George W Bush: A genius?

[gallo]

Quote by: Right of Center I remember reading something from the AP that he nearly got a perfect on his SAT's and was accepted into Yale instantly.

Someone lied to you and you fell for it. Bush got 566 verbal and 640 math on his SAT. Those are not particularly good scores. Both my sons did better, especially in math. Bush got into Yale because of his father.

Quote by: Right of Center He graduated with a bachelor degree in History and was not kicked out for cheating (i.e. like Ted Kennedy).

History isn't all that demanding and I don't think his grades were all that good. Not sure why you think that Kennedy should be relevant.

At least we can't point out that Bush never went to Viet Nam anymore. He made it in 2006. While my brothers and I served back in the 60s, Bush got into a closed Reserve unit and then didn't have the ganas to actually attend the required meetings.

Quote by: Right of Center Either way he doesn't appear to act amazingly smart but he didn't do too bad in school.

He did quite mediocre in school. He doesn't appear to act amazingly smart because he isn't. I agree with Sexorcist about reading "Bush on the Couch". You will learn that Dubya is ADHD and Dyslexic. The book explains a lot, like why he gets hooked on pat phrases and limited ideas, and why he can't adapt to new situations.

Quote by: Right of Center Sorry I don't remember the exact date of the article but I bet you could find it with a Google Scholar search or something.

Better left unfound since article meant to dupe the ignorant faithful aren't worth the trouble.

[Scribbler1]

Quote by: Paleface2500 What would you do? Maybe say something like “please don’t fly planes into our buildings and I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t commit mass genocide. Oh and maybe you could stop manufacturing nuclear weapons. If you do this again, we will get very mad and fire a missile at you”.

I wouldn't say anything, mainly because I wouldn't WANT to be president. I probably would have nuked Afghanistan right after 9/11. But I can say that because I don't need the restraint of a president.
Nice attempt at a cheap shot by mistakenly assuming I'm a pacifist, though.

[Chaossaber314]

Quote by: gallo History isn't all that demanding and I don't think his grades were all that good.

Really? And what school did you attend again?

[Jack]

Gallo you old dog, when did you get elected president?

[gallo]

Quote by: Chaossaber314 Really? And what school did you attend again?

St. Mary's College, CA, Montana State University, El Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico, The University of Montana. I have A.A, B.S., B.A, M.S., M.A.

How about you?

[gallo]

Quote by: Isherwood Gallo you old dog, when did you get elected president?

???

[Chaossaber314]

Quote by: gallo St. Mary's College, CA, Montana State University, El Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico, The University of Montana. I have A.A, B.S., B.A, M.S., M.A. How about you?

Somewhere I don't pretend is better than Yale.

[gallo]

Quote by: Chaossaber314 Somewhere I don't pretend is better than Yale.

Grow up. I didn't pretend that anywhere I went to school is better than Yale, and in fact, I made no remarks that could be remotely construed as critical of Yale. In fact, as I understand it, Yale has quite a good program in my field. My remarks were about the modest intelligence of our President, and the less than stellar grades he received while there. That, in fact, to my way of thinking, is a glowing compliment for Yale.

Whether you like it or not, a degree in history is not all that demanding as I see it. It requires reading comprehension and modest memory. To do well would require the ability to place memorized events into the context of the times in which they occurred. Not a common talent, and certainly not one that our President possesses. Sadly, the lessons of history don't seem to have been learned by our President.

Of course, in his favor is the fact that he actually earned an MBA from Harvard, yet again, with less than stellar grades (but at least a B average).

On the other hand, a degree in something like nuclear physics is demanding and requires reading comprehension, excellent memory, logic, and mathematical talent.

When I was in high school it was a joke that the coaches were history teachers (although two I knew taught business - bookkeeping and typing). In my state, coaches had to have real degrees and actually teach classes. None of them would rank in the top half of the teachers I had.

So that's my opinion. If you don't like it, then offer your opinion rather than misrepresent what I said. At least you can be honest, can't you?

So now, where did you go to school (that is implied to be better than Yale) and what degrees do you have? Put up or shut up. While you are at it, why not specify fields of study. I have minors, majors or graduate degrees in Latin, Spanish, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Biology.

Your turn.

[Jack]

Gallo, I was trying to make a point that where you went to school was in no way germane to the discussion. But you fielded that red herring pretty well.

A friend once reminded me that in every graduating class of every school there's someone who just barely graduated, the guy at the very bottom of the class. We were discussing this in relation to doctors. Imagine, your doctor may have been that guy.

In this case, I think it's the Pres.

[gallo]

Quote by: Isherwood Gallo, I was trying to make a point that where you went to school was in no way germane to the discussion. But you fielded that red herring pretty well. A friend once reminded me that in every graduating class of every school there's someone who just barely graduated, the guy at the very bottom of the class. We were discussing this in relation to doctors. Imagine, your doctor may have been that guy. In this case, I think it's the Pres.

Ah! I see. However, although my grades as an undergraduate were anything but stellar, I wasn't at the bottom. In fact, after my first two years I had a GPA well above 3.0. It was the last two years that killed me, and I ended up with a 2.8 GPA. Not all that much better than Dubya. However, in graduate school I did much better, finishing with a 3.8 over all, and even earning a 4.0 in my first semester.

An interesting fact is that Lt. Col. (brevet Brig. Gen) George A. Custer graduated last in his class at West Point. If Dubya had gone to West Point, where would he have graduated (if he had graduated)? At least Custer showed up for duty.

[Jack]

And look what it got him. Maybe in this one respect the current George wasn't so dumb after all.

[gallo]

Quote by: Isherwood And look what it got him. Maybe in this one respect the current George wasn't so dumb after all.

Well, having grown up less than 50 miles from the Custer Battlefield National Monument (that's just outside of Crow Agency, Montana), I wrote a research paper on the battle in both high school and college (got an A on both). I have visited the site on many occasions. The similarities are that Custer was brash and dashed in without proper evaluation of the situation. The differences are Dubya's need to out do dad and the fact that his advisers told him what they knew he wanted to hear.

In my opinion, any fool could have seen that an invasion of Iraq would result in a civil war with us in the middle. I have only my wife to witness that I said so before the invasion. It's not rocket science.

One objection is that Custer lead his battalion into battle (after having served honorably during the Civil War). Dubya isn't leading anyone and never has. He ducked his obligation (while my brothers and I were serving).

[Chaossaber314]

Quote by: Gallo So that's my opinion. If you don't like it, then offer your opinion rather than misrepresent what I said. At least you can be honest, can't you?

It wasn't my intention to misrepresent what you were saying. I believe we've had a misunderstanding. No hard feelings.

I took your criticism of his major and his grades in relationship to the institution he attended since they're the people that would have distributed both of these to him. A "C" average in a history program at Yale is probably going to hold a little more weight than an "A" average in a history program at Nowheresville Community College.

So now, where did you go to school (that is implied to be better than Yale) and what degrees do you have?

I never implied it to better than Yale. Quite the opposite. I said "Somewhere I don't pretend is better than Yale."

I'm not done with my first degree though I'm getting there. I could finish it over the summer if I had the motivation. I'm majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in political science and psychology. I'm basically done with all my major requirements since I took things a bit out of sequence since it's been such a chore to get into the classes I need. Like I took my 400 level con law course before I took the 300 level Judicial Systems course with the same instructor. Fortunately, we have very liberal prerequisite requirements for most departments so that hasn't really been an issue. Looks like I'll probably be graduating in a year with honors and then moving on to either law school or failing that finishing what classes I had left in psychology.

I've had pretty exceptional undergrad grades. I think (though I'm not sure because last I checked my semester grades they hadn't upgraded my cumulative GPA) I'm sitting on a 3.6.

[Paleface2500]

Quote by: Isherwood Good points. Exactly why some of us are totally fed up with the bungling of both parties. They've all been in power so long they've forgotten everything except exercising their power. The left and right aren't opposites, they're exactly the same.

You know i will give you that. The lines between Democrat and Republican are getting increasingly blury.

[The Sexorcist]

Quote by: Paleface2500 You know not what you speak of. Maybe we should put a democrat in office? That way, the terrorist can blow up ships, barracks and buildings unmolested.

What makes you think that a Democrat would do any worse? For that fact, what makes you think the Administration has done ANYTHING? Go ahead and tell me exactly how many terrorist plots against the US Bush has foiled (that shoe bomber doesn't count). The fact that there hasn't been another terrorist attack on the US doesn't mean Bush's actions had anything to do with it.

Quote by: Paleface2500 If Clinton would have did something the first time they hit the towers the towers would still be standing and the USS Cole wouldn’t have a gaping freaking hole in it.

I'll give you that. I was never a fan of Clinton (so accusing me of being sympathetic to his cause is a waste of time). Maybe if he wasn't leting NATO bomb the pants off of Bosnia and that whole area, he could have focused on destroying radical Muslim movements But he didn't, and now we have to live in the present.

Quote by: Paleface2500 Maybe you like free handouts. Maybe you want government run schools and medical care. Maybe you want to live in a quasi socialistic society ran by the democrats.

Free handouts? Government run schools and hospitals? Socialism? What does this have to do with Bush's imcompetence? Why would you bring this stuff up?

But while we're on it....no, I don't want free handouts, the government already runs the schools, yes we need socialized healthcare, and since when are Democrats socialists? Next!

Quote by: Paleface2500 Hey we can assume our pre World War II isolationist stance again. Would that make you happy? Do like seeing terrorist blow shit up and you socialistic democratic government do nothing about it?

Where do you get all these ideas about my poltical philosophy from? It must be easier to just ASSUME I want these things then to actually find out. A very pathetic debate tactic.

There's a huge difference between isolationism and domination of the world, which is our STATED foreign policy. Both are extreme and need to be rejected. We need to build international community, reform and then work through the UN and international bodies, cut ties or at least scale way back with Israel, support the World Court and stop using proxy wars to push our interests over other countires'. You do know that the US supported Al-Qaidea in the 80's with weapons and training to fight the Soviets, right? 9/11 was blowback (a CIA term) from these actions, among others.

Oh, yeah, I looooved seeing 9/11 happen. I loooooved seeing the Pentagon have a hoel blasted in the side of it. I absolutley got off watching people jump dozens of stories out of the WTC to escape the diesel fuel fire. Don't talk to me like that again.

Quote by: Paleface2500 Here is a little fun fact for you. How many successful terrorist attacks were there win Clinton was in office? At least 3 Now how many since Bush? I only remember one.

The USS Cole? The Madrid train bombings?

Here's a few more...
June 14 '02- Karachie, Pakitstan
May 12 '03- Riydah, Saudi Arabia
May 29-31 '04- Ridyah, Saudi Arabia
June 11-19 '04- Ridyah Saudi Arabia
December 6 '04- Jeddah Saudi Arabia
November 9 '05- Amman, Jordan
...those are all attacks on America abroad.

[The_Genius]

Nah... He is far from being a genius.

[Osborn F Enready]

But, he could be "The Genius".

[Paleface2500]

Quote by: The Sexorcist What makes you think that a Democrat would do any worse? For that fact, what makes you think the Administration has done ANYTHING? Go ahead and tell me exactly how many terrorist plots against the US Bush has foiled (that shoe bomber doesn't count). The fact that there hasn't been another terrorist attack on the US doesn't mean Bush's actions had anything to do with it. I'll give you that. I was never a fan of Clinton (so accusing me of being sympathetic to his cause is a waste of time). Maybe if he wasn't leting NATO bomb the pants off of Bosnia and that whole area, he could have focused on destroying radical Muslim movements But he didn't, and now we have to live in the present. Free handouts? Government run schools and hospitals? Socialism? What does this have to do with Bush's imcompetence? Why would you bring this stuff up? But while we're on it....no, I don't want free handouts, the government already runs the schools, yes we need socialized healthcare, and since when are Democrats socialists? Next! Where do you get all these ideas about my poltical philosophy from? It must be easier to just ASSUME I want these things then to actually find out. A very pathetic debate tactic. There's a huge difference between isolationism and domination of the world, which is our STATED foreign policy. Both are extreme and need to be rejected. We need to build international community, reform and then work through the UN and international bodies, cut ties or at least scale way back with Israel, support the World Court and stop using proxy wars to push our interests over other countires'. You do know that the US supported Al-Qaidea in the 80's with weapons and training to fight the Soviets, right? 9/11 was blowback (a CIA term) from these actions, among others. Oh, yeah, I looooved seeing 9/11 happen. I loooooved seeing the Pentagon have a hoel blasted in the side of it. I absolutley got off watching people jump dozens of stories out of the WTC to escape the diesel fuel fire. Don't talk to me like that again. The USS Cole? The Madrid train bombings? Here's a few more... June 14 '02- Karachie, Pakitstan May 12 '03- Riydah, Saudi Arabia May 29-31 '04- Ridyah, Saudi Arabia June 11-19 '04- Ridyah Saudi Arabia December 6 '04- Jeddah Saudi Arabia November 9 '05- Amman, Jordan ...those are all attacks on America abroad.

Very well.......to each his own.

[Chaossaber314]

Just for reference, the USS Cole bombing occurred in October of 2000 which was before the election even took place.

[The Sexorcist]

Quote by: Chaossaber314 Just for reference, the USS Cole bombing occurred in October of 2000 which was before the election even took place.

That's true. My mistake.