what a comment?

[Neognosis]

I need to qualify my previous remarks by saying that I don't know what GW's grades were exactly, I only remember this being brought up by democrats during the election.

[jt09]

Cameraboy - I agree with Bush's pronunciation of nuclear..but he isn't the only one who does it...I want to strangle every last person who pronounces it that way...it does sound stupid, but so many people don't even realize it is incorrect...just one of my pet peeves, along with those who mispronounce Porsche.

However, if you are going to nit-pik little things like that, then cover your ass. His undergrad grades could not have been dismal before he got into Yale - he was an undergrad AT Yale. I suppose you meant his high school grades. I would venture to bet the folks holding degrees from Harvard and Yale are a bit above average in intelligence...the three people I know who went to either school are unbelievably bright folks.

Regardless of where he got his degree, the guy was a fighter pilot as well. Probably not the easiest of tasks to master. He did own and run a large oil and gas company - earning a profit. He did put together the group that bought the Texas Rangers, and then sold them for a handsome profit. He was also the govenor of Texas (and a pretty darn good one at that), and no matter how you feel about Texas, we are a damn large state with many different political interests and socioeconomic groups. When he was re-elected, it wasn't even close. Whatever the guy has done, he has done well and left in better shape than when he showed up. Hardly moronic.

I know exactly how you meant the word. I understand you don't like the guy. Fair enough. Just put a bit of thought into how you criticize him. There are plenty of things he screws up, like the environment, that you can soundly bash the guy on. And if you are going to jump on his pronunication, you might try doing a spell check once in a while. Remeber, it's the little things that can make you look moronic.

[Neognosis]

Actually, I don't have much of an opinion either way about the president. What I am pissed off about, and I guess I was misplacing that anger, is the attitude that some people seem to have developed in the past few months. The attitude that I'm talking about is that if you criticize the president or the country, then you are a bad American and you should leave the country. I am so tired of hearing that garbage. Why don't people understand how unamerican that THAT is?

You bring up some good points that I am not knowledgeable enough to dispute about GW's past. Regardless, someone with a staff of people who tell you how to pronounce words should say the f'ing word Nuclear correctly. Agreed?

And are you saying that I look moronic? Because if you are, let me know, and I'll step up the tone of my argument accordingly.

[jt09]

I can agree with you on your point regarding people's right to free speech - unconditionally and absolutely. If you look back at my original reply, I say that Natalie Maines (I think that is her name) has every right to speak her mind freely. At the same time, her judgement was probably not the best in terms of her forum or choice of words. As an American, I also have the right to criticize her freely. I do think the #1 moronic thing people can say is, "If you don't like it, then you can leave." Part of being an American is the freedom to disagree with the Gov't, etc.

Yes, someone with a staff whose job it is to make sure you say things correctly should be able to pronounce nuclear.

I didn't call you moronic. What I said was be careful how you attack people. If you are going to bash someone for how they speak, be careful how you write. Kind of a glass house thing. A bit like Joan and Melissa Rivers wearing stupid stuff while they criticize the stars at the Oscars.

[Neognosis]

Sure. I know I misspell things, I'm usually writing to fast to bother to spell check.

No red carpet at the oscars. They are afraid of terrorist attacks. Like killing Vin Diesel is going to wreck the American psyche.

[Swass]

Riverfreak, I don't recall calling you any degrading names, but you are correct, I defend her right to make an ass of herself, just as Sean Penn did.

In both cases, I don't agree with their message or their chosen forum, but I do defend their right to express their opinion. In the Dixie Hicks' case, I hope she really means it, because she's going to pay dearly for it.

[Nor*Cal]

Swass- You make a great point. I fully support their right to protest but I disagree with how they are using their celebrity to make a political statement. I think I saw a clip where the media asked Brad Pitt? what he thought of the war. His response, "Why does it matter what I think I'm a grown man paid to wear makeup."

[Leggester]

One thing CameraBoy. You're from New York right? Well, I bet if you listened to yourself, you'd here a lot of mispronunciations and an accent thick as a brick.

I married a Texan. I must say, I can barely understand her mother ( North Texas, the real part, not West Louisana )

As to Nucular, many mispronounce that word, not just President Bush.

Here's a thought. Will the Air Force let a 'dummy' fly jets? No. They need a pretty damn good education or the A.F. will not let them be pilots.

As to not winning the 'popular vote'? Well, that's why we set up the college. Otherwise, this country would be dominated by five states. That's right, just five states would decide the presidency. The five most populated states would outvote all teh rest combined. That's why we're a representative republic, not a democracy.

And yes, having a degree from one of those colleges means a great deal. That's why they are famous and very hard to get into. Having a degree from you local community college isn't like one from Yale. You are required to learn general classes as well as your major. Now, common sense is something else.

All Presidents have had staff to advise them. That's what they are there for. Also, speach writers. The question I think you have to ask yourself is when President Bush speaks, do you believe him?

Personally, I do.

[Neognosis]

Hey leggester, I'm not the President of the United States. I don't have a staff of people who check my spelling and pronunciation. If I did, I probably wouldn't say nuc-U-ler. Especially if the whole world was watching me and judging what I had to say.

And how did Bush get into Harvard on less than average grades? Could it be because of who he is? That's my point.

Hey, were did JFK junior go to college? Ivy League, right? Well, why did he have to take the bar exam several times to pass, yet he went to an Ivy League school? Could it be because Ivy League educations can be bought, and the bar exam is harder buy your way through? My only point here is that logically, an Ivy League education does not ALWAYS indicate a higher level of intelligence, which is a very hard thing to quantify anyway.

Maybe GW is very smart, and he just doesn't care how he appears. Maybe it's a calculated mis-pronunciation to appeal to the type of people that seem to love him the most.

Citing the president's educational background and his military service isn't going to convince me that he's a smart man.

And no, I don't believe anything anyone who holds a public office says. I think that truth or lies don't matter in politics, both are just tools to achieve an end.

[OttoNP]

Okay I've been trying to find Bush's GPA and have had no luck. I would think that if it was as bad as you claim it to be it would be easily accessible. Additionally, the only thing I can find is something saying that his high school GPA was less than steller and that his SAT scores were good. This would have been what got him into Yale, not Harvard. Additionally his father went to Yale and probably donated a lot of money. Colleges rely on donations for funding, I graduated from Georgia Tech and you can bet that I get stuff all the time asking for money. What is my motivation for giving them money? If I give them all kinds of money they had better admit my kids, if no one got any benefits from donating no one would. Nearly all colleges give extra points if your parents are alumni.

After receiving a undergrad from Yale acceptance into Harvard is probably not difficult because he had a degree from Yale. I also could not find his GPA at Yale.

There are two ways to look at it, it would seem as if everyone should have an equal right to all the advantages. Everyone should get money for college, have a car when they are 16, etc... that sounds fair, right?

But then when you think about it when your a parent, I'll work hard during my life so that my kids can easily go to college and have all the advantages, that's my right as a parent. It seems a little unfair because everyone is born innocent, but your parents accomplishments (or lack of) have an affect on your life.

Finally, who cares if he mispronounces a word? grammer, writing, all that english stuff doesn't really matter much anymore, it's funny reading about those grammer nuts that are getting angry about how cell phone text messaging is creating short cuts like, GTG, TTYL, ROFL, etc...
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DILAUDID REHAB ADVICE

[Swass]

"...grammer, writing, all that english stuff doesn't really matter much anymore..."

Do you honestly believe that?!? Doesn't it bother you knowing that someone's first reaction to something you wrote or said is, "boy, that was terrible"?

Trust me...it DOES matter. If you get better at it, it might matter to you, too.

[OttoNP]

Please, Microsoft Word will fix most thing these days and it's getting better all the time. I guess maybe you need to sound intelligent so people will listen to you, but most people talk well enough for that. Good grammer doesn't create practical applications. I'm just an engineer at heart...and maybe egging you on a little...are you enjoying all the snow in CO?

Also, I dont tink mine post r dat bad!

Nick
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Zx14 Vs Hayabusa

[jt09]

OttoNP - Good grammAr

Just f*ing with you bro - thought I would beat Swass to the punch.

Personally I think proper speaking and writing are incredibly important. Ask any headhunter out there and they will tell you that one of the things that separates job candidates is the ability to write well. I am anal by nature, but the English obsession was brought on by Dr. Constance Helge, my 10th grade who charged us $0.10 for every grammatical error, $0.25 on Wednesdays.

[Swass]

You're right, good grammAr does not create practical applications; however, it does promote effective and efficient communication, which is essential to the process. You communicate with your peers, right? Don't you care how well you do it?

MS Word cannot fix poor grammar. Only you can do that, but you can't do it if you don't try.

Why would you want to egg me on? I've certainly never done anything like that.

The snow was great - I had a three day paid vacation.

[OttoNP]

I've always thought it was important, I just wanted to see the grammar Nazis come out...thus the egging....sorry . Although it is important, sometimes it bothers me when someone is judged on their grammar and even more so on their pronunciation. I'd bet that Bush would spell nuclear right and it is probably just an accent, though I don't remember exactly what it sounds like when he says it.

Nick
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Dc Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

[Neognosis]

I suppose it is no big deal, and just because he doesn't say the word right does not, logically, mean that he is not intelligent. (he says nuc-U-ler, when the word should be nuc-LE-er).

I just don't know how I feel about someone who had all the advantages of wealth and power growing up, and was able to coast through to one of the most prestigious educations in the land. I'm not a Clinton fan either, but that guy was dirt poor and became a Rhodes Scholar. (Rhode? Rhodes?). You have to respect that more than someone who was born entitled to all those other advantages, know what I mean? I think electing the son of a previous president makes us look like an economic monarchy.

[Swass]

I resent the term "grammar Nazi." I'm performing a public service.

You drew me out with your "grammar is not important" claim, not because of your grammar. I usually don't rag on someone for poor grammar, but I REALLY hate the psudo gangland style that kids are using these days. That habit promotes terrible grammar. I fail to see what's so cool about looking like an illiterate fool, but I guess I'm just out of touch.

Gimme a pound, dawg!

[jt09]

LOL Swass!!!! As much as I hate that same ghetto grammar, I just taught my 3 yr old daughter the fist pound, complete with a "yo dawg!" I think it is the funniest thing ever and could watch her do it 100 times in a row....her mother was not impressed.

[OttoNP]

I agree cameraboy, it is much more impressive when someones makes it on their own. I like Bush a lot more than Clinton though, I never felt that Clinton was honest or a good person but I think Bush means what he says and is a good person.

I think it is good that you guys correct us, I know I proofread my posts more than I used to...thanks! The new edit option probably takes away some of your business though...

Nick
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OPEL STRAIGHT-6 ENGINE

[B-rad]

I can not respect Clinton for his impeachment, the other indictments that he was under and the lying under oath. I think he was a very shady character and did everything he could to make more $$ no matter how illegal or morally wrong it was. I also can not fault Bush for being brought up the way he was. His parents and grandparents did everything they could do to make sure the future generations would be successful and provided for, and for that I can not fault them for it.

[Neognosis]

Nobody said anything about faulting GW for being brought up with priviledge. It was more to point out that life was pretty darn easy for GW when other people had to struggle to get the type of education he was given.

Though I think that there is something to be said for the President being more able to identify with the common man.....

[jt09]

So......back to the original Dixie Chicks statement...here is the best response I have heard yet - and it says SO much about Texans!

Lance Berkman, Houston Astros outfielder and Texas native: "They claim Texas as their home state, making derogatory and divisive comments like that? I don't want to shoot them or anything. I just want them to move to Oklahoma."

[B-rad]

Damn, that's great. I love his outlook on the situation.