see…I would fail, too…my coding sucks…
Hmm. Learn something new every day. I believed the story, but didn’t really care about it. Whether a high profile government official does his own shopping has no bearing on his fitness for office.
Take the mayor of any of the big 5 US cities. How many of them do you think could give you the price of a gallon of milk, or a loaf of bread, or a box of cereal? Prolly not many.
I agree with you toaster. Jeb Bush (who you apparently consider to be the President of the United States for some reason) is NOT worth my time or energy. I’ll save it for something that matters following your recommendation.
White Lightning don’t worry, you didn’t hurt my feelings, but thank you for apologising, though. Plus I learned something today: “ignorant” is a synonym for “hyperbole”, just like potato means potato. That’s very interesting. I’ll take it into consideration from now on.
Let’s just move on, shall we?
You have it exactly backwards. Franco lead the Nationalist forces that overturned the second Spanish Republic of 1931 in the '36 Civil War. He went on to announce in 1947 that the Monarchy would be restored after his death. (The Law of Succession)
As for Aznar, he is officialy the President of The Spanish Goverment, or indistinguishably, Prime Minister of Spanish Parliament (Las Cortes) – and Dubya’s second poodle in Europe.
Makes it hard to move on when you try to squeeze in the last word before pretending to take the high road and closing the discussion.
I think it’s dumb to make broad generalizations based on very little evidence. Maybe that’s just a personal foible of mine. I think that’s an ignorant way to behave. You said it was hyperbole. I’m willing to allow that that could be as simple as a difference in nomenclature. I didn’t say anything about a synonym.
Maybe you didn’t get the ‘potato-potato’ thing; it was a reference to an expression that some people use frequently to express the idea of a cosmetic difference that doesn’t have much real impact. Some people pronounce the word ‘potato’ with a long ‘a’ (“po-TAY-to”), some do with a short ‘a’ (“po-TAH-to”). What I was trying to say, in effect, was “You say ‘hyperbole,’ I say ‘ignorance’; we’re talking about the same thing; let’s agree to disagree.”
Okay?
OK,
All in favor of moving this to the Pit where it can get really juicy, raise your left tentacle!
I don’t know… I didn’t want to admit it, but I barely pay attention to the prices of such things. Does that say anything about my ability as a world, or city, leader?
How can you claim to represent the people of this country, understand their needs and concerns, if you don’t even know what milk costs? This betrays the fact that he is out of touch with the living conditions of the vast majority of Americans. Yes, it’s minor in and of itself, but what it says about our leaders is rather disturbing, IMO.
What? That they know as much about the price of milk as I do and I actually stock the stuff for a living?* Who cares?
If they don’t know where the poverty line is or about what the national GNP is I’ll be concerned. That’s what their job is; looking at the larger picture and making decisions based on that information, not micromanaging the price of dairy products in supermarkets. And yes I know you didn’t say anything about the Prez having to micromanage anything, but if he doesn’t have to then why does he have to know the price of a gallon of milk?
You’re concerned about him being out of touch with the living habits of the population, how does his knowledge of the going rate for milk affect anything? All he needs to know is whether or not the people can buy milk.
If you want to come up with an argument that the economy is doing shitty because of Presidential mishandling be my guest, but basing your criticism on what ultimately boils down to the man’s personal shopping habits is a little ridiculous.
*The price of milk fluctuates at least once a month. Couple that with regional differences in price along with the fact that milk is just one of those things you buy without thought, price usually being a secondary consideration, and you’ll see why most people won’t be able to give you any more than a ball park figure on the price of milk ($3.25 or so where I’m at).
What’s really funny about this hijack is that it’s a debate over an UL that was debunked in this very thread, and now it’s just an argument about a bizarre hypothetical.
I guess Bill Clinton not knowing how to use an ATM machine says nothing to you though. I wonder how many of your bleeding heart liberals in Hollyweird or in Washington for that matter actually do their own grocery shopping.
Did you seriously just say “Hollyweird”??
Are you actually a caricature or are you just pretending for comic effect?
Texcian, I didn’t vote for Clinton either. Please don’t ascribe a political philosophy to me just because I don’t like George W. Bush. One doesn’t have to be a “bleeding heart liberal” to dislike the man’s politics.
As for Bush not knowing what milk costs, no, that’s not a fictitious story. It may actually have been when he was running against Dukakis, but I saw it in a documentary at the time. Sorry, I can’t cite a source, but I’ll try to find it if you really want me to.
In re: knowing the price of milk, let’s put it this way: if you think a gallon of milk costs a dollar, when it costs at least twice that (at the time), then you might not understand why a person can’t live at minimum wage. If you live in a world where the price of things doesn’t matter, your compassion for people who can’t afford such things might be affected. This government is a plutocracy; I don’t think this is news to anyone. I have noted a lack of compassion for the poor is rampant in Washington, and not understanding what it costs to live in this country might be part of the reason why.
"In re: knowing the price of milk, let’s put it this way: if you think a gallon of milk costs a dollar, when it costs at least twice that (at the time), then you might not understand why a person can’t live at minimum wage. "
Earlier someone posted that milk was $3.25. However I can buy a gallon at my local Kroger right now for $2.00 (only if i buy two half gallons, a regular gallon is 2.69. My point is that just about any answer to a question like that can be used to make you look bad.
Apologies for the assumption on your politics.
What people consider important for a politician to know is variable, obviously. I recall reading before the election some liberal columnist berating GWB for not being up on pop culture tv shows. He was asked about some, and he told them he doesnt bother with that stuff. I’ll take that over Al Gore telling Courtney Love that he is a huge fan, then having to look stupid when asked by her to name just one song.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Rubystreak *
**
Nobody else in this thread has, so sure, why not?**
And I’ll say it again, all they need to know is if people can buy the milk. They can deduce the rest; if a person making minimum wage can’t buy milk due to its price then it’ll probably occur to whoever’s in charge to raise minimum wage or supplement dairy farmers or something. What do you want, the President to get a weekly update on the price of milk and Doritos (including regional differences)?
Rubystreak, you’re not making the connection here. You want the people in charge to live like normal people when their jobs prevent them from living normal lives. For example; do you think that there are some things that should not be shown on television (snuff films, rape, whatever) and there is a point where the govt. should step in to make sure such things are not shown? What you’re arguing is that the Prez should be able to list the six main cast members of Friends so that he can more effectively do his job in making sure that snuff films are not shown on television. Sorry, but that really sounds like a nitpick.
White Lightning upon review of the direction this whole thing has taken recently, I must say I agree about the tittle being ill-conceived. I should have never mentioned George Bush or the rest of the Bush family, since the result is a thread that has nothing to do with the OP or the intent of it. I still think you were caustic in your reaction and tone, but as I said, I think you are right. Things stated in writing can be interpreted very differently from what you intend to say. I will be more careful in the future, so as not to cause this sort of thing.
Fair enough. I’ll certainly grant that at the least my tone was caustic. I didn’t mean it as anything more than some light-natured jabbing. Thank you for taking my remarks in the spirit they were intended, despite my evident unwillingness to do the same for your OP. Cheers.