From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Dan Cross Message-Id: <200102051855.NAA18915@augusta.math.psu.edu> To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu Subject: Re: [9fans] plan 9 wiki experiment In-Reply-To: <10102011138.ZM43426@marvin> References: Cc: Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 13:55:29 -0500 Topicbox-Message-UUID: 597ff7da-eac9-11e9-9e20-41e7f4b1d025 In article <10102011138.ZM43426@marvin> you write: >You know, I was at Murray Hill for twelve years, but every time someone >brings up the suburban horrors of New Jersey, I'm forced to remember >the first time I visited Bell Labs (July 1975.) The directions we were given >were `From New York, get onto Route 22, go to the first MacDonalds, turn >right just past the arches, go right at the tee, up the hill to Mountain >Ave, etc.' Now, the first MacDonalds was about a 20 mile drive through >the worst of strip-mall New Jersey, but after those two quick rights (past >the unmentioned cement quarry), we were in the beautiful woods of the >Watchung Reservation. It was like something out of The Divine Comedy, >as we passed from the inferno to paradise... > >The area has been built up a bit since then, but still, especially >when the leaves are falling in October, you can still get a little feeling >of entering a magic place as you climb the Watchung mountains to Murray >Hill. (Of course, the gebrauchsarchitektur of the liquid nitrogen plant >and the lab buildings at MH pretty much destroy the illusion, but you miss >those if you go through the front door.) Hmm.... The one and only time I was at Murray Hill was many years ago. I remember being particularly impressed with the stairs outside; they looked like they'd be a lot of fun to skateboard on. While I'm sure that New Jersey has some nice parts, the places I see most frequently are pretty depressing (Hoboken, Newark, etc). I must admit, however, that my friend's place in Weehawken (opposite 42nd St) is pretty nice and has a stunning view of Manhattan; better, indeed, than any view one can get from Manhattan itself. When I was at Penn State, one could avail oneself of some pretty spectacular scenery. I always thought that the campus itself was very beautiful, as well. I don't know how much it's changed since I left, though. Scott? - Dan C.