.

Why am I tired all the time?

Do you get enough sleep? Do you have a stressful job just because it pays decent money? No idea.

Who is the greatest jazz pianist ever?

Thelonius Monk.

Why do kids these days think that rap and hip-hop is music?

No idea. What I want to know is why is it called music when the “singer” has to scream instead of sing, just to be heard over the loud instruments?

 

[tim]

Good read!

 

[JE]

If you couldn't tell by my questions gambitnut, I don't know the first thing about chess.

 

[Entity]

This is really fun. There are multiple ways this helps flesh out you posters. The answers, the way they're answered, the resonating themes.

 

[GMJ]

I think I'm one of the few people on the board who doesn't play chess.

 

[Moo2K4]

I used to play chess a lot. In fact, I obsessively played it on Pogo back in the day. Me and my old roommate also played pretty frequently, and I typically crushed him.

 

[huevonkiller]

Nice answers man.

 

[kobimel]

Great answers. I can give you info about the Blazers' Eurostash if you ever feel like it.

And I'm with you GMJ...I never could get into chess either.

 

[Dumpy]

I think I'm one of the few people on the board who doesn't play chess.

Unfortunately, you don't have the necessary intellect.

 

[Dumpy]

They’re from the X-Men, right I don’t know enough about them to answer the question.

Ha, I thought he was referring to Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" and Sebastian the crab from "The Little Mermaid."

Much more can be done. Many places still aren’t accessible, the ADA has only been around since 1990 and many places haven’t remodeled and been required to address accessibility since then. Also, there might be services that are supposed to help people with special needs, but it can sometimes feel impossible to get through all the hoops they make you go through to get them, and many either are are unable to speak up for themselves and don’t have people who know the system helping speak for them and either get sick or die waiting for the services they need or just give up trying. I’m sure that’s what they count on. Not right if you ask me. If you’re going to offer services, your first priority should be making sure the people who need them get them.

A few years ago, in Washington DC, a wheel-chair-bound guy was using the metro to go to a concert downtown, and he discovered that the elevator wasn't working [which is usually the case]. So he got back on the next train and went to the next stop. The elevator wasn't working there either. This continued for a few more stops until, totally frustrated and with the realization that he was trapped in the metro system and was going to miss part of if not most of the concert, he screamed a profanity while waiting on one of the metro platforms.

A police officer was walking by and gave him a ticket for swearing in public.

My highest rating was 1599, but I always felt that I didn’t play in enough tournaments to get a true representation of my strength and I was somewhat underrated and I’ve been playing since my last tournament. I’m 1900 or so on FICS, that is probably closer to reality. No idea what my best game was. In 1993, I got 26th place, tied for 4th, in the Junior High School Chess Championships then went to the World Open shortly after, where I didn’t do so well.

Everyone says that their rating is too low! I played in the World Open one year in the 90s, but I think it was 1994 or 1995. It's too expensive.

I’ll go with the pawn, just when you forget about them, they show their true power. I think I’ve seen that quote from at least one famous player, but I can’t remember who or what they said.

When asked that question, Tal answered that he'd be a pawn, because it was the only piece with potential.

Do you get enough sleep? Do you have a stressful job just because it pays decent money? No idea.

Oh.

Thelonius Monk.

That's probably acceptable.

Thanks for your answers!

 

[CelticKing]

Great answers gambitnut, I respect you even more now after reading these.

I'll even say GO BLAZERS, just one time.

lol

 

[Big Frame]

Thanks for answering the questions Gambitnut. I think I know a lil bit more about chess now. (Other then the pointy thing only goes diagonally)

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

Gambit, can you answer one more question?
Why do old people like Jazz so much? Does it make them feel black? Mormon?

 

[NJNetz]

Unfortunately, you don't have the necessary intellect.

Neither do I. Seriously.

 

[GMJ]

Unfortunately, you don't have the necessary intellect.

Nerd

 

[gambitnut]

Kobimel, hearing anything about Sinanovic? He was supposed to be good but very raw. Is he still good and any less raw?

 

[gambitnut]

Gambit, can you answer one more question?
Why do old people like Jazz so much? Does it make them feel black? Mormon?

My best guess is that is the music they grew up with. No idea though.

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

Nerd

You're going to med school.

 

[GMJ]

You're going to med school.

Don't jinx it!

 

[Dumpy]

Gambit, can you answer one more question?
Why do old people like Jazz so much? Does it make them feel black? Mormon?

You really want to know? Go to this concert and get back to me.

http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/events/evt_13767.html?selecteddate=01292009

 

[Dumpy]

Neither do I. Seriously.

chess is a game of psychology, which is why it is no fun to play a computer.

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

You really want to know? Go to this concert and get back to me.

http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/events/evt_13767.html?selecteddate=01292009

Nah, it's okay.









I already know I'm black.

 

[Dumpy]

Nah, it's okay.

I already know I'm black.

Your loss. He's the greatest and he rarely performs.

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

Eh, it's what I have bittorrent for. You see, I'm a black pirate.

 

[GMJ]

You really want to know? Go to this concert and get back to me.

http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/events/evt_13767.html?selecteddate=01292009

The remix was better

 

[GMJ]

Eh, it's what I have bittorrent for. You see, I'm a black pirate.

Captain Bluebeard Rum Water

 

[isrus]

Good read

 

[gambitnut]

Ha, I thought he was referring to Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" and Sebastian the crab from "The Little Mermaid."

GMJ said the same thing. When I googled Belle Sebastian, I got a music group. One of my friends at Free Geek who does like sci-fi and comics told me that Belle and Sebastian are from X-Men. Since the previous question was about the X-Men, I assumed that one was as well, but I could be wrong.

A few years ago, in Washington DC, a wheel-chair-bound guy was using the metro to go to a concert downtown, and he discovered that the elevator wasn't working [which is usually the case]. So he got back on the next train and went to the next stop. The elevator wasn't working there either. This continued for a few more stops until, totally frustrated and with the realization that he was trapped in the metro system and was going to miss part of if not most of the concert, he screamed a profanity while waiting on one of the metro platforms.

A police officer was walking by and gave him a ticket for swearing in public.

This reminds me of a vacation my mom and I took to Chicago in 1995. We were planning to take the "L" everywhere, but there were only two wheelchair accessible stations at the time, and one was broken. Then we checked to see if they had cabs with lifts, and were told that only two cities in the country had them at the time, Boston and Portland! Then we decided to walk and wheel to the Sears Tower and a few other sites one day, and found when we got back to the hotel that we had gone eight miles, in a major heat wave. We finally heard about something that worked fairly well, the mayor's office offered a lift service, mostly for very sick people. The one problem we had with that service was when we went to the Field Museum and the driver saw a ramp and dropped us off. The ramp had a lip of several inches just to get one it and was almost impossibly steep once we did get on it, and then we found several hundred feel of thick gravel to get to the front of the building, where we were met by another flight of stairs. When my mom went inside to ask where we were supposed to go, they were shocked that we had gone up that ramp and said we went up the dinosour ramp and the wheelchair ramp was on the other side of the building. I hope things are better there now.

More recently, I found out about a lift service from the Tri-Met bus company in Portland and got approved after many months and three appeals. Then I had a meeting with my case manager and he asked me if I buy monthly bus passes for this service, which I do, and tells me about a free service, which I am instantly approved for when he writes a letter. Things are getting better now, but I wish somebody had told me about the free service in the first place.

Everyone says that their rating is too low! I played in the World Open one year in the 90s, but I think it was 1994 or 1995. It's too expensive.

I wouldn't have been able to go if a very kind man hadn't paid my way, it is very expensive.

Thanks for your answers!

Thank you, and everybody else for the kind comments and fun questions! I really had fun doing this!

 

[Hudge]

Do you get enough sleep? Do you have a stressful job just because it pays decent money? No idea.

QUOTE]

Because he's never been to the Free Geek? (2nd from last question, if that wasn't funny, then I'm sorry, it was meant to be"

 

[gambitnut]

Do you get enough sleep? Do you have a stressful job just because it pays decent money? No idea.

QUOTE]

Because he's never been to the Free Geek? (2nd from last question, if that wasn't funny, then I'm sorry, it was meant to be"

Very funny. Yes, that was what I was thinking of when I gave my answer. Too often people seem to base their worth on how much money they make and have the goal in life to make as much money as possilbe so they can afford the latest thing. That's not what I find important. I'm not saying Dumpy is that way, I really have no idea why Dumpy feels tired, but I wish more people would be able to find a job they enjoy for the job, not for the money. I get paid a ton as my job and it makes me feel very rich, just not in money.