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Bill scott
SFN Addict
USA
2103 Posts |
 Posted - 12/11/2006 : 13:39:50
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped to head the Intelligence Committee when the Democrats take over in January, failed a quiz of basic questions about al Qaeda and Hezbollah, two of the key terrorist organizations the intelligence community has focused on since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/12/incoming-house-intelligence-chief.html
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"Lets get one thing clear, Bill. Science does make some assumptions." -perrodetokio-
"In the end as skeptics we must realize that there is no real knowledge, there is only what is most reasonable to believe." -Coelacanth-
The fact that humans do science is what causes errors in science. -Dave W.-
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Original_Intent
SFN Regular
USA
609 Posts |
 Posted - 12/11/2006 : 15:47:56 [Permalink]
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LOL
I wonder if they gave the test to everyone, and how many of them would flunk (current administration and incoming).
Peace
Joe |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2006 : 17:39:15 [Permalink]
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George W Bush didn't know the name of Mexico's foreign minister when he ran for president, but he was elected anyway.
It seems to me that enough Americans to count doesn't care if the politician is competent for his post or not. As far as I can see, it's business as usual. That's not the skeptic, but the cynic in me that's talking.  |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Bill scott
SFN Addict
USA
2103 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2006 : 20:13:59 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
George W Bush didn't know the name of Mexico's foreign minister when he ran for president, but he was elected anyway.
It seems to me that enough Americans to count doesn't care if the politician is competent for his post or not. As far as I can see, it's business as usual. That's not the skeptic, but the cynic in me that's talking.
quote:
George W Bush didn't know the name of Mexico's foreign minister when he ran for president, but he was elected anyway.
Who cares? I would expect him to know the Prez, but not the FM. Besides, Mexico is not activily trying to blow up the US with nukes, either
quote:
It seems to me that enough Americans to count doesn't care if the politician is competent for his post or not. As far as I can see, it's business as usual. That's not the skeptic, but the cynic in me that's talking.
It's not so much that as it is that we don't have a honest person running to even vote for in most cases. It's that ol' power corupts thing. It's rather common in most govornments. |
"Lets get one thing clear, Bill. Science does make some assumptions." -perrodetokio-
"In the end as skeptics we must realize that there is no real knowledge, there is only what is most reasonable to believe." -Coelacanth-
The fact that humans do science is what causes errors in science. -Dave W.-
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| Edited by - Bill scott on 12/11/2006 20:26:55 |
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Bill scott
SFN Addict
USA
2103 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2006 : 20:26:05 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Original_Intent
LOL
I wonder if they gave the test to everyone, and how many of them would flunk (current administration and incoming).
Peace
Joe
quote:
LOL
It is rather amusing until you remember that these dudes, al Qaeda & Hezbollah, will use nukes on whoever they can, just as soon as Iran gives them a device to do so. Then watch out. If one them sets off a device in the US, or in Israel, oh my! I am afraid it is going to be on then. First nucler war, or alest an exchange, the world has ever seen. |
"Lets get one thing clear, Bill. Science does make some assumptions." -perrodetokio-
"In the end as skeptics we must realize that there is no real knowledge, there is only what is most reasonable to believe." -Coelacanth-
The fact that humans do science is what causes errors in science. -Dave W.-
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moakley
SFN Regular
USA
1888 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 05:43:58 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Bill scott
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped to head the Intelligence Committee when the Democrats take over in January, failed a quiz of basic questions about al Qaeda and Hezbollah, two of the key terrorist organizations the intelligence community has focused on since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
I suspect that he knows the basics now or that he will know by the time he heads the committee. Being an effective leader means relying on a staff of experts to fill in the gaps in his knowledge. Initially the gaps will be larger and through time and new situations the gaps will be larger. I suspect that through time the staff of experts will help fill those gaps. To be effective he must be willing to consider all summary information provided without regard to political ideology. What a refreshing change that would be. |
Life is good
Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. -Anonymous |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 05:55:14 [Permalink]
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A lot of politicians are ignorant, but know to have reliable advisers on hand. George Bush is one of the ignorant ones, but has bad advisers to boot, like Condi Rice. Rice, then his National Security Adviser (National Security Adviser!), said publicly after the 9/11 attacks, that Afghanistan was a Shi'ite nation, apparently confusing it with Iran. Even I knew that Sunnis were the dominant sect there. Can't do much worse than Bush and his idiots have done.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 12/12/2006 05:58:07 |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 07:31:12 [Permalink]
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Too soon to say whether Reyes will be any good or not. Me, I hope he works out at least OK. We really need a break from arrant incompetence due to political loyalty to a sociopathic dunce and his foundered philosophies.
We shall see; we shall see....
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 09:31:42 [Permalink]
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Bill, Bill,, Bill…
After doggedly refusing to take the advice of experts who warned the Bush administration of the mistakes they were making, because they didn't want to hear anything that didn't please them in their goal of creating a pro American democracy in Iraq, from generals to our own state department (a department they were quick to marginalize even though that department had been working on middle eastern problems for years) you have the nerve to complain about an appointment because the person isn't up to speed on the issues.
Bush and company, who were not up to speed on the issues, were given many an analysis done by experts who were up to speed on the issues, and ignored them demonstrating that they did not have the ability to learn. And when things started to go wrong, what did they do? They continued to make the same mistakes. (Stay the coarse.) Making the same mistake over and over again is a symptom of insanity. The neo-con vision of the Middle East blinded them to any reality, no matter from what direction it came from or how expert were the messengers.
Come back in a year and tell us how this appointment was a bad one after it can be demonstrated that Reyes has shown the same disregard for expert advice that the Bush administration has shown.
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Original_Intent
SFN Regular
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 13:02:25 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Bill scott
quote:
Originally posted by Original_Intent
LOL
I wonder if they gave the test to everyone, and how many of them would flunk (current administration and incoming).
Peace
Joe
quote:
LOL
It is rather amusing until you remember that these dudes, al Qaeda & Hezbollah, will use nukes on whoever they can, just as soon as Iran gives them a device to do so. Then watch out. If one them sets off a device in the US, or in Israel, oh my! I am afraid it is going to be on then. First nucler war, or alest an exchange, the world has ever seen.
Yep, I agree. However, I have taken a wait-and-see attitude torwards the whole thing. I don't really care if the person fails a pre-entrance exam, as long as he is not curropt, has good character, and gets up to speed.
As was pointed out. He is there to make the decisions and form the opinions. If he is not curropt and of good character, he will put the right people in the right place and use his (hopefully) superior reasoning to make the right decisions with no regard for polls.
Asking too much, probably..... Will I be disapointed.... probably. Any difirent from the last 20 years, probably not too much.
Peace
Joe |
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Bill scott
SFN Addict
USA
2103 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 14:23:10 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by moakley
quote:
Originally posted by Bill scott
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped to head the Intelligence Committee when the Democrats take over in January, failed a quiz of basic questions about al Qaeda and Hezbollah, two of the key terrorist organizations the intelligence community has focused on since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
I suspect that he knows the basics now or that he will know by the time he heads the committee. Being an effective leader means relying on a staff of experts to fill in the gaps in his knowledge. Initially the gaps will be larger and through time and new situations the gaps will be larger. I suspect that through time the staff of experts will help fill those gaps. To be effective he must be willing to consider all summary information provided without regard to political ideology. What a refreshing change that would be.
With nukes involved, or soon to be involved, I would still perfer a IC leader who knows what teams are playing the game. |
"Lets get one thing clear, Bill. Science does make some assumptions." -perrodetokio-
"In the end as skeptics we must realize that there is no real knowledge, there is only what is most reasonable to believe." -Coelacanth-
The fact that humans do science is what causes errors in science. -Dave W.-
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Bill scott
SFN Addict
USA
2103 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 14:26:28 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Too soon to say whether Reyes will be any good or not. Me, I hope he works out at least OK. We really need a break from arrant incompetence due to political loyalty to a sociopathic dunce and his foundered philosophies.
We shall see; we shall see....
quote:
We really need a break from arrant incompetence due to political loyalty to a sociopathic dunce and his foundered philosophies.
To late for that. Nancy blew that out of the water with her backing for majority leader.
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"Lets get one thing clear, Bill. Science does make some assumptions." -perrodetokio-
"In the end as skeptics we must realize that there is no real knowledge, there is only what is most reasonable to believe." -Coelacanth-
The fact that humans do science is what causes errors in science. -Dave W.-
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Bill scott
SFN Addict
USA
2103 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 14:37:35 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Kil
Bill, Bill,, Bill…
After doggedly refusing to take the advice of experts who warned the Bush administration of the mistakes they were making, because they didn't want to hear anything that didn't please them in their goal of creating a pro American democracy in Iraq, from generals to our own state department (a department they were quick to marginalize even though that department had been working on middle eastern problems for years) you have the nerve to complain about an appointment because the person isn't up to speed on the issues.
Bush and company, who were not up to speed on the issues, were given many an analysis done by experts who were up to speed on the issues, and ignored them demonstrating that they did not have the ability to learn. And when things started to go wrong, what did they do? They continued to make the same mistakes. (Stay the coarse.) Making the same mistake over and over again is a symptom of insanity. The neo-con vision of the Middle East blinded them to any reality, no matter from what direction it came from or how expert were the messengers.
Come back in a year and tell us how this appointment was a bad one after it can be demonstrated that Reyes has shown the same disregard for expert advice that the Bush administration has shown.
So whatever the dems do, like place uninformed congress men on the IC, or place ethically challanged politicans as majority leader, your default answer will be, "well at least their not as bad as GB." If GB is/was as bad as you say then we need to hold the new congress to a higher standard, rather then, "their better then Bush." Quit giving the dems a free pass just because their not GB. |
"Lets get one thing clear, Bill. Science does make some assumptions." -perrodetokio-
"In the end as skeptics we must realize that there is no real knowledge, there is only what is most reasonable to believe." -Coelacanth-
The fact that humans do science is what causes errors in science. -Dave W.-
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26020 Posts |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 17:09:59 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Bill scott
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Too soon to say whether Reyes will be any good or not. Me, I hope he works out at least OK. We really need a break from arrant incompetence due to political loyalty to a sociopathic dunce and his foundered philosophies.
We shall see; we shall see....
quote:
We really need a break from arrant incompetence due to political loyalty to a sociopathic dunce and his foundered philosophies.
To late for that. Nancy blew that out of the water with her backing for majority leader.
Are you saying that Murtha will be majority leader? I seem to recall that someone else was voted in.
And are you further stating that he is worse than DeLay, Cunningham, et al? Murtha's story is in the above link (pdf), and apparently he has not been charged with anything beyond playing a little close to the edge. Logic tells me that if there was the least provable impropriety, the Republicans would have run him through the shredder. They have not done so. Possibly, they're too involved with covering their own tracks to worry about something that would get him little more than a reprimand, at worst.
I will quite happily go after the Democrats, as soon as they give me a reason, as I'm sure they will, sooner or later. In fact, I already have; accusing them of pussyism and cowardice throughout the last decade. But until the new bunch deserves it, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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| Edited by - filthy on 12/12/2006 17:17:19 |
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Bill scott
SFN Addict
USA
2103 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 19:30:41 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
"They're better than Bush" is a higher standard than Bush. 
According to Kil, being better then Bush is like beating out the dude who graduated last in the class. All I am saying is let's hold the dems to higher standard then this. Simply being better then Bush, is not all that great of a feat, in Kil's eyes. Do not give the dems a free pass simply because they are not Bush is my message |
"Lets get one thing clear, Bill. Science does make some assumptions." -perrodetokio-
"In the end as skeptics we must realize that there is no real knowledge, there is only what is most reasonable to believe." -Coelacanth-
The fact that humans do science is what causes errors in science. -Dave W.-
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